Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1892 — REAL RURAL READING [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

REAL RURAL READING

WILL BE fOUND IN THIS DEPARTMENT. How Green Clover Can Bo Safely Stored In Barns--Relative Value of Wheat and Butter-Handy Baking Table General Farm Reading. Storing Green Clover in Barns. There is some risk in storing green clover hay in a barn, it being almost impossible to shut away the air from the sides of the mow, and unless this is done the clover heats, says the American Agriculturist The escaping air inviting the entrance of fresh air from the outside a current is established, slow combustion provided for, and the clover “burns out,” just as a heap of horse manure is Are-fanged. To cure clover in a mow without previous wilting to evaporate part at least of the sap in it, requires a tight mow that is a close approach to a silo, so that the air cannot como in at the sides and bottom. Without a fresh supply of oxygen, there can be no combustion of the clover. The fermentation ceases, which, with a supoly of fresh air, would go on until the clover was a charred mass. To get the best results, the clover mow should be boarded close on the sides aud Aoor. The clover cut should be as clear of rain, or dew, as possible, and evenly spread over the mow. When all but two or three loads of the clover is in, make the top of the mow as level as possible and then roll strips ot tarred paper over the surface, lapping the strips. Do not tread on it to-break the paper; and scatter on the remaining loads for weight A layer of boards will be as effectual as the paper. The object of this layer of hoards, or paper, is to prevent the escape of the heated air, and if the air is imprisoned in the clover, there will be no entrance of fresh air from the outside. In the silo, where the walls are higher than the silage, the air that falls upon the surfaco is met oy the ascending current, and only a few Rurface inches of the silage are affected. In the mow whore the sides are somewhat open, the entrance of the air can be prevented to a great extent by checking the egress from the top of the heated air. This is accomplished by the lightly-weighted cover. With old hay at command, to alternate the layers of green clover with other layers of the hay, using about a third as much hay as clover, is a good plan. In curing, the escaping dampness of the green clover is absorbed by the old hay. In raking clover for hand pitching, it is not generally known that it is a great saving of “backbone” to rake the Aeld twice. If one has two horserakes, one may follow the other, and pull the windrow along a few feet. This rakes up the clover that was left untouched at the bottom of the windrow, loosens up the bunch, and makes the pitching easy with no sticking of hay to the ground. Barn Door Fastener. The doors will never warp or get out of shape. A light tap with the hand or foot, will loosen or secure them. After your doors are made, get a light board 1J inches thick, 4 inches wide in the center, and 2 inches at the ends, and just long enough to pass nicely between the Aoor and

ero3s-tieover head. Secure this board to center batten with bolt; get two long staples made of $ rod-iion, for the fastening to work in at top and bottom batten. Nail apiece in shape of figure 3, 1 inch thick, and 2 inches wide, in center on floor , and two pieces at top same thickness and width as below, but open in center as figure 2. I never saw but one fastening of this kind, and it has been In use for a number of years, and the doors are as straight as when first made.—C. E. Barns, in Practical Parmer. Exhibits at thn County Fair. Every farmer who possesses good stock or farm produce should show them at the fall fairs. Begin now to make the necessary preparations and selections. With roots, plants and fruits, the spring and summer work should have been well done. Animals to be shown should be selected and extra attention paid them. A superior animal, may not win unless it receive undivided attention up to the final hour of awarding the prizes. Encourage the boys and girls to show their poultry and pets, their flowers and fancy work, or their crops. Overcome the attractions of the race track bv displays of fruit, flowers, grain, thoroughbred stock, and other products of home and farm. How to Train Children. Be very vigilant over thy child in the April of his understanding, lest the frosts of May nip his blo36oms. While he is a tender twig, straighten him; whilst he is a new vessel, season him; such as thou makest him, such commonly shalt thou find him. Let his first lesson be obedience, and the second shall be what thou wilt. Give him education in good letters, to the utmost of thy ability and his capacity. Season his youth with the love of his Creator, and make the fear of his God the beginning of his knowledge. . If he have an active spirit, rather rectify than curb it; but reckon idleness among his chiefest faults. As his judgment ripens, observe his inclination and tender him a calling that shall not cross it. Forced marriages and callings seldom prosper. Show him both the mow and the plow, and prepare him as well for the danger of the skirmish as possess him with the honor of the prize. —Quarles.

