The National tribune., 1884-11-13
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
TAKE CARE OF THE WAGONS.

! TAKE CARE OF THE WAGONS.
1t requires but a very trifing expenditure of
| time and trouble to keep wagon in good run
ming order, and yet how many farmers are con-
stantly delayed by broken wheel, a loose tire,
| or some other trouble. Nothing tends more to
make a wagon last and to do good service while
il lasts as keeping it well housed Leaving it
out exposed to the rains, winds. frost and the
heat of the sun alternately causes the wheels
to contract and expand until they are soon in
| good condition to break down when tested by
a heavy load; and as this is just the time when
such an accident is the most serious. it cannot
| fail to be sou rec of the greatest vexation to
the farmer, who may just at that juncture be
hurrying up his team to avoid getting his load
wet. In addition to providing a shelter for
| the wagon, pot of paint and q brush should
be kept handy, and the feloe kept well covered
with paint This will keep it frem shrinking
and keep the tire tight, and will add an incalcu-
liable time to the usefulness of the wheel. The
whole wheel, too. should nave good coat of
paint at least three times year, and, by doing
| SO, 10 times the cost will be saved. as will be
apparent by tho contrast in price between q
few pounds of cheap paint and a wheelwright's
bill for making a new wheel occasionally, to
say nothing of the vexation caused by break
down.
| COMFORTABLE srABLING.
| As Winter is now almost upon u.s. and we
shall be compelled to keep our horses stabbed
to great extent during the next few months,
the following hints from the New York Times
| On ventilation of the stable and the comfort of
| the horse generally, may save our farmers some
heavy veterinary bills: "Stables, like dwelling
houses have number of requisites, without
which it is impossible to keep the occupants in
| good health. First and foremost is ventilation.
| The Importance of pure air can hardly be ade
uuately understood without some knowledge of
| the circu lation of the blood, and also the com-
| position of the air. Fortunately, the different
properties of foul and pure air afford great
| facilities for ventilation. The former, being
| generally heated, rises to the roof, while the
latter, being cool, falls. 1t is, therefore, only
necessary to procure means of exit in the high
est part of the stable, and the foul air will
| escape by its own inherent lightness. The real
difficulty lies in securing sufficient quantity
| of pure air without causing an inconveuient
and sensible draft. This is best accomplished
| by small apertures near the floor of the build
ing-say about seven inches by two in size,
| and one for each horse. By these means a
scarcely perceptible stream of fresh air is sup
] piled. Tie doors and windows should never be
used as mediums of ventilation, unless in very
| warm weather, or when the stables are empty,
as it cannot be done without causing injuri-
| Gus drafts Horses are more often injured by
want of light or by windows that are misplaced
than by any other fault Ample light is essen
| tiai to every stable; without it, the eyes to a
| certain extent become paralyzed, and blind
| ness results. Skylights suit the purpose to a
| great extent But, in whatever way light is
provided, it is important to have it in front of
q o,,d hax, .l-oc oh ha
| just high enough to prevent the horse getting
| his feet in them. The ordinary rack, placed
above the head, cannot he too highly con-
| demned. Many horses are in the habit of pull
| ing all their hay to the ground before eating
| it. showing clearly the inconvenience, not to
say pain, caused by such an unnatural attitude,
| in which the head and neck have to be kept
for such length of time The low rack might
be made so as to remove the possibility of the
feet becoming fixed in it. No farmsteading is
complete without large, airy, loose box for
the use of sick animals. 1t should be separate
from any other building where animals are
kept, as quietness and pure air are often the
very life of sick animal. To sum up. let
horses have good food in moderation, pure
water, well-ventilated stables. regular groom
ing and exercise, and there will be less sick
ness and notwithstanding animals than many
of those now SEEM"
TICKS IN LAMBS
A correspondent of the Country Gentleman
gives the following remedy for destroying ticks
in sheep: Tobacco dust has proved very
cheap and reliable remedy, and is attended with
the best success. People generally dislike wet
ting the wool in cold weather, and this is much
more simple and easier in practice Whole
sale dealers buy many hogsheads of Havana
tobacco. After they have used all they can
for every purpose in the trade, there remains a
gritty dust, of no use to them whatever They
will give anyone all he needs. Ten pounds
will be sufficient for 100 sheep Have an at
tendant catch lamb and lay it on one SIDE on
box two feet Or SO high, for ease in working.
The other man will open the wool with one
hand. while with the other he sprinkles in a
trlf1e of the dust in about four rows the entire
length of the sheep, from head to tail. Put
one row, not on top of back, but say six or
seven inches each side from the back bone, and
the other two rows on sides near where the
legs leave the body. You will be agTeeably
surprised in few days to find that the ticks
over the entire body of the sheep are all dead
in or near these lines of tobacco dust. One ap-
plication has been all that was needed each
year. / would like some one troubled with
ticks to try it and report. 1t has always been
very effectual."
EoTELETs.
The Poultry Yard advises stoneware jars as
the most suitable packages in which to preserve
Never grease hen that is sitting for if
grease get on the eggs it closes the pores through
which the confined chick gets its air, and the
consequence is death.
- In France footrot in sheep is prevented by
placing shallow trays in front of the doors of
their quarters, in order that the sheep may be
compelled to wade through mixture of lime
and water. 1t is not used as a cure, however,
as diseased sheep must be caught and the hoofs
pared and anointed with solution of blue
vitriol
IF corn is thoroughly dry before being
cribbed it may be put up in very large quaint.
ties but if it is not dry, then the crib ought to
be narrow and Open There is no need of hav-
ing an open crib take rain. Let the siding be
of four-inch boards with two corners diagonally
opposite, champered off at right-anglss. Put
the boards on horizontally. one half inch apart
The lower edge of every board should extend
down as far as to the upper inner edge of the