The National tribune., 1886-06-24
OUR RURlL TOPICS.
DIIII
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
j -if
Agricultural Readers.
THE HOG CHOLERA.

THE HOG CHOLERA.
Is hog cholera preventible or curable2 This
question is agitating the minds of some veter-
mary surgeons who find It easier TO recommend
their patrons to slaughter all diseased animals
rather than attempt to1cure them. There is
doubtless very close analogy between human
and other animal life, and If similar diseases in
the lower animals are incurable or cannot be
prevented, then we might believe they are
equally the same among mankind. Human
cholera has been found preventible and amen
able TO sanitary regulations, and even to medi-
cine, although il is one Of the most contagious
diseases known. The same is true Of yellow
fever, an equally virulent disease. If these
diseases, which originate by poisoning with
filth and spread by contagion, can he avoided,
then the cholera or spotted fever Of hogs, which
originates in the same way and is spread by
contagion, may be prevented. 1t may not be
possible to cure these diseases, as it may be i'm
possible to cure arsenic poisoning but as this
can be prevented by using precautions, so can
the others. This is not only practically reason
able, but il is scientifically true.-N. I. Times.
RIPE EXPERIENCE.
An old man who has titled the soil for 40
years. and is out of debt, prosperous and happy,
has given the world seven valuable maxims.
They constitute very good creed: =.
]. One acre of land, well prepared and well
cultivated, produced more than two which re-
ceived only the same amount Of labor used on
the one.
g One COW, one horse, mule, sheep or hog,
well fed, is more profitable than two kept ON
the same amount necessary TO keep one.
3. One acre Of clover or grass is worth more
than two of cotton where no clover is raised.
4. No farmer who buys oats, corn or wheat,
as rule, for 10 years can keep the sheriff
away from the door in the end.
3. The farmer who never reads the papers,
sneers at book farming and improvements,
always has leaky roof, poor stock, broken
down fences and complains of bad seasons"
G. The farmer who is above his business, and
intrusts it to another to manage soon has no
business TO attend 10.
| z. The farmer whose habitual beverage is cold
water is healthier, wealthier and wiser than he
who does not refuse strong drink.
WASHING SHEEP BEFORE sHEARING.
! Comparatively few farmers wash their sheep
| before shearing, though formerly this practice
was almost universal. The carrying Of a mass
of wet wool on their back for several days un-
til il dries out is very detrimental TO their
health. IL the sheep takes cold the wool be-
comes harsh and its quality is injured. And
with the most careful washing of the Sleeps
back the fleece will not be clean and will often
indeed be as full Of dirt by the time it is shear.
ed as it was at first. Finally, sheep washing i;
a nasty, wet job, and often accompanied by
more whisky drinking than any other opera
| tion on the farm.
POULTRY NOTES.
a. h~nl ofr
make good nests, very good nest can be made
with wood shayings, selecting only the thin
nest and softest. They can be lightly sprinkled
/ with diluted carbolic acid 10 keep away lice
Being very porous they will retain the smell
and effect of the acid much longer than any
other material.
Young chickens need animal food. When II
fails 70 do them good il is In consequence of the
common fault of 6yerfeeding. They canno
bear large rations of rich food. Watch thu
mother hen at liberty scratching for her young
/ brood, and see acknowledgement and how small
| the morsels and how many the competitive
mouths.
Chickens often get forked pieces Of bone fas
/ In the throat, nearly starving with plenty o
! feed before them and matter how tame the
/ focks usually are, when a hen is affected il
| this way she will scarcely allow herself TO b
I caught, but in running and lodging about Il
/
ton, if il is only slight. When chicken bone
are thrown out with the table refuse, ii is, per
haps, best to have the children chop them ~
with a batcket, as hens are so fond of then
that in their eagerness they swallow then
haphazard.
Many hens have 70 subsist almost entirel,
upon grain food in one shape or another during
the whole year. This is an injudieious cOurs
of feeding Vegetables, either raw or cooked
OF mixed with meal for the morning mess, ar
extremely valuable. Cabbage, as succulen
vegetable, has no rival. Grass, ON the sod o
cut fresh, is excellent. Onions. chopped fin
and mixed with their soft food, are wholesome
and often prevent or check disease among fowl:
Insects have an aversion TO the odor or smel
Of the red cedar. Cedar sawdust sprinkleC
about the house, and nests partially composet
of and resting upon bed Of Cedar leaves, vii
prevent the inroads Of insects. When conve
nient, small cedar trees cut down and place
about the premises, renewed occasionally b
fresh green ones, are recommended for thi
purpose.
At the season when hens are laying abund
antly, lime should be kept before them at al
times, or there is liability of soft-shelled egg
The best way Of feeding lime is in the form o
raw crushed bones or oyster shells.
EoTELETs.
The length Of time that a young heife
keeps in milk after her first calf is likely I
measure her staying qualities for all after lif,
For this reason young heifers should have thei
first calf in the Fall. BY good care and ems
LACED food in Winter an abundant flow can
established, which can more easily be kept u
tho next Summer. If heifers calye in til
Spring they are very liable to go dry early i
the next Fall.
- Rats usually find q harboring place undo
q pig-pen IL they can do so, and as they wi
always have plenty Of food they cannot easil
be captured or driven off. By the liberal u:
Of chloride Of lime in their holes, or of caust
potash, where they are compelled 10 walk, the
will become disguised and leave.
The best time 10 kill weeds is when they al
growing the fastest. Soon after rain, as quickl
as the soil can be worked without FASTING,
the best time to hoe garden crops, or to ru
the cultivator throHgh the corn. The tin
when cultivation Of the soil, for this alone an
not for killing weeds, is most needed is in no
dry weather, for then the mellowed surface r.
sists evaporation during the day and Absorb
: most moisture during the night.
1t has been found by experiment th;
meal will pass through the digestive organ
quicker than hay, and that if the meal is f
TO an animal with an empty stomach, it pass
away before it is fully digested but if f.
after hay it becomes mingled with it, and mol
benefit is derived.
One of the difficulties in keeping pigs
the pen is in providing5something 10 disteu
their stoniaehs. If. I'm its season, cut clover
fed green TO pigs where they will eat it cleal
il is nearly or quite equal TO keeping them
> clover pasture. They will oven eat some Glow