University of South Carolina Libraries
REDUCTION OF POUL Sanitary Houses are Nece All kinds of grain, both whole and ground, are so high in price that it will pay us to study how to feed the hens as cheaply as possible and still secure good results. Bran is a heavy expense, and the amount used can be greatly lessened by feeding cut clover, or cowpea hay. fT"U ?-l ~ tkn alamonta as 1UCOC t'UUVOJU IUC Dauig ?wheat bran and are very palatable for the hens when steamed. Cut or break the hay Into small pieces, pack into a tub or bucket and pour over It all the boiling water It will absorb, then cover closely and let stand thirty or forty minutes before feeding. In the winter when the hens cannot get green grass they relish this very much. Sprouted grains are another cheap food. This was sold a few years ago as a poultry "secret" of feed at fifteen cents a bushel. Oats are generally used for this, although wheat, rye and other grains are as good. The grain should be soaked for twenty-four hours, or even thirty-six hours, in warm water, then spread In shallow boxes and kept in a warm place*- Keep moist by sprinkling two ? or three times a day with warm water. Feed when the sprouts are about two inches long. ffc*? hma toIII oat rnlnil And 8T)routs AUQ uvuu ii m vmv o< both and by the process of sprouting the amount of feed is greatly Increased without Increasing the cost Sunflower seeds, If raised in the odd corners where nothing else will grow to advantage, really cost us nothing. Hang the heads up where the hens will have to work a little to get them, or scatter the seeds around in the litter. If these seeds are fed mixed with WEANING LITTLE PIGS Much Depends on Number of Utters in a Year. V Shaped Troughs Placed on Comsnt Floors Arc' Most Satisfactory? Broken Pieces of Charcoal Are Relished by Animals.(By J. J. FULLER.) The length of time pigs should be allowed to suckle their dams depends largely on whether one or two litters ? Corner of Farrowing Pen Equipped With Fender to Prevent Sow From Crushing Any of the Pigs When She Lies Down. a year are to be raised. If but one litt-er, the pigs may nurse 12 or 13 weeks; where two litters are produced, the pigs cannot nurse longer than eight weeks. The sows should be separated from the pigs, only returning to them two or three times and then only long enough for the pigs to empty the udder. After weaning time the sows are no longer given the rich, heavy ration supplied during the nursing period. Until their milk flow stops they should be put on grass with plenty of fresh water to drink and given bnt a limited allowance of dry feed. After the pigs are weaned they should be continued on the ration which had been given them when running with the mothers. The ration can be most satisfactorily given in the form of a thick slop and fed in Cement Feeding Floors Save Feed? The V-Sha * Troughs Are Desir able. V-shaped troughs placed on a cement feeding floor. Shelled corn also may be fed on a clean spot on the floor. Either wood or corncob charcoal broken into pieces about the size of a hickory nut. is greatly relished by the early pigs while still confined in the spring before pasture grasses are available. The farmer who has skim milk, clover or alfalfa. and grows com will need to purchase but little feed for his swine. Middlings, oil meal and tankage are all valuable nitrogenous feeds and should be fed as supplements to TRY YARD EXPENSES ===== If ..=== ssary for the Laying Hens. the other gralnB that are scattere* in the litter, or as a change from th others, it will of course not be necet sary to feed so much of the expensive grainfe. The small potatoes and the potatc parings and trimmings from othe vegetables used In the house can b boiled, Baited and peppered, as for th table, and a little bran and cornmea mixed with them, just enough to tak up the surplus moisture, so that th< mixture will not be sloppy. Thif makes a good, and also a very inex pensive mash feed, With it may bi mixed the meat scraps. Beef bones and scraps should be rui through a bone cutter, or be choppe< up by hand into small pieces, befor giving to the hens. Skim milk costs really nothing 01 the farms, and if the hens have all o It they will drink, they will "not eat s* much other food. If th"se cheap feeds are handle* right, it will leave only the last fee* at night to be of the high-price* grains, and if well fed during the da; on these other things, they will no eat so much of it then. They should have a good feed o grain, mostly corn, for their supper, ii order to keep them healthy and sui ply )>odily heat during the col* weather. By following these suggestions, th hens can be almost entirely kept 01 the waste products of the farm, an* what is received for the eggs will b nearly all profit. 