The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-08-22
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
PROTECTION AGAINST FLIES.

PROTECTION AGAINST FLIES.
The plague of flies touches very tender
spot-the pocketbodk- it causes animals to
lose flesh, or at least to make less gain than
they would otherwise. By affording protection
TO tho animals we save money as truly as we
do by giving them comfortable shelter The
best protection for hogs Is the wallow. Though
cattle have tough hides flies occasion them
much discomfort, and It is humane and prof
liable to make smudgs In some situations
this is actually necessary at certain seasons
The animals soon learn to take advantage OF
the smoke.
Horses suffer greatly from the flies ON 40
count of tender skin and sensitive nervous
organization. When we have them at work
their struggles against their tormentors are
annoying to u.s. 1t is unpleasant to use ami
mails kicking. biting and stamping ut flies.
For farm teams the cheapest protection Is
leather nets With reasonable care these will
last for years. They should be cleaned and
oiled at least once month while they are in
use. or the sweat of the animal will rapidly rot
them. They increase the warmth of the animal
as little as any efficient protection. Cotton
nets arc good protection to the carriage
horse, but are not strong enough for farm
work. Those who cannot buy leather nets
should get the coarsest gunny-sacking. This
being very open does not much heat the ami
NAL. The cover should reach over the neck.
with pockets TO cover the ears. The covers
should be washed once month while in use,
and when they are put away at the end of fly
time. Gnats intest the inside of horses ears.
Pure lard is good protection, applied once q
day. The deposit by tho bot-fy of Its eggs
under the jaw makes many horses almost un-
manageable. cloth can be tied TO the bridle
in such way as TO protect the jaw.
l.. r.
more than their bodies. Flies choose the legs,
rs tho skin on these parts is thinner aad the
blood vessels are nearer the surface. It Is
strange that we do not 1ftener SEQ the legs of
the animals protected az the flies arc not much
disturbed by stamping. LeCgins from old over
als or made Of gunny-sack are good material,
and the man ashamed to drive team so pro-
tected about his farm has far more false pride
than good scnsc. LeEgins made like the
leather nets for the body are. in the end, the
cheapest, and can be made by any harness.
msker.-.fmcTieUa agriruttarist
THE ROOTS OF PLANTS AZ MANURE.
An important part Of good farming consists
in outstanding all the resources of the farm.
One important resource Of fertility is found Ia
the gtnbble and use Of plants. Tho roots of all
/ plants serve Ia support the plants themselves,
and Ito gather food aud water from tlle soil
/ they contain woody E5ar, aud so are useful IN
/ rlUNla1HE FeEtt4Bih matter TO the SOIL Ipl
! which reason clover, being full grower aud q
plant that extends Is roots deeply into the soil
! becomes 4 recognized agent in producing an
/ improved condition in a partially -impUyerisbed
/ SOIL In some experiments at the Slorrs School
| Experiment Station with COW peas, IL was
| found that so mnch of tho roots as could be
! pulled from light foaBs with yellow and com
| pact subsoil woull give yield of $50 pounds
| per acre. another section of the same field
tEatti1 uiEs Of GFaF ais tuchna N
| roots 9i2.3 pounds, mud that to depth of Il
inches the yiold would he 1908 ponds pei
/ acre. We therefore get some idea 81 the guam
! uty Of matter tint under ordinary eircnmstan.
COS eau he secured from ar acre of ground. II
| Is also found that aB average crop of oow-pes'
grown will leave n7thc soil by virtue Of tho
| roots aud stubb'e i5,5 pounds OF nitrogen %
| pounds Of phosphorip arid; and Cd pounds o
clover roots will Lease in the soil y5.5 pounds
OF nitrogen 10 pounds Of phosphorie acid ana
| - POUNDS of potash, and with the stubbe. i5s
| pounds Of nitrogen II pounds OF phoephorit
| acid aud II pounds Of potash, or value cquiva
| lent to that paid for some of the commercia
| fertilizers In the market per ton. Thus 1t i
seen The important part played by tle roots o
plants in the matter of adding 10 fertility
| GeFAawtopA Telegraph.
THE LITTLE THINGS.
| The great trouble in the poultry business 4
little things. As we said some months ago. tia
| chicken business Is sort Of picayuue affair
that Is. there are msRy small matters that |
not promptly attended 10 cause disaster. lie
| us make "a summary Of them: A little draft II
tho hen-hoasc often causes roup. A little dir
aud 9th allowed 10 accumulate breeds cholera
| little manure ia the penthouse added TO
little the day before induces lice. A little ex
posture TO rain ehills the chicks. A little slopp!
food brings on bowel troubles. A. little atteu
ton 10 droopy fowl may save IL. A littl
attention 10 tho whole flock will keep them IL
condition. little spsding Of the yard vii
put the hens 10 scratching. A little gras
thrown in to the chickens will keep thei
bowels regular In fact. just little Of all tina
Is good. and positively not mito of that whic
Is hurtful, works wonders ia many ways. ID
careful OF the little things.
NOTES.
- Pick up all the fallen fruit In yoar Oh
chard. aud iced them 10 your pigs.
-- IL ~ estimated thAt four sheep can DO kes
the year around on an acre of good land
- do not use tho same bedding for yonr horA
for weeks. After two days il IL Of no more ust
and new bedding should DO substituted.
- The Black Spanish lays the largest egg
any breed IN poultry; the Bantam tho smai
est. but the Leghorn lays tho best market sig
egs.
- Keep tho fence around your place In goo
repair. It not only indicates a thrifty inmAi
but may save you money by keeping your ca
tic from entering your neig hbor's garden.
Good, well fed COWS in the dairy business al
essential. Many people foed their cows on swi
and make them drink filthy water, and the
wonder what IN the matter with their milk.
~ Oats may be fed 10 any kind of stock I
advantage. and will prove worth more If CT
when the straw has just begun TO put on Il
russell tinge. The straw itself makes d pais
table and valuable fodder.
-- Feed ensiage to your poultry daring Oh
Winter. Now that green food is abundant say
some of IL for the fowls in Winter. silo en-
be made Of an old barrel to hold enough for !
fowls or moro. II will promote egg layin
Try it.
~ It IN better to have two small pastures tha
one large one. IL the cattle have only one pa
turo the grass will be cropped short and ii
| ground pressed down, and consequently il wi
take some time for tho grass to grow loE
enough again. If there were two pastures III
cattle could be on one, while the grass is grow
Ing on the other ias
~ How often have farmers been told abor
keeping aocks of mongrei chickens, or ALLOW
ing good breeds 10 run together2 They {
not seem TO care about this but are alwa,
grumblng about the poor laying qualities
their hens. If they had only one breed pro
b erly cared for they would soon sec the diiie
enee. BY being properly cared for we meg
. TO have them well housed and given plenty
: gravel, broken bone aud oyster shells vii
their food
Il q