Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1888-12-22
THE AGRICULTURALIST
Newsy Notes Concerning the Farm ard
of Especial Interest to the Pa
cific Coast Husbandman.


1t is said that by forcing salt into
the holes made by borers in trees, the
borers will be destroyed.
The water trough needs thorough
scrubbing and scalding occasionally,
or it will soon be coated with slime.
II is better to feed cow every ounce
of food she has the ability to take care
of than to try to gain profit by saving
feed.
Too much grain is more detrimental
to breeding stock than not enough
The foed should be bulky, with a
small allowance OF grain.
No animal is so hardy as to require
no attention. The more an animal is
exposed the less it will produce, either
of pork, wool, mutton, beef or milk.
Major Alvord condemns dehorning
in toto. He says in the Boston Guilt
vator that it is cruel, and argues that
it does not render cattle less pugna-
cious.
No flower is more popular than the
aster, and few have held 80 high a
place in popular esteem for so many
years, and it is still growing in favor.
For an autumn show of flowers we
have not its equal.
Feeding red pepper to laying hens
is not beneficial unless given very
moderately, and not oftener than three
times week. It acts as a temporary
stimulant, but if given continually
causes injurious effects.
Aged horses should have ground
grain at all times or they will not
thrive, owing to their inability to mas
ticate the whole grains. Where a
horse is subject to heaves it is best to
moisten all the chopped or ground
food.
There is nc necessity for pampering
a bull and allowing it to become
vicious. 1t can be made to work, if de-
sired, in providing power for fodder
cutters, grain-mills, etc. II is done in
Europe, and is practicable here.
There is no lodging the fact that the
American arbOr vitae is the best all
around tree for an evergreen hedge.
It's hardness, density obtained by
shearing, and its rapid growth alone
recommends it for the general pur-
pose Of hedge above all cOniferous
competitors.
For narrow and efectual wind
break, double row of Scotch or white
pine, in rows eight or ten feet apart
and at about the same distance be-
tween the trees in the rows, will form
in six or eight years, in a climate
where they can be grown, close and
effectual screen.
The Iowa Agricultural college, It is
said, has been crossing Southdown
ewes with Shropshire bucks for four
years. AS result the average Of all
feeces has increased from 5S to 20
pounds, and the percentage of mbs
cent. in 1888.
The estimated loss to The cotton,
apple and potato crops from insects is
$40,0 100000. Yet the farmers take no
precauLion to protect the birds. Every
bird killed adds just the work it would
perform to the labor of the farmer,
who consequently has greater num-
Der of insects to destroy.
Horses can, of course, stand more
exposure in cold weather than men,
but the same kind of exposure that
produces colds, rheumatism, etc, in
men, will be liable to effect horses in
the same way. 1t is, therefore, ap-
parent that warm stables, good blank
cts and protection from severe weather
are necessary.
Professor Henry gives the following
as a good ration for dairy cow where
corn fodder constitutes the main por-
ton of the coarse fodder: Corn stalks,
cut, Is to 16 pounds; clover hay, 5
pounds, bran, 6 pounds; corn meal,
4 pounds. This can be fed twice or
three times a day, as the feeder prefers.
The drains should be put down be-
fore the ground freezes. A single tile
drain will sometimes carry off the sur
plus water from a large field, but
enough drain should be used to rem
.er the field dry in early spring and
be in proper condition for plowing.
The use of the drain will add hun
dreds of dollars to an early crop.
A Western dairynlan has hit upon
very simple plan of warming water
for his stock to drink in winter. He
puts an iron plate, say Is inches square,
on the bottom Of his water tank, cut
ting away the wood. of course, where
the iron was. Under the plate he uses
an oil stove. He says 10 cents worth
Of oil day would warm the water for
so COWS up to 70 degrees or more.
In developing cows for butter the
! feeder should be sure that he does not
overfeed, but as he finds they eat with
good appetite he may add little
more to each feed, and so continue
gradually to increase the feed as they
will bear it. This power of digestion
will increase, and he may gradually
increase the milking capacity of his
COWS and their production of butter.
The skill of that feeder bas m uch to
| do with the result.
/ The editor of the Mark Lane Ex-
press advises farmers to cut off pO-
tato blossoms as they appear. The ball
or true seed of the potato, which re-
suits from the blossom, are not only
unnecessary to the formation of the