Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1891 — FOR THE FARMER. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FOR THE FARMER.

A FEW FACTS OF ESPECIAL INTEREST TO THEM. A Winter Swill Barrel—A Strong and Cheap Pair of Bobs—A Remedy for Pear Blight Overfeeding Fowls—A Home Creamery—Some Useful Recipes. THE FARM. A Winter Swill Barrel. The accompanying illustration, engraved after a sketch sent us by A. H. Sheldon, lowa, shows an easy and effective way to prevent the freezing of swill during cold weather. Dig a pit two feet deep and four feet square, in which place eighteen inches of fresh, hot horse manure. On this place the barrel and pack the heating material around the sides until the top is nearly reached. Then place a frame or box without a

bottom over the barrel, with a cover which can be lifted up when the swill Is removed. Pack this box full with care, and but little frost can get in. A pail full of hot water poured in the barrel, when half filled, will make the pigs a warm drink at noon, which will be appreciated. The heat will last about six weeks, when the manure should bo renewed. If the barrel is placed under a shed, or where It will be protected from wind and snow, the cold will have still less effect on it. There is no advantage in feeding frozen swill; pure water is much better, and the hogs nqed all they want to drink. —American Agriculturist. A Strong and Cheap Fair of Bobu, The home-made sled illustrated herewith. after sketches sent to the American Agriculturist by Fred C. MeConkey, Niagara County, N. Y., has runners four feet long, natural crooks, hewn out six inches broad and four inches deep and placed the same distance apart as those of an ordinary sleigh. The benches are six-by-eight-inch timber hewn out in the middle to four-by-six inches. The raves are two-by-six-inch plank four feet long. The whole is fastened together by two two-inch pins on each end passing through the rave, bench, and runner, and firmly wedged at both ends. A notch is cut in the top of the bench at the end two inches deep and six inches back to receive the raves, leaving the top perfectly smooth to receive the bolsters which are fastened on by an inch-and-a-quarter bolt passing through the bolster and bench, and keyed. The draw pieces are three-by-four-inch timber, fitted to the inside of the crook, and fastened with an inch-and-quarter pin passing through the rave, runner, and draw-piece, and wedged as before. The tongue isi a round pole, with a head-block of three-by-four-inch timber with slots cut in the ends to receive the brace irons which pass through about six inches with a hook that fastens in an eye in the draw-

piece and can be taken off. They are coupled together with chains about six feet long, with a hook on one end fastened to a ring in the bench of the front bob, and can be taken up or let out at pleasure. Any farmer handy with tools can easily make such a pair of bobs, the use of which will soon pay him for his work.

FROST-PROOF SWILL BARREL.

HOME-MADE BOB-SLED.