Daily Republican., 1885-10-05
AG RICU LTU K AL
HOUSING STOCK IN WINTER.

HOUSING STOCK IN WINTER.
We take the following excellent sug-
gestions from the American Rural
| Home, published at Rochester, N. Y.
We are aware that we are but repeat
ing what has been published many
times in urging the farmers who read
The American Rural Home to prepare
| early for the comfort of their stock
during the inc'emencies of next winte-
yet We are at the same time we'll aware
| that a great many farmers still depend
upon sheds, open on one side, and with
large cracks In the siding upon the
| others, or upon straw stacks, TO shelter
and protect from storms ard fierce
| winds, q large proportion Of their stock.
This IL not economy, 1t il wastefulness.
They not only waste the extra amount
| OF feed required to supply the requisite,
| animal heat, but they also waste the
| flesh and vitality of the animal.
IL is very poor policy to defer pre-
pairing suitable shelter until winter
comes, with the thought that there will
be more time after the falls work Ia
done, for, before that time stock will
have suffered a great deal from cold
storms aud frosty nights. We know
that mankind are about AZ susceptible
to the first cold days of autumn as to
the much lower tenn perature Of winter,
which the system il gradually prepared
to endure.
Although farmstead locks great
deal mo.e attractive with tiue, clap
boarded, painted barns, with warm,
dry Easements for stab!ing the stock, or
warm sheds on solid walls, and these
are undoubtedly, more economical in
the long run, yet, II a farmers pecu.
mary circumstances will not warrant
the outlay, cheaper substitutes can be
put up tor Temporary use. We have
| known very comfortable sheds made
by stacking straw upon strong poles
supported by posts. II the sheds are
protected on three sides by straw with
the open side near the barn, they may
be quite warm. In such q shed stock
should be tied up or few Of the stronger
| will take possession and drive out the
| weaker.
Quite passable cattle stable may be
built with rough boards. by boarding
| up inside also and filling in between
with straw. To save lumber, quite
large spaces may be left between the
inside boards. If boards are used foI
the root considerable care is necessary
In battening the joints to prevent leak
age. In sll cases where the earth ferms
the floor straw shouldIbs literally used
for litter. The warmth of such shed
will BIO greatly increased by banking NJ
the outside with earth, leaving o shall
low ditch to carry off the dripping
from the roof.
farmer, with ordinary skill and s
few tools and small outlay for rough
lum Der, can bnild very good buildings
for other stock besides cattle. He car
max gooh pig-sty for his swine,a shec
for his sheep and house for his poul
try. Although thsHe home made out
houses may not be- very ornamental IL
themselves yet their maifest adaptation
to their purpos, makes a farm stead |. oil
a great deal more com Portable, and con
stquently more attractive.
THE GUINEA FOWL
have weakness for the gunner
fowls, and II their eggs were as larg,
as those of a hen, | should breed then
exclusively, they are SO much superio
10 everything else in the poultry l,n'
III 10 many important particulars. Tw,
years ago, while in the south part o
{ The State, | bought pair OF whit
guinea, for | always locked upon them
with the suspicion with which l looi
upon kentucky mule. / bought 70
their color, because there were no Whit
auineas In my county. Last year tn
hen laid about ninety eggs thas W
found, and / Matched seventeen of then
under q hen.
About the first of July the guine
hen began to sit, out in the eage of tn
corn6eid. on fourteen eggs, anu in du
course of time, | suppose, she brough
off thirteen chicks; at least one time
+, went down TO see her, and she WAS gone
leaving one egg in the nest. The mex
time / caught aglimpse of her, she cam
: to the house with thirtseD chicks abou
as large as quails, having kept ever
one that was Matched, and the he
which brought off brood lost onl
two. When cold weather came / ha
i, thirty guineas, that had cost mo less t
> raise than any five chickens in In,
hoca. kept them through the winter
and this spring l sold all but half
I dozen at a dollar apiece, and could hav
sold AZ many more If | had them.
Two of them We ate and found theI
excellent; the, flesh unlike that Of tn
pearl guinea, is whit? tender, and OF
= gamey favor that IL delicious Th
l ones kept laid with the hens for
long time this spring, beginning abou
the 9th of April and laying every da
! until they began setting, about tw
weeks ago. Before l got any guinea
3 the hawks botheIe ed me considerably
but since that time they have got bu
\ Que chicken from me. The advantage
I OF keeping guineas are these 1t don
cost cent to keep them from earl
, spring until freezing weather; they ar
1 better for the table than any breed {
. chick ut; the hawks don't got them
aud when find guinea bon Getting o
fourfH to twenty Gags feel tolerabl
safe in " counting my chickens befor
9 they are hatched."
U