St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-14
FARM NOTES.
Hints and Facts That May BE of
Value to Tillers of the Soil.

The pony is the horse of hardships,
says horseman in an exchange, and
one that has sprung from some poor
country where he has ever been purely
the child of neglect, he and all the pre-
decesSorS of his race. In rich country,
like the horse regions of Kentucky, for
instance, his pony characteristics would
invariably run out in the course of a
few generations He is not distinct
strain, as many would seem to suppose.
He doubtless sprang originally from as
good a strain of horses as the world
knew of at the time, and his present re-
duced size and characteristic toughness
have resulted, unQueStionably, from
local circumstances.
Scatter newly slaked lime in the hen
houses as often as you wish, as it will
absorb moisture and dry the apartment.
Do not scatter it on the droppings that
have accumulated, however. as it will
cause loss of ammonia, but dust it on
the floor, on the walls and over the
nests, as we'll as over the yards. 1t will
greatly prevent disease. and also de-
stroy all lice that it touches. No hen
house that is frequently busted with
lime will be affected with lice if they
have not secured foothold. Lime puri-
fies the quarters and dries them, and,
as it is cheap and plentiful, it should De
used often and plentifuIly.
Farmers claim that they are compelled
to lose portion of the year from the
inclemency of the weather In winter.
This need not be the case, as there are
duties to be performed in winter as we'll
as in summer, if the farm is properly
conducted. Winter is the time to fatten
stock and make manure, and it is sea-
son when all the necessary work indoors
should be done.
A grower of small fruits says: "Iuse
large quantities of manure for all kinds
of small fruits. When began the bust
ness | had the idea that much manure
would cause the plants to go all to vine,
but / find that it is a mistake, for the
stronger the vine the more fruit. At
least find it so on my soil, which is a
rich loamy clay, with gravel subsoil,
rolling enough to give pretty good
drainage"
AS rule, it is true economy to pro-
duce and manufacture everything as
near as possible to the place of its con-
sumption. The man who grows on the
farm all he consumes on it saves double
transportatiOn-the hauling home what
he buys and the hauling to market what
he sells to pay for it. Those two items
of costs may make all the difference be-
tween successful and unsuccessful
farming.
Il. M. Vail, of Pomfret, VT, says that
fifteen years ago the average yield of
butter per COW was. in that town. 100
pounds, while now it has increased to
200 pounds, and the price has CORE
spondingIy increased. He thinks this
has been obtained by high feeding,
more care in selecting cattle, and better
care of them generally.
Poultry manure is one of the best fer
tilizerS that can be used in the garden,
either as top dressing, or to apply In the
hill or drill. 1t should be mixed with
an equal quantity of land plaster or
wood ashes. Great care should be taken
to save all that is possible.
One advantage with currants is that
if they are kept properly pruned, the
old wood cut out, the weeds kept down
and the soil rich by the application of
fertilizers, the plants will grow and
bear fruit for twenty-five years without
repleniShing.
Good sheep, good land and good roots
generally go together, at any rate it is
not often they are very far apart, for
wherever land can raise good crop and
is dry enough TO carry sheep through
the winter, it must very soon get into
good heart and be able to grow almost
anything.
Every farmer should raise pigs and
cure his bacon. There is no meat
equal to that produced at home. You
will at least ''know what you are cat
ing" which is valuable point in favor
of home-raised meat, as only healthy,
thrifty stock will be used for the home
supply.
The garden is neglected on the farm,
and many farmers do not cultivate a
plot for a garden. The luxuries of
farming can only be obtained by those
farmers who grow vegetables and fruits
as well as staple crops Of grain and
grass