The National tribune., 1884-12-25
OUR RUR4L TOPICS.
Some Practichl Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
BEDDING FOR ANIMALS.

BEDDING FOR ANIMALS.
The farmer who takes pains to "make up ,
the bed for his cow eThorse gains many time:
the cost of labor HI so doing. If all material is
passed through the cutter previous to being
used for bedding'it not only adds to the com
fort of the afimdis, butt assists in the matter Of
cleanliness by reason Of its greater power of alb
sorption. For this reason sawdust is becoming
a great favorite, as its fineness not only admits
of its being handled easily, well spread in the
stall and promptly removed, but, after having
absorbed the liquid flows of the stall, still
readily mixes with the matter in the manure
heap.
The merit of sawdust is due to its fneness
and absorptive quality. If any bedding is plen-
tiful, fine and absorptive, it prevents loss OF
manure by intimately mixing with it, and as
the droppings are more readily incorporated
with greater mass of absorbent material, the
risk of evaporation and escape of gases is less
ened.
Now, if the labor of cutting is to be taken
into account. it is more than balanced by IA
cility to spread the fine manure when it is
hauled to the field. The cutting can be done
in Winter or during wet days, and it Is a lux
ury to spread nice, finely divided manure.
Good, fine, clean bedding adds to the thrift and
health of the animals, is cooler in Summer and
warmer in Winter, and those who use it pre-
vent much loss.-Cfty and Country.
SHEEP IN EARLY WINTER.
IF sheep are worth wintering at all-and the
present feeling among sheep-men indicates
that they are not-they should have very
much better care in early Winter than farmers
are in the habit of bestowing. Wintering
sheep to make them live only, is not attended
with profit, let prices rule high or low, and at
no time will good management tell with such
marked effect as at this season of the year.
Sheep are commonly neglected more in early
! Winter than any other class of farm stock
as they are the very last taken from the pas
| ture.
! Any sensible man knows that after fresh
| growing nutritious feed has been killed, and
nothing is left but the old tare for them to sub
| slst upon, there must be decline in flesh, and
| if sheep go into Winter in declining state,
the result is a demand for extra feed and care
during the remaining part of Winter, and
! light yield Of wool when the clip is taken.
! The exposure to cold storms has also its serious
| effects by deadening the vital energy. While
the sheep is thriving the wool grows rapidly;
when the sheep is declinging the growth is
checked. If kept fat through the season large
fleece is shorn ; if thin, light one.
| We would not advocate taking the sheep
from the fields and confning them in yards or
| sheds, except in times of cold, severe storms,
until the ground freezes up and Winter sets
in for dead certainty. but they should have
grain every day from the time feed begins to
fail until grass has good start in the Spring.
1t is not the large quantity of grain given
sheep that makes them do well, but giving it
at the right time. We should rather our sheep
would have gill of corn or oats per day, from
the middle of November until April, than
pint per day from January first to June.
LIBERAL FEED FOR CATTLE.
The modern method of feeding animals
through the Winter, and especially young ami
mails, is great advance upon the old system.
A two-year-old steer may be brought into an
equally good condition by good and regular
feeding, as four-year-old by the ordinary
| method by which growth is made only in the
Summer, and the animal gains nothing or loses
weight during the Winter. Just at this time
thousands of farmers are neglecting this fact
and are permitting tlieir stock to fall away and
lose condition at the very outset of Winter,
when they should be gaining. This loss of
condition puts the stock in very poor way to
stand the poor feed and exposure to cold, and
all the other hardships which they are bound
to meet before Spring finds them much reduced
in health and strength. There is no profit in
this sort OF management; but, on the other
hand, there is very satisfactory profit made
in the liberal feeding which is now practiced
by the best farmers.-N. Y. Times.
NoTELETs.
- Poultry cannot be made to pay unless pro-
vided with properly arranged house for their
accommodation. This is as necessary to their
wel-bcing rs it is that horses and cattle should
have good stable.
When we pulverize the ground to a great
depth the warm air comes in contact with q
body cooler than ITSELF the water in the soil
condensing into drops which partially answers
in place of rain. The deeper we pulverize,
therefore, the greater the amount of moisture
collected.
-Tillage and manure seem to get together
or are intimately connected Complete success
cannot be looked for without both. However
strong the tendency on the part of mankind to
avoid labor it must be remembered that it has
been proved that, as a rule, crops will not per-
feet themselves without attention.
- One of the best methods of preserving eggs
is to use wood ashes. Pack the eggs in box,
without allowing them to touch each other,
small end downward, and use plenty of ashes
They will keep several months, and if turned
two or three times week it will be so much
the better
A bushel of good, sound wheat is better
than two bushels of screenings. Musty grain
though eaten by poultry, is not good food
During the time when eggs are desired the
surfeit of inferior grain.
"A little linseod meal, given occasionally,
will help to keep horses coat bright and
glossy.
Young and middle-aged men suffering from
nervous debility, premature old age. loss of
memory, and kindred symptoms, should send |
three letter stamps for large illustrated treatise
suggesting sure means of cure. Worlds Dis |
pensary Medical Association, Buffalo, n. Y.
Can't Do Without the Paper.
To THE EDITOR: / cannot do without THE |
NATIONAL TRIIUNE | think it the best paper |
published HENRY GoNsER, New Bedford, |
Coshocton Co., Ohio.
Needs No Pulling.
To THE EDITOR: Your paper needs no puff |
ing. Its merits appear on every page. 1t only |
needs to be read to be appreciated.-GEo w. |
CoPLEY, Godfrey, Ill,
To Stop an Obstinate Cough.
new medical book mentions 132 cough |