The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-01-20

One. cannot. expect to raise. large
and valuable draft horses out of colts
by giving them nothing hut some hay
and free range of the straw stacks to
live on during the winter months.
Roughing it. does not encourage
growth, neither does It develop hardi-
hood as Is 80 generally supposed by
many farmers. Our. perfect specimens
of pure bred horses, cattle, sheep and
swine have been made possible only
by having been given the best feed
and care as well as breeding. and by
their ancestors having received like
treatment.
The. stallion should show strong
mastulinity, as indicated by vigorous,
bold eyes and a massive. well crested
neck. The mare should be feminine
in character, as indicated by mild
eyes, comparatively small head and
slender neck, which together with a
somewhat more roomy barrel should
constitute a breeding appearance.
In these days of exceedingly high
priced concentrated feeds, it behooves
the farmer, depending principally on
dairying, to produce on his own land
as much as possible Of the rat1ons
necessary for his herd to make pro-
ftable flow, of milk. In order to do
this, it is not too emphatic to say he
must grow alfalfa.
II you are going in for few sheep
this season, don't overlook the matter
of shelter. Sheep must be kept dry al
to fleece and feet, otherwise your ven
ture will result disastrously. Provide
| dry quarters for wet weather and
you'll not have much difaculty In car
rying them over.
Great Britain imports much less
live stock than formerly. In 1909 the
| receipts Of live cattle were $4,000
less from the United States and 5000
less from Canada than in the previous
year. At the same time it imported
greatly increased quantity Of chilled
beef.
The COWS should not be fed their
roughage. nor the bedding be stirred
up before milking, and as far as
possible the barn should be opened
and aired also before the milking
time, so that the foul air which
taints milk so readily may escape.
| With cheap corn and other grains
any man who could buy few pigs
and finish them for market could
make a little profit, but it requires
skill and ability to grow pigs and tat
| ten them on 60-cent corn and make .
reasonable profit.
| Any system of farming which pro-
vides regular summer and winter
work for the horses will prevent tho
waste caused by their "eating their
they may be available for work at
| other seasons.
| Weeds in the lawn are an indica-
ton that the soil is poor. They differ
from cultivated plants in that they
require poor land. If the lawn ID
good and rich the grass will grow
vigorously and crowd out the weeds.
Don't feed dusty hay to horses. II
you have no other kind sprinkle It
with water just before feeding. Many
horse troubles may be traced directly
to dusty hay and these are much moro
easily prevented than cured.
| Sell of the cockerels. Do not in
breed. II you are not going to fill
the incubator before March you will
not need a cock before February.
But don't be stingy when you buy
him.
| When spraying the chicken house
there Is no good in making seven
eighths Job of it, because the vermin
left in the last one.eighth will quick
ly multiply and spread all over the
other seven.
It is a mistake to dump potatoes
Immediately after digging into q
wagon box and shovel them into pits
while they are easily bruised and the
skin broken with rough handling.
Cream on the average will weigh
about eighteen pounds to the gallon.
but will vary according to the per
cent. of butter fat 1t contains-butteF
fat being lighter than cream.
Many people are realizing tho profit
in raising heavy geese, az they are
worth more a pound than the lighter
breeds, and every year there II moro
demand for the Toulouse.
A sheepkeeper should study his in
dividual animals and observe them
daily, reading meanwhile all the gov
eminent bulletins on sheep that are
obtainable
4 crop raised on sod plowed under
wet, eight inches deep, and worked
until fine enough to cultivate. Is ofte7
the best ever raised on a given piece
of land.
In feeding aged steers quality and
; type are not so essential as In feed
ing calves, provided the purchase
| nrico IA nrOn0rfiOnate