Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-24
HOME, FARM AND GARDEN.
GENERAL FARM NOTES.

GENERAL FARM NOTES.
The average yearly cost of keeping
cows in New York is estimated at
$37, so and III Wisconsin at $25.
A Connecticut horticulttralist keeps
his choice apples from decaying by
wrapping each apple carefully in a
separate piece of paper
A ton of bran, says the Ohio Far
mer, adds two-thirds to the value OF a
ton of hay, when fed with it, whether
fed to horses, cattle or sheep
The King of Corea has appointed an
American TO be chief farmer on his
private estates, with a view to intro
ducing our vegetables into that
country.
An Ohio dalryman, says that win
ter dairying will never be overdone.
With warm, well-lighted clean
stables, he continues, plenty of early
cut and well cured grass, supplement
ed with the contents of a good silo,
and well filled root cellar, the COM
fort, health and profit of the cows
should be more problematical ia win
ter than in summer.
1t is stated that French farmers
have succeeded in preserving ensilage
for green soiling In the open air. 1t
consists of stacking exclusively green
fodder on bed of rough stones, on a
dry place, and covering the mass with
the weight of q ton, or a ton and
half to the yard. In silos, it will be
remembered, the outer crust, OF vary
ing thickness, is unfit for food. In
this open air system the crust is much
thicker.
1t is not a good practice to give
sheep grain early in the morning, un-
less they sleep outdoors and have an
opportunity to get up and stir around
| brlskly awhile before feeding In a
flock of sheep there will always be
some that resemble certain persons
destitute of appetite in the morning.
II the grain ration is given out they
will not come at all. or SO listlessly
that they will not get fair proper.
ton, and they will lose condition.
The Philadelphia Press says fruit
and flowers may be preserved from
decay and fading by immersing them
In solution Of gum arabic and water
two or three times, waiting suffici-
ent time between each immersion to
allow the gum to dry. This process
covers the surface Of the fruit with
thin coat of gum, which is entirely
impervious to the air, and thus pre-
vents the decay of the fruit or the
whitening of the flowers. Roses thus
preserved have all the beauty Of fresh
plucked ones, though they have been
plucked several months. It is reliable,
and something ali may try.
POULTRY ITEMS.
In winter poultry-feed, Indian corn
is unequaled for furnishing heat and
fat, but lacks in aIbumen and phos-
pilates. Wheat is a mere perfect food
as it is also preferred by fowls when
they have choice of both. A mixture
of the two is desirable, with some oats
added for change. Besides the grain
there must be animal food. MIlk in
any shape is valuable. Refuse from
t e butchers, sarap cake and ofal
from the fish market, furnish mater
ial that induces free laying. Vegetable
rood is also need d. Potatoes and
turnips boiled and mashed with In
dian meal, can hardly be equaled.
Cabbage is also acceptable. III the
absence of every kind of green food,
sweet clover hay affords not bad
substitute.
There is no use to try to fatten half
grown chicks. There will be great
difference IN the condition of chicks of
different breeds at the came age, but,
until well-matured, they will not fat
ten.
& te.:spoonful OF glycerine and five
drops of nitric acid, in a pint of water
is a good remedy for a chick or TO vi
in the first stages of a cold, where the
gurgling breathing is notice but for
fear the disease may progress still
further, it is we'll to remove those af-
filcted to the barn. or some warm place
and confne them.
A correspondent says: To kill lice
on towels, pigeons and song birds, or
fieas on cats and dogs, dust pyren
thum powder well down to the skin on
every part of the animal.
1t is we'll to select the breeding
stock of poultry for another year dur
ing the early months of winter, but
not to mate them until January Feed
to keep In good healthy condition, but
not over-fat.
| LATE FALL FLOWING.
It is the heavy, hard soil that is inn
proved by late fall blowing. Such
soil being turned up just before cold
weather sets in, the frost acts upon
the hard Jumps, and TO considerable
extent pulverizes them so that the air
and the roots of the plants may more
readily pass through them, and it SO
ripens up the soil that very much
larger portion Of it is available for
plant food. There are some soils that
are filed with destructive worms.
Such soil it pays to plow just before
winter sets in, SO that the worms may
be disturbed at season so late that
they canaot again penetrate the earth
to sufficient depth to shelter them
from the extreme cold, and so they are
destroyed. Some fields are SC filed