The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES.

Moulting.-The annual moulting
season of fowls is now at hand, which
is sometimes critical period with
them. This transformation of the
feathery covering is a great drain
upon the system. They should be fed
literally at this time with varied
supply of food. and allowed an ex-
tended range to wander over.
Wide Tires Best.-A farmer who
claims to have test ed the matter, says
that upon soft ground he can draw
two tons with wheels that have a
four-inch tire as easily as one ton
upon those with two and half inch
tire. As farmers wagons are used in
crossing meadow lands and plowed
lands as much as for any purpose, it
will be well to bear this III mind when
ordering wheels for farm wagons.
Stubble Land for Wheat.-Stubble
ground intended for wheat should be
plowed as soon as possible after the
crop is removed. With early blowing,
an oat or barley Stubble may be made
almost equal to a summer fallow by
the time the ground is wanted for
wheat seeding. There is usually a
period of six weeks between harvest
and wheat sowing. In that time
thistles and quack can be greatly
checked if no spear of either is al
lowed above ground.
Don't Feed Musty Meal.-Experi-
mentS have proved that musty meal
is hot wholesome food for any of the
domestic animals. Disease and death
have been directly traced to its use.
When fed to poultry, chicken cholera
or some disease resembling that was
the result. Cows to which it was fed
gave bitter milk, and ceased to thrive
as well as those in the same pasture
which had no grain; swine fed upon it
failed to grow or fatten; only horses
were not injured by it, and they es-
capped because they would not eat it.
TO Make Shingles Durable.-Shin-
giles are said to last much longer and
are prevented from warping in dry
weather, thus causing leaky roof, if
they are covered with whiteWaSh
made by adding slaked quicklime to
moderately strong brine; some would
add sand or whiting to the whitewash,
but the advantage of doing so is
doubtful. If the white color is OBJ
jected to for the roof, any painter can
give instructions for changing to any
tint desired from flaming red to a
delicate stone color. Some prepare
the shingles by dipping them in the
wash before laying, but this entails
extra labor, and is but little, if any,
better, as all that is needed is to pro-
tect that part which is exposed to the
weather.
Care of Wagon Wheels.-The sever
| acf OF int 6o or%o
upon the wheels. The felloes espe-
cially are exposed to alternate mud
and drouth, according to the prevail
off, and the wood abSorbS the water
from every mud puddle through which
the vehicle is driven. In dry time
the wood shrinkS and the tire gets
loose. The remedy is new setting of
smith. 1t is much cheaper to clean
up the carriage occasionally, and give
the wheels dressing of linseed oil as
hot as it can be put on. The wood
will absorb a good deal of the oil, and
will swell the rim so as to make the
tire tight. 1t will prevent the rotting
of the wood and make long lived
wheels. When the wheels have soaked
good coat of paint.
Clean Money-The Atlanta Consti-
tuition truly says that the money
made by farming is the cleanest, best
money in the world. 1t is made in
accordance with Gods first law-un-
der honest and genial influences
away from the faint of trade and the
fierce heat of speculation. 1t fills the
pocket of the farmer at the expense
of no other man. His gain iso no
mans loss; but the more he makes
the better for the world at large.
Prosperous farmers make prosper
Gus people. Whatever benfits our ag-
riculture benefits the commonwealth.
Alcohol and Fowls.-A French doc
tor has experimental on the influence
of alcoholic drink ON fowls. He ad.
/ ministered to them brandy and alb
sinthe, and found one and all to take
so kindly to their unwonted Stimu-
lants that he was forced to limit each
one to a daily allowance OF six cent?
meters of spirits or twelve of wine.
| There was an extraordinary develop
ment of cocks creStS, and rapid and
general loss of flesh. The expert
mentS were continued until it APP
peared that two months absinthe
drinking sufficed to kill the strongest
cock or hen, while the brandy drinkers
lived four and half, and the wine
bibbers held on for ten months before
they died the drunkard's death.
Simple Cure for Gapes.- Under this
heading F. D. c. writes to the Country
Gentleman that the ''easiest and best
remedy for gapes in chickens is caus-
tic lime, either air or water slaked. 1t
should be dry and powdered. Take
the chicken in the left hand and open
the mouth, keeping it upright, and
then drop pinch of the dry lime into
it. Hold in this position a few sec
onds until it is oblighed to breathe.
when it will inhale some of the lime;
then let it go. One application of the
| lime in this manner has cured, in my
experience, every case of gapes, some
of them in the last stages. After
trying a number of remedies l find
this the best of all, as it is simple and
sure, and does not injure the chicken.
The lime kills the worms"