The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-10-23
OUR RUR}A}b TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.

HINTS FOR THE MONTH.

time, as the grass IS getting short, to give
little extra feed. By doing so the animals will
not only keep UP their. install flow of milk, but
no trouble will ensue FROM the change to dry
food, they having gradually become accustom-
ed to it. 1t would be well, too, to look to the
matter Of stabling the animals, and if not put
in the stalls now, some protection from the
damp and cold nights should be placed within
their reach.
1t will be found profitable now, as WELL to
fatten hogs as much as possible before the Win
ter sets in, as it is well-estabished fact chat
fat is put on the animals at far less expense in
comparatively warm weather than it is in ex-
tremely cold. Care should be taken, too, that
the pens are kept clean;-the old and stupid idea
that hogs thrive better in filth is completely
exploded.
word, too, in regard to the stable may
not come amiss at this season of the year. See
that it is put into such condition that your
horses will not suffer in the coolest weather,
and remember that in the comfort of your ami
mails your pocket is directly interested; for
every farmer knows that a warmly-stabled
horse requires less food to keep him in good
order than one who is exposed to the draughts
that blow through badly fitting doors and
tumble-down stables. 1t is not an expensive
job, by any means, to make stable warm and
comfortable,-a few feet of lumber, one or two
pounds of nails. and a very moderate expendi-
ture of muscle being all that is necessary.
1t will also pay well to see that the imple-
ments of every description are provided with
a shelter and put away in good shape See that
the woodwork is painted and that the rust is
carefully cleaned from the metallic parts and
that kerosene or some other oil is rubbed on to
prevent it forming again. These little precau-
tons may save you a great deal of labor and
expense next Spring, and the trouble involved
now is too small to be taken into consideration
The poultry, too, deserves a word in their
behalf at this season, aud by attending to their
comfort the stock of eggs for Winter consump-
ton may be materially increased. Stimulating
food, such as chopped meat, lime, ETC., will also
help materially in that direction.
THE MAN PUT IN THE HORSES PLACE.
The New York Tribune aims well directed
blow at the carelessness of many horse-owne
in the following well-conceived simile: 1T is
worry and not work that kills Let every
owner of horse think when he brings his
team to the stable at night how much vital
force has been expended in work and how
much in worry, and then strike balance. And
let him consider himself to be put in the horses
place, so that he may better know how it is
himself. AS thus: ~
"a man goes out to work in the morning
after having all night fought flies of the pesti-
lent kind, breathed hot, foul air. reeked in the
sweat and dust of the previous days work
eaten breakfast in haste, without any sufli-
cient cleansing of his skin, and with boots and
clothing ill-ftting and CALLING the tenderest
spots upon his person.
I" He is then, from the filthiness of his body
exposed all day to the venomous attacks of flies
which he fights with hands and feet but which,
from the exigencies of his work, he can only
drive off for the slightest moment, after which
cloud of them settle upon his face and exposed
parts and sting him severely.
He works on from hour to hour in the
broiling sun without water to moisten his
mouth or TO quench his raging thirst until
midday, when he rusiles home, swallows
drink of dirty water, and hastily eats dinner
in the Understanding and worst ventilated
part of his premises.
1.-The afternoon is like the forenoon, and after
this has been occupied in the same way, the
man, all foul with gathered dust and sweat,
eats his evening meal as he dined, and lies
down to rest (?l, if he can, on filthy floor, in
an apartment that is hot, close, and swarming
with flies, which he vainly fights as he catches
an odd wink or so of sleep.
"And SO, de novo, from day to day, he fights
it out on this line all Summer. Then how
much of the resulting wear and tear is due to
the worry and bow little of it to the work?
Something like this is the weary condition
of the average farm horse. No note is taken
of the cruel lashings, the overworking, the in
judicious feeding and watering, the torment of
check reins the hindrances of binders, the
bad treatment of the feet by the blacksmith
and other mistakes which produce actual dis
ease, nor of the truly horrible nostrums and
poisonous stuff which are made use of as
remedies for these complaints.
Thinking of all these things, who can Won
der that the average farm horse, whose useful
life is naturally % TO 80 years, gets into hole
in the corner of the farm and is consumed by
prowling dogs in less than half his allotted
term of life.
SUNLIGHT IN STABLES.
The following from the Liue Stock Journal IL
illustrates the necessity as well as tire humanity
of having buildings occupied by live stock
suitably lighted: "We tried an experiment
some years since to test the effect of absence of
light upon calf We had two deep-red calves
Of the same age go days., one weighing $50
pounds and the other 1S2 pounds. The latter
we placed In dark room, with trough that
could be filled by a spout through a partition.
The other was confined in the same amount Of
space, but in full light, and both were fed ex-
actly alike for the next three months. The
object was to test the effect of light upon such
a growing animal. AT the end of the time the
one in the light weighed 430 pounds and the
one in the dark weighed $50 pounds, and its
color had faded to a very pale, dirty red. Its
eyes were so much affected when admitted to
the light that it kept them closed most of the
time for the first week or two. The tw0-caves
were together, but the one from the dark room
never fully recovered from this three months
darkness 1t never recovered its bright-red
color, although the color improved Any one
who noted these two calves during this expert |
ment would never after doubt the impolicy of
dark stable. Sunlight is Indispensable to
healthy vegetable and animal life. Every
farmer sees his cat and dog select belt of sun
light to lie and bask in, and if he will watch
his cattle when turned out he will find them
seeking at once the sunny side of the barn.
yard. And with all these indications before
his eyes, still the farmer keeps his animals in
dark stable, much to their discomfort and his
pecuniary loss. 'Werdo not, of course, include
all farmers in this statement, for small mi
nority fully understand the Importance of sun
light in stables and make, ample provision for
its introduction"
FEEDING DRY COWS.
1t is a common practice among some dairy
men to give their cows while dry, but scanty
living. When COW ceases to give milk, any
food is considered good enough for her. This
is great mistake; the result being a dimin- |
ished product Of milk, both in quantity and
quality, when she does come in. There is \
large draft on the system to sustain the calf
while the COW is carryingit, and to keep the
cow in good condition Good feed is rs imnOrtant |