The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-06-13
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers


Foot Rot
The sleeps foot is constructed in quite n
different manner from that of the horse,
which is known as a soliped or single-hoofed
animal. The space between the claws Of
| the double hoof Of ruminants is a place of
! danger, and quite often the seat of disease.
And this is more imminent in the sheep
than in the OK. This space is protected on
the inside by a thick skin, covered with
hair, to relieve the friction, but is frequently
ground down to the tissue underneath it. by
the grit OF sandy or gravelly pastures The
horn OF the front part OF the hOOf, too, grows
in such q manner as to invite disease, as it
extends beneath the sole, when in soft
condition produced by wet ground, and
then turns under and gathers filth, which
soon corrodes the softened sole, and lays
bare the vascular tissue Of the interior
Of the foot, which then becomes diseased BIZ
/ exposure to the ground, and by the poison
Gus influence Of the decOmposing matter of
| the horn. The lameness then begins that
IN time increases and spreads to the inner
| parts of the foot, which suppurate and dis
charge matter, that acts as an inflammatorv
poison, and quickly causes gangrene of the
| whole foot. This then produces a poison
Gus virus, which infects the soil, and COM
munlcates the disease to other sheep whose
| feet may be IN the least injured By over
\ wearing or softening of the horn, and are
| neglected by the shepherd Thus 10 is I'M
! perat1ve that the flock should not only be
watched for the first appearance of disease.
| but examined frequently, TO detect approach
ing danger. The common and effective
remedy IS to keep all excess of horn pared
| down, TO shorten the toes when they are too
long, and to apply an ointment of pure vase
| line, slightly carbolated, to any raw or sore
parts. The disease known as foot rot. whether
simple Or malignant and contagious, is easily
managed at the outset by this treatment.
But when the whole flock becomes diseased
through neglect, and the pastures are per-
manenlIy poisoned by the virus, the case
becomes serious, and thorough measures
must be taken to save the flock.
Cleaning the Barn.
Just before the new hay is harvested and
placed in the barn is the time to clean out
the hay loft, and, better STILL the entire build
ing. Perhaps you have not done this for
several years; perhaps some of the old hay
is still in the loft that was placed there
many Summers ago. This should be re-
moved if the barn is about empty, and now
is good time to do it TO advantage.
Some rainy day the chaff and refuse should
be gathered up and put in bags. 1t will be
just the thing for the poultry to scratch over
and eat next Winter. Then repair the floor
Of the lofts and bays if necessary, making
all secure for the new crop. Look over the
hay-handling tools, and, if you intend to
m a hav Sorr ioY
up the pulley work. After getting ready
for the hay harvest, look to the floor of the
cow stables. The cattle are in pasture all
day, and repairs can be made without incon-
venience. Mix up lot of whitewash and
apply to the walls of the stable
Next, look after the cellar. IF poultry is
kept there, their quarters should be cleaned
out and the earth spaded over and the walls
thoroughly whitewashed. If the manure
pit has been cleared of its contents, the bot
tom should be covered with several inches
of dry earth. Unless this is done large
quantities of liquid manure will drain into
the soil below the cellar and be wasted ANY
farmer who will examine O handful of the
soil taken foot beneath the manure pit
will become satisfied that mine of richness
has been lost. A good layer of loose earth
will take up most of the undertakings.
TranspIantiDg Cabbage.
The first time cabbage is transpIanted
the greater part of its leaf should be cut
away. 1t will die down if left on, and while
this continuous decay goes on it greatly in
jures the root. There should be some TRIM
ming with the second transplanting, but the
plant will by this time become so stocky and
have such mass of roots close to the stem
that if the transplanting is done carefully
there will be scarcely any check to growth.
Cabbages that have been twice transplanted
are worth far more than those gathered
direct from the seed beds where they were
sown, and which become of less value as
they grow larger and crowd each other more.
The young cabbage ought to be dark-green,
rather than pale-green. The cause of light
color is deficiency of nitrogen, and very
little nitrate of soda mixed with the soil Of
the seed bed will make an astonishing differ
ence in color and increase of growth.
Hogs and BristIes.
Although the United States is the largest
producer of pork in the world, nearly all the
bristles used by our manufacturers are i'm
ported, and we buy annually more than
100000 pounds, which cost about 81 a
pound. Germany is the largest contributor,
furnishing about so per cent; Russia is the
ANAtf bHCA UIcdb DFltdl0s Inc
explanation is that our pork packers kill
their hogs when they are too young, and
the briStles are therefore too short and soft
to be used in paint, varnish, whitewash,
hair, cloth, and other brushes The best
bristles come from eastern Germany and
Russia, where the hogs are allowed to run
wild until they are often eight and ten
years old.
MiIIet and Peas
These two crops, sown together, make an
excellent forage crop. The hay is of highly
nutritive character and cures more easily
than pea-yine hay alone Sow about half
the usual quantity of seed of each that is
to say, half bushel of peas and half
bushel of German millet. The peas should
be first sOwn and be well narrowed in, and
then the millet be sown, and be brushed in
with brush harrow, or be rolled in, if the
ground be dry enough to roll. Cut just be-
fore the millet blooms. Black, Blackeye, or
Clay peas can be sown.
Ensilage.
In order to feed nationally, the individual
ity of the animal must be studied by the
feeder. One animal viii eat, digest and as
simulate more than another. The result will
be greater increase in flesh or milk. Then,