Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1896 — FACTS FOR FARMERS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FACTS FOR FARMERS.

HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE AGRICULTURISTS. Various Styles of Protected Drain Outlets—An Inexpensive Shelter for the Pigs—Value of Ginseng as a Crop A Convenient Milk Stool. Protecting Tile Outlets. Unless special care is taken to protect the outlet of a tile drain, there is danger of its being more or less injured. If it is in the pasture, stock tramping about it are liable to crowd the tile out of place or break them. Where land washes very easily, heavy rains will frequently displace them. It is also sometimes desirable to so close the opening in the drain that muskrats, rabbits and other vermin cannot enter it during a dry time and build an obstruction. Several such devices are illustrated in the cut. Outlet D is particularly suited to a tile which has its opening in the bank of a creek or ditch some distance from the bottom. It is merely a wall of stone or brick laid in cement. This protection prevents the-washing away of earth from about the outlet or a displacement of tile or earth by freezing. Where stone is abundant, this style of an outlet is as practical as any and more substantial than many others. Outlet C consists of a wooden box made of 2-inch hard wood, open at one end, which is slipped over the end of the drain. At the outer end a door, binged at the top, is so arranged that the water can readily flow out, but noth-

Ing can go up the tile. A similar box outlet, E, is square at the outer end, over which iron rods are secured or a piece of strong wire netting is fastened. Outlet Fis simply a tile with holes in the top and bottom through which iron rods are passed. Trapdoor outlet A is a tile to the opening of which a circular piece of galvanized sheet iron is so attached that the water can pass out, but the entrance of any foreign matter is prevented. Outlet B is similar with a square tile for the end.— Farm and Home. A Chinese Sacred Root. Ginseng is the fleshy root of a perennial herb, native to the middle and northern United States and Canada, but found-far sonth on mountains. It grows in rieh soil and shady situations, its root being from four to nine inches long and bearing a simple stem about a foot high, carrying three tive-dlvisioned leaves and terminating in an umbel of Inconspicuous greenish white flowers which are succeeded by a small ber-ry-like red fruit. It has a peculiar and rather pleasant smell and a sweet, somewhat pungent, aromatic taste. European and American doctors consider it almost worthless as a remedy, but the Chinese regard it as a general panacea, so much so that its use will doubtless greatly increase with the larger supply and lower prices. It übounds-back of Kingston, Ont., whole-

saling at $1 per pound and retailing at $5. A' practical floriculturist says that Es the trade is to be preserved, care will lave to be taken to prepare the root properly and not dig it up indiscriminately, as the root does not reach any great size in one season, but takes years to develop. It should be dug in the fall when the roots are heaviest and command the best price. Cows in Winter. Cows need but little exercise in winter. If the weather is pleasant they can be turned out every day, but whenever It is so cold that they will stand and Bhjver when turned out, the best place fdt them is in the stables, where it is reasonably comfortable, says the Ohio farmer. If care is taken to keep the stables clean and to supply plenty of good feed and water, the cows may be kept under shelter all through the winter without detriment, and; in nearly all cases, will give more milk than if and exposed to the cold' and storms. But either let the cows go dry and winter them largely on bay or good roughage, or else armake them comfortable, and feed sufficiently liberal to maintain a good flow pf milk during the winter, as half feeding a milch cow is never profitable. Second Growth Timber. The scattering trees that grow up by roadsides and in fence corners are usually much tougher wood than trees of the same variety that grew up in the original forest. Exposure to sunlight and severe winds is what toughens the fibers of such trees. Oaks and hickories that have grown up in this way are especially valuable, as they are mostly valued for their toughness. It will pay farmers who have such timber to make Inquiries, and with a little trouble they can probably find a good market for It. Lime in Food for Fowls. Laying hdns require lime to produce the shell, but it is not always best to feed the lime separately. Some kinds of food are rich in lime, as wheat and peas. Where these are given no extra lime will be needed and none win be

eaten. Cora U very deficient In lime, and if fed exclusively the egg sheila will be thin and fowls will get in the habit of eating their eggs. Besides, corn is too concentrated food, and does not give bulk enough in proportion to its nutrition. Clover is rieh in lime, and if cut in fine pieces It will be eaten by fowls In considerable quantties. It also aids the digestion of less bulky food. Making the Pigs Comfortable. On many farms the hogs are kept in pens in one end of a large shed, or other building that is likely to be cold in winter, even though the walls may be secure against the entrance of wind. Growth cannot be expected when an, animal is suffering from the cold. If

the hogpen cannot be made warm, one may at least build such a place as is suggested in the accompanying sketch. In one earner of the pen Is built a small box-like affair, just large enough for the pigs to get into and He down. A swinging door is provided, and in this small enclosure the heat from the animals’ bodies will keep the air very comfortable. This plan has been tried in a cold building with great success. Peach Culture in Cold Climates. Webb Donnell stated recently that “it is not the severe cold of winter which injures peach trees so much as freezing after the sap has begun to stir in the spring.” I belteve,' says B. F. Ferris, in the Agriculturist, if this were the case Southern Missouri trees would be as liable to Injury as those from Northern lowa. If not, why not? All fruit trees in Missouri have to pass through as much freezing as those in lowa, and there is as much or more thawing and freezing following a mild winter as there is after a severe one. Still, our fruit trees are in better condition after a mild winter t.l?an after a cold one. lowa is now raising many peaches, not because we have had lees severe changes during late years, but because varieties have been produced which will stand more severe cold weather, and further because of lato our winters have been mild. Sunscald may be caused by a sudden cold snap after the sap has started, and I think this is the case. But black-hearted trees are caused by low temperatures in midwinter. A Handy Milk Stool. The seat of the stool shown in the accompanying illustration is made of a one inch board twelve inches wide and sixteen inches long. The two front

legs are made of inch boards; the other is a round piece of wood. A hoop on the front end holds the pajl In position, while a projection on one of the front legs prevents it from slipping down. Alaike Hay. Alslke clover has generally a more spindling growth than the common red variety. It is therefore better hay for sheep and young stock, lyhlch will sometimes reject the coarse stems of clover that has grown teo rank and has fallen to the ground. The Alslke clover is little likely to do this. But the plants grow so closely together that the stems make nearly, or quite as much feed, and generally of better quality. Digestibility of Apples. There is great difference in the digestibility of different kinds of apples. Some are very rich with hard and solid pulp, while others are juicy and digest easily. The Spltzenberg apple has a very fine flavor, but it cannot be eaten by some who can eat at will of varieties like the Fameuse. Most of the sweet apples are hard to digest. Even when cooked they are tough and do not break down as sour apples will. Roses. When cold weather comes bind the trunks of rose bushes with £traw and mulch around them also. They will respond next season with more than the usual number of roses.

VARIOUS STYLES OF DRAIN OUTLETS.

A GINSENG PLANT.

INEXPENSIVE SHELTER FOR PIGS.

MILK STOOL.