The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-12-18

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may be a crude way but it is better than
no protection, costs but little and can be
putin place In a few minutes.
Skim Milk for Cows.
If one has a separator in the dairy Their,
is no objection to feeding the skim milk
to the cows provided it Is given them
while sweet, that is, when not stale or
in any way soiled. 1t Is best fed back
to the COWS mixed with bran and adds
materially to the food ration generally
increasing the mill flow decidedly. The
plan of feeding skim milk from the cream
cry to cows should not be carried on for
such milk is unfit even for swine unless
one is reasonably sure that 1t is from the
milk of the same day. 1t Is probable that
the feeding of skim milk will be found
most profitable when given to hogs or to
the poultry, but where this stock is not
kept In sufficient quantity to consume the
skim milk it may be safely-fed to cows
under the conditions named.
Handling the Breeding Sow.
Too little attention is paid to the health
Of the breeding SOW, as a rule. and per-
haps this Is because Of the general prac-
tice to breed the animal for only a year
or two and then turn her into pork. AS
a successful raiser of hogs for many years
the writer has felt that the idea that a
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two seasons at most was wrongg. II the
sow is properly cared for In all ways there
Is no reason why she cannot be bred for
a number of years and the progeny be all
that Is desired I consider 1t absolutely
essential to the good health Of the SOW
that she be fed a small ration Of roots or
other succulent food three or four times
a week for two months or more before
parturition to keep the bowels in good
condition. If she becomes constipated
give a dose or two of EPSON salts and in
crease the ration of root crops. Exercise
Is also absolutely necessary, but she
should take this exercise in a sheltered
place, where the sun shines If possible,
and. 1t should be continued for some time
after the pigs are dropped. 1t will be
some little trouble to give this additional
care, but 1t will pay.
Caring for the Dairy Cow.
No one will question the statement that
any animal that is well treated will do Its
best for Its owner; the trouble is different
people have different ideas Of what con-
%stitutes good treatment. The average
man feels that plenty Of good food Is all
an animal should expect, while other
men endeavor to make kind words and
an occasional pat take the place of prop
er feeding. A veteran dairyman, a Ger
man. showed the writer his stables made
Of rough lumber and crudely built. but
well lined inside with building paper so
that they were warm. Each stall was ar
ranged 80 that the animal had perfect
freedom in the enclosure and yet could
not turn sufficiently to soil the bedding.
Every stall was thoroughly cleaned each
morning and night, all straw removed
and a moderately strong solution of car
bolic acid sprinkled over the floor. A
light layer Of straw was placed on the
floor during the day and at night a heavy
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after milking and while the cows were
eating, they were groomed with brush
and comb just as the horses were cared
for. In the morning each cow was wiped
off with a large cloth to remove any d'st
that might be on it's coat from the straw;
This was done before milking. the udder
being also cleaned with a cloth. OF
course these cows are well and properly
fed, but our friend has figured hat the
treatment REFER ed to has considerable to
do with the milk result, and he is I'M
doubtedly right.
Feeding Hens for Eggs.
A farmer attending an institute once
asked a poultry expert how he could ave
his pullets and hens lay during the win
ter. The reply was. make them believe
it is summer" He then went on to ex-
plain that If one would go over In his
mind what he had seen the hen pick up
on the range during the summer and
try and provide good substitutes, there
would be little trouble in obtaining win
ter eggs. Let US see how this works out.
First Of all the hens on the range are
we'll supplied with green food and that
they consume 1t In large quantities Is
proof that 1t Is necessary to their good
health and for egg production. Then the
next idea of the hen on the range Is to
get all the insects she can. 1t is thus
seen that green food and meat are essen
tials in egg production and it Is safe to
say that If these are supplied in proper
quantities with almost any grain ration,
not wholly corn. the egg results will be de-
cidedly pleasing. AS stated last week one
of the best green foods is clover and 1t
will pay to buy 1t. Cabbages and root
crops are also good. The meat fed should
be fresh and sweet or If this Is not OBJ
tainable the prepared animal meal should
be bought. Try the plan of reproducing
summer in the poultry menu and find
how well 1t works.
Making a Farm Sled.
The Illustration shows a farm sled that
Is equally valuable for use in the winter
and summer so that 1t will pay to build it
solidly, particularly as it is designed to
carry heavy loads. Oak planks should
be used for the runners and a good size is
two inches thick, ten inches wide and
eight or ten feet long. The ends should
be rounded as shown in the small figure
Of the runner and top of each should be
so beveled that when the floor Is nailed
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