The National tribune., 1888-07-26
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
ENsrLAaE w. coRNFoppER.

ments carried on during the past year :" to
study the value of narrow nutritiye ratios,
compared with wider ones, for quantity and
for quality of milk" The report and discus
sion of the subject covers DO pages. We can
give only some of the general conclusions ar
rived at.
"Ensiage, on account of its succulence, has
beneficial influence on butter production,
cred in the BUTTER
The conclusions which will interest all farm
ers, are thus summarized:
l. The live weight of the cows increased di-
rectly after the first cornfodder period, and de-
creased again directly after the ensilage period,
apparently on account Of the increased reten-
ton of food or water in the body of the ami
mails
g. The milk produced during the ensilage
period was poorer in composition as regards
total solids and casein, while the percentage of
fat in the milk was smaller in one case and
larger in the other than was that produced in
the cornfodder periods.
3. The quantity of milk given decreased
during the ensilage period.
f. The quantities produced of milk solids,
milk fat and casein decreased on the enslage
feed
5. Considering the quantities of milk solids,
milk fat and casein produced by one pound of
digestible matter in the enslage ration and in
the cornfodder, ration we find practically no
difference in the nutritive effect of the two
rations only that the ensilage ration produced
a somewhat thinner milk.
6. 1850 per cent. more of the fat was churned
out from the mixed milk of the cows when
they were fed on ensilage than when they re-
ceived cornfodder, the last week of each period
being considered.
T. The digestibility of the ensilage ration
was somewhat higher than that of the corn
fodder rations. The crude fiber and the pro-
tein of the sweet corn ensilage appear to be
more digestible than the same in Yellow Dent
eornfodder.
8. The method for artificial digestion of
folders devised by DR.. A. Stutzer gave results
closely concordant with those found by the
determination of the actual digestibility of the
rations.
The above conclusions afford a subject for
careful consideration upon the ensilags ques-
ton.
WAYS OF LOSING MONEY.
A man entering upon the poultry business
and disposing OF his products at commercial
prices must avoid the losing ways To such a
few hints may prove valuable.
At the outset breed or breeds must be Sc
lected To select the wrong breed is one way
to lose money. What is the right breed will
depend upon the purpose Of the poultry raiser
and the demands of his market. If, TO use a
| common illustration, his market demands an
! egg of certain color, it ia folly to select a
| breed that lays differently colored egg. Such
an egg may be just as good but if 1t doesn't
| sell as we'll, to produce such eggs means loss
| upon what might have been received for every
1 Go fpf. ;g4F he Of he nofo
! of the skin. ii the market demands yellow
skinned fowl, it is folly to select white-skin-
ned breed, even if the white-skinned poultry
| is equally as good or even better In these
matters successful business man consults the
/ whims or prejudice of the buyers. 1t doesn't
| matter 30 him what his preferences are; he
caters to the preferences of his buyers,
/ A breed or breeds having been selected, the
next consideration is proper houses and yards
| and conyeniences for rearing this breed. Tn.
| suitable locations entail loss; inconvenient
| houses waste time lack Of proper appliances
| increase the labor, and all these mean loss Of
money. Not to carefully plan houses and
| yards so as TO secure the greatest convenience
| and the best accommodations for the fowls is
one and very common way of losing money
| But with the best breed and the best accommO
| dations there are many ways of losing money
! One of these ways is in the purchase of the
| food supplies. First must be determined what
supplies are needed, and then where and when
and In what quantities these can be purchased
at the best advantage If one keeps thou
sand fowls it is very easy to lose 500 or S20(
in buying their food. A successful poultrymar
needs to be good buyer.
In the distribution of this food there is
chance to lose money. Too much food means
q loss-frst of the wasted grain, second of the
i'll health of the fowls and third of the les
quantity of eggs produced through the i'll health
or through the fowls becoming too fat.
Another way of losing money is in keeping
a lot of old hens. Pullets make the best lay
ers. and outside Of those kept for their specia
excellence for breeders or breeders, it pays Il
market the hens just before they moult in thu
second year Of their lives If properly fed ant
cared for they will be in fair marketable con
dition, and if disposed of they will not be eat
ing lot Of grain which will not go into eggs
but into feathers.
Another way of losing money is to keep 10
Of cockerels long after they have ceased T.
make profitable growth. Just as soon as til,
time arrives when the growth doesn't pay 70
their food, they should be marketed.
Many other ways of losing money will oc
cur to our readers, such as not Matching tn
pulets at the right season of the year, not tax
ing proper precautions against vermn and dis
ease, not selecting the best market in which t
sell the fowls or eggs, not sending the product
to market ia attractive condition, not properl,
saving the valuable droppings, and the like
to properly discuss ali of which would requir
good sized volume. But enough has alread
been limited as to put the beginner upon hi
guard, aud to lead him TO seek more informa
tion in the prosecution of his business.-P0uLtr
World.
PACKING PRODUCE FOR SHIPPING.
We here offer the following suggestions {
packers for shipping:
Peaches should DO carefully hand-picked
just when full grown and ready for the ripen
ing process, before the least mellow, and onl
the good-szed and perfect fruit packed in til
six-basket or nine-basket crate and shipped b.
fast express.
lie Conte pears must be hand-piclced Will
quite hard. They will then carry and Sc
quite satisfactorily in barrels. Shake the bal
rel well in filling, after each half-bu5hel is pu
in; fill we'll and ship by all-rail freigh
, Never put in a lie Coute pear the least mellow
They should be only in such condition as I
J ripen up after arrival.
Watermelons should be picked before rip
but not until fully developed, so they wi
/ ripen up in transit; and nothing below l
/ pounds should be Slipped. Ship by all-ra
freight in wel-ventilated cars by all mean
: avoiding the disastrous Fohandling and ruinor
! heating of the hot steamship; better acceI
, higher all-rail rates TO get melons to destinf
! ton sounder, and receive better results in tn
end. Am 10
NOTES.