The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-02-25
FARM TALKS.
Farm Hint. for December.

| WodeHcT uufiuS INC pdst month II;
given farmers an opportunity for con
pleting most of the work which W,
planned for November, and perhaE
commencing some of the improv,
ments that have been previousl
neglected for lack of the spare time I
devote to them.
Fields which are to be planted q
sown early next Spring have bee
plowed, and, In some instances, tb
manure has been plowed in. while il
others it will be put on during tn
Winter, as there may be time for il
Such fields will dry out in good cor
dition for working much earlier than
they had been left unplowed, and wher
the soil contains sufficient sand an
gravel to be friable, they can be fitte
for planting by the use of the dis
harrow, without the necessity of pillow
ing again in the Spring. Yet if tim,
allows. cross blowing. not quite O.
deep as the Fall blowing. and the US
of the harrow afterward, will undoubt
edlybe better. There is no danger o
stirring the soil too much, or getting i
too well pulverized before putting il
seed of any kind. and the smaller III,
seed to be put in, the greater the neee
of making fine seed bed for it.
If the open weather continues mucf
other work may be done which will
help to tighten the labors of the Spring
or add to the value of the farm
Stones and small boulders may be re-
moved from the cultivated fields, and
put where they will be out of the way
of the pillow in future. and where they
will prove benefit to the farm. Per-
haps in some road or cart path used in
reaching the more remote parts OF the
farm there is slough into which a
few loads of small stone might be
dumped. thus greatly increasing the
of the team to draw wood
hay or manure to or from those fields.
Perhaps some unsightly frog pond or
swampy place nearer home. which
serves only to breed mosquitoes and
malarial disorders, might be reclaimed
if the muck were thrown out of it, and
it was used as place of deposite for
stones until it were so nearly full that
they could be covered again, and good
land made of the spot which was be-
fore only a nuisance and an offence to
the eye and the nostrils.
There may be basins which cannot be
easily drained by bitches, either be-
cause the latter must pass through
some other PERSONS land, or because
The cost of the ditch would be too great.
In such places we'll sunk for eight or
Ten feet deep, and filled with stones
nearly to the top, will usually effectu-
ally drain from one to two rods around
t, and the earth thrown out will raise
The surrounding surface.
PREPARING FOR WINTER.
Yet the warm weather should not
empt us to forget that winter must
Don come, or to neglect those prepare
ions for it which would have been
made if there had been the usual num-
'er of cold days in November. The
nending of broken windo VS.. battening
# cracks. and banking up of outside
wallis to keep out the winds and frosts.
must not be forgotten.
A temperature below freezing in sta
lies. piggery or henhouses means the
of extra amounts of food
or the animals therein, and a. dim
mutton in production of milk and eggs,
nd rs it requires but little labor to
hut out the wind and to line walls
nth few rough boards, and pack
ay or straw between them and the out
ide wall. so that the outside tempera-
IRE cannot affect the inside very much,
seems that farmers should do this,
OF only from desire to increase the
omfort of their ANIMALS and the profit
/ keeping them, but out of regard to
leir own comfort while taking care of
hem.
The barn cellers, open upon one
de. into which the cold air blows, not
My cooling the floor above, but search
e out every crack through which it
lay make its way upward, are ac-
for many cold stables and
ANY sick animals. It would be econ
ny to board up the open side every
all and allow it to be closed until
pring, and even better to close it en-
rely. excepting to place doors by
hich it could be entered with a team
hen necessary to remove the con-
nts. 1t is true that the cattle some
mes seek shelter there when left in
le yard in cold Or stormy day, but
hen it is too wet or cold for them in
e yard they had better be kept in the
Urn. The ordinary barn cellar. with
,aps of manure decomposing and
canning. alternating with puddles of
alter or half-frozen mud, is about as
lift place for any living animal as
IN be found. In the open yard there
ny be sunlight and pure air at least
possible, therefore, so close it as to
sep the cold air out of it, and if this
!nnot be done, fence the cattle out Of
I'd trust to keeping them in the stable
cepting when necessary to turn them
to the yard for the purpose of water
& them.
CATTLE FEEDING.
Each season certain questions arise
the thinking farmer in regard to
sding his horses and cattle. and if he
tiles them in his mind to his satisfac-
IN in one season. he is apt to find
mself in doubt before the close of an
her season. as some slight change in
nditions produces IN unexpected
ange in result. Perhaps few facts
n be considered as definitely ettled
SO nearly 50 that practical feeders
, agreed upon them. Whether for
'rking or driving horses. cows in
Tx Or growing stock, it is more pro-