Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-06

Farm and Live Stock Notes.

FaILL anu 1.-Two SkOCh 4NVtOcs
Keep accounts.
Sharpen the harrow teeth.
Confine the breast collar to the buggy.
Throw in some extra feed in cold spells.
Stables in bank barns are not the best
for horses.
Be irregular in sailing and the milk will
show it in quality.
Turkeys if not requiring much warmth
at least need shelter from cold winds.
For damp poultry run no fowls are
worse than the Houdan.
The government appropriates but one
dollar in $4,000 for the improvement OF
agriculture.
Law aside some of the best hay or fod-
der for the ewes at Landing time and the
cows when fresh in milk.
In feeding you want to notice that some
animals are more dainty as to choice than
other; their likes should be respected.
The keeping of valuable specimens OF
old hens beyond two years is well enough
under most circumstances. but the rank
and file should be cut short at that age
We are not sure that the practice adopted
bv some poultry keepers, of working with
pullets, only, raising full hatch every
year, is the wisest course.
Our farmers must look carefully to the
seed corn supply. With two seasons in
succession that have been unfavorable to
the perfect development OF this grain good
seed is liable to be scarce in many locall-
ties. If supply was not provided at
husking no time should be lost in getting
1t around now, either by selection or by
purchase. In buying let it be taken from
locality further north rather than south.
Chicken raising is most successfully
carried on when the coops are placed in
such position that the young birds can
with the opening of spring run on fresh dry
ground II the run is one that has in the
past been much used, and the ground foul
ed by the droppings of other birds, the
probability is that the chickens will lack
in thrifness, and more deaths occur than
on fresher land.
Cold Weather Comforts. How grateful
cup of hot coffee is to man on cold
morning; something of similar kind
would be as well appreciated by the milch
cows, drained as they are of much animal
warmth into the milk pail. Provide a
warm bran slop on cold mornings, follow
ing it by a generous feed OF cut hay and
meal. Result: fuller pail and thicker
cream, and tor any cows coming in, con-
tinuous and healthful growth of the calves.
Comfortable lodgings should go with ju-
djcious feeding in caring for all farm ami
mails. In winter dairying especially. it is
the key to success.
Canada Thistles. so many of our
farms are year by year losing actual value
by the spread of this insidious pest, it is
always in order to consider methods of
getting rid of it. One reason for tie
rapid advance of the weed is that it ex-
tends by underground stems. To till the
soil in any manner less than to complete
ly destroy every sign of plant life as it
appears above ground, is usually to till
just enough tor promoting this under
ground extension. Now one of the best
agents to be employed against the weed is
the surface turned into sod, for this will
serve as smothering blanket to the under
ground stems. Then by moving the
patches two or three times during the
season. the growth will be so affected by
both OF these means, as to secure a great
advantage over the enemy The thistles
bloom about haying time, and in common
with most plants, when cut at that period
of their growth, their vitality is greatly
/ lcssened The energy of the plant Gull
inmates at Towering and fruiting time and
with the top being removed the roots are
less able to send out new shoots. By this
means. seeding is also prevented which is
a GREAT gain These thouUhts occur at
this season when the seeding of meadows
is near at hand. Calculate now whether
it would not be well to carry war into the
stronghold of the weeds by employing
such effective measures
Orchard and Garden