The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-06-17
OUR RURAL TOPICS
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
WEAVING PIGS.

away from the mother. They should be weaned
gradually. For instance, take them away from
their mother half day at time for a few days,
and then let them only go to her for a few
hours, then only one hour in day, and finally
keep them TO themselves entirely. By this
means they viii not get stunted or set back.
BY taking pigs away before they have been
taught to eat gives them check for some time,
and every farmer knows that while an animal
is not actually increasing in value he is loser.
No animal should ever remain stationary as
regards growth, but be pushed forward all the
time.
ANTS IN POSTS.
A great deal of injury results to fence-posts
from ants, who bore into and make their nests
there. AS this work is. generally carried on be-
meath the surface, we would advise, as a remedy
for these pests, a good coating of gas tar below
and for short distance above the surface. 1t
is a good plan to heat the tar, and, while hot,
dip in the posts and let them soak for few
minutes.
CURE FOR SCRATCHES.
An excellent preparation for treating this
disease, which by the way would never exist
were little care exercised in the management
of horses, can be made as follows: Four ounces
of lard and one ounce Of spermaceti melted and
mixed with one ounce Of spirits of turpentine
and two drains of acetate OF copper; the whole
is stirred until cold.
GAPEs IN CHICKENS.
Large numbers Of young chickens are de-
strOyed every year by the small thread worms
which cause the disease commonly called gapes
The disease can be easily cured by means of dry
air-slacked lime or by the use of turpentine. An
exchange gives the following excellent way of
applying the lime: The chicks are put in a
box, in the bottom of which thin layer of dry
air-slacked lime is spead a thin cloth or piece
of bagging is spead over the open top of the box
and some of the powder is spread upon it. The
cloth cover is lightly beaten to cause the fine
powder to sift through. The chicks are kept
in this powder for about two minutes the lime
causes good deal OF sneeZing and coughing by
which the worms arc expelled, or ii comes in con-
tact with them in the air passages and destroys
them. We have been entirely successful in
avoiding all trouble from these pests by sprink-
ling the poultry house all over literally with
air-slacked lime twice week when the house
is cleaned the lime is scattered over the perches
and the floor, and a dust is made in the house
about dusk when the fowls come in to roost.
This prevents all danger. One drop of turpen-
tine for each chick mixed with the food every
morning for a week is also cure for this dis
ease.
PRESERVING FODDER.
A New Hampshire correspondent of the New
England Farmer gives his experience in the
making and feeding Of ensilage. He has been
very successful in putting in and keeping corn
enslage for his large herd of dairy stock some
100 in number, fed for butter making His
figures and estimates show shout 500 tons of
green corn grown last year $50 of which wasput
in the silo, the remainder being fed in the Fall
while in the freshrstate. The total cost Of the
ensilage put into the silo and weighed down
was fraction less than 70 cents per ton He
has fed ehsilage in connection with dry fodder,
about half OF each, the dry fodder being half
hay and half green oats cured for hay. For this
crop the seed was sOwn at the rate Of five bush
els Of oats per acre, giving fine, soft quality of
fodder, fully equal to ordinary hay. A larger
silo will be built the present season, the sup
ply Of ensilage having been exhausted some
weeks ago. The relative valne of the ensiage,
as compared TO dry fodder. was illustrated by
the yield OF butter before and after the change
was made 10 dry feed. The ensilage was ex-
hausted at the end Of q week. Monday and
Wednesday following five good Jerseys were
added TO the herd oil 66 which were in milk,
but notwithstanding this increase of the herd,
the butter yield fell of II pounds the first
week. While the ensiiage lasted il saved the
feeding Of $50 tons Of hay, which, in Mr.. Ha-
zens locality, is worth SD per ton, or 81 500.
lie filled his silo slowly, let the contents ac-
quire high degree Of heat, and thinks he has
as good a quality of ensilage as he has ever
seen. Before building his silo he bought and
read all the best authorities on ensilage.
MANAGEMENT OF THE AFTERMATH
When the clover crop has been cut for hay
one is sometimes at loss how 10 manage the
aff. ~ in fhnH nef
eral ways Of utilizing it. One is to pasture il
and leave the sod for blowing under next Spring
for corn or potatoes. If this is done it is well
TO make some provision for top dressing the
field early in the Fall for the purpose Of enrich
ing the soil and fastening the growth of clover
in the Spring. A good stand OF luxurant
clover. foot high, turned under, is equal to 40
loads of manure for the next crop and this is
well worth securing. Another way is 10 leave
the aftermath for seed aud take whatever eau
be gained in that way. This is method OF
getting immediate returns, as it were, by skin
ming an animal and taking the hide instead Of
waiting until il is fat 1T has been said that
the land is more benefited by taking a crop OF
clover seed than by saving the aftermath upon
the soil, and although some noted authorities
have so said, it is wholly contradictory to COM
mon sense and equivalent to statement to the
effect that something can be had from nothing,
and by taking something from any sum more
than the original sum remains. Another way
Is 10 cut the aftermath and feed il aud put the
manure back on the field through the Winter.
This, or pasturing IL, we believe 10 be the bet
ter way, and the feeding of the aftermath hay
the best, because in feeding hay with some
grain there is gain Of manure which goes
upon the land. II the crop is pastured, sheen
would be the best stock and liberal quantity oil
bran given 10 them would greatly enrich the
manure left on the ield.-N. y. Times
NOTELETs
There are said to be so injurious insects in
orr vegetable gardens, 70 attack our apple trees
and more than 30 our grain fields Seventy.
i've million dollars is estimated AS the damage
done TO the wheat in Illinois in one season
aud nearly 10 years ago the annual loss in the
United States from insect dcpredatiOns alone
was estimated at nearly $f00.000000.
- Farmers should know that clover is one Of
the lest crops 10 clean out foul weeds from
/ their soil. Its rapid growth enables il Il
smother all except the strongest rooted peren-
mails; and even these it will greatly keep in
\ check. But II will only do this if cattle and
/ other stock ans kept of at all times
- Horses need 10 be kept clean and fire.
/ qnently curried. Washing the legs is advisable
especially if the animals are worked in mud
and dust Clean the stables daily, to prevent
/ the accumulation Of troublesome ilies. weak
solution Of carbolic acid or a decoction of smart
weed will aid in keeping Of the flies while in
the field. Fly nets OF light cloth are inexpen
siye, easily made, and. should be worn by al
/ work horses when in tue harness.
The coat Of horse is one of the sures
i Indications of his state of health. III in rea