The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-01-12

be protected by wrapping it in straw and
mounding up the soil at the bottom so
that mice cannot make a bed IN the straw.
Tie the straw loosely about each plant then
get the basket over 1t. The illustration
! shows the idea plainly except that the
artist has left no opening AT the Top Oh
the plant which should be done that a cir
culation of air pass through. The cost or
this arrangement is so small there ought
to be no reason why all plants needing
winter protection cannot be given 1t,
THE PROPER SEEDS FOR
MEADOWS.
As ~ rule farmers are little inclined 10
ask for help in the way of advice ID work
ing out troubles of the farm. A man Will
go to his tailor and rely on the lattcrs
Judgment as to material and cut; he will
be guided by the advice of his grocer to
some extent and go all through the list OF
those from whom he buys with the one
exception Of the seedslnen. This seems to
be particularly true in the matter OF the
selection of grass seeds. ScccsE!ea VINO
make q speciality Of grass seeds have ex-
perienced extensively! and are well posted
on the proper combinations for use TO the
best effect on certain soils. 1t is safe to
say that If a farmer will describe in detail
the character Of his soil and the purpose
for which the grass crop is to be used. the
seedsmen can make a selection OF grasses
which would give much more satisfactory
results than II the selection were made by
the farmer himself. SO to some extent
with the state experiment stations: many
Of them have experimental extensively
with grass seeds and are In a position to
advise planters as to selection. Farmers
ought to make more use of the Information
that may be had from numerous sources
FOR the asking. then they do.
THE STALL FED COW.
Somehow many dairymcn have reached
the wrong conclusions when reading OF
dairy farms where the COWS are stalled
the year round. 1t by no means IS intended
that the cows shall have no out-door exer-
else; on the contrary, except for cows that
are on pasture entirely during the sum
mer. few COWS are more intelligently exer-
cised and proper ventilation furnished
them than stabilized animals properly
brought up. AT regular hours the
animals are turned into commodious barn
yards for air and exercise. During the
winter this out door exercise Is az care
fully looked after as during ule summer
and. in the majority OF cases. the cows
occupy only sleeping hours and milking
hours in their separate stalls the balance
Of the time being spent III large sheds.
Don't be afraid of the fresh air for your
animals during the winter: see that they
| have all the outdoor exercise the weather
will permit but more than all see that the
stables are properly ventilated and aired.
There are a number OF devices for this
purpose and one of the best Of them is the
window frame covered with muslin as de-
scribed iii this department two weeks ago.
Remember that close confinement and foul
air pre-disposes the COW to tuberculosis
and that fresh air and plenty OF IT will
enable her to do her share not only as a
milk producer but as a mother.
CARING FOR EARLY CHICKS.
Everyone who raises poultry for egg pro-
duction realizes the value Of the early
matched chick. Unfortunately many Of the
early hatched chicks die. from various
causes but it Is worth considerable trouble
TO take all the precautions possible TO raise
all the chicks that are born healthy. one
of the best methods of doing this In to
provide a special house for the hens and
their broods. Such a house should be low,
not expensive, and built 20 that the great.
est possible amount of sunlight can enter
it: If this sunlight is admitted through
glass placed close to the floor care must be
taken to cover this glass at night. The
space for each hen and her brood need
not be large, four feet square would be
ample. just enough TO provide plenty OF
room for exercise on the part Of The
chicks. II this room for exercise 4. giver
the chicks will not huddle 30 closely about
the mother in cold weather but Will run
around. hask In the sun and pick up small
grain IF 1T Ia placed where they can get II
in the chaf on the floor. All this Is trou'
bile, OF course, but ii makes strong healthy
chicks and reduces the number of death.
among early hatched chicks to a mini
mum.
CARROTS AS FOOD FOR STOCK.
While carrots are somewhat more ex.
pensive 10 raise than mangels they can b.
fed to all kinds of stock with success anc
go farther. Horses are especially fond o
carrots and while they hould not form
a part of the regular ration. severa
quarts twice a week will do much .towart
keeping their digestive organs in good con
iition particularly II they are fed on ha,
and considerable corn during the winter
With cows and sheep carrots can be mad
a part Of the ration to considerable ad
vantage. A half bushel Of carrots witt
the usual quantity of roughage would
work splendidly when the grain ration wa
something like two pounds of corn meal
one pound Of gluten meal and five pound
of bran. 1t is supposed that the 'reade
understands hat the term ration mean
the supply OF food for the day for eacl
animal. This ration is not an expensiv'
one yet the leaving cut OF the carrots