The National tribune., 1893-05-25
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers

Every farmer should have a part of his farm
| IN some kind of permanent pasture. Land
| which has grown pothing but weeds for many
years may be made to produce food for the
farm stock by sowing some kind of grass on it,
which will need very little attention after the
first year. Some grass must be selected that
will form close, thick turf. Any grass that
will do this can safely be sown, as it will pro-
tect its roots from the hot sun in Summer and
from the cold in Winter. Cold does not injure
the grass-roots as much as the freezing and
| thawing, which loosens the ground about the
roots. For heavy soil that is damp n mixture
| of red-top, alsike and meadow fescue may be
planted with good results High land, hill
sides, and sandy soil may be sowu with orchard
grass. Kentucky blue, alsike, red clover, and
meadow fescuo. Other grasses may be added
that do well in the locality. In selecting grass
for pasture it is best to SOW some variety
which is grown in your locality and is known
| to do well. Many of the more expensive seed
advertised may not make as good pasture as
some that cheaper. Two things are i'm
portant: First. that the grass form thick.
close turf; and, second, that its growth be
stock throughout the season.
| There is no time in the year when 80 much
| depends upon the care given poultry as now
The fowls have passed through a hard Winter,
and many that have had their combs frost
bitten are just beginning to lay again. Others
are setting, and some have little chicks At
this time of the year great attention should be
paid to cleanliness, as the houses will be in
very bad order after the poultry being in them
all Winter. Acting on the principle that pre-
vention is better than cure, the following
suggestions are given: The poultry houses
should be cleaned, and all droppings hauled on
to the fields whore melons or some other vine
crop is to be grown. The houses should be
whitewashed with mixture of lime, carbOlic
acid, and kerosene. An ounce of carboic acid
and pint of kerosene to 4 pail full of the mix
ture is about the right proportion. Water
should never be allowed to stand in poultry
yards as the fowls will drink it although they
are supplied with plenty of clean water. Keep
the drinking water in the shade. All old
nests should be cleaned out and the straw
burned. Cholera is often caused by careless
feeding. Do not feed the fowls old, musty corn
if you can help it, but if you must feed it, first
boil to destroy the disease germs. The poultry
should always have a variety of food. Do not
feed heating food during the warm weather.
The hens must be given plenty of good food If
they are expected to lay.
Almost any greasy oily substance ap-
piled to the parts affected will destroy cattle
81 7 co;I al, 4
also with crude petroleum. A combination of
lard and sulphur or lard and kerosene gives
good results. Kerosene emulsion of 10 per
cent. does fairly well. At one time entertained
a high opinion of this preparation, but later
experiences have failed to fully satisfy the de-
mand. The treatment of few dairy cows is
an easy affair. The substance can be applied
with spOnges, brushes mops, or syringes. We
use in such cases a brass hand syringe, with
spray nozzle, intended for gardeners use be-
Iieve.
With range cattle it is quite different and
involves time, labor and expense. This has
led us TO devise an apparatus for the purpose
This consists of derrick Is feet high on which
is barrel. From the barrel there comes a
pipe that divides into five smaller pipes 10
hose IL inches long, and to the end of each
hose a tin rose, such as are used on garden |
watering pots is fixed.
There also comes from the main down pipe |
another hose Is to 90 feet long for hand use. |
This is also provided with rose and also |
stop cock.
The derrick is built directly on a platform |
five by eight feet, made of flooring, and so |
slanted as to drain to one side, so the substance
used can be collected by trough and poured |
into lower barrel sunk in the ground. From /
the lower barrel is pipe to the upper BARREL |
provided with pump.
There is also a narrow chute leading to the
derrick. through which the cattle pass. Our
method of operating is as follows:
The dip is mixed in lower barrel and then
is pumped into the upper one. An animal is
driven on the platform and the dip allowed
to play on it for one minute; while so doing
the hand hose is used between the thighs and
on the brisket and lower part of the body. The
others are treated in similar manner.
That which runs off the animal is caught in
the lower barrel and pumped up, thus prevent
ing much waste.
Trash must be kept out or it will clog the
nozzle. This is happily accomplished by using
4 cloth strainer on the upper barrel. A -four
sack answers very well. With the arrange
nents as here described, we are able to treat
about 80 animals an hour. at a cost including
material and labor, of five cents per head. The
small ticks will soon be found dead and the
arge ones will be dead in a few hours
Carrots may be proftably raised for Winter
feed for cattle. Horses fed on them will always
be in good condition, and they will increase the
low of milk when fed to COWS. Each horse
,r cow eats about 20 pounds day, or one
md a half tons during the Winter. Carrots
yield from 20 to 80 tons to the acre. and
air crop can be had even from poor land. The
product Of one acre will therefore be enough
% feed II cattle through the Winter. Mellow
and, plOwed deep, is the best for carrots A
dressing of well-rotted manure will greatly
improve the crop. The ground should be well
narrowed before planting. The seed, which .
nave been soaked for few days are covered
With about an inch of soil and planted in rows 20
inches apart, thinned to six inches apart in the