The Scratching Hen. It is better to feed only once a day and compel the hens to scratch, than to feed two or three times a day and have the hens sit around and wait for you to bring them their meals. It is the active hen, the one that scratches

and works, that lays, and not the one that gets the most food. A litter of out straw is the best place in which to put the grain, and the hens will be sure to And all of it. Wheat ami Mutter. An agricultural journal recently compared dollar wheat with 25 cent butter in this way: “When the farmer ships, a thousand dollars’ worth of wheat, he pays freight on thirty tons of his nroduct. When the creamerytuan ships a thousand dollars’ worth of butter, he pays freight on two tons.” This is one advantage of the creamery over the granary. A much greater advantage will be seen by considering the fertility taken from the farm by wheat and butter. Take the three important constituents of nlant-food at their market rates in commercial fertilizers: I.bs, Vbluo. TCtionf l Phosphoric acid 52a<3) .07 #1(0.01 l ILU bushels' 307© .05 13.33 I.OcO bushels j NitrosßD l.oio© .15 150.71 sJuB.o7 Blitter ( Phosphoric acid ) 4,000 pounds | NUrogen Balance alt in favor of tho butter. Again, the one thousand dollars’ worth of dollar wheat can be grown on forty acres of land; ono thousand dollars’ worth of 25 cent butter—four thousand pounds—can be produced by ensilage and clover, or by ensilage balanced with proper grain rations, from eight acres or less. Haiuly Baking; Table. The arrangement shown In tho illustration would please any housekeeper. The whole, table and cupboard, is 6 feet high, feet wide; table 2J feet deep; cupboard 1 foot deep The table should bo high

enough for ease In working. A BTJ are drawers for flour, meal, and graham; D is a shelved closet for tins, etc.; E is a space for tho mixing board; Fund G are closets for spices, etc.; H is a drawer for knives, rolling pin, etc.; 1 is a pocket for papers to to line cake tins. On the doors are books on which to hang spoons, cutters, egg-beaters and cook-books. Sheep NlimirlnnM. t Bkkkd only mature ewes. Don’t get the lambs stunted tho first year. It is always an item to keep sheep as quiet as possible. Sheep cannot thrive on filthy food or in filthy quarters. When possible, It Is better to keep In not very large lots. In using a young ram it is generally best to begin in good season. Change tho flock to fresh pastures occasionally, they will thrive better. Sulphur, salt and sulphate of Iron in equal parts is good for worms In lambs. It is always an Item to have the sheep thrive well at the lowest mil imum of cost. Wrrn sheep, as with other stock, the best feeding is a good variety regularly and liberally given. The earlier the sheep are matured the less chance they will have to eat their heads off while growing. While a few sheep can ne kept on almost every farm, they should not be yarded with the cattle and horses. While not often necessary, yet if the pastures get very short, it will be best to feed the sheep some soli ing crop.

Poultry Picking*. Thicken the buttermilk with meal. It makes splendid feed. Clatter of the guineas scares away hawks and saves the chicks. When there are no bugs and insects for fowls, feed a little meat. Feed the chickens early. It is the bird's nature to rise and eat early. All mud and no dust or gravel makes lousy and unhealthy chickens. CnorPED clover in bags is one of the new feeds in market for poultry. With proper feed and care chicks will double their weight every ten days until forty days old. It costs about one cent a week to raise chicks up to ten weeks of age. To keep old fowls costs two cents a week. Nothing could be more cruel than tying a hen by the leg to keep her from roaming with her brood. It costs very little time to make a small house and yard for her. Water the stock twice a day during hot weather, and once a week scald out the drinking vessel. Nothing will breed sickness so quick as filth in the dhnking water.

Miitoellaneou* Recipe*. Pie Crust.— One heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, two quarts of flour, two teacupfuls of water, a pinch of salt. Mix well and sift a little flour on the molding-board before rolling it out. This will make enough crust for four or five pies. Corn Fritters.— To two cups of grated green corn add two eggs, one cup sweet milk, a pince of salt and a tabiespoonful of melted butter. Stir in flour to make a thin batter, and just before frying thin as you would batter cakes, add a teaspoonful of baking powder. Coffee Ice-Cream. Take one pint of sugar and a pint of water; boil twenty minutes, then add onehalf pint of clear, strong coffee and the yolks of five eggs; beat this until it begins to thicken like 6oft custard; then set it away to cool. When it has become cold, add a quart and a half of cream and freeze. Baked Tomatoes. —Having selected those of equal size, fresh and ripe, wash and cut out the hard centres. Place them on an earthen pie dish, and put a little sugar in the core of each as you would for baked apples. Bake in a quick oven for about twenty minutes or until tender. Grated cracker or bread crumbs could be sprinkled over them If liked.