The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1886-11-10
Farm Notes.
medicine,

If many potatoes are to be kept over
winter pitting them is much preferable
to putting into the cellar. Only enough
should be put into the house for use
during severe cold weather when the
pits can not be got at. Much sickness
keeping large quantities of potatoes and
other vegetables stored under sleeping
rooms. Besides in the pit potatoes can
easily be kept at a uniform low tempera-
ture without freezing. Most cellars are
too warm the greater part of. the time
| and yet are liable to freeze in sudden
cold spells. In pits the temperature
varies only slightly. Potatoes for pitting
should be dry and covered first with six
or eight inches of straw. Then cover
with four to six inches of dirt, leaving
hollow around the heap with an outlet
on one side to carry off water that may
settle there. Just before cold weather
add second light covering of straw and
a heavy coating of dirt. If the ground is
frozen so that dirt cannot be got use
manure from the horse stables. The
double coating ofstraw makes 1T unneces
sary to cover so deeply as if only one was
used. 1t preserves spaces of air through
| which frost can not penetrate so readily
as through soil. At the first covering
wisp of straw should be left sticking up
through the center for ventilation. At
tbfi s5aYe4na Gnsaih this may be covered up with
not freeze and win come out in spring
hard and sound, with only trifing loss of
weight. In warm cellars there is often
a loss of one-sixth or more by eyapora-
ton, shrinking and rotting.
In places where grain is largely grown
it is astonishing how cheaply and easily
the comfort of farm stock may be secur-
ed in winter by the liberal use of straw.
1t will even answer for roof for one
season if supported by strong but in.
expensive timbers for framework. As
a new crop of straw is grown every year
the roof may be thrown on the manure
heap in the Spring and be replaced with
fresh straw in the Fall. The sides Of
| sheds and stables NAV be double bat
tened with almost anything and straw
| filled in to exclude winds. Straw may
be even piled up against buildings with
| only enough boards or sticks against it
to held it in place Be careful to have
the inside tight, 90 that cattle will not
pick at the straw and eat away their
protection.
Nearly 100000 hogs died of disease
in the United States during 1885, cut of
total swinish population of 46,O00,O0O
or more than one out of every eight. In
the Southern states the per cent of de athE
| averaged largest, ranging from IL to IA
per cent IN the Southeastern states Tex
cept Florida, where the losses aggregated
25 per cent? to Is to % per cent in the
Southwestern states; while in the FIVE
great corn states, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri
4
| from Is to is per cent, the aggregate
Losses in these five states reaching near
ly 100000. No attempt is made in
the reports named to estimate the value
of these hogs, and, indeed, it would be
impossible to do this accurately; but
estimating it at the low figure of 81 per
head it will be seen that our farmers
| have sustained an enormous loss through
this one source. Six millions of dollars
would maiutain Gu Bureau of Animal
Industry, at the rate ofthe appropriation
made for it last Winter. for sixty years
and yet this appropriation was fought to
the bitter end and the necessity for snch
a bureau is constantly denied by jour
mails which profess to have interests Of
farmers especially at heart.-Farmers
Review.
! According to the Agriculturlst, the
best mixture for oiling shoes is made of
one-half of meats -foote-oil-be sure you
get the genuine article-one-th1rd beef
tallow and one-sixth castor oil. Mix
| thoroughly over gentle heat Depend
upon the rubbing rather than the heat
| to get the oil into express it differently
| two parts of rubbing to one Of heat. If
the shoes are pegged, as farmers shoes
usually are and always should be, get the
oil in well between the uppers and the
sole, It will prevent the sole pulling loose
or the leather breaking away from the
| pegs. Shoes worn at farm work should
be oiled at least once week.
| The hoofs Of young horses often grow
! out too long. This gives a leverage which
on hard roads with fast drivingo or heavy
pulling strains the muscles Of the leg and
causes ringbone. It is especially liable
to attack young horses hard at work
since they have not strength Of muscles
to resistextra strains. Paringa and short
ening in tile front Of the hoofs is the
remedy. It will enable any horse t
work on travel with less liability to injury
'l At the Chicago ck-yards common
grades Of cattle are maryeIously cneaE
J while the best beeves only command
t, | nE on H., * <xs,.<,e.t 1s<,.n all - "a