The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1884-10-09

"''iooo HIS D,tIiS arc lull OIL rats This
may be easily and eflectually prevent
ed by building them apart from other
houses ana supporting them on posts
Two TO three feet square. We speak
from ample experience on this point.
Light open houses might be construct
ed ~ same the manner for the storing of
shcaf cats. The roof would be the
only expensive part. Little more than
the framing would be needed, and the
floor might be made of poles. Expcn-
sivc barns are not needed i'm the South.
Wcnced not initiate the Northern farm
CT in that particular; our SURROUNDINGS
are different from his. MANY cnthu-
siastic tarmcrs-city bred and retired
professional mcn-arc carried away
with the pictures of fine barns i'm
Northern Journals, or in Southern
which copy from them, and speud
large amounts on similar buildings for
which they have little use. Simple,
open shelters suffice for most purposes
IN our mild climate. But it is desira-
bic to have such for all the stock Oh the
farm during cold, rainy spells. Sim
pie frames Of poles, which can be had
on every farm, and plank roof will
answer every purpose. During sum-
mer the planks can be taken down,
stacked and protected from the wealth
er. Thus managed they will last for
many years.
speaking of stock suggests that thev
should not be kept on the grass and
clover too late in the fall--if Grazcd too
closely they do not stand cold so well
ahu Will not spring forward so early
IN the spring. One Of the best pastures
Tor late grazing is Bermuda sod,
which has not been paSturcd the latter
| half of summer. Under these circum-
stances the grass grows tall, and while
the frost singcs the top, it remains
green below well into the winter We
have known a COW to be well wintercd
| on such Il pasture without any addi-
tional forage. The Lcspcdcga also,
especially if sheltered little by pines
in old fields, furnishes quite late graz
ing in the fall. Whenever the pas
lures begin to fail, stock should receive
extra feed, that they may enter upon
the winter in good condition. An
wild animals tnttcn in the fall and the
lesson is one which it is well to heed.
Nature is wiser than man. The will
tcrlnS OF stock is both easier and less
expensive since the German investiga-
tons on food rations have shown that
such substances as wheat straw finely
cut up and mixed with oil cake make
most excellent feed. Cotton seed meal
can now be had everywhere in the
south and very little Of it mixed with
wheat, oats or rye straw Willskcep q
cow in fine contltion--sav two pounds
of the meal with twenty-five Doi,uds of
straw for n days ration. The exceed.
ing richness Of the meal cOmpensates
for the poverty Of the straw and at the
same renders it more digcstiblc. We
do not think we hazard much in saving
that in Il few years cotton seed mcol
will be the staple grain feed of all the
stock on the farm. They may not
relish it at first, but animals can be
educated to cat almost anything which
is nutritious.
1T is common belief that it is better
TO wait unit frost has nippcd tho vines
before digging sweet potatoes. Our
experience and observation do not
agree with this belief. Any time after
the middle of October in this latitude.
they may be dug if the ground is drv
III the weather is warm and rainy md
inc potato is in an active growth and
full of sap, it is better to wait. But if
the ground is dry and the leaves of the
potato are turning yellow, thcv NAV
be dug with perfect safety and best
results. Having the ground dry at
digging time is the main consideration.
Some persons are very successful in
keeping them in houscs-othcrs fail
entirely. The exact methods of success
do not appear to be understood. Pack
ing away in house with perfectly dry
sand filling the intcrsticcs between the
potatoes, is one of the surcst methods
of preserving them. Next to this is
the old-tashioncd bank or hill. If
these are we'll put up, SO that the Dota-
toes will keep dry, and a plenty ofdirt
put on rs cold weather approaches.
very few will rot. 1t is well to have
an air hole at the top when the poia-
toes arc first put up, but this should
Dc closed up after the lapse of three or
lour weeks. We find a thickness of
one loot OF earth on the bank, mono too
much. 1t is important to keep the
temperature Of the potatoes as uni
form as possible, neither warm in the
day nor cold at night, and the thicker
The covering the nearer will this uni.
tormity be brought about. In some
instances, where not enough dirt had
been put on, we have observed that
the potatoes on the south side of n hill.
kept better than those on the north
side. The former, being warmed bv
the sun, did not get chilled during
very cold short snaps as did those on
the north side. a little more dirt on
the hill would have rcmcdicd the
trouble. If the sweet potato could be
kept through the winter easily and
safely, it would be most valuable
stock feed, far superior to turnips,
carrots, etc. In view of the trouble
and difficulty of Keeping them, our
attention has been turned to the COM
mon garden artichOkc as winter root
for cattle. 1t is easier raised than the
potato, and while not us nutritious.
more than makes up for that by its
greater productivcncss; under ordina-
ry circumstances it will at least double
the potato in yield. In nutritivoncss
1t is about equal to the Irish potato,
with this great advantage that it has
not TO be cooked before it becomes pal |
atablc and before its nutritious prop.
critics become developed. In place of
starch, which is the DrinciDol invrn