The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-01-19
OUR RURbL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
ENs1LAaE FoR FEEpINe.

ENsTLAGE FOR FEEDING.
Prof Alvord, of the Massachusetts, Agricul-
tural College, spoke to the farmers of that State
at the meeting of the Board of Agriculture
upon the subject of ensilage His views were
very conservative, and were in accord with the
views that we have entertained and expressed
upon that subject. He frankly stated that the
claims of the most enthusiastic of its early sup
porters had not been, nor could they ever be,
fully realized. We have always urged upon
the attention of farmers fact which was stated
by the Professor, that conversion into ensilage
of any class of fodder added nothing to its feed
ing value. But there is this difference between
ensilage fodder and that which is cured by the
process of drying; one is continued in a state
of succulence more like the natural condition
of green fodder than if passed through the cur
ing or drying process, which may tend to i'm
part higher degree of indigestibility to the
cellular structure.
Ordinarily it is claimed that the mixing of
water with food that is eaten impairs digestion,
for the reason that the gastric juice, an impor-
tant agent, is so diluted as to be much less act
i've and powerful in its work It is claimed
that green fodder contains about so per cent.
whether this, by its combination forming the
juice of the same, aids or retards digestion. The
subject of feeding is one upon which much
more light must yet be shed in order to arrive
at the greatest possible economy. 1t may yet
be determined that the feeding of ensilage is
one that is to come into universal USE but as
yet results have not been such as to warrant
too heavy expenditure in the construction of
silos. In some instances they have been en-
tireIy abandoned Germantown Telegraph.
FRAUDULENT BUTTER
There has been an effort on the part of those
! interested in the manufacture of imitation but
| ter, through the medium of the daily papers of
| New York city, to make the public believe that
| those having charge of creameries and private
| dairymen were using oleomargarine oil, neutral
| lard and cotton-seed oil to aduIterate the but
! ter and cheese product. The design was evil
| IDENTIFY to ruin, if possible, the dairy interest
| From an address delivered by B. T. Van Walk
| enburgh Assistant State Dairy Commissioner,
| of New York, at meeting of the State Dairy
/ Association, held at Middletown, N. V Dec Is,
IA and Is, 1887, we learn that the charge
spoken of led the State Dairy Commission to
make careful inspection throughout the State.
| large number of samples were taken to chem
lists for analysis but there was not scintilla of
evidence discovered Of adulteration by either
creamerymen or dairymen, and the belief was
1 entertained Lnab no ENUMERATION mas DeeU prdc-
| ticed as was charged. The address contains
important statistics, showing that while there
| was rapid declinein the price of butter, with
the increased manufacture of fraudulent imita-
| tons since the oeomargarine law was passed,
| the price has been steadily increasing, notwith-
standing the increased production The gain
ia New York city is estimated at So, 459,444 on
| the quantity handled.
MAKING PORK.
4
making of pork is something of a science, and
that the character of the product may be made
to depend quite largely upon the manner OF
feeding. What the pork is to be depends some
what upon the end desired in its making. II
marbIed meat is desred-that is a good mix
ture of fat and lean quite evenly combined in
the meat proper, the food should be of such a
character as will produce that condition; but
if as is quite often the case, it is desired to pro-
duce the fattest possible condition, so to give
a good supply of lard, the feeding should be Ia
the end of producing Ea5, and that alone. The
Wisconsin Experiment Station has conducted
experiments in that line and in special bull
letin given the results, with a groapo of illustra
tions showing the different effects produced By
different courses of feeding. Where fat is de-
sired only, those foods should be employed as
are richest in fat-producng elements, and
whore lean meat is wanted food rich in protein
elements should be given to the hog. The ex
periments referred to above are of deep interes
and throw considerable light upon the subject
which is now receiving prominent attention
Farmers begin to realize the Importance o
feeding for special purposes
NOTES.
A crossed fowl will always sit and if non
sitters are desired for next season they must b.
bred from pure breeds only.
- Mr.. Hoard is convinced that there are il
good judges OF horses among the farmers wher
there is one who is a good judge Of dairy GOV
or bull
- Save the feathers from all the fowls. Seal,
them thoroughly and dry them as quickly a
possible. keeping them well aired until dis
posed of.
"A remarkable property of the ice plant
its absorption Of salt, fluid exuded by it
leaves having been found TO contain 80 pc
cent. Of sea salt
1t is believed that the Colorado beetle ha
been completely stamped out in Germany b.
the measures ordered to be carried out by LII
Ministry of Agriculture
Leaf mold, rotten COW manure and goo
garden loan in equal parts, with a small add
ton of sand, all well mixed together, max
suitable soil for nearly all house plants.
One egg week will pay for the supper
}. of hen. As the first egg must DO deducte
for expenses consequently the hen that lay
three eggs a week produces twice as much prof
as the hen that lays two eggs
When the farmer begins to estimate tn
value Of sheep from the standpoints of mea
10 fertility aud general advantage to the farm. b
will not allow the market price Of wool to d.
lc termine whether or not he will raise them.
- - When wood is sold off the land there is
. loss of fertility, but when the ashes are care
l. fully saved, provided the wood be consumed o
the farm, the potash and lime, as well as othC
g mineral matter, are retained, only small lo
v of nitrogen occurring. A farm can be croppe
as easily by growing wood upon it for sale
u with ordinary crops.
= Placed in its general light, weed is sin
~ ply plant out Of place. A weedy country
(. always frstclass farming section, for Il
e same elements of soil and climate which fave
a prolific weed growth also favor the cultivate
~ grains and grasses in their best. Thus it d
n. ponds upon the farmer whether its largest ere
will be weeds OF grain. An old field abandont
for a few years, if it grew up in weeds, whe
brought again under cultivation will produ
big crops, for the weeds will have mellowed ii
or ground, and at the same time have been an e
fective manurial agent
The blood-cleansing qualities of Ayers Sars
parila render it in valuable in skin disorders
y We are in receipt of Maule's Annual Cat