Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-10-18

the jointer plow is used, and four or
five inches of loose soil is turned up,
the furrow into which the potatoes are
to be dropped may easily be made that
depth. 1t does no harm to ridge over
the pototoes when covering them, pro-
yided the ridge is worked to level be-
fore the potatoes come up.
To Raise Ducks Successfully.
George Pollard, of Pawtucket, r. T.,
has been in the duck-raising business
for the past five years, and, last sea-
son raised 5000 ducks, as well as 800
chickens. His SUCCESS in duck raising
since the start has been greater than
that of most beginners, and he now
has the business on a substantial and
profitable basis.
Mr.. Pollard says that the foundation
of success in this business lies in the
breeding stock. More failures occur
on account of the breeding stock being
weak than from any other cause. The
best of stock, unless kept properly,
will soon get weak and worthless, says
Samuel Cushman in Rural New Yorker.
When mating breeding ducks in No
vember, he provides a drake for every
five ducks. Later in the season, about
the last of May, drake should have as
many as six or seven ducks. For
breeding, he prefers ducks and brakes
in their second year to those raised
the same season, although part of
those used are young stock. No
ducks are kept, however, longer than
two or three years.
No whole grain is fed the breeding
ducks. He gives them mixture COM
posed of three parts of wheat bran,
three parts cornmeal and one part beef
scraps. One part of cheap grade of
-four is also added to keep the mass to-
gether. This makes it scatter less
and prevents much waste. 1t is mixed
with hot water in winter to take off the
chill, but not to cook it. Sound cab
bage is also bought and fed, as well as
boiled turnips and clover. Crushed
stone or grit, the same rs is fed to
hens, is kept by them all the time, as
we'll as crushed oyster shells.
In cold weather the ducks are housed
at night, but they are invariably fed
out of doors every day in winter.
When snow is on the ground, place
is cleared in front of the house for this
purpose.
Eggs are not secured in any number
until December. Although the ducks
are allowed the run of their yard dur
ing the laying season, nine-tenths of
the eggs are laid in the house. They
do all their laying by ten o'clock in the
forenoon, after which they sare given
free access to pond or swimming
place.
Mr.. Pollard has tried nest boxes
and stalls as nests, but finds them of
no advantage. The ducks are liable to
rush from one end of the room to the
other and the whole flock are liable to
go slam bang against them and pile up
in them, if they happen to be in their
course.
The house floor is covered with
planer shavings, and the ducks make
their nests right on the floor, and less
eggs are broken or lost than under any
other plan followed. Planer shavings
suit Mr.. Pollard best for bedding,
though they hurt the value of the ma
nure. Cotton dirt is excellent, and is,
also, of value as manure.
Dairy Notes.
On many of the larger dairy farms
there is now problem which seems to
bother the dairymen. What shall they
do with the old COWS? Afarmer seldom
cares to keep COW to moro than ten
or twelve years old, and if he has kept
her highly fed to stimulate a large
milk production, he may think it best
to dispose of her much earlier than
that age
Butchers will not pay much for old
COW beef, though it may be well fat
tened. In fact, they value them so low
that it scarcely pays to feed an extra
bushel of meal to fatten one after she
has dried off. In some country towns
butchers will not buy them at all.
Some farmers get such cows tested
with tuberculin and sell them to the
State, it is said, but not all will do
that, and as they cannot keep their
families upon COW beef the year
through, it is a serious question how
to dispose Nf the surplus.
Shall they let them. go to the city
markets at $40 or Sl2 per head?. Or
would it be cheaper to kill and bury
them?
What is the difference in value be-
tween good COW capable Of making
800 pounds Of butter or more in ayear