The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-05-21
FARM EXPERIENCE.
Points Observed, Contributed, Cola
ted and Condensed.

All soils Of a sour, heavy nature,
full of thready, uncomposed yegeta
BILE fibre, are greatly benefited by a
dressing of air-slaked lime.
Artichokes make excellent hog
feed, and it would be well to plant
a small patch with them to test
their value under your system of
feeding.
There is no better feed for oar
young pigs, after they have learned
to eat, than good whole oats. If
the oats are ground and made into
mush so much the better.
The model farms OF this country,
as a rule, are the small ones. The
large ones always have cOnsidera-
BILE waste land, some unclean fields,
and poor, broken down fences.
Generally it is not wise for far
mer to depend upon a single crop.
1t is far better to plant a variety, so
that if one crop fails, or the market
is glutted with it, others may prove
remunerative.
The greatest need of our farmers
is more and better grass. This can
only be obtained through perma-
nent pastures, and each one should
commence seeding with permanent
grasses and make every prepare
tion for such pastures.
Ensilege would no doubt be of
much benefit for feeding hogs in
connection with their grain at sea
sons when pasture is not attainable.
1t has not been put to this use much
yet, but it is worthy of the atten
ton of all hog raisers.
No one can reasonably expect in
growing swine to have his herd ex
empt from cholera, who does not
grow green feed Of some kind for it.
All modern authorities agree that
strictly grain diet is to a great ex-
tent the cause, indirectly if not di-
rectly,of this disease devastating so
many herds.
A writer in an exchange says:
To keep and breed from older
stock than spring pigs is true pro-
gress. | know from experience
that it takes no more corn to keep a
one year old SOW than it does to
keep and grow spring pig, and if
we have good grass pastures i think
even less grain will be necessary for
the older SOW,
In some way obtain q few well
| bred and first class animals to start
hard, and then breed the herd up
yourself. This will be much more
inexpensive than attempting to
stock up heavily with these high
priced animals, and besides better
class of animals as a rule can be
purchased for any reasonable price,
as but few stockmen will sell their
choicest animals.
Watch the fires in the clearings
that they do not get into the grass
and leaves and run, and do great
damage to fences, timber and some
times even to the buildings before
they can be controlled and put out.
In clearing up the farm, do not for
get the old fence rows that are lit
tered. with briers, etc. Clean fence
rows add very much to the appear
ance of the farm, and in that way to
its value.
Sawdust is one of best mulchings
fer all kinds of berries, especially
for strawberries; but it should not
be fresh, as when passing through
the stages of decomposition it
sours and will injure the plants
and berries. After the sawdust be-
comes well spent it not only acts as
mulching, Ebut also as a fer
tilizer; and besides in dry weather
keeps the ground moist and fresh.
The blowing should be completed
now and the soil made ready for the
corn, so that it may be planted as
soon as the ground becomes warm
enough. Care should be taken,
though, that the corn is not put in
too early, and that the plant germ
become chilled. Under such condi
tiOns, if the seed does grow, the
plant is likely to come up yellow
and sickly looking, and continue
weakly in its growth all through the
season.
The crops should be selected
with reference to the adaptability of
the farm, the farmer, the situation
and the surroundings for their pro-
ductiOn. The farmer must use his
own judgment in this, and not give
too much stress to reports of the
crops which under the cjrcumstan-
ces in which they were grown may
have been very profitable, but un-
der other conditions would not do
at all. The judgment OF the farmer
is the only criterion by which this
can be decided, and on his good or
bad judgment in making these Sc
lections depends the success or fail
ure of his system Of farming.
We cannot think that a farmer
can expend money to a better ad-
vantage than in purchasing a pair of
farm scales. Dealers are not all
honest, and it may happen that on
a single transaction the whole price !
of the scales may be saved by know
ing what the product weighed be- |
fore it went to the dealer If you
do not posses scales, at least watch |
the weighing and see that it is done |
honestly as far as possible. 1t is
also good plan to compare weights
occasionally by having q load of |
grain, etc, weighed on some other
scales, without the knowledge of the
purchaser. This may save fraud.
The Importance of not being
over stocked must have been strong
ly impressed on many farmers the
past winter, by the scarcity and
high price of feed. No doubt many
of our farmers would be better off
this spring if they had parted with
third of their stock last fall at a
low price. The amount of feed
purchased at exorbitant prices, and
the very poor condition of a large
proportion of the stock, would have
more than made up the difference in