The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-12-24
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
RATION FOR LAMBS.

but thin weight. 90 pounds. They are now on
good pasture. Der. they will be taken from
grass aud put in comfortable quarters for the
Winter; access to plenty of water aud Opportu-
nifty for exercise daily. They will be fed an
abundance Of hay, corn fodder etc, uncut. The
grain ration can include corn and oats. which
have on hand. and any other feeding stufTs that
can be bought in a city market. Want an
economical ration, which will induce the great
est growth aud increase Of fat, and the least
danger of death by overlooking Will sell the
lot Of lambs Jan. Is to Feb. 15.-R., Hanover
County, Va.
r., 10 feed 10 the best advantage, should
have his feeding trough divided off for each
lamb. This may be done by mailing smooth
pieces of wood or limbs across the top of the
trough Is inches apart. Then the lambs can
be fed more accurately, and they cannot crowd
each other away from their feed. Perhaps as
good n mixture rs X. can make will b. two
bushels of oats mixed with one bushel OF corn.
And then TO cause the lambs to eat this with q
greater appetite, take fine wheat bran, and to
each quart mix carefully one tablespoonful OF
cheap sugar. Have IL mixed as evenly as posi-
bic. Place half pint Of the mixture of oats
and corn in the trough for each lamb, and then
place on the top of this grain about two table
spounfuls OF this sweetened bran. This is for
one feed. Let the lambs be fed the same morn
ing aud evening This is about the amount they
should bo fed when first put up. Bot after
feeding this from - n 20 days increase it about
half gill; and after Is days further increase
IL another half gill. Ii Is supposed that r. will
have careful feeder aud as the lambs increase
in weight their feed should DO increased grad
ually until they will take one pint Of the mixed
grain at a feed. But they will not probably do
this in less than about two months. There
should be a rack for hay just above the feeding
trough, with little good hay always kept in il.
Sugar Is one Of the best fattening foods and
will be worth all its cost in pushing the lambs
forward This grain and continent ration will
cost about one aud a quarter cents per head
per day. r. will confer a favor upon other
feeders by reporting tho effect Of this ration
L. w. S l-Caitiuator and Country Gentleman.
THE Farm FERTILITY.
A noted Western man, riding across the
country aud noticing thousands OF acres of
coru-stalks standing in the fields from which
the ears had been jerked, said the farmer
was conducting the only business in the world
that allowed = man 20 lose As per cent of his
capital stock. and at the same time live The
force Of this remark Is dOubly significant, from
the fact that an acre aud half Of corn fodder
is raised yearly in the United States for each
head Of horned stock, and the other stand
point, quite clear. that corn and its fodder,
TO the extent OF three-ffths OF the entire ra-
lion, is the best food for dairy stock yet found.
Here is a vast amount Of animal food in this
Is suitable for making the finest kind Of dairy
product. and as a fertilizer practically lost,
when If fed 10 mich cows would not only make
dairying pay aud give Winter employment
upon the farms, but at the same time supply
stores OF fertility to keep up our farms that are
very rapidly depicted by wholesale Of fertility
from the soil, aud a waste Of fertiliziug mate
rial upon the soil. This double waste cannot
90 on forever in this country, and now the
dairyman has a chance to preach a sermon
abOnt utility, fertility, and profit ability, and
practice At the same time the doctrine that he
breaches to Others.-The Practical Farmer.
THE GRAPE VINE.
We arc asked when TO prune the grape vino
Pruno IL now or any time between now and
the starting Of the sap. We suppose that the
grape grower has taken care Of his vines for
the Winter. Most Of the varieties need Winter
protection. The Concord will likely 20 through
Winter without any special care. though il is
not bad idea TO lay oven the Concord on the
ground. At the beginning of the Winter a
good application Of baTnyard manure about the
vine is good thing Aud in attempting thus
90 mulch and 10 fertilze, always remember. az
the fact should be remembered in Summer
when watering vine, that the roots extend
long distances aud also that il is the fine roots
al a distance that take up the moisture aud the
| plant food. In the Spring work into the soil
the manure that has been applied at the begin
ming Of the Winter The roots Of grape vines,
or some Of them. will often come 10 the surface,
aud sometimes vines have been greatly injured
| by permitting roots 20 be exposed. Keep an
eye on this Grapes are not difficult to grow.
A little care Ia Winter, judicious pruning, and
the application Of white hellebOre in Summer
will usually insure a crop Of grapes, especially
OF the Concord Western Rural.
WHEAT: AMERICA Va. WORLD.
United States supplies 2I3 per cent. Of all.
North America supplies pa per cent. of all.
All America supplies PSI per cent of all.
In the order Of importance as wheat growers
we have: LIST, the United States; ID. France;
Sd, India (Hindo0staul; 18th. Russia; 9Th,
Anstro Hungary 9Th, Italy; 7th Germany
Sth. Great Britain; 9th, Spain. Though sepa-
rate in the table, Austria and Hungary are
/ practically one country under one Government,
and arc usually spoken Of as "Austro- Hun
| Rary.") The 10th position or rank varies,
changes in successive years from on TO another
OF several countries, though most frequently
held by Australasia.-OrdHge Judd Farmer.
WARTS ON cows TEATs.
Removal with the knife or curved scissors Is
| TO be preferred when the base Of the Wart Ia
| broad, aud il Is important that the entire wsrt
should be taken off, il any Of it is left it will
grow again. Ii is advisable In such cases to
/ touch the base Of tho wart with red hot iron
/
are sometimes employed 10 remove warts, but
| they should only be used on small ones and
when they arc in situations where it is not con-
yenient TO use the knife or scissors. Nitric
acid may be used for this purpose. piece Of
fiat stick being FIRST dipped in the acid and
| then applied 10 the Wart Care must be exer-
cised so as not TO allow the acid to drop on
sound portions Of the skin. wart with q
narrow pedicle stalk may be removed by
| tying a waxed cord tightly around It, after
which it will drop off In four or five days.
SUGGESTIONS.
Never leave horse after driving until the
mud is taken from feet and legs.
The colt needs salt, and the best way TO give
! Ii is To let him have free access to a lump Of
rock salt.
Many a swine breeder has trouble in his herd
that no might escape II he would buy boar.
In-broeding is the father Of q good deal Of
| swine trouble.
No doubt that q good many horses are In
jured by over. work. A hard strain, that Is an
unreasonable pull. never does the animal any
good. Especially should We be careful how we
work young horses.
We are asked for our opinion Of the Je-
rusalem artichoke for feed for swine. They
are hrst-class for the purpose named, but some
do not like to grow them because they are al
legged to DO hard 10 subdue, IL you want to get
rid Of them Western R,tTaL
When eveTgreens in hedges die OHt il Is often
found difficult 10 replace them. 1t is easier 70
keep them alive and'tbrifty ia the first place,
and this may be done by the liberal use of ms-
nure. Plants sets as thfckly as they must be in
IaN ~. 4,