The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-05-08
Fnrnl Notes.


1t improves bran to scald it before feeding it
to stock
Feed no corn TO stock at the beginning Of
warm weather. Ii will not pay.
The weak pigs OF litter may need nursing
and food il the SOW has too many OF them to
nurse.
Give the SOW and pigs some of the early rye
as a change OF diet Chop it fine and feed
sparingly at first
The calf can be easily taught to drink from a
pail by using nipple, and will cause but little
difficulty in management.
All material for building should be kept I'M
der cover. Boards absorb moisture, and swell
or shrink according to circumstances.
Pure fresh water for stock must be the first
essential from on. Drinking from mud
puddles and other filthy places will cause dis
ease.
Grade up all approaches TO the barn and out
houses if you wish to avoid slush. Open all
bitches and afford easy opportunity for the sur
face water to flow of.
Chestnut rails make the best and most lasting
fence of wood, but wire is cheaper and more
easily made into a fence. No animal will at
tempt to pass a barbed-wire fence.
Thin spots in the pasture may be seeded
Use plenty of seed, rake the ground over, if il
can be done, in order to cover the seed, and do
not turn stock on until the grass has covered
the bare places
As the warm weather approaches vermin will
begin TO multiply. No kind of stock is free
from lice, and especially if in poor condition.
II herded too closely, or not given an oppor
tunity OF wallOwing in dry dirt, lice will attack
the stock.
Beddings for sows and pigs should never be
made of coarse material. Leaves are best, but
il they cannot be had use cut straw or any
other fine material Unless the pigs can have
an opportunity 10 move about without difficulty
the sow may crush them.
Use the dry food literally now, as grass will
soon be ready. Cut il fine and make il as pal
atable as possible. Nearly all kinds of dry
food will be relished ii cut and scalded and
small quantity of salt sprinkled on IL. 4 hand
full of linseed meal, occasionally added, will
improve the quality OF the mess.
Muslin frames for protecting young plants
can be made at very little cost. A few melon
plants, il protected Of night with such cover
ings can be made to grow before the season be-
comes warm. Tomatoes and other plants may
be protected in the same way. Muslin will not
last as long as glass, but it is much cheaper
The hog can be made TO attain a very large
size. \ Vermont farmer killed a COW, eight
years old. that dressed 81 pounds but hog
only two years old, owned by another Vermont
farmer, dressed 663 pounds. Large hogs how
ever, are only desirable for producing lard
The best pork comes from hogs that weigh
about 80 pounds dressed.
BE careful in handling the working stock
when the busy season opens. Calls sores
lameness and other difficulties will result If the
animals have been kept too closely confined
and given but little exercise. When the horses
begin work for the season they should be ex-
amined every day in order TO avoid cha6ng
from the collars or harness.
The early plants and grasses largely abound
In water and contain but a small proportion of
nutrition. They assist in regulating the system
and promote better digestion of the dry food
All changes from dry to green food should be
made gradually, in order to avoid bowel
trouble. Cows that provide milk for infants
should be fed very carefully at this season.
The silo enables the farmers of the East to
compete with the West in raining corn By
feeding the ensilage TO stock it is con
verted into beef, butter milk and other prod
ucts. We have the advantage oil markets, and
should convert unstable products into some
thing that is salable. By the use Of the siIo
corn fodder can be stored away until more
favorable season.
Good butter sometimes sells for 81 a pound
but 1t Is given by class OF customers who
know from whom they buy, how the butter is
made and who have tested the quality. The
most important essential is cleanliness. The
dairyman who curries and brushes bis cows,
washes the teats and udder before milking and
provides clean beds for his cows, gets his pay
IN the price obtained Tor his butter
The best way to keep down thistles is TO cut
them off as fast as they appear above ground.
No plant can endure such treatment, and the
thistle is no exception. They will in time be-
come exhausted and die. The work must be
done at the proper time, however, and must not
be neglected, as a single plant, if allowed to
grow, will cause extra work. The thistle must
never be allowed to mature seed and If the
tops are kept down the roots will be given ex-
ira duty and fail to spread. Persistent warfare,
however. is necessary.