The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-01-30
Note. For the Farmer.

The leshorn fowl is an excellent winter layer
If kept warm and comfortable.
POst-hoies for fencing may be dug while the
ground is warm. II saves time in spring.
Get your ground ready for peas. They mus
be planted early, and can stand the late frosts
The poultrymen are trying TO get eggs fol
breeding purposes" sent by mail under the par
cells post law.
A Texas lady produced COCO pounds OF honey
last wear with forty colonies of bees, attending
to them and doing all the work herself.
Bran is now considered the best of all dairy
foods 1t has not been many years since the
large Touring mills dumped their bran into
the river.
There is always a good sale for homemade
country lard and it is in demand. II pays n
convert corn into fat for the lard alone, as lard
brings higher price than pork.
Corn-fodder should he cut in some kind OF
cutter that brushes the pieces while cutting
them, This breaks the hard lining and rem.
ders the food more acceptable TO stock.
Dairy butter is superior in quality to that
made few years ago, due 10 the competition
with creameries. The quality has raised prices
and has been of advantage to the dairymen
Stock should be kept in good condition from
birth until marketed. Every pound of flesh
lost by an animal is loss to the owner. 1t is
q safe rule to hold on to every pound gained.
Mistakes do not always result in loss. Il is
just as important to know how 10 avoid mis-
takes as il is to be successful. Many improve
ments have resulted from the teachings oil mis-
takes.
Very early lambs will begin to come this
month, and they will prove profitable If given
attention and forced in growth. \ lamb born
not later than February will be worth two born
in April.
II is claimed that a good Jersey or butter COW
should average one pound OF butter day ioT
the entire year, making 500 pounds. This is
not a large yield, but is better than is usually
obtained
Early spring pigs will make fat and large
hogs by Christmas, but unless there excellent
accommodations tor the early pigs they viii
not be as large at the end OF the year rs those
narrowed in April or May.
Hotbeds are now in order. II you want
early cabbage and tomatoes the beds should be
ready by February, and the seed sown before
the middle of that month 4 small hOtbed viii
produce all the peppers, cabbage, tomatoes and
egg-plants wanted for family.
The largest, best and smoOthest potatoes
should be selected for seed. Like produces
like" and this rule holds good with potatoes
more so than with many other crops. The bin
should be examined occasionally IN order 10
observe il the potatoes are keeping well. and
il will pay to assert the tubers Tor the purpose
OF selecting the seed Ii this plan is pursued
the quality of the crop will be improved each
each year
The potato now has another enemy, called
the flea beetle. IL is a very small insect, NOV
ing IN large numbers, like clouds, and attacks
the vines by piercing the leaves full OF small
holes from the under side. Poison fails to de-
StrOy them thus far, and the beetle Is an enemy
that is dangerous. A strong solution OF tobacco
has been recommended as the most eficaciOus
preventive yet tried, but it Is not a sure de-
stroyer of the pests.
Every farmer should experiment in order to
learn by practical experience the kind OF crops
and mode of cultivation best adapted 10 his
farm. Soils vary, and the experience OF one
farmer is not always guide for another. TX
periments on small plots cost very little, and
may lead to an improvement that is permanent.
Well tried varieties and systems that have
before given good results should never be
abandoned for those that are newer until care
fully conducted experiments prove them
inferior to those that have been tested in com
parison with them.