Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1893 — HOME AND THE FARM. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOME AND THE FARM.

A DEPARTMENT MADE UP FOR OUR RURAL FRIENDS. To Prevent Waste |n Feeding- ProHtahleness or Crops—The Whip u a Belle of Barbarism—A Serviceable Cog sled Mew Breed of Poultry. Combined Stack Yard and Manger. Most farmers utilize the straw more than they did twenty years ago, and many of them consider good bright oat and barley straw to be worth, for feeding purposes, quite as much as over-ripe clover, or timothy hay,

and, pound for pound, worth fully half as much as any good hay. Hence, instead of wasting the straw by building flat topped staeks and allowing the cattle and other stock to have free accesr to them.' a yard is built around the stacks, and the straw fed out as regularly as hay or grain. To make all secure, a log pen is built, like the one in the illustration from a sketch by L. D. Snook, in the American Agriculturist. The logs nfest upon’a foundation of stone or wood, the lower log being one foot from the ground, and three logs on each side, the extreme height of fence being UQt less than four and a half feet, On the leeward side ot the stack pen a jaymanent and durable mangercah be easily made from small poles. This may extend the entire length of the pen, and be built upon one or more sides. The stravy is thrown into it directly from the stack, and, if a ration of hay of straw be fed at noon, it will prove equally as valuable, the only objection being that it is located out of doors. However it is more convenint and economical, than to throw the food upon the ground or in the nearest fence corner.

Skidding Sled for I,ogn. Many lumbermen use a skidding sled of tbeir own manufacture, which farmers who have many logs to haul from the woods would do well td make. It consists simply of the crotch of a tree, eight to.ten inches in diameter, with two branches, as shown in the sketch, leaving the

branches four feet in length. The bark is peeled off. Trim down the the trunk end for the attaching of clevis or chains, fitting on a wooden saddle for the end of the logs to rest upon, and the equipment is complete. Attach the saddle with tough wooden pins, which will be found more serviceable than iron ones.

Profitableness ot Crops. The price of all kinds of farm crops and products is governed by the law of supplv and demand, but the cost of production is the only source for determining profitableness. The law of supply and demand is variable and bears an uncertain relation to the question of profitableness. A large product may be secured, but flic demand for It may be so weak as to render a sale almost impossible at any price, in which case the crop would result in no profit, and possibly an expense in the cultivation. But again, there may be a demand far exceeding the entire supply, in which case there will be quick sales at high prices and a good profit realized. But these are chances that come to the farmer aricl cannot be anticipated when favorable, nor avoided when in the reverse line. The only rule that would seem to bo safe and to be largely recommended is to aim at production at the least possible cost. So long as the price is uncontrollable, all the reduction in cost of production that can possibly be secured will add to the profitableness of the crop, for If corn that sold for 50 cents per bushel was produced at a cost of 45 cents per bushel, there would be a profit of 5 cents per bushel. If the cost could be reduced to 40 cents per bushel, the profit would be doubled. Saving In production is what counts in profits. —Germantown Telegraph.

Discard the Use of the Whip. It is a noticeable fact that the most successful drivers of trotting horses seldom use the whip. Even when hard-fought races are on and sensational finishes are made the extreme limit of speed is secured without the use of the lash. There is a lesson in this, not only for the drivers of trotting horses, but for those who handle any kind of horses With the proper training a draft horse will reach the limit of his power and exert every muscle In his body under kind treatment as quickly as he will when abused with the whip. A horse that will respond to the request for his best effort in a kind way is one that can be depended upon under any and all circumstances. It is th e fault of the driver in nine cases out of ten when the use of the whip is made necessary. W’hen horsemen once understand that kind words are worth more to urge a horse to his full capacity in any direction the use of the whip will be very limited.— Clark’s Horse Review. Wliat Seeds’ Will Do. As a guide to what certain seeds will grow by quantity, an ounce of beet seeds will give fifty feet of drill; of carrots, 150: cucumbers, fifty hills; musk melon, sixty hills; water melon, thirty hills; onions, 100 feet of drill; spinach, 100 feet; turnip, 150 feet; cabbage family, 1,500. A quart of peas will give seventy-five feet of drill; snap shot beans, 100 feet; pole beans, 150 hills, and so on. A paper of radishes is enough to sow at a time, and a paper of lettuce is enough for sowing several times. Prairie Farmer. Soil for Hoiu. Plant.. A good soil for house plants is made by procuring some of the black earth

