The record-union., 1896-01-29

It is the business of the farmer to as
certain if he has any stock that it does
not pay him to keep. It is suicidal busi-
ness policy to be feeding and sheltering
stock that do not pay for their keep.
An orchardist thinks that in most
cases it is not a good plan to fill up an
old orchard with young trees. The soil
is too much exhausted by the growth Of
the former trees. Better start a new
orchard in a new place.
A correspondent of an exchange sug-
gests, to prevent apple trees splitting
where they grow in forks, taking
sprout that is growing on one branch
and grating in the other. The branch
viii grow with the tree and become a
strong brace.
A difference of a very few days makes
a great difference in all kinds of crops
some seasons. Glover sown just before
beating rain would become inbedded
in soil and would grow better and
stand more dry weather than if sown
Immediately after the rain.
Grade up to pure-bred sires to get that
early maturity and superior quality de-
veloped by the skill of the successful
breeders. Such stock prompts one to-
liberal feeding and the best care. Scrub
stock and neglect generally go together
and lead to disappointment.
The farmer who considers his tax
for roads too heavy may be willing to
expend twice his proportion this sea-
son for better roads Every winter the
loss to farmers from bad roads is
greater than from any other cause
where there is much hauling to be done.
1t is better practice to prune the ap-
PIE trees in the spring time, when the
leaves are well started; the wounds then
heal more quickly and effectualIy The
extremes of winter weather are suffi-
GENTLY exhaustive to the tree without
having any superfuous demands made
upon its vital forces.
The man whose soil is a good, strong
loan, and who will give his orchard
extra care and attention, will make
more money from dwarf pears than
from the standard varieties. They
should be grated on the ounce, have
good culture, and the last years growth
kept trimmed back
AS a health measure, where large
numbers of fowls are compelled to range
on limited inclosure, air-slaeked lime
should be literally used. Let it be scat
| tered late in the evening after the chick
ems have gone to roost. It will greatly
! counteract the decomposing matter
which is so deleterious.
Excellent work may be done in look
ing for borers in apple, pear and peach
trees. Such work has no doubt been
done several times, but it may be re-
n a n nh
piece of wire run into the holes will de-
stroy them, but many do not get at the
borers in that manner, hence an ex-
perienced person should be engaged to
assist if necessary.
A farmers methods of farming can
be pretty fairly estimated by hunting
up his plows and harrows, his drills
and rakes and binders in the winter
time, says the Farm News" If these
are found in the fields, or even in the
barn yard, unprotected from the snow
and rain and sunshine, you may pretty
certainly conclude that the farmer is
not good model, and is not getting
rich.
An experiment with the fertilizers is
more instructive when practiced on the
farm than at the experiment station.
Five dollars expended on a small plot
of ground in the use of fertilizers on
selected crops or plants will enable the
farmer to learn facts that may save
him hundrers of dollars, as well as
largely increase his yields. The only way
to break off from old practices and i'm
prove without incurring risk is to ex-
pertinent.
Owing to the location of some sta
bles it is impossible to get much sun
light in them, but in the greater num-
ber of barns, where the COWS stand in
a row next to the side, it would be an
easy matter to put in a few windows.
One window for every two cows should
be the rule, and they may be swung
open to throw the manure out of Them
if necessary. If the sun can shine di-
rectly on the cows, so much the better.
Practical Dairyman.
There is always large proportion of
nitrogen in barnyard manure, but the
materials for the manure may not be
Immediately soluble, which renders the
nitrogen unavailable until late in the
season. should the manure be applied
to the soil for early crops. For this
reason a fertilizer rich in nitrogen
should be used in connection with the
manure. such as nitrate of soda or sui
phate of ammonia, which may be ap-
piled to the soil when the manure is
spread.
The cost of producing eggs on farms
where the hens have a free range, and
can fully supply their own wants with
plenty of grass, insects and seeds that
aid of poultry, is almost nothing in sum
mer, but in winter, when the whole of
the food must be provided, the cost of
dozen eggs ranges from to II cents,
according to the proficiency Of the hens
in proportion to the food consumed. AL
though eggs bring high prices in winter,
the profits are greater in summer, be-
cause eggs are then produced at no cost
whatever on some farms.
The cost of growing wheat depends
upon the yield. Careful records kept
show that when but ten bushels of
wheat are grown the cost Gncluding
labor interest on capital, wear of i'm
plements, etc.) amounts to 561a cents
per bushel. yield Of fifteen bushels
makes the cost As cents per bushel;
twenty bushels cost 3515 cents per
bushel twenty-five bushels cost 81
cents per bushel; thirty bushels cost 27
cents per bushel, and thirty-five bushels
cost 26 cents per bushel. It is plain,
then, that to make wheat pay the
farmer he must increase the yield and
thus decrease the cost of each bushel.
Better Than a Curb.
Down near Goldsboro, N. c., Z turned
in from the dusky highway and asked
q native sitting IN front of his cabin if