The Green Forest tribune., 1913-01-24
Weekly Letter of John H. Page Com missioner of Mines, Manufactures |.

missioner of Mines, Manufactures :.
 and Agriculture.
 One of the many things to engage the attention of the farmer now is to give the proper attention to stock. Proper shelter should be pravided for the milch-cows and also the calves. Cattle suffer materially from being left out in the cold rain and the severe wet weather of the winter. The calves, the yearlings, and the two year olds, that are to be used for milk stock and for beef in the future, should be given shelter, and if possible, dry place in
 which to sleep, and be provided vii h
 beds of straw. It has grown to be a custom in many parts of the state to let the cattle run outside throughout the winter and have the range of the woods or else be confined to the stalk field. This plan will do very well until the weather gets cold and severe, but when all vegetation is killed and the cattle are largely dependent on what is fed to them, they should be given better care. The cattle that are to make beef in the future, would do much better if properly fed and cared for, for the next 50 or 70 days. After the first of April they can begin to make 1 their own way on the grass and pastures, and the weather will not be so hard on them. Calves, yearlings, and two year olds that are left to the run of the range through the winter and are fed sparlingly will be stunted in growth and will lose much more than the cost of feeding them. The mich cows will always give an ample return for the feed and shelter given them during the winter and they will be in much better condition in the spring to give bountiful flow of milk during the summer,
 Careful attention should be given to the brood soWs at this time of year and it will prove profitable to those who will take pains to make small houses for them to occupy and fill them with hay, straw or leaves, so that the sows may have comfortable bedding for farrowing. The farmer who gives proper attention to this will find that he has been paid for his trouble, by larger and healthier filters of pigs. The pigs that are farrowed during February and March will be the de- pendence for meat in good many households, and it will pay we'll to look after the sows in breeding time and care for the pigs afterwards. The pigs should be fed on skinned milk as soon as they can be taught to drink it. And if the skinned milk is not available use buttermilk. As soon as they are taught to drink the milk, mixture of bran and shorts should be made with the milk so as to make thin slop As the pigs grow older more of the shorts may be added until finally it be- comes about as thick as mush. It will aid very much if patch of rye is sown in time for it to be available early in the spring so that the pigs can be turned upon it. Later, it will be well to turn them on clover or alfalfa and to have oats and peas sown together es pasture for them in the early part of June. Give them plenty of fresh water at all times and make mixture of equal parts of charcoal, salt and soft coal, and have it where they can reach it at all times. When spring opens up it will be well to take few corn or oat sacks and tack them a. round posts where the hogs can reach them and saturate them with coal oil about three times week, the pigs and hogs will find them and rub against them and thus keep themselves free from lice.
 It is well to take care of the yearling colts during the winter. Keep them housed and with something dry to sleep on, and feed them we'll They may become stunted and what would make good horse will turn out to be a. disappointment to the owner.
 JOHN H. PAGE, Commissioner of Agriculture.