The National tribune., 1895-03-07
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers

The capacity of the horse for work de-
Ponds much upon bis harness. Stiff harness
tires and worries him. OiIiBg the harness
viii make 1t flexible and will also make ID
more durable. There is no better time for
oiling harness than some stormy day on
which outdoor work is forbidden by the
weather. mixture Of three parts heats
foot oil TO one part of beef tallOw is n spien-
did application. little laInpblaek NAV
be added, TO blacken the leather; and also
little castor oil, to prevent the mice from
nibbling But the best way TO prevent the
mice from nibbling the harness is to hang 10
in tight closet and keep two or three good
mOusers about the barn. When the harness
is being oiled is the proper time to make
any needed repairs. This work also can DO
done indoors on stormy days IL is certainly
much better TO do 10 then, and not 10 havs
vexatious breaks when blowing is pressing
to be done. Very nearly ali the repairing
that Is necessary can be done at home. n
will pay to have on hand at all times q sup
ply Of linen thread, wax, a halEdOzen as
sorted needles, az1s, and especially an as
sortment of copper riyets.
Rolling Pasture Land.
Rolling the meadow, and sometimes the
pasture land, a. soon as the frost leaves the
ground IN the Spring, is often done by prac-
teal farmers. The action Of frost often
throws many stones to the surface, and
when the ground becomes settled these i'm
pedlments are thus left in a position TO cause
serious injury to the cutting apparatus Of
the mowiRg-machine. Upon Land liable 10
heaye by action of frost the surface soil in
left uneven, many tufts of timothy are
nearly thrown ont Of the soil, and these the
roller presses down smooth, not only insur-
ing better and more healthy growth, but
leveling the field for the more economical
gathering Of the crop. FsiEsown wheat and
rye fields are often benefited BY rolling.
which should DO done the same day that the
field u seeded to clover, or soon after, az the
action OF the roller, IN crushing Jumps and
meliOwlng the surface, makes a good seed
bed and covers large proportion of tbs
clover seed.
Selecting HeiFers.
Almost from its birth an expert in iudx-
ing of cows can decide whether a heifer calf
Will be profitable COW or had better Do
turned oft to the butcher as veal IL il nss
altogether matter Of pedigree. The sigrs
of good COW are rather thin neck. but n
deep chest, and the peculiar velvety feel Of
the skin that can only be made certain by
experience. The marks of the escuteheon
on heifer are plainly distinguishable oY an
expert, though they may not show 80 tbas
ordinary observers can see them. 1t some
times happens that the heifer which. gives
the signs OF good cow at first runs to beef
ness after her first year. This comes from
feeding food that is too fattening, and which
has not enough sueculence There is either
progress or deterioration in dairy qualities
in the COW from her ealfhOod up The best
mixers are usually those who are bred ear
hest, but after the first calf 1T is well to keep
the heifer from breeding for full year. in
order TO develop greater vigor of constitu-
ton, which Is impaired by too early breed
ing.
Sowing Mixed Grain.
Few kinds of grain can be proftabIy sown
together, for if both grow each crowds tina
Dther so as to diminish the yield of that
WI ich is most valuable Oats and peas are
perhaps the only exception to this rule, and
we are not sure that they should be ex-
copied. There viii be very few peas grown
from vines sown with oats. If the soil be at
all rich, both oats and peas will get down
and not make valuable feed, for whatever
falls to the ground does not get sunlight
enough to develop much nutrition. Some
farmers grow wheat and rye together, the
object being to have some crop on land
where wheat alone might entirely fail.
More often, however, wheat and rye are
grown together by neglect 20 secure clean
wheat seed On almost all land where q
'prinkling of rye gets into seed wheat its
IS to increase, showing that rye
the wheat. Yet when s0wn sepa-
rately, the wheat usually ON good land win
put yield the rye. This shows that the best
soil is selected to sow wheat on, while the
rye is sOwn ON land not so good. Oats and
barley are often sown together, but is ia
bad practice, as the crops do not ripen at ths
same time. The oats or barley sold to malt
sters have to be separated and sold for feed
ing. Some Of the light barley goes for tina
same purpose.
Setting Hens.
The earlier in the season the hens are see
the better for profit, both for Fall eggs aud
thg-sale of chickens. Old hens make tina
best early settlers and mothers. It 10 we'll
not to give them too many chicks, especially
# the weather is cold. When the chicks are
irst Matched the hen can easily cover them,
but as they grow they require more room
rnder the hen, and soon she is not able to
cover or care for them properly.
This means loss, as chicks must be kepi
growing from the time they are out Of the
shell till they attain full size If chick
IS allowed to stop growing for a single day;
# it ever gets chilled enough to be drawn mp
BY the cold, or if it is allowed to 90 hungry
or the space of half q day, that chick will
not catch up what il has lost for days or
weeks, and the date Of its maturity win hs
delayed.
Forcing Early Vegetables.
The thoroughly deeomposed manure taken
,ut Of last seasons hotbeds is the best ma
lure for garden peas, especially il . hskla
IupeIphosphate is used. After the soil ia
put over the stable manure when making
lotbeds, apply 10 0r IL pounds of superphOs-
,hste to each bed 30 feet and rake it into
he surface soil. For early plants select for
he hOtbed a southeastern exposure, backed
by high plank fence or belt of evergreena.
4 screen made of small pine trees viii an
Iwer the purposs>
An Awful Sufferer.
If there is any disease which is awful in its
,ffeets upon the sufferer. that disease is Asthma