1 If properly housed and given plent: of clean water to drink, they will la: well on this bill of fare, and we cai rejoice over a good supply of egg when the prices are soaring. corn. Of course too liberal feeding o corn in the early growing periods i injurious. Usually, for the first six ti eight weeks after weaning, it is no best to make corn more than one third of the grain ration. Skim mill is always a splendid feed for swine and if available in sufficient quantltie to form the greater nart of thd Uquii mtheration, oil meal need cioTT* fed. One hundred pounds of tiktn milk are sometimes considered eqfta in value for pig feeding to one-half i bushel of corn. STORAGE OF SWEET POTATI Ordinary Cave or Cyclone Cella Makes Very Acceptable House? Crates Give Best Results. (By N. O. BOOTH, Department of Hortl culture, Oklahoma Agricultural Col 1P7P \ Sweet potatoes should be kept In i building which is almost Impenetrable to outside heat or cold. One of the best buildings we have found for thi purpose is the ordinary cave or c> clone cellar. Such a cave, if flttei with double ventilators, makes a ver; acceptable sweet potato Btoragi house. The potatoes themselves had bes be stored in crates, although rack give quite good results. Ab soon a they are taken from the field into th< house, fire should be started in th< stove, and the temperature run up t< 100 to 110 degrees. This should bi kept up from four to ten days unti the potatoes are perfectly dry. Thi temperature should then be allowei to fall, and by opening the doors a night and closing them early in thi morning the temperature should bi kept down to between 45 and 50 de grees. In this manner sweet pota toes may be kept ordinarily quite sat isfactorily. Push the pullets along to rapid ma turity. * Never yell at a horse, it reflects upoi yourself. ? Swiss chard has proved worthy of i place in the garden. Give the cream room for agitation which insures quick churning. * In producing milk we get no profl until the cost of feed is covered. Carrots should be so irrigated as t< be kept in a good growing condition. * It is the fault of some man if i horse has bad manners, or a ^ad habit Don't keep the ram with the ewes Give him light, clean, dry quarters b; himself. Keep him thrifty by good car* and sufficient feed. Lying on cement is apt to brinj lumps on the upper part of the legs o cattle Either bed deep or plank Ui< cement over. LIVE-STOCK-FRUIT-DAIRYING-OAR New Wrinkles F A ,n AT Progressive Agriculture jp* J J7 TOLD IN AN INTERESTING MANNE PRUDENT TREATMENT OF EWE In Winter Keep Her on Clover or Alfalfa Hay Until After Lamb ^ Comes?Give 8ome Wheat Bran. y A sensible treatment of the ewe 8 that Iambs In winter Is to keep her mostly on clover or alfalfa hay until y after her lamb comes. There will be r no need to limit the amount of hay 8 that she consumes after lambing and J 9 then when her lamb takes all her 1 milk and wishes more, begin feeding 9 her a little wheat bran. For a week 9 bran will suffice, gradually Increasing 1 the amount fed, then there may be ;* added to It a little chopped corn or 9 barley and a little later some oil-mdal. A pound a day of this mixture will 9 keep her in good milk flow and it * must be gradually led up to for about 9 ten days. About the right proportions of this 9 mixture are lOu pounds of wheat bran, ' 100 pounds of chopped corn and 20 0 pounds of oil-meal. This with clover or alfalfa hay will push her to a very 3 heavy milk flow. If she is a large 3 ewe she may consume more than a ? pound to advantage, as much as two 7 pounds being consumed by some large 1 Dorset ewes. % If this feed is so gradually Intro7 duced. to the ewe that her digestion is 9 not disturbed nor her milk flow stunh ulated too much at first, there is small 1 danger of overfeeding hei), supposing that the lamb is to be pushed for 0 early market Her unselfish nature n turns the feed quickly into milk and d little of it goes to nourish her own 6 body. 7 HORSES IN STORMY WEATHER 7 Sufficient Care Not Always Observed When Animal Haa Been Heated After 8trcnuoua Drive. f 1 is not generally realized to what B an extent loss in horseflesh is snfu fered on account of exposure in stormy t and cold