The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-08-19
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
PREPARING FOR WINTER.

Detler employed now lhan IN 0ulIulng WOOD
shed. 1t need not be an expensive or elaborate
affair, but it should be one which will effect
ually keep out the rain. Nothing in the house
hold economy is more important than the mat
ter of providing fuel for the house, and good
fuel at that. 1t should be thoroughly seasoned,
too. aud to have it in that condition now is a
good time to commence 10 store it away. The
shed should be sufficiently large to hold a sup
ply great enough 10 carry the family through
the Winter, aud as far into the Spring as posi-
bic. There should also be- room enough after
the wood is stacked to allow of its cutting. of
course, if possible, the cutting should be done
before the wood is packed in the shed, but this
we know cannot be done in many cases.
The small outlay necessary to build shed
sufficiently large to hold Winters wood viii
be amply repaid by the increased comfort to
the home. Nothing is more miserable on a
cold, wet Winters day than TO have no good
wood and 10 sit sbivering around splut-
tering aud sizzling fire, and nothing is more
pleasant than TO sit around fire OF thoroughly
seasoned hickory.
If you do not feel inclined to go to the ex-
pense OF shingles, clap board or planks for a
root, one which will be very efficient can be
formed of straw laid over rails properly placed.
the fields, would hardly be a suitable structure
10 have III the vicinity of the house, and, rs the
expense oil putting up more substantial build
ing would not be great, 1t is far more advisable
| To have one which would not be an unsishtly
| adjunct to the dwelling.
Now is a good time to look around for a suit
able place in which To store leaves for bedding,
If you desire 10 save your straw Tor feed
aud IL Is none too early TO begin putting away
few loads whenever opportunity offers. BE de-
! termiDed that the horses and other animals
shall not once during the Winter be without a
! good, dry bed. IL not only saves the health of
| the animal, but is a means of making a large
amount of manure a matter which should re-
! ceIye the closest attention from every prudent
farmer. LII proper care is given to this matter,
! you will next year have an amount of manure
| which will greatly add to your crops
Another matter OF great importance should
| also at this time be engaging the attention of
| every prudent farmer-seeing that the stables,
| COW houses, pig pens, and chicken houses are III
! good repair. Remember that no animal thrives
II 1t is kept i'll a cold, damp CRAFTY place.
4 Boards, bedding and nails much cheaper
| than corn aud hay. and every animal which IS
| exposed to the weather constantly requires far
more food 10 keep ii in condition than one
which Is comfortably housed. Chinks in the
walls should be filled up; new shingles should
| be put in where necessary. aud particular pains
ings are situated in manner which will allow
| the water 10 soak into them from the ground.
| III such should be found To be the the
trouble can be obyiated with very little difli-
Guilty by the digging OF suitable drains to carry
OIL the water.
Arrangements should be made, if possible to
have shelter provided for every animal on the
farm. Ii is trayesty on economy TO save a
| few dollars on sheds and buildings and lOse
hundreds by the death and deterioration in
value. by reason of loss Of flesh and disease, OF
your stock.
Animals, too. are not the only things that re-
quire covering. All implements. from piows aud
wagons down TO hoes aud shovels, snouId nave
adequate shelter il you would have them last
any time and do good service
ADVICE FOR DAIRYMEN.
The American Ddiryaaa has the following ex-
cellent paragraph which, if followed, would
obviaie much trouble in butter making
"Dairymen, who can, should occasionally pay
visits TO their commission merchants and watch
them pass judgment on the various lines of
butter received. There is nothing like know
ing what are called the tricks of the trade,
which are not tricks at ali, but customs that
every one must live up TO who hopes to succeed
In that market. Such visit would teach you
the style Of package grain and color of butter.
amount of salt and all the other little points
that 20 10 make up the ideal butter according
10 the commission merchants standard, and
that is just what you want TO know.
THEY ALWAYS COME
The manner of calling swine is as varied as
the number Of States. The Pennsylvania
requests the presence of his herd with Pig
pig, pig, pig-gie pig-gie." The North Caro-
linian halloos, Pig-i, pig-i," dwelling on the
ii each time. The HOOsier calls "Whoo-ee,
whoo-ee," and his pigs come on the Jump from
every direction. A Buckeye farmer reasons
with his big, easy going, well-fed porker, and
coaxingly cries, 800, soo-soo, 500, soo." The
Kentucky farmer causes the hills TO reverber-
ate with his heavy bass voice. POohe, poohe' -
A Dakotian brings his pigs with n shrill whistle.
And thus each State has its own peculiar man
ner of calling the swine.
POULTRY NOTES.
One may keep 10 or II fowls with profit who
could not double or treble this number success
fully, because with larger number all the
difficulties which arise, such rs want of clean
illness, the presence of yermin, impure air and
risk OF infection, increase in a much larger
ratio than does the number in the flock. But
| if one has succeeded with a small flock there is
no reason why he should not do so with several
docks if each is kept in just the same manner
| rs the original one. Afterward the flock NAV
be enlarged, but as this is the very point on
which most Of the younger poultry -raisers TAIL,
the greatest caution should be observed in add
ing 20 tho number Of fowls kept in each COOP
or house or yard.
| Carefully Eaiher the scraps from tie table
and give them 90 your fowls. There j. no Kind
OF food which viii produce a more liberal sup
ply Of eggs. There aTo hundreds OF families
who throw these scraps into tie waste ucket
to be taken away by the swillman, and buy
| corn for the fowls where the former is far TIE
best feed for egg prodRction.
When you set a hen, sprinkle Tablespoonful
of sulphur in the nest The sulphur repels
lice and also keeps Off scaly leg.
An experienced raiser advises poulterers 10
, reduce the stock of fowis95 soon as the year.
, hatch is well provided fUf, but bold on to old
, turkeys and old geese they get used To the
way of the farm and are Worth much more "a.
breeders than young ones. Ducks are also good
till three years old. A turkey is in her prime
at five, goose at 20.
Ducks should have apartments separate from
. other fowls.
, HGTEIETs.
Rose slugs are easily destroyed BY SPRAYING
with water and pyrcthrum at the rate OF ont
tablespoonful Of the latter 10 pailful OF IL,
former.
Feed fattening pigs charcoal two or thre,
i times a week TO prevent acidty of the stomach
When you make drain from the manur,
heap 10 make way for the escape of the LIQUIDS
Q you are allowing the riches of the farm to flow
D away.
Hanson Eeddy, of Walkulla, Fla, ha
3 raised vine OF genuine black pepper from
which he has already gathered one crop of Der
t ries. He got the roots of the vine from frient
= | In California hn had Sant 10 fl. II -