The National tribune., 1893-04-27
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
Early ATuskmelons.

Early Musl<melons.
Mnskmelons for the early market are grown
almost exclusively by truck-farmers near the
large cities These farmers have the advan-
tage of plenty of cheap manure, but this is Offset
to a great extent by high rents. The farmer
who lives farther away can do fully as well on
a clover sod, as he will have fewer weeds and
the soil will be lighter. 1t is best to plow the
land in the Fall, although many prefer early
Spring blowing. as it gives desirable lightness
to the soil that cannot be obtained by Fall
blowing. If you have wellrotted stable
manure give liberal dressing to the fold dur
ing the Winter. Muskmelons should be planted
about four feet apart each way and enough
seed put in each hill to insnTe three or four
good plants A spoonful of nitrate of soda
mixed in the hill with the seed will give
stronger growth to the plants.
To make them pay they should be planted
very early aud protected from late frosts by
boxes which may be placed around them, and
with little trouble covered with old papers.
straw, or the like, when there is any danger.
Northern grown muskm when they first
come on the market will bring 81 dozen.
This price rapidly declines, so that when the
later melons are ready for market they seldom
bring more than 60 cents per dozen. thus max
ing them little more profitable than the average
crop. The early melons are less liable to at
tacks of insects, and this is one of the many ad-
vanlages in their favor.
Onion Seed.
To get the best results the seed must be
sown early, on land that is as free as possible
from weed seed Before sowing the seed put
them in water and set them in a warm place
for 48 hours This will hasten termination
and often make difference of several days in
the ripening of the crop. A great many make
the mistake Of sowing too thin. 1t is better to
SOW too many seed than too few, as the plants
can be thinned out when they are well started;
while if too thin there is great amount of
labor wasted in cultivating. Thirty pounds Of
seed are generally used TO the acre; we would
recommend few pounds more. The onion
must be kept free from weeds and the solutions
pulled up as soon as they can be distinguished
We recommend obtaining the best of seed,
even if the price is high, as the poor quail
ties sometimes contain weed seed and produce
more sculiions so that the higher priced seed
is the cheapest in the end.
Preparing Lambs for Market.
As soon as the feed begins to get short in
the Fall get lambs i'll. separate those you wish
to feed from the others, and work them into
grain ration of bran, oats, and little
shelled- corn. increasing the corn and decreas-
ing the bran until you have them eating two
thirds oats and one-third corn, all they will
take up clean. AS the time approaches to
market them gradually change to clear corn.
You should aim to put these lambs on the mar
ket when they would likely be in the largest
demand and bring the greatest price. making
mutton the main effort, but putting much
wool on their backs as possible. There is, per-
haps, no other product on the farm of the meat
kind that has fuctuated little in price or
upon which we can calculate the price with
the same degree of certainty rs upon good NUT
ton. But everybody does not make success Of
sheep husbandry. 1t seems to require more
or less natural ability. The brighter and
kecner this ability is made By experience and
educational advantages the better it will serve
its owner.
Straw on the Surface.
Extract from speech made by President
Howard before the Wisconsin Dairymen's Asso-
citation:
An important change % the system of pay
ing dividends in creameries and cheese fac
kindergarten for petit larceny and stupidity.
1t put premium dishonesty and the pro-
ductOn of poor milk. A few of the more
courageous factorymen have inaugurated the
Babcock test with gratifying results. The
patron is placed on an honest, progressive plane,
where lie may expect TO receive full reward
for all his outlay of honesty, skill, and energy.
There is no educator of the milk producer
ike it. When a set of patrons are confronted
every day with the percentage sheet IL tells The
story Of good or poor cows, good or bad
management, liberal stingy feeding, and
careful, clearly handling nothing else can.
Every day that its use is kept out of CO opera
tive dairy work but adds TO the sum of waste
and msdirected effort.
! would recommend that the Secretary be
instructed to prepare a circular on this ques-
ton for distribution among the patrons OF all
creameries and cheese factories where desired,
which shall fully explain the System and give
examples of its working in Wisconsin. In
my opinion this will do a great deal to clear
away the fog which exists in the minds of
great many on the merits of the Babcock
test.
The work of our cheese instructors the past
year has been very satisfactory. The only bar
in the way of success in this work is the dense
ignorance OF true dairy principles which ex-
lists in many localities
The past season has been prosperous one
among the dairymen. The output of butter /
estimate at over 80, 200, 900 pounds, and cheese
about 30 100000 pounds The strong prices
which have ruled the past year for fine goods
should teach us the important lesson that
there can never be an OverprOduction of fuo
| butter and cheese 1t il the poor stuf that
| costs just much to make as the good which
| clogs consumption and brings final loss. Final
| ly. when the farmer has learned that it is
! twice as profitable to keep one good COW as it is
| two poor ones; twice as profitable to feed lib
orally and handle kindly as it is to neglect
| these things; when the cheese factory
and creamery owner has learned that poor
| goods are death to all future profit, then may
| we expect the dairy millennium. The mission
of this association will never be ended until
| that time has c0me.-4merican Farmer.
| The Jersey.
| The Jersey cow is usually of small size
| 500 to 900 pounds. Her head is small fne and
| tapering, the black muzzle usually having an
| orange. colored ring around it. The eye 10
largo and mild, the face lean, aud the horns are
| short and fine. The ears in the best cows are
usually of a deep orange.color inside. The
| hide is yellow in color, legs small aud thin. If
| the color of the udder and teats be slightly
orange or TAM it may be surmised the milk
! will be well colored. The color of the Jersey
| varies from light fawn with patches of white,
| 10 a mouse. color. The tongue is black in many
| of Them aud if horns, eyes. switch. muzzle and
| hoofs are of the same color, they make up the
full black points"
The milk of the Jersey is not remarkable for
mt tn iaf1 yhn in ttli flo