The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-03-31
farm gotes.
GRINDING FEED.

GRINDING FEED.
Except for sheep, which masticate
and digest more thoroughly than
other animals, grain for any kind OF
farm stock should be ground. This
is especially important for cows.
Though these re-masticate their
food, much grain fed whole will pass
through them giving little benefit.
When ground, meal may be mixed
with cut straw or other coarse e
that would not be eaten, and it will
digest better in this more bulky
form than if fed separately.
CANNED FRUITS.
Although it is a good plan to put
sugar in canned fruit at the time OF
sealing, it is not necessary to keep it
from spelling. The essential thing
is to exclude the air. Where this is
not done the fruit will turn sour,
and the additional sugar will only
make the vinous fermentation more
active and thorough. The cans
should be examined frequently, but
without being much handled. Any
that show loose covers or any mould
on the top should be used before
spelling further.
DEPTH OF FLOWING.
The com-.lon practice Of blowing
at the same depth every year is apt
to make a hard pan by packing the
soil below where the share scrapes
over it. If this depth is varied oc-
casionaly the hard pan will be brok-
en- up, and this alone is good reason
for deeper blowing than usual some
times. This extra depth of furrow,
however, should be made when the
subsoil is dry. To pillow deep in
Spring, when the soil packs from
being filled with water, only makes
the evil worse. In fact, heavy soils
should not be plowed at all when
water-soaked, as this often results in
permanent injury.
lens IN HORSE BARNS.
1t is very difficult to keep fowls
out of horse barns, and they do SO
we'll in these quarters that many
farmers + tempted to let them stay
there, on account of the increased
egg production of hens allowed to
scratch in the manure pile. But the
injury to the horses more than off
sets this advantage, as where hens
60 vermin will surely follow, and
keep a team poor despite the best
feeding. But if some loads of horse
manure L drawn to the henyard
and grain s%prinkled through it the
fowls will get all the advantages of
the exercise and without injury to
the horses.
SHEEP HUSBANDRY.
We have endeavored to advise
the farmers of this section to hold a
portion at least of their focks,
while in other sections the number
of sheep was being reduced. There
is no doubt there will be a gradual
rise in sheep and their products for
some years to come. Hence farm
ers in this section should increase
rather than diminish their focks.
A great mistake is made by some
fiock-masters in under-feeding. Mr..
Libby, of Burnham, Me, writes
that no man can afford to winter a
flock Of sheep without feeding grain
every day they IRE out of the barn.
Farmers who feed no grain and
carelessly tend their sheep make a
mistake in dollars and cents. The
poor feeder has many d~isagreeable
things to contend with. His sheep
are covered with ticks: which healthy,
fat sheep seldom have. Many deaths
attributed to. worms in the head or
ticks are really caused by starvation.
Corn and good hay will frequently
these troubles. The farmer
who feeds his flock Of sheep n
pint Of corn Or oats every day, can
make them eat up rough fodder to
advantage. His sheep shear heavy
feeces and raise all their lambs.
Higher prices may be seen in the
future for wool, fat lambs and NUT
tons.
CANADA THISTLES.
A New York farmer describes
his method Of destroying Canada
thistles. He once sowed a Spring
crop, which was about DESTROYED
by thistles. Early in September
rol H. ell - - !,