The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-01-27
WHY NOT HELP PosTERlTY?

Twenty-Five years ago the writer was
managing n farm of eighty odd acres in
western New York, About ten acres of
this farm was the wood lot composed of
fine sugar NAPLES. For a number of years
the owner has been encroaching on this
wood for home heating purposes, but when
the farm was turned over to us on n five
years lease this cutting down of the trees
ceased. In some changes We made this
wood lot became a part of the pasture en-
closure and the COWS appreciated the
shade so much that it excited the com
ment Of the owner who agreed to our sus-
gcStion that he would pay one-half of the
expense of setting the old pasture TO trees.
Few nursery trees could be afforded, the
planting being mainly from the smaller
saplings in the old wood lot. Last sum
mer we saw the place again after all these
years and learned that the wood lot we
had helped establish was one OF the
priced possessions of the present owner
and that because of this wood lot the place
had brought at least 20 per cent. more
than equally good farms without the wood
lot. Perhaps l am a little cranky on the
question of forest preservation, or to bring
1t closer home. farm wood lot preservation,
but when the government and the manu-
facturers of the country are beginning to
view the situation seriously i feel like
saying II told you So" No better work
for posterity can be done than to use the
'1iir N'ssN t'1 i' oiiStA ~ -
setting out young native trees. Look into
the question wherever you live and see if
You don't see the necessity for farmers
helping in the preservation of trees.
HORSES FEET IN WINTER.
The farm horse may not be doing much
work at this time of the year. but hat is
no reason why his feet and legs should
not be cared for. If the horse is on the
road more or less the legs and ankles be-
come coated with mud or ice and should
have attention as soon as the animal Is
brought into the stable. If he is standing
most of the day 1t Is essential that the
floor, of whatever material it may be COM
posed. be KEEP clean. one good way of car
ing for the feet and legs of a horse is to
wipe them dry with n moist cloth when
the animal Is brought in, then with n stick
of wood give proper attention to the hoof.
one of the fertile sources of rheumatism
in horses is neglect of the feet and lower
legs. We make 1t a business in cold wealth
er 10 rub a little NaSeline in the frog of the
foot and over the hoofs generally two or
three times a week and always clean this
part as thoroughly as any other.
VENTILATION ESSENTIAL.
The plan Of keeping the poultry house
warm during the winter is all right up to
certain limits. but there is no necessity of
keeping it without ventilation. What is
needed most in the building of a poultry
u " !" iiiltI occupancy II III IidIISG-
ment which will supply ventilation with
out draughts and still permit of the house
being made warm enough for the birds in
very cold regions. There are many plans
of ventilation, from the window opened in
an adjoining portion to the box ventilator
which extends from about a foot from the
floor out through the roof. One Will have
to work out a plan of ventilation to suit
his own houses and most poultryImcn will
fnd the ideal plan in a combination Of
one or two or moro. More attention should
be given TO providing ventilation and less
to talking so much about which is the bet
ter plan. If ones house Is not as we'll pro-
vlded In this respect as it should be, this.
at least, can be done. Have some place
In which the fowls can be turned during
the warm part of the day without danger
of cold and then throw the doors and WIN
dows of the house wide open and let the
mir blow through. Just as some of the
worst colds are caught by humans from
being in rooms too warm SO are some of
the worst cases of roup among poultry
traced directly to ovcr-warm houses.
WINTER CARE OF EWES.
Fine lambs are from well-cared for ewes
and the care at this time is quite as ncccs-
sary as nearer the season when the lambs
will be dropped. If the lambs are ex-
pected early see that the ewes have n fair
supply of succulcnt food-well cured clean
clover hay viii do them a world Of good.
About once a week give the ewes a ration
of raw potatoes, using the small ones that
unstable. If there is a good supply of
these small potatoes let all the sheep
have some. As it nears lambing time it is
essential that the eve have a warm place
at night. The ordinary quarters where the
ewes are kept are not, as "a rule, warm
enough, so some inside shed with plenty
of good bedding should be provided. More
lambs nave chilled to death at soon after
birth because they We're born in cold quar-
ters than we can calculate. See that the
sheep have access to clean, not too cold,
water all through the winter and keep
them contented by always having some
%roughage before them which they may
busy themselves with. During the day
the flock need not be kept in very warm
quarters. but they should be dry and pro-
vision made Cor warmer places at night.
GROOMING COWS AND HORSES.
1t is amusing to most farmers to speak
Of grooming ows and yet such men are