The National tribune., 1884-08-14
OUR RURH TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
CARE OF STOCK IN WINTER.

Although the wisdom of housing and prop |
erly feeding stock during cold weather is some-
what of a hackneyed subject, it is one of such
vital Importance to, the interest of farmers
that no apology need be- made in referring to
it again and urgingupon our agricultural read
ers the necessity OF preparing, even at this
early period, for the forthcoming Winter. The
farmer should in handling stock of all kinds,
continually bear in mind that what tends to
the comfort and welfare of the animals under
his care, adds directly to his bank account in
various ways. In the first place, he should bear
in mind that while an animal is not growing
and laying on flesh, he is actually losing on
him-every moment that animal remains In a
state of stata quo, his owners money is not only
idle, but is diminishing. The only way to profta-
bly, handle cattle is to keep them growing from
the start until they are finally disposed of.
The idea which seems TO have taken posses
sion of many farmers, that all thatis requisite
is attained if they manage to keep their stock
alise through the Winter, should be banished at
once for it fills our fields with lean and stunted
animals that require amount of food and
care during the following year which reaches
far above the cost of few suitable buildings
and sheds for their shelter in the Winter. And,
then, what II ore wasteful system of feeding
can be imagined than hauling load of fodder
into an open field and leaving it there for the
half-starved creatures to fight over, trample
| under foot and foul with their excrements2 By
this manner of feeding just about one-half of
the forage is consumed, the other part being
| left on the ground to rot, or blow away, as the
case may be; whereas, if the proper shelter
and racks were provided, every mouthful
H., ,l,1Ip INT hInN
must not be lost sight OF, is the amount of ma
| nure that can be saved by stabiing, and the
! consequent increase OF crops the following year.
Every farmer knows, or ought TO know, that
| the manure dropped by stock on the open
ground and left to the action OF the frost and
and rain, is of little value compared to that
which is hauled out and spread upon the ground
! at the proper season. la regard to milch cows,
! does any reasonable man suppose they are paying
while standing around in the mud and snow,
picking up miserable sustenance from the straw
| stack, with an occasional armful of fodder or a
few ears of corn thrown to them? AT the very
time when butter is commanding high price
| he has none to sell, or if he manages to scrapea
few pounds together, the insipid, white stuff
can hardly find a market Now, were these
COWS snugly housed and reasonably led, their
product would add no inconsiderable amount
| to the farmers income,
A word, too, in regard to colts. IL is an
1 q
! living through the Winter at the straw stack,
/ and the consequence is that when Spring comes,
| instead of being in prime condition to be
/ turned into the pasture, they are a disgrace
to their owners with their watery eyes, weak
knees and shaggy coats T.
really paying piece Of work can now be
| carried on by the farmer at intervals during
| the Fall work. If he is within easy distance of
a saw-mill a few loads of slabs can be purchased
/ at very low figure and an excellent shelter
| for his stock built with them. Or,.i he has
| timber on his place. he viii not have much
| difficulty in getting the owner of portable
| mill TO cut for him on shares, and thus raise
| many valuable buildingsson his farm at a COM
| paratively trifiing cost. Let our rural friends
| heed these few remarks and their eyes will be
gladdened by the sleek, healthy and well-fed
animals they will turn out to pasture next
Spring.
RYE FOR STOCK
A correspondent Of the Missouri Republican
! gives the following hints in regard TO the SOW
ing of rye for Winter pasturage and green food
| for cattle: " Where stock is kept upon the farm
! good patch of rye should be sown early in The
| Fall, so that il viii make a good thrifty growth
before cold weather sets in There is no
plant that will furnish as large amount Of
| Winter and early Spring pasturage as rye, and it
is equally good for all kinds of stock, including
poultry. have found it profitable to run small
patch convenient to the poultry yard so that
during the Winter the poultry can have access
TO it, and find that it furnishes large amount
Of green food at very low expense. And with
larger stock the result is the same. The soil
should be prepared the same as for wheat, but it
should, in order to furnish the largest amount
of food, be sown considerably earlier say about
the middle of August, provided the soil is moist
enough to induce termination of the seed. 1t
can be pastured all Winter, unless the soil is
hat IS bxyfr lsno fa
the mud Once well established plot will
furnish supply of green food for three or four
years if it is not allowed to mature seed and
in this way will fHrnish more green food at a
less cost than any other plant. And when we
realize the value of green food for stock of all
kinds during the Winter, and especially in the
early Spring, when cows, mares and ewes are
coming in, II IS strange that more farmers do
not take the trouble to SOW good patch, to be
used for feed alone, and especially when stock
or poultry is kept and green food is 30 much
an itenl."
NoTELETs
Fed in any shape, oats make splendid
food, especially in Summer, when an exclusive
diet of corn is too heating.
An old apple tree standing in good loca-
? tion, and that has sound trunk, should never
be destroyed. If the variety is unproductive
or otherwise undesirable, it can be grated over
and In three or four years be made profitable.
Fruit growers may, with profit in more
ways than one, combine poultry-raising with
fruit-growing. 1t is said that fowls effectually
protect plum trees from the attacks of the cur
culio.
- When lime or ashes is mixed with guano
hen manure or other fertilizers containing am
monia, or readily yielding it, there is loss of
a valuable constituent If the soil needs lime
or ashes SOW the other fertilizer first, and when
that is well incorporated with the soil, the lime
or ashes may be applied without loss.
- The very best soil for the peach is rich,
deep, sandy loan next to this strong mellow
loan; then light. thin, sandy soil-and the
poorest is heavy, compact, clay soil.
The metallic parts of agricultural imple-
ments of all kinds soon gather rust when not
IN use, and are thereby much injured, not
taking into account the loss of time in clean
ing and polishing. 70 prevent this the follow
ing mixture applied to plows, mowers, reap
ers and other utensils, will be found very
effective: Kerosenes two quarts linseed oil,
one gill; rosin, one ounce. Melt the rosin in
the linseed Oil and add to the kerosene.
!, There is an average IN this country of a
, little more than one cow TO four people, How
0 would there be enough to go around if the milk
J, was not watered and the butter extended with
lard and oleomargatine? s =
1 DR.. Salmon, of the Department of Agri-
culture, is of the opinion that abortion in cows