The National tribune., 1896-10-15
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
Winter on the Farm.

crops are cultivated. and il is also a period
OF the year when the farmer has least
to do. However, the farmer can always
find opportunities for work, and more
especially when the farm is well supplied
with stock. There is also preparation to be
made for supplying crops with plant food in
the Spring The buying of fertilizers is q
cash outlay, and IL this expense can be re-
duced by applying labor in Winter TO the
utilization OF substances that can be con-
verified into manure there is a gain TO the
farmer.
All refuse matter should be converted into
manure, and the BARNARD is verv valuable
source for supplying the crops but many of
them do not preserve the manure properly
and do not reduce the ingredients of the ma
nure heap 10 a fine condition. The care of
stock Is not alone the principal work. bot the
care OF the manure; for while the farmer will
necessarily De compelled to give his attention
to the animals which come under his obser-
vation daily, he is frequently negligent of
the TACT that he Is losing much of the valuable
constituents of the manure heap
Absorbent materials not only add to the
value OF the manure, but serve to prevent
loss. When straw or stalks are thrown into
the barnyard they increase the bulk of the
manure, but they are worth but little as
plant food. They absorb the liquids of the
heap, however, and IN that manner prevent
loss. Their value to the farmer derends
upon their capacity of absorption. When
whole stalks are thrown into the barnyard
to be trampled by cattle quite a period of
time elapses before they are broken to pieces
sufficiently to be of real service as absorb
enis; IN fact, each stalk is covered with a
hard and lmpervious coating of silica which
for time protects it against decay, and in
the meantime the rains and melting SHOWS
carry off the liquids, which contain the
soluble plant food.
Straw and stalks are thrown into the barn.
yard to save labor, and because it is easy to
so dispose of such material, but the manure
heap must be considered as a plaBt-food
factory, where the supply Of nOurisbment
for the Spring crops must be procured;
hence, If the coarse materials are not reduced
to fine condition, all the labor of Winter
will be wasted if not applied so as to secure
the best results, and it must not be over
looked that the cost of the future crop may
be reduced by the work of preparing the
in Winter.
With the improvements that have been
made In feed cutters and grinding mills il
IS now possible for the farmer to prepare the
food for his stock at but small cost, and
the fodder shredder, which converts the
whole stalk into shreds, will make it easier
for the farmer to preserve his manure One
Of the heavy expenses 0E farms is that of
handling and spreading coarse manure 1t
IS not only difficult to handle, but is also
spread uneveDly. If all the materials are
tut up for the animals, or before cast on the
manure heap, the gain as food will not be
greater than the increased capacity for abb
'orbing theliquds; and If all materials that
eached the manure heap were fine, not only
could they be loaded and spread with a saw
NC of labor, but such materials would add
% the value of the manure by being decom-
posed while serving as absorbents.
The fine manure which has been protected
rom loss by teaching, and which contains
he valuable plant food of the liquids, as
veil as the solids, will be in a condition to
more than pay the farmer for the labor of
airing for the heap. 1t is in the decompo-
ition of the manure that the plant food is
made soluble, and when applied to the soil
q the Spring is ready for the crops, permit
ing the plants to start off in growth early,
he farmer receiving the benefit of his ma
lure the first year, whereas if the manure
) coarse and not decomposed, it may remain
d the soil year before becoming plant food,
nd in that condition is just so much capital
emporarily out of use.
Swelied Eye. Toe =
AT this season of the year especially, when
udden changes occur, warm days and quite
Dol nights, be careful to keep maturing
took free from drafts. They probably have
cen kept growing nicely and you are look
1g forward to early laying. A touch of
CUP will set them back cons derably, if it
oes not render them entirely useless. The
rst symptom Is generally sweiled eye.
his, when taken in the beginning, is easily
ured; if neglected, it will surely run into q
ase of roup. The simplest remedy is cam
horated oil. Remove the bird from the
ock, buy fve-cent oil can, and spray the
sollen eye thoroughly, rubbing it gently
18th the finger, so that the oil covers the
fected part. Do this twice day for two
: three days, and the swelling will disap-
ear. If you should notice deposit in the
ostrils, clean them out with the oil in the
'me maner by injecting with the can.
Mutton sheep
The large mutton breeds of sheep are
displacing the merino breed, and
rmers are finding out that there is some
ling more to be derived from sheep than
DOL. Ii low prices for wool have caused
rmers to turn their attention to the large
reeds, the apparent misfortune will in the
Iture be looked upon as o blessing. The
nglish farmer would consider it a waste of
me and labor to keep flock of sheep for
DOL only. The mutton sold in the English
arket is of the highest quality, and is pro-
uced on land that rents for more than the
me area of land ean be purchased for in
lis country, yet the English farmer regards
leep as very profitable.
Farm Notes.
There is one crop which is nearly always
Glow the demand in supply, and that is
opc0rn. This country uses if largely, but
les not grow enough, although it sells at
,od price.
Make the frost do some of the work of pull
.rizng the soil. When sod lands or soils
at are difficult to reduce are plowed late
the Fall the frost puyerizes the Jumps
I'd also destroys any insects that are brought
the surface. The expansion and contrac-
On of the rough, plowed land by alternate
eezing and thawing will bring it to a
lie state before Spring, at which time cross
owing will cause it to turn over in mel
W condition for crops.
Regarding the disposal of dead animals,
Is loss to bury them. If they are
Opped to pieces and covered with fresh
anure they will soon decompose, and the
ap should then be raked over, the bones
moved and ground or pounded into small
eces. To reduce the bones put them in