Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-14
FARM NOTES

For crossing on the common shees, if
good, choice mutton is the object, no
breed is the subjedt, no breed is superior
to the Southdown. 1t is not only hardy
but, like the mereno, capable of foraging
over surfaces and securing a large por-
| ton of its food.
If there are cattle on the farm that
must be sold to reduce stock to the level
of fodder supplies it will be well to give
them the best pastures, and perhaps grain
besides, until they are fat enough to
slaughter, for the surest market will be
for flesh.
Poultry farming doesn't take great
deal of land, but with good management
the harvest comes every day; and though
it is small its multiplication by all the
days of the year makes a sum that com
pares favorably with more pretentious
ventures.
4 Maine farmer claims to have a hen
that has laid 301 eggs in a year. If so
she must have laid while she was sheddinp
feathers, which is not usually done by the
hens during that period. As such a feat
is extraordinary, she should be kept as a
special breeder.
1t is something strange that in the
South the breeds which endure that eli
mate best are the Berkshire and Essex
hogs, which are black in color. In the
west the POlan-Chinas are the favorites.
while the Eastern and Middle States white
hogs are preferred.
Straw may be rendered more valuable
by being cut into short lengths and
mixed with chopped hay or grain. 1t
will greatly assist in increasing the
amount of coarse material if so fed, and
the practice is much more economical
than that Of Rsing it for bedding entirely.
At any time now spare days may be
employed in blowing for wheat. The
work can not be done too thoroughly or
the ground toy well prepared. Wheat
rarely receives the attention it should in
which largely explains why the American
yield hOvers near a dozen bushels per
acre..
If your hogs lack material to build up
their bony and muscular tissues, suppose
you try an experiment and feed them
lime, powdered bones, grass and oats for
muscle. When you feed, see that every
hog is present at rOll-call, and always
seek the absent one, as there is generally
something wrong with him, and that is
the one to watch.
The injury that the crow does to corn
by pulling it up is hot generally great
and can be easily guarded against. A
more serious Indictment is found in the
fact that the crow is the greatest enemy
of misunderstanding birds, whose nests it
rObs and whose young it kills. The
squirrel is also open to the same charge
Have you any occasion to dig I'D any
SOus along the rOads1ue, unuor fe,,oes
or in any part of the garden? Save
them. Spread a lawer of soda and
sprinkle on it a light dressing of potash
(ashed) and bone, then another layer of
sOds, then ashes and bones, elc., until the
heap is completed. This will give you
perfect soil for fower-pots.
It is generally understood that by the
term fodder-corn is meant corn either
sOwn or planted specially for fodder in
cOntradistinction to the stalks obtained
from field of corn after the corn is har-
vested. These stalks, having the corn
taken from them by husking, are known
as corn fodder. Hence, we have fodder
corn and corn fodder.
Lack of water is one reason why COWS
y
son of the year. Partially dried heritage
is more like hay than grass, and even
plenty of water to drink will not obliter-
ate the difference. If the yield of milk is
once allowed to fall off no amount of
good feeding will ever quite restore it to
what it should have been. Worst of all,
the COW poorly watered losses flesh, and
will not be Sc good another season.
I |. L
there is Joint worm that attacks barley
and often makes a light weight. 1t is
similar to, but distinct from, a Joint worm
that attacks wheat. 1t is believed, how
ever, that the barley joint worm also I'M
der some circumstances, attacks the win
ter wheat, and hence is suggested a eau
ton against preceding wheat with barley,
which is quite common with the winter
wheat-growing localities.
Hens soon learn vices, and consequent
ly they should never receive broken egg
shells, unless crushed very fine, or they
will soon begin to eat eggs. When they
make practice of pulling hay out of the
nests it indicates that they are willing to
scratch, and are in need of some kind of
material for that purpose. Never allow
the hens to eat an egg that is broken if
you can help it. Remove it at once, and
clean up any portion that remains.
The backs of thin, ill-fed sheep seem
to afford good pasturage for ticks, and
under their prosecutions the poor ami
mails will run down rapidly and can not
make any gain. The closest attention is
required to get rid of them, and shearing
even though it be late in the season
if often resorted to, followed by dipping
of each sheep with drcoction of boiled
tobacco stems carefully prepared, or into
some Of the patent dip advertised for the
purpose.
An intelligent farmer who has watched
the spread of yellows among his peach
trees advances that it has often been
brought by bees passing from one tree to