The National tribune., 1886-04-29
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
MAKE THE HONE BEAUTIFUL.


Remove the ash heaps which have accumulated
during the Winter whitewash the fences sur
rounding the house; sweep away the twigs and
leaves from the lawn, and give the grass
chance to grow and thus make your homo and
its surroundings neat and attractive There is
no reason why the home of the farmer should
not be kept as neat as that of his city brother,
and yet, as rule, how unattractiye and untidy
are the surroundings of the average farmhouse.
Why farmer should pay SO little attention to
the elegancies and even comforts of life we
never could conceive, as he certainly has at his
command the means of making the surround
ings of his home beautiful at the expenditure
of q very insignificant amount of time and
money.
Don't allow the bare woodwork of that porch
or treilis to stare blankly at you all through
the year, but expend few cents for convolvu-
lus, Virginia creeper, or any beautiful plants
which will climb rapidly and envelope with
their exquisite flowers and foliage what was
before, to say the least, uninviting You will
be amply repaid for this trouble, if only by the
pleasure and sense of rest experienced when
coming home after q hard days work in the
hot, dusty fields. But there is another advan-
tdSc, dnu uOSt toht Ouc, w no SdlhCu W
making the house and its surroundings attrac-
tive. It has the effect of making the homo
folks contented and happy. No beings are moro
affected by exterior objects than children, aud
they early learn to love and cherish Q home
which always presents pleasant picture to the
eye. But . house bare and Imprinted, and its
surroundings void of flowers or grass aiR lit
tered with empty fruit cans and other refuse,
soon tires and wearies the young and makes
them long for a change, and as soon as they are
able to leave the old home is deserted by them
for more congenial places.
While we are on this subject It might with
propriety be remarked that barrel of lime and
brush would be most judicious expenditure,
as a coat of whitewash adds greatly to the ap-
pearance of all stables and outhouses, and even
the hog pen should not be neglected.
AN INTERESTING REPORT.
The Department of Agriculture has issued an
elaborate report showing the condition of the
Winter grain crop April 1. The area sOwn to
Winter wheat is shown to be 3, 500 900 acres less
than two years ago, and per cent. less than
last year. The reduction is confined to the
middle area of the country, there being no
reduction Of the crop on the Pacific coast. and
but little on the Atlantic The largest decrease
is in Illinois, Kansas and Missouri. The
character Of the Winter has been such that in
spite Of the decrease in acreage seeded, there
promises to be some $500, 900 more acres
harvested in 1886 than 1856. The total breadth
to be harvested this year Is put at "a, 727, 900.
Scarcely any damage from the Hessian fly is
reported outside OF, eight Counties in Illinois,
is Counties in Indiana, from four to six Counties
in Ohio, Michigan, New York and Pennsylva-
MIA, respectively.
The report also covers the condition Of farm
animals at the opening of Spring. The condi-
ton of horses on farms is reported generally
favorable, most of the unfavorable reports COM
ing from the extreme Southern States.
Cattle reports show q relatively high condi-
ton from most of the sections, especially in the
Northwest, including Dakota, Nebraska, Min
nesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana
The condition in the Southeastern States from
South Carolina to Louisiana is low. On the
Pacific coast tho condition is reported up to
the average. 'e
1t is to be noted with regret that the much
dreaded pleuro- pneumonia appears finally to
reported in Harrison County, KY, Scott County,
Iowa, and Contra Costa County, CAL, although
so far it is only sporadic in character.
The losses of cattle for the Winter in the
Western States and Territories range from
per cent. in Kansas, Nebraska and Dakota, to
per cent. in Colorado and Indian Territory.
The highest loss in the country was in Florida
where it reached per cent.
In spite of the severity of the Winter the
losses of sheep were not heavy. There is some
complaint from Ohio, but it seems confined to
hocks where, owing to prevailing low prices of
wool, the sheep received less care than usual.
The average loss for the entire country is re-
ported at only per cent 1t was comparatively
heavy in the South resulting largely from
the depredations of dogs.
The health of hogs is reported as generally
good, the only section of the country where it
is bad being the Gulf States and the extreme
Southwest. While fatal unknown diseases"
are reported from a few Counties, there is q
noticeable absence of fatal diseases" except
cholera. The loss for the entire country was Is
per cent. for the past year, or nearly 5000, 000
Although the condition April l is reported SO
high, tho losses for the past year have been in
the aggregate heavy, having been but per
cent. for the some period In the year previous
and only per cent in 1888.
The report embodes also the latest news from
abroad, from which it appears that the season
opens favorably in England, fairly in France
and Germany, while the severity of the Winter
has had some effect upon crop prospects.
The pamphlet is we'll worth careful examina-
tion by all interested in agricultural subjects.
FEEDING SHEEP AND LAMBS.
Sheep have strong digestive organs and can
masticate whole grain SO thoroughly that little
or none will be wasted; but it requires much
care in feeding them, as no animal is more
delicate and easily cloyed. Little and often
should be the practice. In the pasture, whore
they can help themselves, they will cat almost
continuously; but if any food becomes the least
bit soiled or soured they will refuse it. While
hog will probably make more weight of meat
from a given amount of feed than any other
animal, tho sheep often excels it in the greater
value of its product Well-fattened lamb or
mutton often commands fancy prices and when
it does not, there is always in well-fed sheep
considerable increase in weight of fleece, which
is worth more per pound than any kind Of
meat.
young lamb will begin to eat something
besides its mothers milk when two weeks old.
1t will pick little bright clover hay as early
as anything; but after day or two it will eat
OATS which are probably the best grain to feed
to any young animals. Oats abound in flesh
forming food, and their hnsks furnish bulk, so
that the grain does not eloy as more concen-
trated food does. The grain does not need
other grinding than the sheep will give it, and
OH no account should itlbe wet. 1t is impos-
sible to induce sheepor lambs to eat moist food
clean, and the lcavings in their feeding trough
soon sour and become offensive.
A lamb well fed, but not over fed, from birth
will gain surprisingly; but if at any time the
ened and recovery from tire injury will be slow.
Most old sheep thin in flesh, suffer from in
digestion. 1t will do them no good to put them
on rich grain or meal at once. On the contrary,
this will induce feverish condition in the
animal which is Indicated by shedding the
wool from its belly 1he feed adapted to a
thin-neshed sheep should be cooling and laxa-
tive, until the digestion becomes stronger.
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