The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-12-08
farmAons.
GIVE THE HORSES SOME LIBERTY.

GIVE THE HORSES SOME LIBERTY.
Horses kept in stables will be all
the better for a run in the barnyard
an hour every day, where they will
not only exercise, but roll in the
straw and clean themselves. They
may need some extra grooming but
their improved condition under this
management will repay it.
rv PAPER FOR WARMTH. ~-a
\There is no cheaper mode ofkeep-
in& out cold than by the use Of
paper, provided it is kept dry. 1t is
impervious to wind, and two or
three, thicknesses placed between
two blankets or even sheets, will
preserve as many spaces Of confined
air, which is even a better shield
from cold. Tarred paper can be
obtained quite cheaply, andi is better
for battening sheds and stables than
are the boards generally used for
this purpose.
OhD Az
After hard driving or heavy work
causes the sweat to start, blanket
ing horses is necessary to prevent
themE from catching cold while
becoming dry. At other times a
horse left with his natural covering
of hair will need no other in the
stable. If the practice Of b%lanketing
in the stable is begun with the first
cold weather, it must be continued
all winter, with additional danger
that the horse will take cold when
ever brought out for work or exer-
else.
HORSE AND PIG MANURE.
Although pig manure from the
usual grain ration given to hogs is
generally very rich, yet it is slow to
ferment. Horse manure, on the
contrary, heats too rapidly, and is
liable to firefang. 1t is often a good
plan to have pigs and horses kept
near each other SO that the
which each makes may be piled
with the other. Dry horse manure
makes a good litter for pigs where
straw is scarce, but while it is used
as bedding pigs will not, unless con-
fined SO they cannot do otherwise,
mix their own excrement with it.
In looking for cheap grain feed
rye is not so likely to be forgotten. 1t
is almost the only nutritious con
centrated feed that can be bought
for less than n cent per pound.
The drawback on rye is that it may
be affected with ergot, and thus be
unsuitable to animals bearing young.
But it is excellent for almost every
other kind of stock, and especially
for young animals which it may be
desired to get into heat for the pur-
pose Of inducing earlier breeding.
The action of the ergot in stimulat-
ing the generative organs into activ-
ity is then just what is wished.
Psi. GRINDING CORN IN H EAR.
1t is difficult to grind corn and
cob thus early and make fine meal.
The cob breaks up in chunks and
cannot be crushed to powder. But
by adding one-haIf in bulk of oats
or barley, this difficulty may be OBJ
Waited. The mixture also makes a
better feed than corn and cob alone.
There is some nutriment in the cob,
but the chief advantage in grinding
it with the corn is to make the meal
less concentrated. 1t is a fact that
stock suddenly changed from poor
feed to a diet of corn meal often
becomes cloyed, loses it's appetite
and will not gain so much as on an
an equal amount of corn and cob
meal. ... ..f... ......s. f..
OLD TURKEYS o BREEDERS.
One reason why so many have
poor success in raising turkeys is
because they breed from immature
birds. The chicks r not SO hardy,
cannot grow to a large size and
gradually u out. Young turkey
hens generally give more eggs than
older birds but those Of the latter
+ most valuable. The gobbler
should be two years old at least, and
three or four would be better, By
this age, if a good breed. he will
have attained an enormous size, and
probably bring an extra price in
markets where size is thought
important than anything else. This
is the season for killing turkeys and