The National tribune., 1885-04-16
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
A MERE SUGGESTION.

of butter, for which he also received So. The
corn may be accepted as being equal to the
average yield of an acre of land, and was the
return secured for. many an hour of toll by
horses and men in piowing, narrowing, plant
ing. cultivatiug, harvesting and marketing,
extending over period of certainly not less
than three months. The land was less fertile
after the removal of the crop than it was be-
fore-not perceptibly. perhaps, but not the less
certainly SO. The butter was the representative
of two weeks product of u good cow. She would
consume in the course of the year the products
of three acres of grass, or its equivalent. aud in
that time should, and if q fairly good COW
would, yield an average of one pound of butter
per day for 27O days of tho year. At the rate
of IS cents per pound she would bring in the
dropped q calf worth something, especially in
the West, where calves are thought to be worth
saving. Much more than that. the COW will
have produced q quantity of SKINNED milk
and buttermilk that will BIO worth something
as food for those families and those pigs that
have not yet lost their taste for simple, health
full food. She will also have added something
to instead Of having ieasened the fertility of
the land. 1t may be objected that the cow will
require labor in milking and that it takes
work to make butter; but while this is-to
the shame oil the nventOrs-truc, it should not
be forgotten that the farmers wife can DO COM
PEELED to milk and make the butter, unless she
happens to be one OF that class who will refuse
to give their meufok chance to toast their
toes in comfort while the women do the work
of the sweet and fresh dairymaid.
To RE YATERFD BEFORE FED
Bearing in mind that the stomach Of horse
is small in proportion TO the size of his frame
he requires feeding often, and, though three
times day is sufficient four times is better
Unlike human beings, horses should drink be-
fore they eat, because, owing to the cOniorna-
ton of the horse. water does not remain in the
stomach. but passes through it into large in
testne called the cpcum. Ii horse be fed
first, the water passing through tho stomach
would be likely to carry with it PARTICLES Of
food, and thus bring about collie. Whatever a
gr ,om may say, let horse drink just as much
as he likes. 1t he be watered four times day he
will never take very much. or too much TO be
good for him. a horse, il must be remembered.
is fed on dry food. and this. with the strong
work done by hunter. always produces a
feverishness, which asutioiency of water tends
to allay Field.
PROFITABLE USE FOR TOBACCO
tive properties of tobacco has attracted atten-
tiou, and frequently brings out corroboratve
statements. Recently DIR. w. 5. ID. johnson.
OF Lewis County, Mo. described as an expert
enced aud eminent physician. as we'll rs q large
and successful st,sk raiser and farmer, gives
his experience in the use of tobacco as u RENE
dial agent III the case of hog cholera. He says
that in 1871 he came To Missouri with lis head
of hogs Hog cholera set in and they COM
menced dying, and he,lost in little time 81
head. He killed four aud made very careful
examinations, aud found them dying from the
effects of other aniniais-a animals within. lie
made an infusion of tobacco and gave it to the
hogs in buttermilk, and they stopped dying.
and after that not hog was lost from hog
cholera. When tho disease was suspected the
tobacco infusion wis given. Farmers will do
well to remember this aud it may be the best
Use that they can put tobacco to.
CARs-Is FLOWING.
The blowing of wet land does mischief
which remains for years The owner OF stiff
clay farm who turned over field in too much
of hurry 10 years ago has not since been
able to get the soil into the same condi tion it
was in before When a pIowsharc becomes
sfneared with mud asiit turns the iurTow slice.
and the earth is pasteted mortar is when Il
trowel is drawn over il. clay land becomes
sl,nilcd for many years. Even hight land is
hurt by it. hut the clay is toughened and dries
in hard clods.whch are very difficult 10 reduce
to a fine condition again. One may easily
make haste too fast in blowing in tho Spring
THE test of fitness in the soil is that Il spade
may he put into IL and withdrawn without any
smearing and the spadelul OF soil when drop.
ped will fall apart into loose nass.-N. Y.
Times.
CARE OF MEADOWS.
Tho greatest need of farmers at the present
be put down to grass but that the product per
acre should be Increased. We are all too neg
lectful of our meadows. seeming to think that
grass viii grow anyhow. and that when land
has been exhausted by growing grain it is able
to grow grass without any help and should 20
On growing richer as long as It is in grass.
This is all wrong. Two tons of hay take from
the soil til pounds of potash, 10 pounds of pi,Os-
phoric acid, and 100 pounds OF albumiuuIds
containing nearly 80 pounds "f nitrogen. This
is rs much nitrogen as is contained in ID bush
els of wheat. and moro potash aud nearly as
much pho'phoric acid. and yet farmer puts
all his u.uure onto his wheat field and hardly
ever gives any TO the grass Consequently. two
tons OF hay per acre is as rare rs 30 or 40 bush
els of wheat Manure, we know, il scarce hut
il is scarce because hay and fodder ARE scarce.
The only help. then. IS to procure artificial Ter.
tiiiZers for the meadows, aud, by liberal fer
tilizing. TO make tho MEADOWS the mainstay of
the farm.-EgchaHge.
NOTELETs
- Pear trees seldom need trimming after
they 90 to bearing, except cutting out dead
wood, il there is any. The hest condition for
pear orchard Is TO keep the land in sod and
never TO pillow it, but not allow the grass TO grow
within two or three feet Of tho trunks of the
trees. Keep the circle muIched with manure
leaves or stones. Manure the land literally
once in three or four years.
- Prepare the land for Strawberries as coon
as the weather opens. Work 1t well aud make
it fine, set out the plants early. To get the
benefit of the early rains. A plentiful supply
of superphosphate and muriate of potash should
be given to the plants ny sowing it broadcast
over the land before setting them. Work the
plants we'll. keep out mtrudIg weeds. and also
grasses, aud do not allow amy blossoms 10 fruit.
Runners should also he kept away.
- Salt for stock ia respectfully serviceable at
this season. owing to the change from dry to
green food.
- We hare found that corn ground with the
cob aud mixed. before grinding. with oa:s or
barley, makes g,tif to,sl for nearly all classes
of stock, says the New York Herald. The fact
that the cob increases hulk with slight increase
OF nutriment makes theIieal better for many
cases. Pure o0ih-iiieal is tOn coiicen rated and
grinding the cob with il gives greater bulk aud
prevents injury tOist0ckS
- Look for bri,dns as we'll ~ feet limbs or
body when buying a, horse. An animal That is
sound in every member, but has not IL level
head. is never pleasant horse. and seldom "a
valuable one. As mHch variety exists among
horses in regard to, sesase rs is found in the