found In decayed stumps. Sift it and see that there are no worms in ib.and mix It with some dry garden soil. With this soil and good drainage plants will grow finely and will require littye or no stimulating. Sometimes a lence rail or a stick of wood becomes imbedded in the earth and decays. This soil is excellent, when fine, to mix with common earth. Burnt bones mixed with pieces of broken flower pots are very good for drainage.—lndiana Farmer ——————— TrollU t®r Xtowbawtas. A correspondent of Amorican o‘ao dencr in describing his way of uiak. ing a trellis tor dewberry vines sayst “I take stakes two or threo feet long, and drive them into the ground about half their length, threo feet apart, and across the dewbor 7 rows. Scantlings (2xl J inches is large enough) 10 or 12 feet long are nailed along the tops of the posts, and crosspieces about two feet apart are nailed upon these. Any light material will do for the trellises. Train the vines over them and put straw unerneath to keep the weeds down.

White Wonder Fowls. The new breeds of poultry keep coming, and they range all the way from dunghills arrayed in plumage as gorgeous as Joseph's beautiful coat to solid buff, white or black. One breed that is attracting quite a bit of attention har been produced in Yermont, and has been named by the originator White Wonder fowls. He claims that they are just what the

farmers have been waiting for, for years. Having bred market poultry for more than twenty years, he combined the good points of all the varieties he ever bred and is satisfied that his new breed shows more good qualities than any of the others. The White Wonder fowls, says a correspondent, are hardy, quiet, easily confined, largo (cocks weighing 9 to 11 pounds, and hens 7 to 9 pounds), compactly built, low combs, not liable to freeze, white plumage, and yellow legs, beak, and skin. They grow very rapidly and feather well at an early age. Looking at them from a market poulterer’s standpoint the description would indicate that they are well suited for use in towns where people are willing to pay a good price for fine dressed fowls. In many markets they would not bring so good a price as an equally good fowl that did not have feathered legs.—F. E. Dawloy.

Poultry Cucklcft. The best profit from eggs is in the winter and good treatment must be given to secure. Keeping fowls until they are too old is one cause of poultry failing to return a good profit. When the house is mado warm, care should be taken to see that it is well ventilated daily. Rusty nails In the drinking water will often prevent the fowls from losing their feathers. Select the food for your fowls with care and do not confine them in uncomfortable quarters. Sweet oil is recommended for roup; rub well oyer the heads and give a half teaspoonful inwardly. While hens will go in a dark place, to lay eggs, they will rarely hunt In such a place for something to eat. Allow the setting hen at least fifteen minutes liberty each day, so she can get the cramps out of her body. With poultry, as with many another business, the first year is the most trying. Once fairly started, the road to success is easier. WniLß the returns from the poultry may seem small in themselves as compared with other crops they often prove quite an advantage.

Kltehen Recipe*. Boiled Sweet Potatoes. —Cut cold boiled potatoes lengthwise into one-quarter inch slices; season and brush over with melted butter. Broil three minutes over a clear Are. Plain Cottage Pudding. —One pint of flour, one cup of nulk, one egg, two level teaspoonfuls of baking powder. Bake twenty minutes or half an hour and serve with a liquid sauce. Squash Pie. —To one pint of sifted squash add one quart of Tjoillng milk, one egg, two crackers rolled tine, one large cup of sugar, one teaspoonful of corn starch, half a teaspoonful each of cinnamon, salt, and a little nutmeg. Graham Pudding.—Two cups of graham flour, one cup of sweet milk, one cup of molasses, one cup of raisins, one teaspoonful each of salt,soda, and cinnamon, half a teaspoon of cloves. Steam an hour and a half and serve with allquid sauce. Hoarhound Candy. —lu one and a half pints of water boil two ounce* of the dried hoarhound for half an hour. Then strain and add three pounds of brown sugar and boil until it is sufficiently hard. Grease some tins lightly and pour in the candy; when slightly cool mark in squares oi sticks with a knife.

Broiled Oysters. —Select large sized oysters, drain, wipe dry, and dip each oyster first in melted butter then in fine bread crumbs or cracker dust, seasoned with pepper and salt. For broiling, a fine double (wire broiler is requisite. Turn frequently and when the beards are curled take up on a hot dish Pour over a sauce made by melting a tablespoonful of butier and mixing it with the same amount of tomato catsup^ Black Bean Soup. —Take one quart of black beans, boil in foui quarts of water with a little salt and pepper. When well boiled, press through a colander into the watei they were boiled in. Add not quite a teaspoon ful of allspice, mace, and cloves well pounded. Boil again foi half an hour. Have ready three hard boiled eggs, chopped fine; put them with a tablespoon ful of butter in a tureen, and pour on the soup.

A SERVICEABLE LOG SLED.

WHITE WONDER FOWLS.