The record-union., 1893-10-31
FARM AID ORCHARD.
Bedding for Livestock Ought to be
Provided for.
Corn Huskers-Slxim MiIk-Flint Corn
How Aged Fowls Can be Made
Tender-Other Items.


the livestock when the animals are con-
fined in the stable. 1t seems scarcely nee
essary to say that something for use as
bedding ought to be provided upon
every farm. 1t should be supplied in
abundance for COWS that are giving milk
in order to aid in keeping them clean.
In horse stables it ought to be freely used
to prevent injury to the feet, eyes and
general health of the horses, which will
otherwise result from the ammonia which
is formed by the decomposition of urine.
Tt is also required, wherever animals are
confined, for the purpose of absorbing
and keeping from waste the liquid ma
nure. Provided the manure itself re-
ceives proper attention, there are few
kinds of work on a farm which 1t is pos
sible to omit that pay better for doing
than the securing of a liberal quantity of
material for bedding.
Various kinds OF material are used for
bedding and give good results. On many
farms straw is used. This, on grain
farms, has the advantage Of being already
on hand, and it is very good substance
to use. On farms which do not produce
much grain, and sometimes on those
which do, it may be possible TO secure
other material which viii answer the
purpose very well. Swales, in the NOW
ing lots or the pastures, or meadows pro-
ducing grass that is too coarse and poor
for hay, may often be utilized Tor this
purpose. Farmers having more of this
land than they care to NOW, sometimes
give the grass on the part which they do
not 90 over to their neighbor on condi-
tion that the latter will cut the grass clean
and cart it away, and both parties are
benefited by this arrangement. Where
nothing of this kind is available, or the
supply is insufficient, it is often possible
to obtain quantity of leaves, and where
leaves are abundant it will probably pay
well to gather a quantity of them, even
if straw and coarse hay have already
been secured. Another substance, and
one which in some respects is superior TO
to any other for use as bedding, is dry
earth. This is not only an excellent ab-
sorbent of the liquid manure, but it is
powerful deodorizer. 1t thus serves two
very important purposes, and it has the
additional merit Of preventing rapid and
excessive fermentation of the manure. If
it is desired to convert the straw or the
coarse hay into manure, IL may be run
through feed cutter and mixed with the
dry earth. 1t will be useful as bedding
and will increase both the quantity and
value of the manure.
be free from stones and gravel and it
should be thoroughly dried before it is
stored. 1t ought TO be placed III a shed
or stable in which it can be kept dry, and
il will save good deal Of time and work
when it is used if it is stored near where
the animals, under which it is to be
placed, are stabbed. If straw, coarse hay
cOrnstalks or any similar materials are
used for bedding, they should be cut into
short pieces before they are put into the
stables. This Will largely increase their
capacity for absorbing urine, will greatly
facilitate the work of cleaning stables
and getting the manure upon the land,
and viii also keep the manure in much
better condition than it would be If the
cutting was neglected.
While almost any vegetable material
that is not too coarse or hard can be made
Serviceable for bedding, it is well to avoid
the use of weeds and wild grasses which
have just ripened their seeds. a large
proportion Of the seeds would be de-
stroyed by fermentation of the manure,
but many of them would survive and
would be liable to grow where plants Of
their description are not wanted. If
plants of undesirable kinds are used,
they should be cut before their seeds are
matured, or else be allowed to stand until
their seeds are so ripe that they will shell
in the field while the material is being
harvested arIQer.
FARM NOTES.
There is an advantage III having a dog
that is trained to drive cattle and sheep
to and from the pasture, as he will save
time and labor that must be performed
by person.
It is a great pleasure to make butter
from a beautiful thoroughbred herd OF
butter cows, and, what is better, it pays
The queen bee has been known to live
fifteen years, and to produce fertile eggs
during the whole Of that period Of time.
If you desire large Strawberries in the
spring use fine manure on them and chop
1t into the top soil between the rows.
You cannot use too much manure on
strawberry vines at this season.
It is always dangerous to allow the bull
to have his liberty. He should be
''ringed" and placed under control. The
gentlest bull becomes vicious, especially
when aged. There is no reason why a
bull should not be made to work on the
tread powers.
Eating at The straw stack does not in
dicate that straw is sufficient for cattle
and that it can be made to serve the pur-
pose of good hay. 1t means that the ami
mails like change of food occasionally.
Ducks lay more eggs in year than do
hens, but they perform the greater share
Y,
season of the year when eggs are low in
price, but it may be said in their favor
that the cost of keeping ducks is very
little in summer if they have the run of a
pasture.
1t may save food to turn hog into the
woods to feed upon waste, but the hog
that is capable OF roaming through the
woods has TOO much activity for hog,
and requires more than the necessary al
-tor, \
grain.
1t is better to grow some crop that will
find market nearer home than to en-
deavor to produce an apparently more
profitable article that must be sent q dis
tance to be sold. The cost Of transporta-
ton, handling and commissions must all
be deducted from the receipts.
Fowls that have some age on them are
made tenderer and the flesh more iuicv
by being kept confined IN close. clean
quarters for two or three weeks before
being killed. and having nothing to
eat but corn and pure water. Cbicks
should be confined iu the same way and
with the same food, but a week is sufi-
clent, II they are in good order Wen
shut up.
The farmer who makes beef his spe-
cialty uses bulls from beef-producinr
breed, and the farmer who depends upon
milk prefers TO breed from mIlk-uroduc-
ing breeds, but there are hundreds of
farmers who take pride in their calling,
and yet do not know anything about
breeds. Until they educate themselves
on so important a matter they will make
no progress.
If manure is to be exposed 10 the leach
ing OF the rains it is best To haul il ont on
the fields and spread it, provided the
land is not subject to washing from
heavy rains. 1t is better to have it ex-
posed on the land, especially if the land
has been plowed, where the soluble mat