Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-11-16
Farm and Live Stock Notes
Farmers seldom fail.

Animals enjoy good beds.
Merinos need more coarse fodder in pro-
portion to grain than the mutton breeds
do.
Root growth more than top growth is
wanted in wheat at this season.
If for one year the poultry doesn't seem
to pay we'll. don't give up trying further.
Remember that no crop pays we'll every
year.
An an animal shivering from cold and
wet is distressing sight How do YOU
feel when you SILVER? Much of such sui.
fering could be prevented by little FORE
thought and fore action.
Board. plank or stone walks between
the house, barn, we'll and other prominent
points about the place, will save a great
amount of vexation and work to the
women folks in preventing dirt being car
ried into the house. Look at such mat.
ters from their point of view.
Potatoes for Seed.-Farmers do you ev-
er think that the care of the seed in win
ter has good deal to do with the potato
cropp Potatoes are not like grain, pro-
tected by hard substance that prevents
injury from change in temperature or 9TH
err conditions; they are more like the
roots of trees, susceptible to severe injury
if kept too dry. too hot or too cold while
dormant. Too much heat causes sprout-
ing, and this taxes the vitality of the tuber
in way that will lead to weak instead
ef vigorous plant If kept too cold, the
plants germs in the eyes may be destroyed
and no growth follow. To be dried up
during the winter is in its way as bad as
either OF the other defects OF keeping
named. To simply provide that no such
extremes shall be permitted. is the right
course. Health in the tuber is the most
important of all considerations when its
use for seed is had in view.
Ice for Farming Use.-The materials
necessary for constructing an ice house are
of the simplest and cheapest kind the
putting up can be done by any one that is
at all handy with tools. Where house
is contemplated the mode or building
should be gotten under way in good sea-
son so that all may be ready when a good
crop is available. AS to site, il one that
is sheltered from the wind and shaded
from the sun, as under trees, or a larger
building can be be had. it will be found
thC OcSbs oue ihN loCdtiOu IIldS dUSWtT.
Good drainage is needed to carry the waste
from melting off, but there must be no
inlet of air through the drain. If pipes
are used, they should be trapped for pre-.
venting this. The wall of the ice house
may be made of narrow plank two inches
thick. These should be placed at inter-
walls with their lower ends on slls that are
supported on II foundation. On the out
side the upright plank may be covered
with boards and battened, or with clap
boards on the inside with any cheap stuff.
The spaces ia the wall should be packed
with sawdust, tan bark or chaff. A roof
of any description that will keep out the
rain will answer, but this much it must
do. Provision for air from the top must
be made; this can be done by a ventilator
or hood in the roof. or by small openings
in the end at the top. The doors should
have double walls with sawdust between.
In filling. start with a layer of sawdust,
or similar material, nine inches deep
On this start the ice, leaving space clear OF
ice one foot wide neXtto the wall all around.
This space must then be packed with saw
dust as the filling proceeds. Finish a, the
top with heavy coat of like material. Ice
weighs 57.5 pounds to the cubic foot.
Calling it 80 pounds to the foot as piled,
it is easily estimated how large the build
| ing should be. Some allowance must be
made for wastage; one half would be safe