The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-11-28
CUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
INQUIRIES ANSWERED..

INQUIRIES ANSWERED.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Would you
inform mo whether the Government furnishes
mulberry plants worms, etc, to a beginner in
silk culture; and who would purchase the CO.
coons If raised2 e Could wormwood and other
medicinal herbs be raised and disposed of; and
who would buy them Mrs. j. N. BUsKIRK,
Lafargevile, N. Y.
Write to the Agricultural Department
Washington, ID. C., for full particulars in regard
to silk culture As they are endeavoring to
encourage silk raising, it is most likely that
they will supply beginner. 2. There is very
little demand for such herbs still you raised
any you could dispose of them to druggists,
provided they are of good quality.-ED.l
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: | would like
to ask you n few questions in regard to the
Farmers Alliance Association. What is its
foundation aud principle, aud is IL lawful? Is
it Democratic or Republican ?-IsAAc BEELER,
Oleott, Tenn.
THE Farmers Alliances Association was
formed wholly for. aud to promote the interests
of. tho farmer. IL is not unlawful; in fact. it is
encouraged by the law, ms it raises the condition
OF the farmer. its members, separately, may
be interested in politics, but as q body it is
nonpolitical.-
BRAN AND oILMEAL
1t is only in exceptional cases that the farmer
can afford TO purchase feed for stock. Nearly
or quite all the food necessary to keep and fat
tea the stock for market should De raised upon
the farm. But 0ilmeal aud bran can. III nearly
all cases. be purchased aud fed TO stock with
profit, and there are fow materials that will
add as much To the value OF 0thor materials. or
will increase the yalnc of the manure to tho
extent that this will. IL is not altogether in
their value themselves as il is ia tho increased
value they give 10 other materials in making up
what we may term complete ratious that they
can be used with profit. In order to feed stock
during growth as economically rs possible it is
an item TO lessen the amount of grain fed Not
that stock can be properly prepared for market
with no grain. but Ivy using bran and olltneal
IN connection with other materials the amount
of grain can be materially decreased.
One OF the strongest reasons for its use. cs.
pecaIly during the Winter. when stock must
depend almost entirely upon dry food, straw.
hay. sheRf or unthrashed oats aud corn fodder
with oilmeal make up ration that will supply
ali the elements of nutrition.
In most localities the better plan is 20 secure
"a supply in the Fall sufficient 10 Inst the greater
part of the Winter. IL should be stored in bins
or boxes where il is reasonably certain to keep
dry. IL il can be- kept perfectly dry. IL viii
keep In good condition for feeding n long
time without detcrioratinK ia quality, while
il bc secured at less cost at this time than
later.
The best results can he secured il the feed
Is cut before mixing the bran Straw, un.
thrashcd oats. hay and fodder IL run through
cutter, and then small quantity of bran and
oilmeal is added. very little grain viii be ro-
quircd 10 keep aii the growing and breeding
stock in good condition, aud especially so If
comfortable shelter ~ provided in addition
and the cost will be considerably less than ii
grain must DO supplied.
When fattening stock grain must be largely
depended upon to finish for market. And with
these two materials, used ia connection with
dry rough feed. the stock will require but
light feed Of grain, and IN a majority of cases
the less grain fed the lower tho cost Prairie
FWHler.
WINTER ,csRE or WEES
At the approach Of Geld weather the grape.
vines are pruued. unfastshod from the trells
aud laid aat upon the ground. They may be
held In this position By simply placing stone or
other heavy object upon the end, aud thus viii
safely pass the Winter any where except at the
extreme North. Where the Winters nre usu.
ally very severe tho vines should also be GOV.
cred with soil straw or litter OF some sort and
perhaps this may be n good preeautien with
tender vines every where NJ the extreme North.
Tender raspberries aud blaekbcrrics aro To be
treated Ia similar manner. bat the eancs be-
ing more brittle and moro easily injured than
erapeyines need careful handling and gradual
bending while undergoing the operation.
good practice Is 10 throw one OF two shovefuls
of soil against the canes on one side, aud bend
them over this by sort Of curve. The tops
arc laid upon the ground near the next stool of
canes aud held there by another one or two
shoyelfuls Of soil. Two persons can do this
work very conveniently aud quickly, and when
growers learn 10 depend mere on these easy
modos OF giving Winter protection than on the
chances OF "a mild Winter ar supposed hardness
Of plants they will have little reason 10 com.
plain OF Winter kill, or Of placing such an ex.
ecssiyely great value on the ability Of grapes,
raspberries etc, 10 endure the Winter without
such means OF protection. Popular Gardening.
NOTES.
--CornstAlkE. from which the blades have
been eaten, make excellent material in the
lanes aud roads leading TO the barn. They
prevent tho accumulation of mud, and will be
tramped fine during the Winter by stock,
when they may then DO hauled TO tho manure
heap.
Bran and skinned milk will make more
growth on pigs now than anything else. Corn
Is required only when the pig is TO be made
very fat. ration in which corn is u portion
of the food will give better results than to de-
pend entirely on Ii for faLtening.
III the fruit trees are split by frost good
plan is to heat grating WAX, spread 1t over u
piece Of muslin aud place over the wound
tying in place with strips of the same material
wrapped around the trees. The strip covered
with the wax should be sufficiently large to
entirely cover the wound.
The newly -intFoduced bees, the Carniolans
seem 10 be growing In popular favor. An old
beekeeper, who has tried all sorts of bees, has
tried the Carniolans Cor two seasons, and says
he finds them always ahead with nice crop Of
surplus honey. lie says in GieaaisgS: 81 find
them peaceable industrious and very prolidc
they gather but little propolis, and 80 far as my
experience goes, they Winter better than the
Italians"
Now is the time TO commence pushing the
pork hogs. After having the run of tho pea
field, chnfas and potatoes, they ought TO be fat
enough for pork with very little or NO corn ut
all. The fattening Of hogs is a simple question
of plenty Of fattening food administered US
often as three times day, with proper shelter
from cold wet. A pound of food fed now
will produce as much rs a pound and a half
will ia January.
What IL CastoriaI