The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-12-04

7ZA
Use on a light one~horse wagon. The IL
tustration needs little description, the main
points being to have the pole made OF
tough lumber and about two inches square
at the small end and three and one-half
inches square at the other end. The cicle
should be made of two-inch wagon fell
Ices. Bolt the shaft couplings to the cir
Gle, the doubl tree resting on the tongue
where the circle Is bolted to the tongue.
h wagon pole Is quickly attached and
ts very light, hence not a burden on the
horses. and the expense for making 1t Is
small.
Storing Seed Potatoes.
In nan sections of the country It is not
possible to keep seed potatoes through the
winter in good shape: then in other places
farmers 90 not ave the proper sheds or
cellars for such work, hence, in either
case, il Is best TO buy the seed tubers IN
the spring. OF course this Is a heavy ex-
pense and, IN the opinion OF many ought
not 10 be advocated, but surely It is more
profitable 10 buy good seed and W. &
good crop than TO plant seed that Is IN
Eerior because II has not been properly
stored. In the central states and In the
northern south 6 good way TO saws the
seed tubers is to bury them out OF doors:
this Is done by keeping them In the cellar
until there Is danger OF them freezing
there, when they are removed TO q pro-
tected place out OF doors, placed il long
piles about three feet wide, covered with
straw a foot deep over which Is thrown q
few inches deep OF dry sand. As the
weather gets colder more straw and more
sand Is added, the quantity. OF rather the
depth. depending upon the severity OF the
weather. The idea Is to keep them just
above the frezing point. In cellar or shed
storage the tubers shoui be thoroughly
dry when stored and should be placed in
barrels or crates and these set on timbers
several inches off the ground so that there
will be a free circulation OF air. The tenn
perature Of the place Of storage should be
2 or 3 degrees above freezing. With prop
er care the seed potatoes can be kept IN
excellent condition by either OF the plans
named.
Water for Farm Animals.
It Is admitted that water Is essential to
the we'll being of humans and II this Is so
why should anyone presume to think that
animals can get along with little or no
water? Yet that Is the plan on which
many farmers work. The cows and horses
are, perhaps, properly watered but the
oN!A1- 4 liiIia aAC ' ~ "dtS4.
In a series Of experiments carried on by
the writer a number Of years ago It was
found that sheep, swine and poultry gave
Us nearly twenty per cent. better returns
when regularly and carefully watered han
when the water was given but occasional
ly. That Is, the egg supply was larger
from the hens, and the sheep and hogs
kept to the desired weight. More thar
this we found there was less trouble with
diseases, particularly those that had the
stomach for their base Of attack. It Is
now g regular practice to give all animals
on the farm regular supplies Of clean wa
ter. In watering the sheep and swine
troughs are provided and kept for the
purpose After the animals have drunk
the troughs are removed so that there Is
no chance of them being defled. 1t will
pay every time to water all farm animals
regularly and with clean water.
Feeding Green Cut Bone.
Mention has been made in this depart
ment about the value Of green cut bones
for laying hens. The term means the
bones that are fresh (not those that have
lain around until they have become dryl,
ground in a bone mill Until like meal. In
beginning to feed green cut bone to the
hens. and the feeding Of It should begin
IS soon as the hens are put in winter
quarters, give 1t to them at the rate Of
about one-half ounce per head twice each
week for some six weeks, then gradually
Increase the quantity until at Christmas
and from then on they are having a lit
tie more than an ounce per hen three times
a week. In feeding Il a good plan Is to
mix It with one Of the grain feeds for the
day and try and scatter this grain SO
that each hen Is likely to get her share OF
the green bone. Another good way is to
scatter the allowance Through the char
in the scratching shed, together with a
Er2-f srInrlu nf u-haoY q Z rna ,,yI -
and let the lens gather it by scratching for
it. If too much Of it Is used, and particu-
larly If corn Is a part of the grain ra-
ton, 1t causes fat and thus makes trou-
bic with the egg production. Just here a
word about green cut clover for laying
hens. If one has a supply of clover hay
cut a portion Of 1t UP into inch lengths
and after wetttng 1t thoroughly feed 1t
several times a week. If no clover is on
hand buy some OF the cut kinds that are
put up especially for poultry. Feeding cut
clover will add wonderfully to the egg
supply.
Comfortable Quarters for Stock.
: Most farmers, except the shiftless ones,
are quite willing to make their stock COM
Portable during the winter, but say they
are unable TO do so because they cannot
afford to buy this, lat or the other. In
some cases it is necessary to buy more
or less material, but on most farms the
question of comfort for animals is simply
a question Of a little ingenuity on the part
Of their owner. For example: there are
many cracks between the boards in the
stable one cannot afford to buy the
necessary lumber for repairs. Go to the
nearest town where a newspaper is pub
lished and you can buy enough old COPIES
for 50 cents to close all the cracks in every
out building you own; Is cents for tacks
and . cents for third grade laths win COM
plete the fund necessary to spend Than