The National tribune., 1892-01-07
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
SPECIAL NOTICE TO our READERS.

SPECIAL NOTICE TO our READERS.
A large proportion Of our readers are farm
ers, and we desire to make the Agricultural De-
partmeut Of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE of the
highest practical interest to all farmers We
include in this class farmers wives and daugh-
tiers, and their special pursuits of flower cul-
ture, small-fruits, poultry raising, etc. Now.
what We want is for every farmer. farmers
wife OF daughter, who thinks he or she has any
hint or information which will DO Of interest
TO others engaged in like business, to send US
a postal-card, giving this in the most con-
densed form. We say a postal-card, because
| great deal Of information can be condensed on
a postal card. and if the communications can
be so compressed, we can find room for all that
may be sent US, and the Department will be
made Of the greatest interest and value, and
become the medium for general interchange
of ideas among the farmers all over the
country.
let all our readers think Of this and each
determine to write US postal giving what he
thinks other farmers would like TO know.
This will include ideas as to the best methods
in all branches Of farming, the prices and
quality Of land in the writer's neighborhOod.
crop prospects, success with various products,
etc, etc If all will do this THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE will become the great medium for
interchange of ideas among our progressive
farmers, aud will contribute enormously to the
advancement Of agricultural knowledge.
We want at least one postal from every
farmer, farmers wife and daughter giving the
idea that is in his or her mind that he or she
thinks most important for Others to know.
Address,
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE. Washington, d. C.
STEAMED FOOD.
One Of the once-suppOsed facts, So because
| everyone who tried said so, was that steaming
food for cattle added nutrition to IL, but all
later experience and experiments do not con-
firm the report No nutrition is added, il is
simply food made more pllatable, it is more
easily masticated. aud the cattle eat more,
though there is much doubt If it is more If as
dige-tibc. rs a rule, after cooking as before.
Theo. Louis. the noted hog feeder. said ne found
il did not pay 10 cook food for his brood sows,
hut in Winter il always paid 10 warm the food
through Prof. Henry found that the gain in
cutting corn fodder for cattle, COWS especially.
was that they were induced 10 eat more Of them
and eat them mp cleaner but IL fed a small
quantity at n time il did not pay TO cut all Of
the stalks. Cut up what they finally rejected
and by sprinkling in little meal get them 10
eat the balance. The woody fiber Of a corn
stalk is not made more a food by steaming
Food is sometimes cooked into a thing by ex-
tracing the strength from some other plant, OF
grain cooked with.it, but the result is the same
In practice il is far better to try and preserve
the crop rs nearly as IL was at the maturing
stage, than TO put i'm a cooking apparatus that
close investigation has found to be Of no prac-
teal return for tho outlay.-PractieaI Farmer.
GROWING COOP WOOL.
Even during an excessive demand for WOO
the finer grades generally increase in value
more than the cOmmOuer grades, and in times
Of depression the finer grades are always tho
most profitable. Tie commoner grades car
easily be made by inany inexperienced sheer
growers. and as the demand for wool increases
thousands will 90 into the business Of supply
, ing tho busy looms with this product, and in
stead of being pushed out Of their business by
: the newcomers in IL. the old veterans at WOO
growing should devote their experience and
skill in producing the very finest grade Of tht
raw product This is the Legitimate gain and
profit which must be due them for their study
and labor.
The finer grades Of raw wool should have
fine staple. with n fiber that is fine, but no
silky If this fiber is evenly developed so tina
il can stand equal tension all over, it can b,
classed as finest grade. Very few Of our sheer
, have such fine wool, not even among the very
! best breeds. The secret Of it ia in the care o
the animals more than in the blood or breed.
Such wool is only found on animals that hav'
uniformly good health. aud which are not suf
fering from any skin diseases. If the health j
/ poor the wool will be unevenly developed. A
{ weakened growth Of fleece will follow wher
neglect OF proper feed is shown; where lack o
water or exposure to inclement weather Is al
lowed. Animals that have TO use up ANNA
= heat 10 resist the cold which strikes in from
= wet, frozen fleece, or very cold weather, canno
!, 1 give the same amount OF growth 20 the wool
] The wool has 10 suffer 10 keep the internal or
/ cans in condition Good stock and health cOun
. 10 begin with, but these alone cannot be depend
> cd upon TO produce high-grade wool Sheel
q that are not adapted TO the climate and eOun
try may also fail 10 produce high grade wool 10
this reason alone and il is important that tn
proper breed should be selected 1t is we'll +
. remember that the wool depends upon the goo
= health Of the animal for its growth, the sam
AS the plants depend upon good soil for thoi
s development and maturity.-E r. Smith 4
+ american Cultirli0T.
i FEEDING LAMBS.
I, Ground oats. placed in a pen where tn
2 lambs can feed at a trough which the shee
cannot reach with liberal supply Of mill
=, from the ewes, will grow rapidly. and if the,
a gain as they should they will reach the maTke
a month sooner than if they depended on tn
e ewes alone, and as this gain in time is an i'm
p0Ttant point 10 keep in view for the higl
a prices, every inducement shonld be made {
, keep the lambs feeding and growing; but tn
y gain will not be rapid unless the lambs are wei
bred, nor will grades equal the pare breeds
: The heaviest gains made have been with OK
/ fords aud Shropshires. The main point to OBJ
serve with the eve is that Of providing plent,
Of milk for her lamb.-HOHge and Farm.
NOTES
Beans are largely grown in England as
: fodder crop for horses, hogs and other farm
!, stock. The large horse bean IL used for thi
., purpose, and is ground into meal. lt furnishe
an excellent nutritious food, useful for growin
- lean meat. eggs, OF muscle. Would it not pa,
well 10 grow the hOrse-bean in this country
IL would make an excellent article to feet
D. along with our cOrn-meal resembling cotton
seed meal and liHssed meal in its chemica
% composition. but probably having somewha
. different qualities, which could best he learne,
/ by experimcnts in feeding at our Experiment