The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-08-18
HORTICULTURE IN MAGAZINES

In their writings but at least they are sim
cere and practical. Don't look to popular
magazines for accurate Information on ag-
riculture OF allied subjects for you won't
find 1t.
FAsTURING MEADOWS.
The question Of pasturing meadows was
sent to n of our contributors who has
raised the finest hay In his state for years.
He replies don't" but afterward modifes
this by saying that while his first advice
is not to pasture the meadows at all he
realizes that in some locations and under
some conditions 1t may be safely done. Tho
new meadow, and especially the one on
rather light soil ought never to be pas
tured non should any meadows be pastured
when 1t Is so green and wet that the hoofs
OF the animals sink deeply. Where the
meadow Is on rather gravelly soil and Is
good and strong the second growth In the
fall may be pastured for a time, provided
Il Is not done too long nor the COWS per-
mitted to eat the grass too short. If this
Is done. especially in the colder sections
there is apt to be considerable grass win
ter killed. Our contributor makes a prac-
tice Of cutting the second growth In the
late fall and leaving it as a mulch then in
the late winter, but before the thaws begin
he top dresses, On the snow, the meadow.
and reaps a correspondingly large crop til.
following season. This plan may not suit
you but at any rate be careful about pas
turing too long In the fall.
COWS HOLDING UP MILK.
II one woul realize where kindness to
animals pays let him have a herd Of COWS
to milk who fear their owner because they
are constantly being struck or yelled at
harshly and then turn him over to milk
a lot of COWS who nave been kindly treat
ed. While the holding w of the milk may
be due to some trouble with the udder or
the teats. nine times out of ten it is be-
cause the mixer is not in harmony with
his COWS or because there is no regularity
in his time OF milking; this last is import
ant for animals are largely creatures OF
habit and are likely to resent it il they ara
not promptly cared for. Milk each day at
the same hour you MIXED the day before.
feed regularly each day and water as reg
ularly. Treat the cows with kindness.
teach them by regular handling that when
you place your hand on them 1t is in kind
ness; give them a caressing pat or two
each time you pass them and you will
find they will respond in the only way
they can, by giving you milk, all they
have, and being gentle.
FOOD FOR HORSES WITH HEAvEs
The horse suffering with heaves has
weak digestion hence the food given
should be a laxative character although
not grass, as a rule, unless the horse IL
inclined to be constlpated when an hour
on the pasture each day will do him good.
In the matter Of the Manager the essential
thing is to keep 1t free from dust and X
the roughage is fed by itself 1t should be
we'll moistened before being placed in the
manger. A better plan would be to cut
1t rather fine and mix it with the grain
given generally wetting the entire mass.
In some bad cases 1t win be necessary to
feed tho horse a steamed ration which is
made by grinding the grain, cutting the
hay very short and mixing the two thor
OIlph1v than n1Q1fnp in cny,, All
which may be covered and pouring boil
ing water over the mass and let it aloha
for five or six hours. AS a rule more or
less in the way Of root crops may be safe
ly fed to horses with heaves.
LIME NECESSARY FOR ALFALFA
1t is safe to say that alfalfa cannot be
grown successfully unless the soil is we'll
lined. There are many fields today that
are yellow and sickly solely for the want
OF lime and this is the only bar to sue
cess where a partial growth has been sue
cessful. There is the usual idea concern
ing alfalfa that obtains with almost all
plants that can be easily grown and that
Is that Ito use the slang OF the day. ANY
old soil will do" Alfalfa is too valuable
a crop to lose sight of and it is worth ali
the time it will take to study It's habits
and for experimenting. To begin with see
that the soil is not sour and to be certain
of that use the lit1nus test, given in this
uspaleiiieit many times, ana IL needed, ap-
ply lime to the soil at the rate Of one or
more tons an acre as necessary, and do it
Tor at least two years before the ground
is to. be used for alfalfa. It will pay to
spend this time in learning about the needs
OF the plant and preparing the soil for it.
DEVICE FOR HOLDING BAGS.
When one man has to fill q bag he finds
1t more or less troublesome keeping it open
hence the device here described will appeal
to him particularly as it costs but a trifs
and Is easily made. Have the blacksmith
form for you a half circle of stout spring
wire looping 1t once in the center and
crooktng each end upward and sharpening
them. Then nave him make an iron hook