The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-02-11

farm of 700 acres, and warmly COM
mended the purpose of the institute
in bringing useful and practical in
formation before the farmers.
The Oakland Institute was called to
order in the Court House by Director
| Amoss.
Prof. S. B. Hedges, of the Agricult
ural Department, Washington, being
introduced, gave most practical and
instructive address on Poultry as a
Farm Product" Having been a
breeder of all the finest varieties of
birds since 1854, he was well qualified
to speak upon the subject. Among
other remarks he said that he never
! got less than So for a setting of eggs,
which he sold with a guarantee that
seven out of thirteen eggs would
hatch, and then gavea simple method
| by which each farmer could test the
eggs before setting. He told the rea-
son why a setting of eggs which had
| pCOii Ntlll CNCu SlIOl ulSJlllCC
should be allowed to remain perfectly
quiet for twenty-four hours before
they were put under the hen; gave
a simple method of preserving eggs in
fresh condition, which required only
a box and some oats or bran as pack
ing, and outlined the proper method
of feeding for fowls and chicks. He
said that he had for years kept
poultry account, which with eggs
and poultry at current market value)
showed an average profit of 81 a year
for each hen, and that poultry raising
can be made profitable by every one
who will exercise what Gen. Grant
called good common horse sense"
A farmer who wants to raise poultry
ought to have a good wife to care for
the chickens
The rough work can be done by the
men and boys, but the chicks need
motherly instinct and tenderness of
the wife and daughters. At the end
of the address many questions were
asked, which were fully and satisfac-
torlly answered.
The next speaker, Mr.. James Arm
strong, formerly large breeder of
cattle and sheep, gave many valuable
suggestions as to breeding and meth
DDS of feeding.
He brought out plainly the loss
which our farmers incur by keeping
inferior stock, and by careless and
injudicious feeding.
Any man who would pour grain
into the top of sack when he knew
that much of it was running out
through a hole in the bottom and
would be lost, would be called a fool;
yet, while all knew that with cattle,
food and digestion play an all impor-
tant part, we see them in so many
cases exposed to the winters cold and
driven to pond or brook where the
ice is broken for them to drink, in
stead of having shelter, and if not
given tempered water, at least driven
to spring which has not frozen.
If we are out on a cold ride and stop
for meal we will not call for cold
bacon and a glass of icewater, but for
buckwheaJ cakes and a cup of hot
coffee, and then travel on not mind
ing the cold
By cold and exposure the tempera-
ture of the body is reduced, and an
extra amount of food must be sup
piled to restore the lost heat, and
even then the animal has lost by the
stoppage for a time of the organs of
digestion.
The speaker advised winter pro-
duction of milk and butter, at which
time prices are good; and gave
description of a simple silo or pit,
which any farmer could make by dig
ging into a hillside where drainage
could be obtained, and lining the
three sides against the earth as well
as the outer end, with vertical plank.
Into this pit during the summer
could be put all kinds of green forage
plants-corn, grass, vines of peas and
beans, turnip tops, or anything which
stock would eat. There should be
boards with stones or other weights
kept constantly upon the fodder as
the silo is filled, the pressure arrest
ing fermentation. When the pit is
full it can be covered by a simple