The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-03-27
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of AgricuIture.)

| ground robin, scratching for MS dinner
| like a hen. This dinner will consist
Of beetles and larvae of insects harm
full to crops, which have been spend
| ing the winter under old leaves.
The good which the towhee does in
this way can hardly be oVerestimated,
since the death of a single insect at
| this time, before 1t has had an oppor-
| tunity to deposit its eggs, is equiva-
| lent to the destruction of a host later
| in the year. The towhee has also
been credited with visiting potato
| fields and feeding upon the potato
beetle. It's vegetable food consists OF
seeds and small wild fruits, but no
complaint on this score is known to
have been made. So far as observa-
| ton goes, the bird never touches either
cultivated fruit or grain; in fact, it
| is too shy and retiring even to stay
about gardens for any length of time
The towhee breeds from the middle
| states northward and winters in the
southern half of the country. Natural
| ~ associated with catbird and brown
thrasher it lives in much the same
| places, though it is more given to
haunting hedgerows along roads and
| fences.
Some Common Birds Useful to the
Farmer is the title of Farmers Bulle
| tin No. $50 of the United States de
| partment of agriculture, which de-
scribes other useful birds. The pamph-
let may be had by applying to the de-
| partment.
Management of the Sow During Preg-
nancy.
The breeding season for spring lit
tiers has just passed and the time for
| the SOW to give birth to her young is
| at hand.
| During pregnancy two facts must be
! borne in mind. The first is that the
/ SOW is doing double duty. Not only
| is she keeping up her own bodily func-
lions, but the development of the litter
! is an increasing drain on her system.
| Feeding at this time should be liberal,
although it need not be so heavy as
| after the pigs are narrowed. The
I sows condition should be good" nei-
| Their too fat nor too lean. A very fat
SOW is apt to be clumsy with her pigs,
and some times her pigs are lacking
in vitality. The very thin SOW will
| either not do justice to her pigs, or
will become mere wreck herself dur
| ing the time she is nursing her litter
and the chances are that both these
things will happen. The necessity of
exercise must not under any circum-
stances be overlooked. This may be
provided by large lot or even driving
the hogs slowly for a short distance
each day.
II fho Mo h. 10
mands upon the sow are those for the
building of new tissue. Therefore, the
kind OF feed is important. The nitro
genous or protein bearing feeds are
needed at this time. These are bran,
oil meal, peas, beans, oats and barley.
The clovers, alfalfa, peas, beans,
| vetches etc, are also of much value
to the brood SOW. Special emphasis
should be laid on the condition of the
bowels during pregnancy and particu-
larIy at narrowing, the special danger
to be avoided being constipation. The
grain ration should be given as slop
aud toward the close of the period of
CESSATION, oil meal, or a small amount
of fax meal should be introduced into
the ration
Corn should not be fed in large
amounts to breeding stock, because II
does not furnish enough bone-and,
muscle-forming constituents to prop
erly develop the unborn pigs. If pos
sible, corn should not be fed at all to
any but fattening animals.
Hog Graves Green Feed.
During the winter more care will be
needed to keep the SOW in good condi
ton on account of the absence OF pas
ture. Not only does the hogs system
crave green feed, but more or less
bulk is demanded. To Offset the lack
of green feed, nothing surpasses roots
These may be sliced or pulped and
mixed with the grain or may be given
whole as noon feed. Care must be
used in feeding roots, as they are laxa
tive in effect, and if fed in excessive
amounts. may bring about profuse &C
ton of the bowels. Some eastern
farmers recommend the use of silage
clover, alfalfa, hay, sheaf oats or corr
] fodder to supply the bulky require
ment of the ration. Charcoal, ashes
. lime, and salt should be accessible a
all times. These act as a vermifugt
] and preventive OF disease and NEE
TIC AOS ing AOI mineral
in the feed. During the entire period
care should be taken to keep the sys
tenn well toned. The SOW should be
come accustomed to being handled AMI
should look upon her attendant as
friend.
!. The brood sows may run together
up to within two weeks of narrowing
time; then it is well to separate them
placing each SOW by herself in a yarC
with small house, which should b,
/ dry. airy, and clean A great deal O
exercise viii not now be necessary
: The feed should be reduced somewha
and If there is any tendency to consti
patton, slight change of feed may b
; necessary.
The narrowing pen should be Pre-
vided with tenders around at leas
three sides about six to eight niche
from the doOy and six to eight niche