weather, not only in cities, h but also on farms. When the norse is u driven rapidly or required to draw . heavy loadrf, the action of the heart is | increased, the blood circulatee more ] freely gad rapidly to the lungs amfl a the surface of the-b^rp-art"**? a comes heated. Then the horse sweat? j more or, less, and when'lh this condhi a tion is more sensitive and more liable to be injured by currents of cold air or by exposure to rain. This is not ?uf* flclently considered, and it is a very * common occurrence to see such a horse left by his driver to stand in the r street without any protection whatever until he is chilled through. Even where there is some appearance of care, in the way of providing a blanket ? for use on such occasions, this is frequently put on in such a way as to a leave the most sensitive portions of e the body exposed. When a horse is s allowed to stand so the currents of a cold air strike the breast, the result r. is likely to be more or less serious 1 lung trouble, and this may be brought y about in much less time than many a suppose. t SLAUGHTER HOGS IN WINTER 8 9 Good Plan to Provide Double Hook, 0 Bent Into "U" Shape, to Supe port Gambrel Stick. o 0 Farmers use a pole to hang the 1 hogs on at slaughtering time in win0 ter. On this pole a gambrel stick is * placed, the ends being inserted In 1 the hock of the animal's leg. It is 0 always a hard job to do the hanging 0 and place the gambrel stick at the ^ same time, writes Leslie R. Sutter of >* Towanda, 111., in Popular Mechanics. A better way is to provide a double hook of metal, heavy enough to support the animal, and hang the gambrel stick on this hook, as shown. The metal may be square or round, bent into a U-shape of such dimensions that it will fit over the timber used in hanging the hogs' and with a hook formed on each end. It is an i- easy matter to insert the. gambrel while the hog is lying on the work table, then lift it by the gambrel and a place the latter on the hooks. Winter Shed for Wagons. a If there is no room in the barn for the wagons during winter time, a few dollars will build a shed in which to i, sueuer mem irom me storms. iut) saving in paint and strength of wood would astonish you if there was any t way to estimate it. Fresh Pork Is Relished. 3 Have you got a pig in the pen for fattening? Fresh pork is relished at this time of the year and there Is no % reason why the farmer should not be entitled to the best that may be had. The farmer's wife has plenty of work to do this time of year without dress^ ing chickens. Look Over Seed Corn. ' Now is the time to begin looking over the seed corn. Test it carefully * with some of the improved seed testers. It is much better to test youf 9 seed corn in the house than to test it in the field when planting time comes. 1 I 1 HOW TO HANDLE PRIi DENIM-FIELD CROPS-SILOS-PISS RjM Making the j [ - ?y Farmer*' Business | ^ Profitable R EXPRESSLY FOR OUR READERS ROADS IN BETTER CONDITION Split-Log Drag of Great 8ervice in keeping Thoroughfares in 8hape ?How It Is Built The use of the split-leg drag Is important in putting the reads in shape. There are over 2,000,000 miles of earth rojhds In the country, and the split-log dfag is of great service in keeping them in economical repair. The drag is, used In many stateB and in foreign cc^intrles. It is used with two, three, on four horses, and is easily constructed. lit is a mistake to construct a heavy dfag. A dry red cedar log is the best material for a drag. Red elm and walnut when thoroughly dried are excellent, and box elder, soft maple or even willow are preferable to oak, hickory or ash. The log should be seven or eight reel long, ana irom ten 10 iweive inches in diameter, and carefully split down the middle. The heaviest and best slabs should be selected for the front At a point on the front slab four Inches from the end that is to be at the middle of the road locate the center of the hole to receive a cross stake, and 22 inches from the other end of the front slab locate the center for another cross stake. The hole for the middle stake will lie on a line connecting and halfway between the pther two. The back slab should then be placed in a position behind the other. From the end at the middle of the road measure 20 inches for the center of the cross stake, and tlx inches from the other end locate the center of the ' * If The Split-Log Drag. ? > outside stake. Find the center of the middle hole as before. When these holes are brought