The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-08-26
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
ICE-HoUsEs.


never wholly supply the many uses to which |
ice can be put in the Summer time 1t is hard |
to estimate the vast comforts to be derived |
from always having on hand good stock Of
firm, clear ice. The spriRg-house, it is true, |
keeps the butter in nice, firm condition, but it
does not long remain SO after being brought on
the table, and it is by no means appetizing on
a warm day to see that very useful and neces-
sary article of food in an almost liquid condi-
| tion on the table. A piece of ice put on the
butter when brought from the spring-hous
will obviate all this and make it much moro
presentable and appetizing. This is but one of
| the many uses to which ice can be put. In
many forms Of sickness, feyers and the like, it
| is almost a necessity, and as an article Of lux
| ury il is nearly impossible to overestimate its
uses. The young folks on the farm occasion
ally want to have their picnics and little social
gatherings, and on these occasions leo cream ia
almost necessity; and the farmer should bear
in mind, too, that n good part of his labor
should be directed towards making the home
a pleasant place for his children, as by that
means only can they be kept on the old place.
1t is on these grounds and many others that we
would call to the attention of our readers to the
comforts that could be derived from building
an house, and as the filing of it would be
at a time of the year when little else could be
done, it would not interfere much with the or
| binary routine of the farm, and we will guar
| antee that any labor connected with the under
| taking will be more than amply repaid by the
many comforts gained the following Summer.
1t is a good plan to choose a hillside tolerably
| well-shaded for an ice-hOuse, as a drain would
| be much more inexpensive in this position
| than in any other. The hole can be dug to
size sufficient TO satisfy the builders wish. The
sides can then be lined with slabs or poles, and
| clap-boards or shingles can be used for roof.
| Particular care must be taken that the caves
are well spouted, and that proper drains are
| provided for carrying the water clear away
from the structure, as very little moisture in
! an ice-hOuse will do q large amount of damage.
| Very little expense will be necessary 10 make
a building sufficiently large to contain ice
enough to carry the family through the Sum
mer, and we would advise our friends who are
not already provided with one of these useful
! adluncts 10 build an ice-hOuse 1T the earliest
possible opportunity.
CARE OF WAGON WHEELS
Great annoyance is caused to almost every
| farmer by the lOOsening of the tires on the
wagon wheels, and not only annoyance, but
loss, rs there is the expense % shortening the
| tire and in many instances Of a wheel entirely
]
would 20 far toward Obyiatng this difficulty.
OF course, our readers arc aware of the cause
Of this annOyance-the water soaking into the
fellOes and causing them to shrink, thus leav-
ing the tire loose. We're linseed oil always
kept on hand and applied at frequent intervals
boiling hot 10 the ieloes, there would be no
trouble Of this kind. The pores of the wood
would be thoroughly filled and it would be i'm
possible for water TO soak in and cause the
trouble complained of. This would prove far
cheaper than the constant trips to the black
smiths and the great annoyance caused in
other ways.
REARING CALVES TO ADVANTAGE.
First, own good cows. Treat them kindly
and keep them docie and quiet. Feed no grain
! or stimulating food for a month before Calying.
When the calf arrives, remove il to a pen at a
distance, where il can be keep quiet and COM
Portable. il Will never know what il is 10 be
with its mother, and much trouble afterward
Will be spared. In three or four hours milk
the cow and give the milk to the calf, teaching
: if to drink. With patient skill the calf may
be taught 10 drink at the first lesson. Milk the
COW four times day, and feed the milk 20 the
I calf until the fourth day, when the COW is re-
turned 10 the stable and the milk is saved for
sllmming. The calf gets only skinned milk
after this-thTee quarts al feed twice a day,
and warmed up 10 co degrees The feed is
j gradually increased rs the calf grows and
4
a little mixed ground corn and oats and have
, / a small quantity with the warm skinned
milk until It is six or eight months old. Thi.
: / enables tho calf 20 make a fine growth and
brings il up in docilty and gentleuess. These
| qualities are improved by daily hrushingaud
! carding, and by using il 10 the halter and q
: lead, while it is being fed in the pen Con
! tinual handling in this way prevents the con.
: / tracing Of any Of the common vices, and when
> the calf becomes a COW 10 is in an excellent
: state Of discipline and gives no trouble. Thi
n method, we'll carried out, Is the main step TO
: ward an improved herd, which will be Of very
: great value, aud one gained at a very SINAI
y cost.-AHei,caH 1gricultgrist.
: BUHACH.
Pyrethrum, the yellow insect powder nov
becoming SO we'll known rs destroyer Of yer
min, is the powdered leaves and flower Of thl
Russian camomiie Itfs imported from Persia
!. Rut it has been found that the plant will grow
- successfully in California. Our American
. growers OF the Persian camomile call thei
a product "buhach," and that is the difference
i between il and pyre,hrum. Buhach is hon
= grown, pyrethrum imported.
' suoEING HORSES.
70 Ii is not the shoes that iujure the horses. bu
u the way they are pat on. A shoe should b.
D fitted to the foot OF the horse but quite Otter
the rule is the other way, and tine hoof is Gu
down and rasPgi of 10 tit tire shoe. Shoes IN
70 too snort or TOO narrow, and on this acCOuu
n the weight is not placed under the outside o
G. shell of the hOOf where it shOuld be A Who'll
x stable OF horses of great value at Cedar Spring.
Is Mich were all getting lame, because the
10 were shod 50 nicely by man who was nea
workman" This Oyernico blacksmith ha
V, Kept cutting away the heels and frogs so tina
n each horse had become tender footed, and oil
ia had been applied 10 the hoOfs 70 soften then
All the horses wanted were hOofs. Farmer
be make cOrns in their horses feet very often b
allowing the shoes 10 remain Oh too long, O
until the foot grows TO the outside OF then
bringing the weight Of the body right on I
the sole.
at NOTELETs.
al 49, The cough of an animal is always susp
On cious, indicating disorder of the rcspirator
d. organs When cough is started or increased b
10. pressure on the throat IL indicates bronchi,
>" disorder. which often precedes or accompanit
disease Of the luHgs. The cough OF bronchit
is short, sharp and hacking, while that Of luu
disease is deep and hOaris. In purchasing an
animal, the presence of cough should be
serious objection, as there is great risk of
fatal ending.
"A writer in GariegiHg Illustrated says tn.
one of the simplest aud best methods for d,
strOying moss on lawns il an occasional dres
ice ing OF fTeshly-sacked lime. Mixed with
ly small quantity of SCOT, lis whitenesS will II,
en- become conspicuous and offensive. Both shoul
an be sifted through fine sieve. 1t is apple
Just before rainfalls in Autumn, Winter
an Spring.