The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-11-08
FARM NOTES.

Land that has been affected by corn
''smut" or ergot had best be seeded. 1t
is the most effeetual remedy.
Give the hens leaves, cut straw, or
dry dirt, and scatter the grain in it,
SO as to compel them to work. The
good scratcher is always good layer.
A borseman of experience says that
the use of lard between the hair and
the hoof is an excellent remedy for
quarter cracks or other imperfcctions
in the hoof.
There are many Indications that
Devon cattle will soon be in fashion
again and within very short time.
In most parts of Australia they are
preferred to animals of any breed. In
being driven long distances to market
they lose less in weight than Herefords
and Short-Horns.
The skim milk and whey may not be
salable, but can be used for producing
pork. Pigs will always pay on farms
where skim milk is plentiful. and the
cost of the pork will be but little if
other waste material be used in feed
ing them. A growing pig will need no
grain at all before cold weather.
1t is just as proper to keep rich milk
separate from that of an inferior quality
and secure for it an extra price as it is
to assort other articles on the farm. If
dairymen would make it point to sell
milk of the best quality only they could
secure a class of customers who would
pot object to paying an extra price for
il.
Oil cake is the most desirable food
for young stock of all kinds-nOthing
better for calves, colts, sheep, and
pigs. We have often found it to take
the place of grass in winter, in push
ing on the growth of colts, calves, and
lambs. 1t is just laxative enough to
keep the digestion in the best con-
dition.
Where no stock is kept. and manure
must be made for a garden, an excel
lent mode of so doing is to begin with
pile of dirt. upon which all the waste
water and refuse should be thrown.
1t should be covered to prevent
injury by rain. Each family wastes
enough every season to highly manure
a garden plot.
Probably the cheapest meat that the
| farmer ever makes is the pork that he
|
here is had not so much to the actual
pork which fills the barrel at Christ
mas as to the muscle aud bone which
is laid for that fat. The summer
clover makes the frame, the old corn
fills it with fat.
| The inexperienced breeder is often
puzzled to guess what will be the color
of a newborn colt when it attains
maturity. There is always great
change, but we believe that the tina
color at full age is nearly always in
dicated by the color of the eyelashes
This rule holds good with many other
Young animals, including young child
ren.
| When too much milk is required tt
make Il pound of butter the cost i
sometimes greater than the product
1t should not take over twelve quart.
of milk on an average to make one
pound of butter, though the quantity
in some dairies will be more or les
than twelve quarts. The feed allowed
will largely assist in regulating the
| proportion.
While the collie dog is a very usefu
animal when taught to drive sheepan'
cattle, yet he should never be allowed
| to chase them or frighten them in an,
manner. Cows naturally have ar
aversion to dogs of all kinds, and whel
they experience fear the effect is sucl
| as to iniure the milk. Cows should b,
brought from the pasture leisurely ant
in no manner worried Orexcited,
Thought is necessary in breeding
and every improvement that maj
| makes in his stock is evidence of the
improvement of his own mind. Breed
ing is an elevating and developin;
business. 1t broadens men, and it i
only broad man and man of intel
lect that can keep up a herd. TT.
breeding improved stock us mean
of keeping the boys on the farm
Among the prime requisites of
good farm horse are: first, sufficicn
size and weight to give the necessar,
strength to perform the heavy wOrl
required of him; and, second, goo'
bottom and endurance. The hes
with feet of medium size, short bacl
well coupled, chest wide and deep
limbs clean and bony, and with
docile and reliable disposition.
| A farmer should select his seed witt
| great care. He can't afford to vast
time in sowing poor seed or in culii
waiting or reaping the scanty prodnc'
from it, and surely he cannot affor,
the use of the land for such purpose
Remember it costs no more to till ant
harvest the ground necessary to rais'
one hundred bushels of grain from
poor seed than it does from good seed
while the produce from poor seed viii
not sell as we'll as that from good seed
| When spokes and fellows shrink
and the wagon tires become loose il
| consequence, it is the custom to hav,
the tires reset, at the usual expense o
| 30 cents each. 1t is far cheaper ant