The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-07-31
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
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Agricultural Readers
Gaze OF. aoasEs, SHOULDERS.

I
than to see horses with their collars swathed
in bandages almost invariable sign that
the poor beasts are suffering from CALLED Shout
ders. 1t is as a rule caused by the grossest
negligence and carelessness on the part of their
owners, and an utter indifference to the comfort
of the poor animals who happen to be so unfor-
tunate as to be placed under his control. This
clumsy attempt to remedy an evil-or rather
to enable the animal who has been mutilated
by careless handling, to do his works not In
frequently the cause OF still further extending
the evil, or'although the pressure is to great
extent relieved FROM the affected parts, the un-
even pressure caused thereby on other parts of
the shoulder frequently rubs them into sores
| also. The commonest humanity as well as the
interest of the farmer should prompt him to
take the measures necessary to prevent the
collars and other parts of the harness from gall
ing Many good horse has been spoiled by
having sore shoulder, aud become confirmed
baker; for, having acquired an indisposition to
pull on the affected part, the habit frequently
clings to him after cure has been effected
The prevention of gals is very simple In the
first place, that the collar fits we'll that it is
neither too tight nor too loose; and, secondly,
the shoulders of the animal should be well
washed every night when he is unhitched and
last, but by no means least, the collar should
be thoroughly freed from the encrustation of
perspiration, dust and hair which is to be
found invariably on the inside, and which will
most assuredly, if left to get hard, rub the
shoulder into sores. A few drops of oil rubbed
on the collar viii keep the leather pliable and
not only add to the comfort of the animal but
cause the collar to last much longer, keeping
the leather from cracking and the stitches from
11,.x1
Is to wash the affected parts with pure water
and CASTLE soap and the application of a little
olive oil will not only assist the healing pro-
cess, but will prevent the hair, if the injury is
not OF too long standing growing in white
patches over the wounds.
TURKEYS AS PEST DEsTRoYERs.
The Fresno (Cal) Republican, speaking of the
value of turkeys in vineyards, says. Our vine
growers are ON the lockout for turkeys A
market for 1000 or 5000 young turkeys could
be found at the leading vineyards They want
them to range in the vineyards and catch the
slugs that are now attacking the vines They
found the turkey an excellent hand at the
business. They would hire men and set them
at the work, but a sufficient force is not obtain
able when needed. But the turkey does the
work nearly as well as man, and while catch
ing the worms is earning his own food. Then,
too, after the worm-catching season is over he
will sell for as much or more than he cost in
the first place, and, therefore, he is a more
valuable employees than man would be- we
think it would pay the large vine-growers to
put up incubatofs and every spring have a
large brood of young turkeys ready to turn
into the vineyards.
GETTING RID OF WEEDS.
This is the best time in the year to get rid
of weeds. There are often weeds in the focks
and the herds, which, like those in fields. not
nj are yVor n
Others Of their share of the sustenance
This IS good time to get rid of them. Old
hens and spare cocks should be put to better use
than eating feed for no profit. No hen should
be kept over her second year, and cocks at this
season are costly eaters and a troublesome NUS
ance. These should be killed of and young
birds especially reared to take their places
when they are needed. Old COWS, and young
ones that are poor m kers or have faults should
be dried OF and fed Well so as to fatsen quickly
By and by. Old ewes with poor teeth should
be weeded out. and sHe poof ssotlls 8 should be
turned into good nation. At che same time
that the weeds are got nd of selection of the
best animals that can be procured for breeding
should be made, so that the flock and the herd
should be rendered as profitable as may be-
Neg York Times
WOOD ASHES FOB APPLE TREES
A correspondent of the Neir England Farmer
says that New York farmer observed that
some of his apple trees that had been dressed
with unleached wood ashes bore apples which
kept all winter without rotting while the rest
Of the fruit rotted badly His trees were in
tested with apple-tree blight He finally ap-
pied wood ashes at the rate of two hundred
bushels TO the acre to his orchard, and washed
the bodies OF the trees with lye. The orchard
recovered from the blight, and the apples would
then keep We'll In an ordinary cellar all win
ter.
BLEACHING CELERY
a correspondent Of the Canadian Hortic,tt,,r-
isl, writing to that paper in regard to the
bleaching of celery, says he simply ties it up
closely in old news OF other papers when it is
ready for bleaching, and at the end of from
II to 20 days finds. it as nicely bleached as
though laboriously banked up He adds, one
third more celery can be got from an acre. be-
cause, when it is not banked, it does not need
to be planted SO far apart; that great amount
of labor is saved, and that by this process the
celery never rusts.
THE APPLICATION or sIANUREs.
On the subject Of applying manures the New
York State Agricultural Society has adopted
the following conclusions: l. Manure which
consists chiefly OF the droppngs of animals
should be applied as soon as practicable to the
soil z. Manure consisting largely of straw.
cornstalks or other. fbrous matter should be
first rotted to become fine. g. Manure should
be applied at or near the surface of the soil or
should be slightly buried T. For hoee crops
and especially for corn crops, it may be buried
deeper than for straw crops
GAPEs IN CHICKENS
Gapes in chickens are due to small worms in
the windpipe. The worms may be removed
by inserting feather that has been trimmed
down, turning it a few times, and bringing out
the worms with it, Othes remove the worm
by a loop of horse hair. The best preventive
from this pest is to keep hens and chickens
free from lice, the hen house and coops clean
and 10 see that the ground upon which the
chickens are fed does not become foul
FEEDING OF CALVES.
Calves, like all young stock, Should be kent
growing every day till they reach maturity, in
order to make them profitable. Great care
should be taken not to make their milk too
hot Feed lightly at FIRST, and increase mode
rately as the calf requires. Sifted oatmeal is
to be preferred to cornneal. If eostive give
little linseed oil meal if seours feed little
scalded milk.
CHEAP INSECT DESTROYER
A correspondent Of the Fruit Recorder saws
he has boiled leaves and stems of tomato plants
until the juice is all extracted, and finds the
liquor deadly to- caterpillars, lice and many
other enemies of vegetation. tt does not in
jure the growth OF plants and its odor remains
for long time to disgust insect marauders.
NoTEHEFs
- For dry" cows or sheep there is no
cheaper or better food than tarnips. and for