The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-09-10
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
NOTES

III properly cared for, Fall pigs can be mar
keted nine months from their birth. They
should have good food and comfortable quar-
tiers. 1t is better to begin with bone and
muscle making food, and then follow with
corn and other fat-prOducers.
There is more money in raising ducks and
geese than people think, aud If proper at
tention were given these they could be made
quite profitable. A goose which can be made
10 lay rs many eggs as hen will be worth
twice the money.
manure Of stable-eleanings composted with
potash will pay well on peach trees, as it fur
nishes the nitrogen which those trees noed.
Peach trees sicken and die for want Of food,
and the best way TO prevent this, and to secure
plentiful yields is by furnishing the needed
sustenauce.
Prof. TAFT, Of the Michigan Experiment Sta
ton, has determined that the idea that the
seed end Of a potato gives small potatoes Is
erroneous. But the average yield from the stem
end is much less than the other portions of the
tuber. The eyes are weak and poorly de-
velopt, and the stem end should never be used,
therefore, unless IL contains two or three strong
eyes from the body Of the potato.
Prof. Weed, of the Ohio Experiment Station,
says: 1.-THE fungicide known as eau celeste has
given the best satisfaction as a preventive Of
this disease II is applied in a spray. The
first spraying should be done few days before
tho vines blossom. One two or three addi-
tional applications should be made at intervals
Of abont two weeks. Sulphate Of iron (cop-
perasl has no value a remedy for this disease.
Carbonate of copper has not given as good
results generally as eau celeste"
The hemp-growers Of Central Illinois have
learned a valuable lesson this year, and that Is
that where the land is put in proper condition,
and kept So severe drouth has little or no effect
upon the crop.
The great need Of eorn-raisers is for ma
chine which will do for them what the reaper
and mower do for the wheat and grass growers.
Up TO the point Of harvesting the crop, tho in
yentors and manufacturers have done very well
for the corn grower, but they leave him just
where lac does want to be left.
That relic of barbarism, binders on horses,
fingers provokingly long.
Five hundred veterinary surgeons in Great
| Britain have united In denouncing the over
head checkrcin as an unnecessary cruelty.
A scheme is suggested TO reduce the cost Of
wheat raising By avoiding the expense Of plow-
ing especially for it. 1t Is estimated that it
costs about $3.50 an acre TO prepare ground for
a crop Of wheat, while it can DO prepared for
corn at an expense Of % cents an acre. There
! fore, it is suggested 70 take clover TO begin
with, and raise a crop Of corn the next year.
/ following this with wheat, and then with clover
again. Or, first clover then potatoes, then
wheat, and then clover again. This will give
three crops with one blowing. Or it may be
well to plow twice for a rotation OF four years
Those who have tried this plan say that their
land gets better every year, aud the net pro-
eeeds are increased over so per cent.
Farmers wives and dairymen are urged TO
look for the source Of souring and other trou-
| bles in that much-noglected appurtenance, the
strainer. When this is made Of muslin, it Is
especially liable to create trouble. 1t is very
difficult to cleanse a strainer properly. fit is
sealded out. it is liable to retain fragments of
more or less cooked milk, which become germs
Of infection. 1t is best to wash out first with
cold water and soap and then seald.
Caponiziug is becoming quite practice
among Western poultry-growers. The fact that
last year Western chickens were quoted at -
cents and Western capons at IS cents has
stimulated this greatly. Caponizng is really
a very easy operation, and can be readily
learned by any man or woman OF average
| intelligence.
The best and most profitable pork is that
produced in six months. The old style Of
enormously-fat hogs has gone out Of date. Cot
ton-seed oil, which has reduced the value Of
| the lard product has settled that The best
style of hog weighs about 300 pounds gross,
with fat and lean well intermxed. a cross Of
a Berkshire boar on a China Poland sow-soW
full-grown and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS a pig
/ that can be matured in six months by proper
management. The pig should be taught to eat
as early as possible lie will begin TO cat regu-
larry at four weeks old, and by the time he is
\ eight weeks old he can DO weaned without loss.
/ The best feed is milk slOp made with bran and
oil meal in the proportion Of one measure of
the latter to eight or 10 Of the former. Bran ia
the best food for developing bone and muscle.
/ A moderate feed Of corn should DO given each
day. Pigs should be fell three times day until
| they are three months old. and the bulky food
continued until the fourth month, when they
should be pushed with corn, not falling to ac-
company it with distending food, such as bran
/ slop, pumpkins etc.
| Several farmers say that their experience Is
in favor of whole ensilage as against that which
is cut up. They believe that the whole digests
much better.
Geauga County, o., has "a, 600 maple trees,
and the produce from them this season was
/ $4,000 pounds Of sugar and lIs,OO0 gallons of
strip, the whole valued at slI2.677. The aver
age in some of tho Townships was 25 cents a
tree. and for the whole County 23i cents a tree.
As many farmers have as high as 5000 trees,
the returns aggregated a handsome figure.
CROPS IN CENTRAL OHIO.
EDITOR NArIOsAL Tribune: In Central
| Ohio the wheat yield is greater than ever was
/ known, yet the price Is al yanciug aRd Is likely
10 reach 81 per bushel, aud this during the
| thrashing season, when nearly every farmer Is
compelled 10 sell in order TO meet obligations
l made.
The Oat crop Is good. yet the yield Is not so
great az it would have been had We been favored
| with seasonable rains in May last. The heads
arc well filed, but grain not heavy.
The hay crop is fully three-fourths Of that
OF last season and Of good quality, except
| weeds in some meadows.
The potato crop is large, but not so great as
to put the price at very low figures. There are
/ many largo lubers lint not many 70 a., bslI