The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-03-10
FARM NOTES.

How do you provide green food for the
hens? Did you ever try feeding them hay
cut in small pieces? Try it once.
1t is evident that the demand for thorough
bred merino lambs is looking up. For the
past year or so they have been almost
drug.
1t is well to remember that the turkey
must have wide range. ConfDementis death
to him. He will show his gratitude If per-
mitted to forage, by making most of his liv-
ing.
Professor Tracy, speaking from careful ex-
perience, says there are no beans which are
unquestionably superior to the old golden
wax, black wax, valentine, horticultural and
dwarf kidney.
People used to say that the amount of an
animals food should be estimated by it's live
weight. 1t was said that per cent. of the
live weight daily wonld support life. This
is not a reliable doctrine.
J.J. H. Gregory remarked at a late meet
ing of farmers, as reported in the Massachu-
sets Ploughman, that there was time in
the early agriculture when barnyard manure
was Just as much an innovation as our COM
mercial fertilizers are now.
An egg is the natural product of warm,
sunny weather. 1t is produced in winter
only when the hen is induced to believe that
summer is coming. The ordinary hen &C
cepts as evidence warmth, ability TO exercise,
variety of food and cleanliness.
The calves will be making their appear
ance soon. Have things ready 70 give them
a welcome. Get over the idea that calves
are produced simply to be knocked on the
head. You cab make money by raising the
little fellows on skim milk, oats and meal ii
you only think so.
Broom-corn Tour has been used for MAX
ing bread, which, though dark-colored, is
very palatable. A process has been discov-
cred very recently for hulliDg the seed and
making fine, white -four from it. The IN
ventor of the process says that it is destined
to revolutionize the entire ceral-growing in
dustry of the country, but the invention has
not thus tar been fully tested.
Mr.. Kinsley, of Benton Harbor, Mich, is
of the opinion. as expressed in the Horticul-
turist, that it is bit er to plant good tender
blackberry ana protect it than to rely upon
hardy" sorts without protection. The
hardy" varieties, after last winters cold coo
below zero, were found to be almost entirely
killed, while the Wilson and Lawton came
through all right, and yielded bountiful
crop.
The bee has long been type of the in
dustrious worker, but there are few people
who know how much labor the sweet hoard
of the hive represents. Each head OF clover
contains about sixty distinct flower tubes.
each of which contains portion of sugar
not exceeding the 500th part of a grain.
Some patient aptarian enthusiast, who has
watched their movements, concludes that
the proboscis of the bee must. therefore, be
inserted into 500 clover tubes before one
grain of sugar can be obtained. There are
1000 grains in pound and as honey con-
tains three-fourths of its weight of dry
sugar, each pound or honey represents p
10000 clover tubes sucked by bees.-Ne
braska Farmer.
Why should eggs be sold by the dozen
Every one knows there is a great difference
in the size and weight of eggs, and to sell a
dozen large Brahma eggs for the same price
that dozen that does not weigh more than
two-thirds as much is unjust TO the owner
of the Brahmas. There is no good reason
for retaining the ancient mode of marketing
eggs, but it is hard to change customs so
long established. A basket of eggs can be
weighed much more quickly and with much
| less liability of making a mistake than if
counted out by the dozen. and every one
would receive pay for all they brought to
market and no more. We see no way OF
having this change made unless the owners
of large breeds of fowls, those which lay
| large eggs, make stand and say they will
only sell by weight. 1t is for their interest
| to do so much as it is for the growers OF
| heavy cattle and hogs to sell by weight
Rural World.
The winter squash crop is one of consid-
| cradle commercial Importance, its long
keeping qualities giving it an advantage
| over more perishable kinds of vegetables.
| For the culture of winter squashes rich
| soil is imperative. Indeed, il can scarcely
be made too rich in the hills. 1t is very
| common TO plant in hills eight feet apart,
| but distance of ten, or even twelve feet is
| better if the soil is what it should be. The
| hills should be made broad and the soil en-
| tirely removed to the depth of foot. Be-
| fore replacing the soil mix it with plenty OF
strong fertilizer-the best comes from the
| poultry house-and with it fill the hole to
| within an inch or two of the top. Level up
with clean, fine earth, sow the seeds and cover
| with another inch of the same soil. 1t is
| well to use plenty of seed for contingencies,
| but before the vines begin to they
should be thinned to three or four in hill
| Prepared in this way one hill will produce a
| greater weight of squashes than half dozen
| planted without care.