The National tribune., 1885-04-09
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
KEEPING BEES.

domestic use does not require very great ex-
penditure of time nor money. All the capital
in the business is one or two colonies at the
start, with few Of the old fashioned box hives
as they were called. The average farmer should
avoid any and all of the modern bee appliances
These belong to professional apiarians and not
to non professionals
The chief design Of the farmer in keeping
bees is the production at little or no cost, of g
few pounds of honey, to be enjoyed by the
members of his own household, and so the
increase of colonies is no matter of interest to
him. All that is necessary is to set the hives
containing the colonies upon some suitable
frame and await the development of events. II
the colony is strong one, early in June it
should throw off swarm; then it is necessary
to act. Get table containing a clean spread
and set it near where the swarm has alighted,
with the hive to contain them, and some blocks
for it to set upon, and then with a knife or saw
carefully cut off the branch containing the
young bees and place it carefully upon the
table, placing the hive oyer it. and they seldom
fail of going into it. If afraid of the bees, cover
the hands with gloves and the face and neck
with vail or netting before commencing opera
tions. Before the bees start out in the morning
| L
! the Summer.
| Although it may be called an unmerciful act,
farmer feels justified, in the Fall, when the
| season is over, in taking hive or more, as the
| case may be. and destroying the bees by means
of birthstone, taking the honey for his use. By
following this course little trouble is occasioned,
and those remaining are allowed to remain un-
disturbed through the Winter, which they will
almost always pass in safety without any atten-
| tion save removing snow to allow free passage
| Of air.-Germantow,s Telegraph.
RAISING GOOD HORSES.
| Our cities and manufacturing districts are
| eagerly inQuiring for the best heavy draft
| teams they can get, and they don't stand on
| the price. Chicago is getting some grand
teams. There is great rivalry between many
] merchants and manufacturers for the finest
| draft team. The men who raise them don't
| have to hunt a customer for them, and the price
they get is often all their conscience will allow
them to ask; especially if they are well matched
/ and weigh about 1000 each, then the buyer
| sells them to the manufacturer at greater
| profit than carload of small horses. 1t is
| this financial profit that has made draft-h0rse
breeding so fascinating and SO popular. Our
farms need such teams to handle our heavy
| farm machinery; our manufacturers are not
| half supplied with them yet and when our
| home demand is supplied, all Europe will take
| our surplus at such prices as will soon pay us
back the money thatwe have so literally paid
them for their breeding horses to stock up with.
| Our importers are now bringing more mares
| and We are raising as good full bloods here as
| in Europe, but we want more OF them.-E1-
| change. "a
TREATMENT OF MILCE COWS.
Some cows hold up their milk when things
| do not exactly suit them. Treat such cows
| gently; divert their attention by lick of food
of some kind, or by batting and talking qui-
city and pleasantly to them. A cow that is
properly treated likes to be MIXED by person
who knows how to milk. If COW is irritated
on account of her calf, or from fright, or any
other cause that disturbs her comfort and ruff
fes her nerves, she may hold up her milk, but
gentle and kindly treatment will soon over
come it, while if the milker loses temper and
patience the matter is only made worse.
CARE OF MANURE.
Fallen leaves dead animals, slops from the
house often lost in the drain. dry muck, the
urine of the stables. night soil, turf, leaves
from hedge-rows, are all matter for deposit in
the compost heap, which passes them through
its laboratory and converts them into what is
as good as ready money for use in the field and
garden. All Of these should -be-deposits are
often wasted, and the farmer, in place of them,
spends his hard earned income for chemical fer
tilizers which are well enough in their place,
but not economical until all the home resources
are eXhauStcQ.-HmeTlCdn Home.
FEEDING FOWLS TOO RAPIDLY.
Unless fowls are fattening they should not
have food constantly within reach. Giving
them only what they will eat up clean and
slowly, so they will not gorge themselves is
the best practice. In shelling an ear Of corn
by hand it is not apt to be given too rapidly
where there are many fowls But if quantity
of corn or wheat is to be fed at once it should
be scattered among clean, dry straw. and the
fowls be compelled to scratch for it. The exer.
else thus given will prevent fattening and
promote laying.
ABOUT DUCKS.
Although ducks can bs proftably raised
without much water to swim in, yet they will
do much better if they can have daily access
to stream or pond, which latter will also result
in a saving of food, care and labor. As soon as
the ducks begin TO lay, the eggs should be
gathered every morning and put away until
broody hen is secured to sit on them. When
Matched, give the ducklings crumbled bread
soaked in milk. Continue this, with change
of johnny cake, oatmeal, barley meal, and occa-
siOnal messes of boiled potatoes and cut yegeta-
bles. Do not allow them to frequent streams
or ponds until they are almost half grown.
SELECTING BREEDING sows.
Before beginning to feed heavily, the sows
intended to be kept for breeders should be
separated from the rest and given plenty of
nOurlSh!nS Dut not fattenlHg 1Ood. Select those
with long, straight backs. and be sure that
they have at least 10 or 12 teats. Sows will
sometimes have more pigs than teats, remind
ing one Of the Government after Presidential
election, when there are more hungry patriots
than Offices
NoTELETs.
Incoming cows should have limited diet
Of dry hay, with little bran, for a few weeks
previous to calving.
- The beds and banks Of streams may be
profitably utilized by sprinkling little water
cress. 1t will flourish for years, is always
good crop to market, is one of the earliest
Spring Salads and the demand for it is increas-
ing.
The indiscrminate use of tncture of
arnica for petty sprains and bruises of horses is
| scientifically condemned. 1t has been demon
strated that il kept oug in contact with affected
surfaces arnica produces heating and blister
ing, thus frequently aggravating the complaint
sought to be cured
Pigeon keeping is profitable if the birds
are properly protected from the ravages of owls
and hawks. As many IS 10 pairs of squads will
be raised in a ysa1 by7a good couple Of birds.
and good prices can be realized.
An exchange states that the worst Kind Of
cribber can be dissIaded from indulgence in
his vice by the following means: Nail q strip
of sheepskin, about eight inches in width. the
entire length of tbeacrib; select skin covered
with long WOO, aud sprinkle it freely with
cayenne pepper. TIE cure will be speedy and
"A teamster u, TO- Maine says he can start the