The National tribune., 1886-06-03
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
RAISE POULTRY.

poultry-or rather that which pnrports to be
SUCH for many of the bedraggled and miserable
looking birds which wander dejectedly around
the place are not deserving the name-is proof
positive that there is money in the business.
Now, If money is to be made in keeping these
birds in the usual careless manner in which they
are kept in 80 cases out Of every hundred, it
would seem that if especial care were given TO
the matter the profits would be very large.
But it is as impossible to make poultry keeping
profitable without care and painstaking asst sto
make any other pursuit about the farm profit
able. The chickens, turkeys, ducks, ETC., on
the farm are as a rule given about rs much
attention as the fence around the barnyard re-
ceives. They are part of the farm economy
which Is considered altogether too small to be
worthy Of any considerable amount Of atten-
ton, and consequently what attention they
receive usually comes from the overworked
housewife or the careless children. 1t is true
that the thrifty wife frequently makes enough
from her poultry to supply the house with
groceries, which is no small thing in the family
economy, but this is only one very small frac-
ton of what poultry systematically and intelli-
gently managed might be made to pay. The
proof that they return what they do under the
usual mode of keeping is the best evidence Of
the possibilities Of profit to be attained by judi
cious selection, breeding and feeding.
This, like every other branch of agricultural
economy pursued, should be given the most
jealous attention. OF course, it is unnecessary
to give the same amount of time to the chickens
as is bestowed on the breeding of cattle, for the
simple reason that they do not require it, but
they should not be neglected. they should be
recognized as constituting part of the regular
business of the farm, and not regarded as some-
thing to be attended to IL there is time and
something TO DO left undone If other matters
press.
The poultry-house should be az important In
its way as the barn or stables and should re-
ceive prop0rtionate amount Of attention, and
the chickens should receive, in accordance with
their wants, as much care as the horses cows
and sheep; and if this is DONE we hazard moth
ing in saying that, taking the outlay into con-
sideration, they will make larger returns than
any living thing on the place.
THE ASGoRA GOAT.
There has recently been considerable discus
sion in regard to the Angora goat, as 10 whether
this animal will pay if introduced generally in
bnc Oulbcu OidJcny anu a Tue hOldlr
is probably destined to be an important one in
this country, we copy the following from re-
cent letter from Hon. Norman J. Coleman,
Commissioner Of Agriculture, in reply TO an
inquiry upon the subject:
I'm reply to your inquiries relative to the
Angora goat, you are informed that the species
has been successfully acclimatized in many of
the States; cool, dry, mountainous region be-
| ing well adapted TO them. They were first in
1 frDlucad in Goufh (1nPalina IN 1910 In "a
in 1854, and subsequently spread to the south
and southwest. At present the two largest
ranches in the country are in Texas-one that
of Joseph p. Deyine near San Antonio in Bexar
County, the other that of Arnold Brothers, in
Nueces Canyon, Uvalde County, and they have
from $500 to 5000 head each.
The mistake generally made has been to
utilize the breed only for crossing with our ma
tive stock. This has proven to be bad method,
as the valuable peculiarities of the Mohair de-
teriorate with the smallest admixture Of other
blood; and repeated trials have proved that we
must limit ourselves 10 preserving the species
in its entire purity.
There is no great difficulty in raising the
pure breed where the nature of the ground and
the climatic conditions arc suitable. Its ma
tive country extends from the Black Sea on
the north, TO the plains of Mesopotamia on the
south, the Caspian Sea on the east, and the
Mediterranean on the west But its peculiar
domain is between go 90 aud 400 30 north
latitude, and between 33o 90 and $50 east lon
gitude, where it is priced as an eating, milk
ing cheese and butter making and clothes
making animal. The flesh is finely developed
and considered wholesome and nutritious: but
in this country the chief value will be in it's
hair, which, when from pure blood, is of daz-
cling white, curled in locks eight or nine inches
long, ana as fine as silk.
In too moist an atmosphere they are sub
ject to naladies, but are not affected in dry
one. Except Immediately after shearing, they
are as tolerant Of both heat and cold as our ma
tive goats.
"The pure breed could probably be obtained
from the Texas ranches, or you could import
them through the Now York houses. At An
CORA they can be bought at from 81 70 So each,
but in this country they are much dearer, and
sales have been reported as high as 500, or over
$1,000 each for exceptionally fine animals."
CULTIVATION OF CORN.
great many tests have recently been made
by good farmers in regard to the planting of
corn, and il is now an almost universal opinion
among those who have given the matter atten-
tion that level cultivation is much better than
the old form Of ridging up the rows. This
plant, more than almost any other. REQUIRES
heat and moisture, and it requires no great in
telligence to perceive to what degree the hill
ing up of corn drains away the moisture from
the plant. Another practice which has pre-
vailed from time immemorial in the cuItiya-
ton of this cereal, is deep blowing, and that,
| too, is gradually falling into disuse. The corn
plant has very large root growth, and the
fbers which lie very near the surface reach
quite across the rows Deep blowing must
necessarily cut these roots and the result must
Of course be injurious to the plant. 1t is well
that the first blowing, while the plant is small
should be reasonably deep; after that q shallow
cultiyator only should be used.
HoTELErs
- III ammonia is allowed to escape and pene-
trate through the stable IL will render the ami.
| mails liable TO disease and also rot the harness
/ Plenty ofdry dirt or muck will absorb it. and the
use of these will, therefore, not only assist in
/ avoiding waste Of valuable fertilizing material
but prevent annoyance to stock from gaseous
| substances.
- Americans probably invest more money IN
| farming tools than any other people By the
census of 1880 the value Of agricultural imple-
ments made the previous year was $6e, 900 900
Ten years Is a long life 10 the average of farm
tools, and many are worthless after three o,
four years use or rust. 1t is probable that the
entire amount invested in farm tools now In
use is nearly or quite 81 0O0, 100000.
- Most crops, excepting clover, derive thei,
food mainly from the first five or six inches In
depth of the soil. If VIC can keep the surface
fertile nothing moro is needed. Pulyeriziue
the subsoil by the subson pillow is useful mainly
10 enable it TO hold moro moisture and 10 Omen
it so that roots may,go down in search of it.
When two or three different kinds o.
grasses are sown together for pasture many va