The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-10-25
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
FARM SIGNALS.

FARM SIGNALS.
A code of signals for use on the farm may be
made very useful for Communication between
persons out of speaking distance. The writer
has long used a loud whistle for making signals
to his hired men aud others about the farm,
which have been found quite ineligible and
useful after little training. The common
mile whistles " sold under the claim that they
can be heard a mile off are frauds and fit only
for children's playthings but a loud whistle
can be made of brass tube half an inch in di-
ameter, plugged and cut with a file in the re-
quired manner. The best whistle, however, is
made of the half she'll Of a common filbert or
Barcelona nut sawn lengthwise or across the
middle This is placed between the third and
fourth fingers inside the hand, at the space be-
tween the knuckle and the next joint. with
the opening in the she'll between tho fingers.
The hand is then closed so that an orifce is
left between the fingers opening into the nut
shell. Then by placing the bent Joints of the
fingers between the lips and blowing fOrcibly
into the nutshell very shrll and loud whistle
may bo given that can be heard half mile
with ease, and further when a gentle wind is
blowing in the direction the sound is to be sent.
1t seems that this system of whistle signals
or language is by no means q novelty, for
regular vocabulary, so to speak, of Whistling
sound has been in use in an island of the Can
airy group. The inhabitants of this island
(Gomera which consists mostly Of precipitous
rocks and deep rayines through which rivers
flow make use of this code of whistle signals
to communicate with each other across the
rough country, which can only be traversed by
long, circuitous routes on account of the deep
ravines These people use both fingers and
lips when whistling, and can carry on con-
versation with neighb0rs a mile distant by the
use of this peculiar language.
This useful addition to the faculty Of speech
may be made available In many ways by adopt
ing q similar code or key of sounds to that
which is used in telegraphy. Thus in our sys-
tenn three short, sharp whistles blown quickly
mean that the man or men at work in a distant
place are to come to the house or quit work
One long whistle, gradually taperipg off to
finish, means that the foreman must send
man to the barn; one short, sharp whistle, fol-
lowed by the long, taperng one, calls the team
home; two short whistles and the long one call
the foreman and announce meal times. Thus
by the use of long and short sounds differently
disposed, all sorts Of directions may be given
and information conveyed. Each man en-
plOyed is provided with whistle (if he cannot
use his fingers in the usual way which makes
a loud, piercing sound, and card of signals;
but this is not Of much use except at rare inter
walls.
Flags are usefully employed as signals when
the house or barn can be seen from ell parts of
the farm. A pole with arms such as make up
tho old-fashioued "semaphore" telegraph may
also be used when it can be seen or the persons
are too far apart to hear a sound. A triangle
made of a steel-bar bent with the ends free,
and struck with another piece of steel, can be
heard moro than mile away. But this and
the bell are not sufficiently various in sound
for ordinary use. The whistle, on the other
hand, may be made to vary quite sufficiently
to afford all necessary means of ommunication
over the area of an ordinary farm, and the sig
mails may be so. codiied as to give intelligent
meanings, as in the case of the islanders above
referred to. But it viii be most convenient to
condense as mach as possible the code of sig
nails Thus the signal TO come to the house or
barn when repeated quickly will mean there
is something wrong and haste is required.
This will answer for all emergencies Each
man, too, should have his signal, to which he
only will answer in person when the men are
together orescattered. Some such method Of
communication will be found very useful, and
it will tend to save timc"in the work of the
farm; and as time is money, it will be found
means of economy, and therefore worthy of
adoption haatatqGG Vineyard.
PRESERVING THE FROG.
Reference is here made to that very impor-
tant cushion beneath the horses foot-the frog
so called. If, in seeking a horse, we take up
the foot and find the frog well preserved, the
cushion, so to speak, wide, full and soft, the
probability is that the remainder of the foot
will be in good order. There may be an ex-
ception to this in the case of used-up horse
having been turned out to pasture for period
long enough to permit the frog to take on new
growth. If the frog be fully protected and well
maintained, the hoof will be found but little, if
at ALL contracted, for the very good reason that
the hoof cannot readily contract if the frog be
up to it's normal size in every way. But it is
the smith, the hOrseshoer, who ruins the frog /;
that is, very many Of them do this. During the
many years that the writer has driven horses
he has always made it rule TO be present dur
ing the shooting, and has never permitted more
than the slightest trimming Of the frog, moth
ing more than the trimming off the insignif-
cant parts already nearly detached. The smith
can mutilate and seriously damage the hoof by
the use of the rasp. but fortunately the frog is
proof against attacks by this instrument, and
even the knife requires to be sharp else the pc
cular nature Of the frog will resist. Fever in the
feet is q prolific source of injury to the frog
and should be overcome at the earliest posi-
bic day. Confinement upon a dry, plank floor
is damaging by keeping up too complete a
state of dryness. Cutting the frog away at the
time Of shoeing, then setting tho foot upon
caulkins in such manner as TO prevent the frog
from pressing upon the ground will, sooner or
later, interfere with its development and use
fulness. The most important function of the
frog is to lessen the shock to the foot in its
contact with the ground. This being the fact,
it should be so maintained and the shoe be 50
constructed that at every step the frog can
como in for share of the pressure upon what
ever substance the horse is required to tread
Rural KeU Yorker.
WATCH THE MARKETS.
Considerable of success on the part Of farm
ers depends upon keeping close eye to the
market The first Of any new crop will almost
| always command high price, and soon after,
when there is a rush for the market, prices
rapidly decline. Unless one can be among the
first, it is better to hold until the prices have
passed the last stage and come back to a more
normal condition. 1t is the forcing of the
market that brings low prices, and for that
reason close watch should be kept of the re-
puted supply aud demand.
BRING TO THE STABLE.
Az the cold increases with our approach to
Winter, farmers should bear in mind that an
increased amount Of food or material is re-
quired to maintain bodily heat; and if animals
are only able to procure maintenance rations,
the increased heat required to maintain nor
NAL heat of the body must be generated from q
| consumption of elements Of heat that have
been accumulated in the shape of fat and It's
| oh, To