The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-04-24
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
COWS SHOULD PAX FOR THEIR BOARD.

COWS SHOULD PAX FOR THEIR BOARD.
The cow in all civilized countries is always
boarder upon some person. She should be
made 10 pay for her board at such remunera-
i've rates as will leave a profit for the keeper.
If she fails in that her carcass should be made
into beef and her hide into leather. She should
not be slyly sent to board upon somo other un-
fortunate person. Any cow that more than
pays her expenses is the kind we recommend.
Her power of service will be indicated by GER
tain external points. She should have large,
long udder of fine elastic quality; mellow,
movable skin, covered with soft, silky hair
long large barrel, hoped with fat ribs, broad
and wido apart; broad loin, spreading out
into broad, long hindquarters; an open twist
with rather thin hips, and lean neck of SYM
metrical length, carrying cleancut face with
prominent eyes. COW with these points will
generally pay for herself That her calves may
have powers equal or better than her own, care
should be exercised in their breeding. The
blood of the breed adapted to tho farmers pur-
pose should DO used to enlarge and not to
lessen the working capacity to be transmitted
to her calves. There are many cows, however,
that would more than pay their expenses,
provided they had the proper attention given
to them. Therefore, it is not wise of anyone
in disposing of COW whose merits they have
not seekcd to disclose, but this is usually the
case. A cow that has excellent treatment
will give great deal more milk than one that
is abused.
POPULAR FALLACIEs.
One who is interested in poultry. keeping, and
who reads the current literature on that sub
ject, cannot but bo impressed with tho vast
amount of ntradctOry and inconscquent adj
vice gratuitousy bestowed upon beginners. A
favOrItC among these popular faIacies is, that
in order to be successful in poultry rearing one
must have an expensive aud elaborate poultry
house. Unjust be fitted up with glass windows,
wire nests, patent drinking fountains, and all
the other modern conyeniences which the in
genuty OF man has invented.
They insist that hens hate dark places, that
thoy want sunshine. light, and fresh air every
where, when the truth Of the matter is that if
n hen is allowed To select her own nest she
creeps of to the darkest, most retired nook sha
can find. Notwithstanding all my efforts to
the contrary, | cannot prevent certain Of my
flock from laying under the caves of tho ice
house, whore the boards rest on the ground,
and the hens are obliged to creep in at the
gable ends aud crawl along for several yards
without once being able TO stand erect. But
here they make their nests in spite OF me- Just
out of my reach, and persist i'll bringing out
broOds OF chicks ut the most uncomfortable
seasons Of the year.
Poultry houses as a rule, are built entirely
too high, giving much space near the roof,
which cannot be utilized, and too little ground
room. 10 - the nature Of most fowls TO roost
upon the highest available perch, without ever
u thought as to how they will get down in the
morning. II We teach them TO use their wings
IN this way We need not wonder that no out
side fence will restrain them.
In regard To- the manner Of feeding poultry
we also receive much conflicting advice. One
poultry keeper, who, from the njudicious feed
ing OF soft food, has gotten his flock into an
unhealthy condition, advises It's discoutiuuance
altogether, while another in the same issue Of
the paper, perhaps, strongly advocates the use
OF almost no whole grain at all. alleging that
the muscular effort cxerted by the fowl In re.
ducing the hard grain 10 powder bad much
better be utilized IN egg making. A writer who
ought 10 know better says Don't fed raw
wheat bran toladult fowls; it is sure 90 make
them scour" Whereas have proved by actual
experiment that there Is nothing better as a
oueioufih ration FOR growing chicks ali the
year round than good, clean wheat bran. IL
furnishes them much larger proportion OF
uuir.mcnt for bone, flesh aud feather. max ing
than does tho much used corn meal. besides
containing much material Tor both the CON
tents oil the egg aud It's she'll Country Gentle
man.
corn FODDER FOR HORSES
The amount Of hay consumed by a Northern
bred horse from the time he ID weaned until
ready for the market Is a very important item
Ia the cost OF raising horses in all tho States
III substitute can be found to take the place Of
hay that will answer the purpose equally as
N can lbs 80. 4
is for the interest Of all breeders 70 know the
Tact. Probably one Of tho best substitutes for
hay Ii early cut. we'll cured corn fodder several
tons oil which can be produced TO the acre upon
moderately dry, fertile, wel-cultivated soils
Some farmers object TO feeding fodder in
the stable. They say II leaves too many stalks
to deal with, but If they take little time each
evening just before they do their feeding and
clean out the stalks that have accumulated,
throwing them In lot for the reception of corn
stalks, waste straw, and everything else that
VIII hcip TO increase the manure heap the
matter 10 rcmedied. The way we have il ar
ranged Is this: The barn stands the long way
north aud south, with yards tho east side 60x1O
Ieet, also "A shed along the north side of this
yard. When VIC thrash the straw is stacked in
tins lot The manure from the stables is also
spread in tho lot, and all other waste matter.
such as corn stalks, etc. Wo clean up all
manure once every year it gets filthy if left
longer.
There Is quite difference In the quality of
corn fodder. Some varieties are rGlishod much
better than others. That from sweet corn ia
always eaten with greater apparent relish than
the common field variety OF that grown from
large Western corn. There is no better sup
PIGMENT to short pastures during the latter
part OF Summer aud early Fall than we'll grown,
hucculent corn fodder cut just as the ears arc
coming into milk and fed green. Most brood
mares aud young stock are very fond Of IT,
nloWells evergreen sweet corn gives the best
satisfaction OF any that we have ever tried Ii
Is vigorous grower, tender and sweet North
ern breeders viii do we'll 20 try raising corn
fodder at least on limited SCALE Horse
breeder.
suBsTiTurE FOR LONG FORAGE
A farmer Of Winnsboro, s. c. according To an
exchange, purchased 20 head OF cattle last Fall
penned them, aud fed them all Winter on bran
and cottonseed hulls exclusively. Not blade
OF grass was given 10 them, the huls being
used as substitute for long foragen The
cattle, II IL reported, are now in splendid con-
dition " some Of them arc as fat as they can
DO" and MIR. Doty is so we'll pleased with the
result OF his experiment that he will continue
TO use the same kind of food hereafter. The
hulls were purchased from the Winnsboro oil
mill at "A cost OF only $2 ton, and it Is stated
that the serapings from the pen in which tile
herd has been kept will be used to manure a
field Of 10 acres, on which Mr.. Doty expects TO
make more cotton to the square foot that has
/ Hoo .als.a. a