The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-09-30
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uE1 PING MouLrING HENS.

HELPING MoULTING HENS.
We told few weeks ago OF the ne"
method Of assisting hens to mouit ny
keeping them in houses on smaii
allowance of food and then turning
them on to grass run, and while TINS
plan works we'll care must be taken
that the rations are not too greally
reduced. Hens treated in this man
ner must be in good laying conditlon
at the time of moulting or they VIII
not be able to stand the half-starVa-
ton plan. They must have plenty OF
water and grit and about one'nalf tne
grain allowance, and as soon as the
feathers begin to drop should be given
the benefit of the range, whether IL DC
in ten days or two weeks or longer
after the first confinement. Some
hens will get in shape for the range
in ., week and others in two weeks
hence. must be treated accordingly.
SUGGESTIONS TO SHEPHERDS.
Sheep require variety OF food to
form flesh and fat.
With sheep, rather more than WIN
any other class of stock, care must pc
taken not to overfeed.
Overstocking is usually injurious to
the sheep and ruinous to the farmer.
Dryness is one of the requirements
in the production of the finest grades
Of wool.
No sheep should be allowed to die
Of old age, but all should be fattened
and sent to market before their vital
ity. has been impaired.
Sheep are naturally gregarious.
When one is seen by itself something
is evidently wrong.
In commencing to fatten sheep, the
feeding should not be crowded at first,
but gradually increase the amount of
the ration.
PROFIT IN HAND SEPARATOR.
Hand separators average about 500
each, but this cost can be saved in
year in any dairy where ten or more
cows are kept; this has been demon
strated time and again. so there is no
doubt about it. Manufacturers of sep
arators claim that the saving is about
ten dollars COW per year and is based
on the fact that the cream is taken
there is no danger of it becoming sour,
and because of this almost perfect con-
adition the cream ripens more evenly
and, therefore, makes a better quality
of butter. Again, as the separating is
done soon after milking the value of
the skim milk for feeding purposes is
greater, as it is usually given to young
stock while 1t still retains the animal
warmth There is everything in favor
of the hand separator and nothing
against it, so that any man with a
dairy of proper size, who does not
have a separator, is cheating himself
out of just so much good profit.
WEEDS.
Nothing responds so quickly to fall
rains as the weeds: Meadows are COW
cred, clover fields become green, the
wheat or oat stubble are soon hidden
with the rapid growth of weeds.
Weeds are expensive enemies in Gull
tivated lands. They get near the
growing corn and can only be routed
with the hoe, requiring great amount
Of hand labor
Weed destruction can be made much
cheaper where the moving machine is
made the tool for eradication. If the
mower Is used in the fall, clipping the
fields before the seed natures. it is
wholesale method Of destroying not
only the present crop, but the field
In the future is made more nearly
clear of weeds. If clover has been
sown in the stubble. clipping the weed
forms winter protection for the
clover, and does not take plant food
and moisture. so much needed by
young clover when getting ready for
winter. Clipping the weeds now does
a double purpose. Since it is more
cheaply done now than at any time of
year, 1t should be one of the regular
plans on every farm to destroy weeds
before they mature seed.
GRASS AND CLOVER PAYING
CROPS.
Pasture grass is not often consider
ed cash crop. and hay does not, per-
haps, bring to the pocketbook, when
sold, quite as large revenue as titled
crops. So farmers have preferred to
manure the cultivated crops and tn