St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-06-11

tn. sheep. Like. .ne. rn,,ke.,

sheep are the eplcures among farm
animals. The hog will eat corn in filth,
knee deep, and cattle gather living from
muddy stalk fields; but the sheep asks
for clean food, in clean troughs. stand
ing in clean yards. No farm animal
has such strong likes and dislikes, and
we must cater to its tastes if we expect
it to do its best for us.
The sheep will not touch hay that
other stock have nosed over. They
must eat at the first table or not all.
We throw the refuse from the sheep
racks to the cattle, but it would be use-
less to throw the stubs left in the cat
tie managers to the sheep. So with
corn and oats; they like them none
the better if the rats have played over,
or the sparrows roasted above the feed
bins. The best corn shelters have a fan
attachment which blows out all dust
and loose particles of husk. Hereafter
our corn will be shelled by horse power
and then passed through the tanning
mill.
Sheep dislike to have their hay-racks
used for hen rOosts. In these days OF
pure food laws, one of the children
should be appointed a special deputy to
see that such trangressors are prompt
ly put in the chicken house. Mud is
another of sleeps dislikes. Had they
their chice, they would take lady-like
care of their golden slippers. l saw a
flock stand half an hour this morning
studying whether or not to cross q
muddy road.
InsNovembcr we had a cistern built
to supply the main sheep with water.
The water has yet such a strong taste
of cement that nothing will drink it, 50
the sheep must be let out to drink.
These muddy days it is no uncommon
sight to see whole flock of sheep
crowded on the stone walk that leads
to the barn. Soon we hope to house
our sheep during the entire fattening
period, as they will fatten better when
they are confined. When sheep must
be fed out of doors, few loads of coal
ashes, that make the back yard IN.
slightly, should be thrown on each side
of the feeding troughs. No one since
the days of Job can start down a line OF
troughs with mud ankle deep and q
flock of hungry sheep at his heels and
not lose his patience.
Sheep like pure water, several de-
grees warmer than they find it in the
brook. Thes, are reasons that they
hunt the springs and close up to where
it bubbles out; or cross the run to drink
in the barn, where pure water is pro-
vided and warmed several degrees by
passing through the underground
pipes. These may be considered the
niceties Of sheep husblndry. You can
not say to the sheep: Eat what is set
before you, asking no questions. They
want clean service, pure food and pure
drink, with clover blossoms for dessert
1t pays to give them what they want
National Stockman.
Small Farms.
The West Virginia Farm Review be.
ieves in small areas with high cultiva-
tion as cure for the sad but universal
evils of heavy taxation, heavier mort
cages and absence of general agricul-
tural prosperity. Its attitude is strong
ly presented in the following language:
Far too many men are owning more
land than they can cultivate-part oi
it absolutely growing up in weeds.
This same land, if cleared up and cul'
tivated, would be sufficient for one
man with family to subsist on and
have Toney to lay by. Mo man ought
to keep more land than he can keep
under the highest and best cultivation,
and when this is done prosperity is
certain and sure. 1t is very common
for man in this state to be land poor
Some have grown old by worrying and
toiling to pay taxes on large tracts ol
land, when il they had sold or giver
away probably two-thirds of their LAND
years ago, they would now he healthy
wealthy and wise. Suppose one of these
men had cut his farm into so, 81 or Ion
acre lots, and sold them to men whe
would have put them under high
cultivation. Can any man estimate
the difference in value they woulC
be to all concerned? I am in ia
vor of small farms, for only
q few men know how to cultivate I
large one to advantage. One hundred
acres is as much as one man should un
dertake to cultivate thoroughly. W.
keep our vegetable gardens in the bes
possible cultivation; then canAny maj
give good reason why every foot cul
tivated for other crops should not b.
cared for just the same? Ii this pay
in one instance it will pay in all 1
farmers would sell off every acre o
land which they own beyond tina
which they are able to cultivate, mort
cages would go glimmering into tn,
mists, and taxes would be paid es sool
as the books are opened.-C0ttol
Planters journal.