The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-02-12
Tillins or Mulchinq the Orchard.

as the snap.
Filling or Mulching the Orchard.
While there is considerable controversy
over the advantages OF tilling the orchard
or fertlliztns il and keeping it in grass
then mowirs the grass and per
hitting it to remain as a mulch. much
Of the value Of one plan over the other
depends largely upon local conditions.
instead of arguing this question those
who are familiar with the results from
either method should try to influence the
iruit grower TO try either in
stead of insisting that if his particular
Plan is not adopted anything else will
result in failure. The fact is tina more
than seventy per cent. of the orchards
on farms throughout the country are ne
elected: many Of them are still worth re-
deeMing and either OF the methods will
bring good results. Try the one that
Is the most convenient and in the major
lily of cases this one will be the mulch
plan, which is to apply fertilizer liber-
ally, the KIND the trees need, SOW in grass
and at hay!ng time cut this grass and per-
nit it to lay and decay: it will act as e
mulch conserving the moisture III the soil.
Any man with an orchard a dozen years
or less old will find It profitable TO do
son!ail Ing 10 make the trees grow and
fruit, and in nine out of ten cases the
first thing 20 do is 10 feed the SOL.
Ring"orn in Calves.
This troublesome difficulty is apparent
during the winter more than at any
other time and is due 70 q vegetable
parasite II is not a dangerous disease
but is far from pleasant and as it IS con-
tagious considerable effort should be
made 10 overcome II. II usually appears
on the neck of the animals working to-
ward the face and leaving bare spots. II
the trouble is noted on the calves treat
them at once by taking one part OF car
holic acid, four parts Of glycerine and
six parts Of olive oil and mix thoroughly.
Rub thoroughly into the skin and about
the paris affected after first washing the
parts thoroughly With warm water made
soapy with carbolic soap. Other animals
III the barn, especially calves, should also
be washed with the mixture to prevent
contagion. Wash every other day for ten
days.
Using Wood Ashes ProFtably.
While there IS no reason why wood
ashes cannot be used on many of the
farm crops raised provided they are care
fully used. the best results come from
their use on hay lands. Here they may
be freely used and Will invariably give
good results. The writer has used them
70 advantage IN potato growing and in
corn, on rather sandy soil well filled with
hunus or vegetable matter: but, dis
y 81 .SOSN-l SSS!S4E!lA !OGh NSS GlWGsS
used to mix with the ashes and the COM
hination was used rs a dressing not drop
ping out the usual fertilizers applied dur
ing the preparation of the seed bed. In
using wood ashes on meadows one must
be sure that they are dry and ~unleacfs6
ashes or their potash content. their main
value, viii be small hence the applica-
ton will fail 10 produce satisfactory re-
suits and the expense Will be heavy. It
is a good plan 70 submit samples OF wood
ashes 70 the experiment station OF Your
state for examination before going into
them very heavy
Mid-Winter Needs OF Poultry.
Assuming that the poultry house is
comfortable and properly ventilated as
well rs kept free from vsrnlin any trouble
which the fowls have are due probably TO
the method Of feeding. Unless one is
skilled in feeding and has kept up the
variety necessary TO the best results to-
gether with the feeding OF green food and
animal meal there is likely 10 be q fall
ing OF in the egg supply. Probably the
hens are bei2s overte1 and Il so this
may be easily reGneGied by reducing the
ration. II chances are, however. that
the lack O. green food is the trouble: TO
put il in other words The fowls have too
much grain. Try TIE plan OF cutting 5own
their grain ration abou oRe-third (one-
half Z tbs fowls are very faO and max
ing up the bulk wiki green food. Feed
them anything in the line of green food
oetainable, cabhagss, vegetable tops OF
any sort that they viii eat. small pota-
toes, cut green clover. anything that VIII
civ them the needed Change and give
their storlachs a chance 10 rest from the
~overfeedins Of grains, Do this and you
VIII Sc : decided change IN the egg pro
ductson after two weeks
Mango en- Cattle.
Mango IS undoubtedly $ parasite and it
travels from the horse 10 the cow OF
vice versa It nay be called contagious
or i~ntscic,s as enc pleases but there is
little doubt that once in a barn or stable
it IS hard 10 get rid of. The treatment Is
simple ard ory requires s-hcroughness
and patience to be effective, The first
sh-ng Is TO relieve the animal which IS
eesS M by the use Of some god animal
oI wa;ca there are several On tbs
nsrses Gel = good soap. Z for which