opposite each other, one end of the back slab will lie 16 inches nearer the center of the roadway than the front one. The holes should be two inches in diameter. Care must be taken to hold the auger plumb in boring these holes in order that the stakes shall fit properly. . The two slabs ehould be held 30 Inches apart by the stakes. The stakes should taper gradually toward the ends. There should be no shoulder at the point where the stakes en ter the slab. The stakes should be fastened in place by wedges only. When the stakes have been placed In position and tightly wedged a brace two inches thick and four inches wide shopld be placed diagonally to them at the ditch end. The brace should be dropped on the front slab, so chat its lower edge shall lie within an inch of the ground, while the other end should rest in the angle, between the slab and the end stake. A strip of iron about three and one-half feet long, three or four inches wide, and one-half of an inch thick may be used for the blade. An ordinary trace chain is strong enough to draw the implement, provided the clevis is not fastened throiich a link The chain should be wrapped around the rear stake, then passed over the front slab. Raising the chain at* this end of the slab allows the earth to drift past the face of the drag. The other end of the chain should be passed through the hole in the end of the slab. Make-Up of Dairy Cow. A wide, deep and full barrel or side is very important in a dairy cow. She must have plenty of room in which to manufacture milk from food and a large barrel indicates large digestive organs. A w ide mouth and long, strong jaws also indicate that Bossy is, like Bill Nye, "fond of food." She ought also to have a large belly and moderately high flank. Beautify Home Grounds. Set out fruit trees where they will add to the beauty of the giounds. [ J Black Lai First, know what sort of a bird is a prize winner. To do this study the pictures of winning birds that are shown in the farm papers and poultry Journals. Compare the best of your flock with these. When you go among the flock to pick your birds, look for those that have grown rapidly, and are. well feathered. Don't take those that have dull, lifeless feathers. Don't take any that are ont of proportion, or that show any sort of a malformation, as a crooked back or breastbone. Don't take birds which are supposed to have clean legs and feet and which have feathers there Instead. It doesn't pay to show fowls which will uo uio\^uauuou. There are minor faults, however, which may- be overlooked. For it doesn't matter greatly whether a cockerel has one too many points on his comb. Too mnch stress shoold not be laid on fanlts which do not really disqualify. After the birds arw selected, they should be tamed. Tame birds act better in the show room. Take them up and handle them. Practice putting them intb show coops, handling them - i,B6 M, trtfttep Neve/ take a Mid. sip by its (bet. Pot It into the coop head first and take It ' ULf"' T- ^ r'r'.r I moldy Peed bad for hens Cause of Many Deaths Among Poultry, Particularly Among Young Chicks, Can Be Prevented. Don't give poultry moldy feed. It causes aspergillosis and chickens afflicted with this are "lungers." "Moldy feed and moldy litter in poultry houses are the cause of many deaths among poultry, and particularly I ??? T n Wove* aiuuug JUUl vulvae, oaj a v, .??, ? of the poultry department of the University of Wisconsin. These molds taken Into the body of the fowl cause 1 a disease known as aspergillosis which ' Is as fatal as the name sounds. Among poultry men, the chicks affected with this trouble are commonly spoken of as "lungers." The chick stands around in a drowsy manner and shows little desire to eat. The wings hang down, the breath is rapid, and white diarrhea Is present. Indeed, the disease Is many times mistaken for white diarrhea. Older birds, when attacked, are inactive and sleepy. If forced to run, they will fall from exhaustion. The breathing is rapid, the appetite is diminished and more or less catarrh is present. An affected chick will be found to have soft yellow growths from the size of a plnhead to that of a pea, mainly in the lungs but sometimes in the intestines and mesentery. These growths ' clog tho; air passages of the lungs and so cause the death of the birds. In mature fowls there are two forms of the disease. The membranes lining the air sacs and tubes may be covered with a membranous formation which is soft and yellowish