The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-05-23
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
IncubatOrs in China.

IncubatOrs in China.
The United States Consul at Chin-Kiang
says that the use of incubators in Matching
eggs has been known and practiced in China
for several hundred years. 1t is q large and
profitable industry, but the apparatus used
IS of very primitive description. The
nateh'ng-house IS usually long shed built
Oh bamboo, the walls plastered with mud
and thIckly matched with straw. Along
the ends and down one side Of the building
are number of round straw baskets plas-
tered with mud to prevent them taking fire.
tile forms the bottom Of each basket.
Upon this the heat acts, a small fireplace
being below each basket Upon the top of
the basket there is a straw cover, which fits
closely, and Is kept shut during the process.
When the eggs are brought they are put
IN the basket, the fire is lighted beneath
them, and uniform heat is maintained In
Ionr or I'VE days after the eggs have been
SUBJECTED TO this temperature they are taken
carefully out, one by one, to a door, in which
are number OF holes nearly the size of the
eggs. They are held against these holes
ana the attendants. looking through them.
are able to tell whether they are good or
not. In nine or ten days after this-that is.
about IA days from the commencement-th
eggs are taken from the baskets and spread
out on shelves. Here no fire heat is applied,
but they are covered with cotton and a kind
OF blanket, under which they remain about
seven days more, when the chicks break
their shells and come forth. The natives
engaged In this business know exactly the
day when the young chickens or ducks will
come forth, and are ready for their arrival.
Ihey are generally sold two or three days
after they are Matched.
Peppermint.
Though the peppermint crop of this
country has very small acreage eompared
with many other crops, yet it is of consider
able Importance in some sections of the
country. The crop was first introduced
into New York from Massachusetts, about
$50, and 10 years later into Michigan.
Wayne County, n. Y, is the largest center
OF peppermint growing, bat large quantities
are also raised in southern Michigan and
northern Indiana. The Wayne County pro-
duct commands a higher price than any
other kind of peppermint oil.
The cultivation of peppermint is simple,
but great deal of labor is required to keep
is by roots, which are dug and planted in
drills as close together as is possible. allow
ing room for cultivation. Weeds are tho
great enemy and must be fought constantly.
There is one in particular which. unknown
as yet outside the peppermint fields, is q
continual menace to the purity of the oil
product. 1t is termed rag-Yeed, but is
totally unlike the weed commonly so called.
The oil yield varies from 10 10 30 pounds an
acre. Two-thirds of that produced is ex-
ported Peppermint Is a crop that re-
quires skill and experience, and the neces-
sary apparatus for distilling is expensive, so
that it would not pay any individual to 20
into the business unless on large scale.
CornstaIks and Manure.
1t is when the farmer is drawing out his
Winter-made manure pile that he regrets
most strongly not cutting cornstalks fed to
cattle, instead of feeding them whole. There
is some loss of feed, for greater proportion
of the cut stalk will be eaten. But the
greatest loss is in the manure pile. The
uncut stalks keep dry, because the outside
of the stalk is hard and finty, so that the
from the soakiDgs of the ma
nures can enter the stalk only little way.
Each of the joints into which the stalk is
water. But when cut into short lengths.
each piece will soon become saturated with
and will rot very readily.
Uncut stalks when plOwed under keep the
soil dry, as they hold the f1rrow up and
make the air-space under il which prevents
roofs from getting firm hold of the soil.
oueh stalks are sometimes found after dry
season without any change, after lying I'M
der the furroW all Summer and increasing
the injury from drouth.
Potato Beetles.
1t is useless to apply Paris green TO potato
plants to kill the beetles. One in hundred
may sometimes eat, but their chief business
Is propagation. In the attempts to destroy
them with poisons, stronger and stronger
of Paris green are used, and,
as the young foliage is very tender, it is
often quite as much injured by the poison
as it would be by the potato larva. The
potato beetles in sunny weather are always
on the upper or sunny side of the leaf It
Is easier TO knock them into pans containing
water with little kerosene oil on its sur
face. This will prevent them from flying
away and escaping. It is time to begin
using the poison when the first crop of
Larvae is ready to hatch.
theViot Sheep
The Cheviot breed of sheep was introduced
INTO this country from Scotland in 1912.
Its native home is the Cheviot hills district,
l rough, stony region, subject to heavy
snowfall and severe storms. Bred for CEN
,uries under such conditions, the Cheyiot is
very hardy and well adapted to roughing it
when necessary. The modern Cheviot has
been improved by an infusion of Lincoln
hire blood.
The points Of good Cheviot sheep are In
many respects similar to those of other good
breeds. Omitting those carcass points which
nay be supposed to be secured by all
breeders, the coat should be good in quality,
hick, and free from kemp" hair, and fill
he hand well. The head, while not too
leavy, should be bold and broad, well set
If by bright dark eye, and erect ears Of
Moderate length, covered with clean, hard,
white hair. The nose is Roman in type, the
kin around the mouth black, and both
exes are, as rule, hornless.
About the Farm.
Hundreds of horses are ruined every year
because they are not given water when they
equire it. There may be regular times for
but rules cannot safely be made
o govern the duty. On warm days, when
he horses perspire freely, they give off from
heir bodies larue ouaDfit tiles of nOisture