The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-12-31
RARM AND GARDEN.
A Few Points Of General Interest," to tho
fIuSbandmaI.

for spring crops as possible. If th'
surface is rough leave it SO for tht
frost to act upon
The champion squash at the late
Minnesota State Fair weighed 15(
pounds; that which was awarded sec.
ond prize weighed 125 pounds.
Iowa swine breeders are growing
moro sweet corn every year, as it'
tendency to lay on fat is better known.
stonewalPs Evergreen is largely used
Parker Earle. the we'll known fruit
grower of Illinois, has purchased
20, 900 acres of land near New Orleans
which he will convert into q dairy
farm to supply milk to the city.
Give comfortable shelter as regards
wind and rain, together with judi
cious feeding, and horses. sheep and
cattle will stand any amount of cold
that the coming winter may bring.
The bast mats, so largely used in
this country, especially for packing
nursery products, are made in Russia,
and about 1900, 600 sent away annu-
ally. The peasants make them from
! the bark of the lime trco.
At the international potato show re.
Gently held in London there was q
great display of new varieties having g
dark skins but scarcity of those
nearly round and having white skins.
The judges stated that white, all
round potatoes were the most desir-
able.
Indications point to the general av-
erage of twenty-six and half bushels
pcr acre of corn for the whole coun-
try. The small average of soft corn
insures sound grain an important
commercial consideration when it is
remembered that the average of soft
corn for series of years is one fifth Of
the crop, and in bad seasons two -fifths
of the crop.
The result of the wheat harvest of
1885 is placed by the Department of
Agriculture at 35O,O0O,O0O bushels,
possibly trifle more. The average
yield will be quite as good as that of
1881. The largest averages are Mich
igan, 20; and Colorado, Montana,
Utah and Washington, 81 to % BUSH
els per acre. Particular fields in Yer
mont gave as high as fifty bushels per
acre.
DR.. Nichols, of tho Boston journal
of Chemistry, found by repeated and
careful experiments that the cooling of
cows legs by standing in pool of
cold water in hot summer days sensi-
bly, diminishes the milk secretions, so
sensitive are cows to the influence of
cold. Yet many farmers subject their
milch cows to frequent and severe
chills during the winter, both indoors
and out, to the great detriment of their
own pockets rs we'll as the health and
comfort of tle cows.
The question that each man is to de-
eide for himself is the expense to be
put in his barn, stable and fixtures.
This is matter of taste, but the ques-
ton of warmth is ono of economy.
The animal heat must be kept up
either by increased food or by con-
servation of heat in the stable. Much
may be accomplished by tight walls,
If in connection with perfect ventila-
ton. The bodies of animals throw off
constantly a large amount of heat.
The breath and the odor of the excre-
nent alone are Objectionable.
Old sheep may be turned off to very
good advantage-even old ewes. BY
keeping them away from the ram in
autumn they may be fattened and sold
in early winter at small cost. Sheep
usually come up from the pasture in
autumn in excellent condition. This
start should not be lost. Commence
granting them lightly, even before they
are entirely removed from the grass.
Commence early to keep them under
cover of sheds or stables, and they
will not fall away, as is too often the
case in early winter.
The Statistician of the Department
of Agriculture points out the fact that
while the exports of our implements
to Russia have until recently been in
significant, they arc now becoming
quite large, having amounted in 1884
TO $208, 723. OF which $185,063 were
for mowers and reapers. As that
country is already our most formid-
able competitor in the wheat markets
of Europe. her increasing use of our
own implements in the production of
this staple is point of consid-
cradle interest to our farmers.
Hens are in effect mere egg me-
diums, and to keep these mediums in
good running order we must keep up
the thrift and hcalth of the organs.
The first thing to produce this is
cleanliness Of quarters, comfortable
lodging places and nutritious food.
Fowls are filthy birds as far as their
appetites are concerned, and will con-
sumo uncleanly food and drink from
dirty. stagnant water; but they are
cleanly about their bodies. and nice to
fine point. The better we keep our
hens the richer and larger are tho
eggs:
When new milch COW has her calf
taken from her she will often hold up
her milk, apparently for the purpose
of saving it for her offspring. It will
require kindness and patience to over
come this habit. The operation of
milking Is pleasant for the animal,
and If she is given mess OF warm
slops while being MIXED her attention
will be SO diverted that she will yield
without remembering her calf. 1t is
important to milk clean from the first,
as retention Of milk in the udder in
jures it and tends to decrease the
yield.
Ia H~n L.