and has an offensive odor. Or there may be wbite or yellowish nodules imbedded in the tissues of the lung*. In e'tber case the disease Is incurable. But since It is caused by moldy feed or moldy litter it can be entirely prevented by cleaning up the poultry bouse once in a while and keeping moldy feed and litter away from the flock. This is only one of the many poultry troubles that can be avoided by clean feed and clean pens and yards. indication of Fowl's Health. The condition of the bowels is the best indication of the fowl's health. When the droppings are more or less hard, of a dark brown color, capped with white, we know the fowl is enjoying the best of health. But when they are watery and yellow, indigestion, if not liver trouble, is the cause. Persistence Makes Sucsess. Those who become discouraged at a few failures will seldom succeed with poultry. Failures are often met in any line, and poultry is no exception to this rule. It takes persistence to make a success at anything. 4 ZE-WINNING POULTRY % ' v y . s , ' > a,. * h^reb^e HI igehans. oat by grasping it by the thighs, over the wing and nnder the breast la this way the bird cannot flap its wings and break them, and yon cause It no discomfort Practice up on some of your common stock before you tackle your show birds. When you have learned how to do it you can handle them all you wish. Do not overfeed your birds before shipping. If you are going to ship to a show where the birds are weighed In, see to It that they arrlTe at the show rooms with good appetites. The show management will see to It that they are properly fed before being weighed. Feed just what they will clean np and remore, the rest It doesn't pay to cram before shipping. ' When they arrive, they have no appetites, and are weighed in to poor ad* , vantage. \ The male birds should be kept sepa-' ' - . ji rate. Otherwise the two best ones are almost sure to get to fighting Just before the show, and will thus be dot of condition. If you must keep them together, be sure that your show bird s, is master of the coop. Otherwise he becomes cowed and will not show to ) VARIETY fOR WINTER EGGS ??? Best Results Secured From Laying Fowls by Using Ground Food, j Meat and Green Stuff. Variety of feed is what makes the winter eggs. Corn three times a day as a rule huuas up raity (issue, muu hens lazy and reduces profit. "Animal food, ground food and a generous supply of green stuff produce the best results for laying fowls," says J. O. Halpin, head of the poultry department of the University of Wisconsin. 1 The exercise so needful for poultry can be provided in winter by working the grain ration well into the litter of fresh straw that should he provided as a carpet on the feeding floors. A good variety of grain should be provided; some corn, wheat, oats and barley mixed together, or fed alternately, makes a satisfactory ration. A grain ration for winter use that has given good results at the experiment station farm consists of two parts corn, two parts wheat, one part oats and one part barley. ' ? It is recommended that the ground feed be placed in a small mash box or trough where the ben can nave ready access to it. The following mixture of ground feeds ijk considered to be quite satisfactory: One hundred pounds bran, 100 pounds middlings, 100 pounds ground corn, 50 pounds malt sprouts, 50 pounds meat Scraps and sufficient salt. Green Bone for Fowls. Green bone can be fed advantageously to fowls intended for different purposes and kept under different conditions. It is a great help in hastening the growth of young birds, but the greatest help of this food to the average poultry raiser is in feeding it during the winter months to supply animal food. When fed to laying hens the yield will be increased wonderfully, and the poultry raiser will be well paid for the labor expended in cutting. It is a food which all 9 fowls eat readily, and one that must be fed judiciously. Care of Details Important. As a rule it is the taking care of the little things that goes furthest toward making a success of any business. This Is especially true In the poultry business. Until one masters this feature of the work he cannot hope to be a real success. This Is one reason why many women are really successful in the raising of chickens. They have the inborn faculty for detail in their work. Increase the Meat Ration. Remember, in cold weather to ln? crease the meat ration, as the hens need it to keep up the heat for the body. % f <Y. r