The National tribune., 1893-06-01
OUR RURAL TOPICS
Some Practical Suggestions ler Our
Agricultural Readers

I The following rules on How to Feed wero
compiled for the Missouri State Board Of Agri-
culture by Charles p Fox Assistant Chemist
in Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station.
Columbia No.:
Rule /. Feed animals ~ much as they can di-
gest without iniuring their health.
Rule 2 Feed a balanced ration" e.. one In
which the composition is in proportion to their
needs
Rule g. Food is required to maintain animal
heat; save food by providing warm, but vsnti-
lated, shelter for your stock.
Rale T. Stimulate the digestive capacity Of
your animal By variety of food, salt. etc
Stock foods are composed of substances usually
arranged into six groups:
l. Water. The amount varies with kind Of
food. 1t is Of no economic Importance.
2. Ash. This is the residue lett after burn
ing away the csmbustib,e portions. It supplies
the mineral ingredients to the animal body. A
portion Of the ash has nanurial vaiae.
3. Protein. This is the uitrogenous portion
of the food. It is used in the animal economy
to form muscle" and all other nisrogenoas
portions Of the body, it also aids in che forna-
tiom of fat. 1t is the most valuable ingredient
T. Fat This substance produces animal
| heat, or is stored up in the body rs fat for
future use. One pound Of fat will produces a.
! much heat as two and oue-haIf pounds Of car
bOhydrates.
5. Carbohydrates This group includes ths
starches, gums, sugars. etc. They produce fat
and heat.
g. Fiber This substance has about the SAINT
composition the carbohydrates. but is much
I Iasc n ia IF but TfffHa
| Wood ashes contain large amount Of potasL
and can be used with good result on almost
| any part of the farm. If spread OH the meadow
broadcast the grass will grow better for many
years after, the roots will become stronger, and
| the danger from drouth and cold viii be less
ened. Ashes are beneficial to the orchard,
and containing much of the matsriaI that was
| in the wood, they supply the soil with the ma
teriai that is taken by the growing trees II
/ is a common mistake in putting ashes on an
| orchard to pile them close to the trunk of tha
tree. The tree gets no benefit from them for
! years. as the roots Of the tree that take up the
| food for the tree not close to the trunk bus
extend out many yards in all directions. The
| ashes should always be spread broadcast They
also make good fertilizer for root crops, such
as beets, carrots, and turnips. Never let ashes
stand around the building OF throw them in
heaps; they are not only unsightly, but are
doing no good and losing their value as fer,
/ tilizer. Spread them on she farm now and lsl
| them do some good.
[ The old method of letting the tomato vines
| spread over the ground without any support
| will soon be thing of the past. trellis has
many advantages over the old method. Tina
cultivation is made easy, the labor af gathering
of the crop is much less, and the worms and in
sects be destroyed without moving the
/ vines. The loss from moving the vines has
always been considerable. bat By the use Of .
| treIlis this is avoided. The loss from rot,
caused by the tomatoes coming in esntaet with
| the ground, is also done away with. II few
hills only are TO be planted the hoops off old
barrels may be used. Fer extensive planting
stakes are driven at distance Of 10 feet ths
| length of the row. Each stake should havF
three staples driven in at the distance apart thai
wires are wanted. Then the wire or strong
cord is put through the staple and tightsRed.
| good whitewash for use on the farm -
| prepared as follows: Take six quarts of nice
| lime slack it with boiling water. then cover ii
| till it cools little and strain it; add then q
! quarter of pound Of alum, burnt and pow
| dered, one pound Of sugar, three piBtF nj
/ rice -four boiled TO thin paste with water and
/ then q pound of clean glue dissolved When
| all these ingredients are well mixed, add five
! gallons of hot water. If this whitewash is ap,
piled to outside buildings while it is hot, is
will last for a long time. It may be colOred
little copperas as big as a hickory nut Is said
| to give buff shade. A certain proportion OF
| salt is ordinarily added to common whitewAsh
| to make it stick. but salt is not used in this
| rule other ingredients taking its place.
7 Seed potatoes should be of average size. II
| the larger potatoes ara selected for planting
there viii be heavy growth Of vine without
| so many potatoes, and the smaller ones are apt
| to decrease the size of the tnbers. The sprouts
should not be allowed to grow much before
| planting. as many of them will break of, and
| the eyes will not start as SOON as the ones not
| SO far advanced.
/ The cultivation should begin as soon as they
come up and continue until they bloom. Po-
tstoes can never be hurt by too much cultiya-
/ tion. To prevent blight, or if it has already
I started, hill the potatoes well up.
! Corn for the silo should not be cut until the
I ears begin to turn yellow. Corn which is cut
I
/ the silo will not keep cows up to their milk
/ when fed to them IN the Winter. In filling q
silo great care must be used to pack the corn
! evenly and soIidly. Careless filling often re-
suits in loss or what is worse, the stock are fed
oil the musty corn, and do not give the profk
they otherwise would.
| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Here we
| are out in southwest Texas. sunny Summer
| land where roses bloom in the open yard all
| the year. Bee County IS 20 miles southeast OF
| San Antonio. 100 miles west of Houston. and
| 40 miles from the coast at Aransas Pass. You
/ will understand why our climate IS mild better
| when tell you that We are IS miles south OF
/ New Orleans, about a line with the orange
| growing district of Florida. But the heat of
| cur Summer is tempered by the ever-refreshing
I sea breeZeS.
| With Us at the present writing early corn 10
| tasseliBg and silking. cotton is blooming, and
I watermelons are beginning TO ripen. We have
had good seasons, and all these crops are assured
this year; also fruit
| This is great Winter-vegetable country,
which is quite profitable industry for north
| ern shipment Almost all fruits, except apples,
including oranges, do well. But our great
| leading farm crop is cotton; the staple is fine
| and yield heavy, because Of the long picking