The National tribune., 1890-09-04
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
CAUSE THAT pRopUcrs sLArnEp1Na.


being that of a veterinarian, and having given
lectures upon that subject for 90 years, and
having had tho question as to the cause of
slabbering so often asked and having heard
so many foolish theories advanced, even by So
called horsemen, | feel it my duty to make
few explanations upon tho subject.
1t is not clover; it is not weed or any food
that the horse eats, that causes slabbering. It
is caused by web, which is spun upon the
clover Mt certain periods in the night time,
during the months of August and Soptem-
ber which may BIO found to be more abundant
i'll some fields than in others, but in certain
localities nearly all horses will be aiil Cted ut
the same time. 1t is not reasonable that they
would all eat certain weed Mt the same time.
The web taken in the stomach is powerful
laxative, opening tho salivary glands also
diluting the gastric juices of tho stomach,
causing an overflow of saliva A small pill
of the web taken into the human stomach
brings the Same results Frost will destroy its
effect. Glover cut when loaded with the web
will cause sabbering in the Winter, and hope
the readers of this article will investigate the
matter at once. As You go out in the clover field
at the rising of the sun and see the web glisten
with heavy dew upon il, then see if your
| horses do not Blabbor.
Remedy: -Four quarts of wheat bran and one
tablespoon Of baking soda.-D. II. CRANE, Is,
Ashland, Va.
Here is the opinion of veterinarian Of 20
| ycars' experience, who gives what we think the
most plausible cause of tho disease. Very often
| have we noticed, when walking through field
of clover in the morning n web which we
thought belonged TO spider, glistening with
| dew in the sunlight, but we never thought of
looking for the occupant of that web Where
was he? Was he on tho ground or in the
blossom of tho clover7 Without n doubt tho
bug or spider, which ever IL is, made his homo
in the blossom, that offered a safe retreat for
him. And when the clover Is cut the bug or
! spider of conrse is cut down with 10. The
web cannot walk away, but the spider can.
| Now comes the question: Does the bug or
spider stay in the blossom or NOTE We are of
| the opinion that he does for we think that he
recognizes the blossom as safe retreat and
stays there, or perhaps is afraid 10 venture out.
On this wo think, hangs the solution.
In our last ISSUE Mr.. Cook said that If yon
| put the bug in your mouth 1t will make you
slabbcr, and Mr.. Crane in tho above says that
| IL You put the web in your mouth IL will
also make you slahber. Now we think that
the bug which Mr. Cook spoke of is the Same
| one which spins the web: for if the web or
tho bug is pat in human mouth IL will cause
! slabberinR. Our reasons for reaching this con
| clusiun are very small indeed, but we think
| II the web causes the disease, as also does the
bug. then the bus must have in him tho neces-
sary matter which makes the web, only in n
| stronger quality.
This matter is decidedly interesting, and we
| hope that our readers will send ua their opin.
ions as to the origin of the disease. All agree
that - comes from the second crop of clover,
but what causes til
ARTFsfAS IRRIGATION.
An experiment In irrigating laud with arte-
| sian wei water was successfully tried at II tch-
cock, S. d., which Will practically revolution.
lie the farming ia tho Northwest. A quarter
section Of foul land was secured which had
been cultivated TO wheat for eight years In
succession without the use Of any fertilizer
whatever and skill further impoverished by
the wsstolu burning OF the stubble each Fall.
The ground for this experiment WAS poorly
plowed aud narrowed. aud Ia some places the
ground was not stirred more than three inches
deep. One bushel per acre Of Scotch Fife
wheat, not selected. bot Just as n came from the
elevator waa sowu broadcast over 80 acres
Twenty five acres were irrigated from June .
until maturcd, the remainder being left to the
tender mercies of Dakota Summer. At
harvest time three distinct tests were made of
each piece, one measured acre being selected,
stacked and thrashei separately, with results
checking within less than half a bushol
Tho irrigated land cost $40 per acre and
yielded % bushels, worth - cents per bushe or
$l955 per acre. The non-irrigatcd land cost
S625 per acre and yielded four bushels, worth
possibly g.. 80 cents per bushc Wheat
from the tests were examined by Minneapolis
experts. the irrigated grading d" No. Northern
hard tho non-irrigat4A graded rejected"
This experiment proves that wheat can DO
raised by irrigation At cost of - cents per
bushcl, and worth Is. or profit of SO cents per
bushel; while adjoining uon-irrigated wheat
costs 1856 per bushol and is worth only 80
cents "A loss OF over 81 per bushcl for producing
poor quality OF chicken-fecd. IL proves that
tho artcsiau we'll water although containing
considerable mineral matter, will not inure,
but feed the small grains for the water when
Analysed showed the presence Of sulphur, iron,
| limo aud epson salts
NOTES.
To fatten old animals the New York Times
| says On account OF the worn teeth aud weak
digestion Of old cattle aud shoup, il Is advisable
| when feeding for slaughter to use soft grain
| food and cut fodder. battle-ground corn and
| oats aud iusced- oil meal given with cut hay
| twice day, aud such good pasture as can be
afforded, make tho best feeding for old animals.
| 70 aid digestion give with each feed small
| handful oil a mixture OF one pound of salt, four
ounces ofpowderod gentian root, and two ounces
OF sulphste OF iron.
The Southern Farmer declares that cows fed
| a moderate daily ration OF cOttonsecd meal tho
| year round arc never attacked with murrain :
| that equal parts OF mutton suet aud kerosene.
| applied warm, Is u sure cure Tor cated udder ;
| that huttcrmik aud wheat bran fed daily TO
| hens will cause a supply of eggs tho year round,
| aud that farmers who sell butter, eggs and
| chickens never need credit.
| Experiments made in different sections show
| that the cost Of feeding u hen one year is about
| ST. aud that the profit is about the same, the
| gross receipts from the hen being about s. a
| year. OF course this varies according TO the
| breed, cost of food and location, being some
| times moro and sometimes less but IL is ac-
| cepted that 81 pays tho cost, and 81 profit Is
| made from each hen With small 1ocks, where
| table scraps are put TO use, and whom tho labor
| is Of but little value, the cost Is reduced and
| the profits larger.
| Until within few years ago no one ever
| supposed that anything but grain was suitable
| for poultry, but we now not only use grass in
| the summer, but hay in the Winter for the hens.
| IL has been fopud that cut hay is not only
| cheaper than grain, but Ii as important in the
| ration Of the hen as for that of the COW. Good
| clover hay contains more nitrogen aud more
| mineral matter than grain, and the hens will
| lay more eggs and keep in better health by
| It's use in connection with grain than 20 con
| fine them to grain diet exclusively, while
the saving in the cost Of the food, by reason of
| tho use of clover in place of "a portion Of the
| grain, is very large.-Far0l and Fireside
Valuable Cook.
| Detroit IribuAel