The National tribune., 1891-12-17
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Z 81
Agricultural Readers
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Mrs. Mary Is. Thomas, Of Montgomery County,
read an essay before the recent meeting OF the
Maryland Grange on "Woman's Opportunity
for Making Money" After relating her efforts
as child to make piR-m0ney. she said In part:
We tried turkeys No. they tried US, body
and soul; and we are free TO confess that Of all
contrary, disappointing. exasperating bipedS,
next 10 people, they are the worst After we
bad suffered the tOrtures Of the condemned in
keeping each silly bird on her own nest for
weeks, we were rewarded by nice flock Of
young ones and introducing them 20 large
coop, in our innocence and inexperience, we
supposed our labors were over beyond carrying
them screenings and water. In a multitude Of
cOunsclOrs is said TO he safety, but the proper
word should be insanity. All our acquain tanees
who were turkey wise gave us ad vice and we
cOnsrientiously eudeavored to follow 10 all. We
fed the little dOwHy strangers on various salads
and mixtures. bread pudding hard boiled eggs
lat two cents eachl chopped onions and one
day. in a state Of despair. we actually dug lot
Of worms for their deectation Finally the
brood was reduced To five. when We turned the
whole family out Of the Enclosure in disgust
and informed the mother turkey she could let
them live or die. as she pleased. Like 4 sensible
parent she began 10 feed her offspring on their
natural food of seeds. grass and insects, aud
they throve apace. We had fondly hoped 10
clear considerable money by this venture; but
as it was evident, If we bad any genius, il was
not for turkeys, we ate some, sold the rest and
ultimately settled-upon more satisfactory ways
Of making in-money-raising sage, Lima
beans, asparagus, and chickens.
Bears Pay We'll.
Beans pay well when they can be marketed
several times a week. The season lasts a long
while, aud with careful. early picking, they
bring p cents a quart Mt FIRST and those under.
meath slghtly-frostcd vines are often unin-
iurad nd Gv,H Il IL a.
Dried beans. If perfect, bring good prices
The Care Of Chickens
Bot the most pleasant employment Is the
care Of chickens. and we are willing to show
what may be accomplished with no scientific
knowledge, no expensive appliances. aud no
fancy poultry. To attend To this stock prop
erly woman should have a warm cloak, nit
tens and hood, rUbbers and arcticS or gum
boots. Thus equipped no ordinary storm need
prevent frequent visits TO her feathered friends.
Ii one has plenty of young hens thev wilt
unlike Mrs. Partingtons, continue to lay in
December and January. when eggs are high,
and be ready 20 sit in March, insuring a crop
for the following Winter.
We feed generously, especially from October
20 May, giving them screenings mill-feed
mixed with warm water, scraps from tho
kitchen, ensilage. aud good deal Of milk. in
addition 10 frequent rati0ns OF shclled corn,
we think the latter tends TO make fat rather
than eggs We endcaFor. to keep bone-d dust aud
coal ashes where they have access 20 them,
and oyster-shells are thrown in the wagon
road nearest the heu-hOuse The rough pieces
aud bones lett after bBteheTing are invaluable
If thoroughly boiled and fed a few at a time
stirred with mill-fhed. This warm hash we
give In the morning. aud grain in the evening.
whenever the thcFmgmeter is low. A straw
shed facing south IS highly appreciated when
the ground elsewhere Is covered with snow.
glass Enclosure would be still better, but rs
we gathered II dozen eggs in one week wheu
they were retailing for 40 cents per dozen, the
cheaper sort Of house answers. There should
be at least half ~ unaRy nests provided as there
are hens. and We recommend the nse OF nest
eggs made by taking shells nearly whole as
possible aud CLING them with ealcined plaster
aud water. We sell sOlle chickens. bat our
aim Is 10 have eggs TO 20 To market every week
ia the year, aud the Tetprn in hard cash ought
never to be less than dollar head per annum,
unless the foek IS too large. Fifty we'll cared
for will be found more profitable than 100 Ieft
10 their own devices. The eggs and chickens
consumed ut home are considered abundant
rent FOR the whole, but We are acquainted with
one model husband who pays his wife market
prices for all used OH the table.
GROWING BEETs.
There are farmers who have grown sugar
beets without even the use Of 4 hoe to kill the
weeds. and by horse power only.
The way is thus: The rows are laid out "a
inches apart and the seed sown By common
hand or horse drill. but il is as easy and as
quickly done by the hand drill as by the horse
drill, aud more chenply, and vet the workman
does not go on bis knees. When the young
plants appear, or before il necessary, the cult
vatOr which is n Y-shaped slopi NJ tooth har-
row, j. run through the rows close TO the plants.
and this cleans the rows. Then hand cult
vator is pushed across the rows, cutting out
eight or 10 inch spaces leaving the plants at
these intervals in strips three inches wide. The
whole ground Is thus cleaned. except these mar
row strips. which. II necessary, are easily
cleaned by the common hoe. when the surplus
beets are taken out After this the cultivation
is repeated as often as may be needed. And
even the very Weedy fields OF Kansas may be
kept clean in this way without any kneeling.
The culture OF roots is one OF the present
needs Of agriculture IL farmers would only
take the pains 10 grow beets. IL only for stock
feeding. the sugar question would be solved 1T
once. The absence OF the brets is tho only OBJ
stacle in the way. There is the magnificent
prize Of hundred millions Of dollars waiting
for the farmers TO take mp In the growing OF
beets and the making Of sugar. almost all Of
which money will find its way directly or indi-
rectly into the farmers pockets.
IAD EIDNNu u these EUDto has htNtEdi al
vantages. IL yields the best and cheapest food
for stock during the Winter. IL adds most
valuable crop 10 the now too short rotation. IL
cleans the land. aud thus saves in the end as
many million dollars % the farmers as the SUI
gar will bring them in avoiding loss Of crop aud
the labor Of saving il from the weeds. And it
will take so many acres from producing thOse
crops Of which we have TOO large product at
the present
WEEDS.
Weeds are pestilenee. They spread as by In
lection. And there is no more effective man
ner OF spreading the pestilcnee than by the use
of unclean seed. The common method uf thrash
ing grain is one Of the most prolific sources by
which weeds spread. The refuse froD the
separator is thrown into the manure, and thus
carried on 10 the land. There IS q prevalent
belief that seeds Of weeds are killed by the
heat Of the manure. This is wholly unwar-
Fanted. Many seeds will withstand the heat of
boiling water, aud the heat Of manure heap
is rarely ever so great as that Of the soil under
the full Summer sun. II is quite possible TO
get good seeding Of grass and clover through
the manure that IS spread ON the land. aud il
is equally easy TO eoYer the land with the COM
mon weeds in the sllnle way.
-.--eS ss-a--
Making The M0St of n.
ISmilh Grdlff Co.'S Monthlyl
ats after midnight. Chinuer"
II know il, Swayback"
You'd better be getting hOmon