Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1896 — FARM AND CARDEN NOTES. [ARTICLE]

FARM AND CARDEN NOTES.

ITEMS OF TIMELY INTEREST TO THE FARMERS. To Cet Fancy Prices for Mi 1k.... Bran a Valuable Food....Economising With Manure....’A Bed of Peonies. ECONOMIZING WITH MANURE). It never pays to stint the manure dressing in any crop that r< quires much ialmr to grow it. All the labor is made more effective in proportion as the soil is made more fertile. In other words, ou rich land crops that require most labor may be grown with profit, while on poor soli-the balance will be on the loss side of the account. The proper Idea of economising with manure is to apply it where it will most aid in increasing soil fertility. This is iu every case where a part of the betielit of the manure will lie soon applied to growing a large clover crop.

WHY LII.Y OF THE VALLEY FAILS t)ue of the most frequent causes of failure with lily of the valley is that the roots are too crowded. The remedy is to tliiu them out by digging out clumps here and ihere where the roots stand thickest, and manure, the bare sjmts. Another cause of failure is that the roots have been planted too deep. The crowns should be level with the surface of the ground or but very little Inflow it. It thrives best iu a shady location.-New England Homestead BRAN A VALUABLE FOOD. Bran is much more highly thought of as feed than it used to be. But it has its limitations and should not be relied upon entirely when fed alone. It is an excellent feed to give to animals that have a surfeit of corn, and should always form a part of the ration of fattening sheep. —• Fine wheat middlings hate all of the excellencies of bran, and will be eaten in greater quantities by fattening hogs. The br.-wi and wheat middlings furnish a greater proportion of albuminoids Ilian corn lias, and therefore supplement its detk-feueies. Wheat bran is an excellent alterative for horses fed on timothy hay iu winter. It will keep their digestion good and will be all the better if a tablespoonful of old process oil meal is added to each mess. Wheat middlings are not as laxative as bran, and are better therefore for horses that have to work hard, though both the bran and middlings contain much of the nutriment that builds up bone and muscle and increases strength.-Col-umn's Rural World.

ART IN AGRICULTURE. Art ip agriculture is coming to be more and more noticeable every day. With the advent of new methods, improved Implements and a wider knowledge of the field, the agriculturist is rising higher in the field useful or ornamental art as the years go by. We may say that sharp competition is no small factor in this progressive movement, says the agricultural student. Take, fpr example, the manner in which certain products are prepared for the open market. The improvement in the condition of certain dairy products and fruit on market in the last few years is truly wonderful. The reason, of course, is that people always buy that article which is put up in the most tasteful and attractive style, and are willing to pay a little more for it. With this change comes a more wholesome effect upon the article itself, and disease is much less disseminated through food at the present time than formerly. Greater precautions are taken now than ever before in preventing the spread of contagions diseases in ttds manner, and with the increase in the size of the cities and the greater liability to ill-health, these precautions cannot be observed too carefully. Thus the agriculturalist,to bo .successful. must keep right up to date in his readings and methods.—Mirror and Farmer.

A BED OF PEONIES. Peonies can bo planted cither in the fall or spring. On the whole, the fall is the better lime. Tlie hot weather often comes on so rapidly in spring, wlieii the frost is once out of the ground, that there is but a short time for planting. Roots removed and transplanted in the fall have all the fall and wjuter to heal over any wounds and be ready for starting at the opening of spring. If removal is delayed until spring, the first season's growth would be apt to be much more feeble. There is probably no way to prevent moles from any particular spot if they frequent the ground. The proper tiling is to trap, catch and destroy t hem. It is quite rt matter of taste and ground room and other conditions that will decide how many plants to set. A bed of peonies cannot make much show except for the short time tlie plants are in bloom. They are very showy while they last, but a lied devoted to them would look very sombre after the blooming season. Three or four plants of peony in a group look very well, lint if a lied of some size should he devoted to them it would become uninteresting. Our correspondent's idea of planting gladiolus among tlie plants is a good oue. Besides planting peonies in small groups of three or four, we would place them at the from of a border of shrubs. Varieties should be selected to show ns much difference as possible among the flowers. If the plants are planted in good soil and well eared for, they may bloom the second year, but not very much can he expected from them until tlie plants have become strong FEEDING PUMPKINS. Hogs and cattle will enjoy pumpkins with their corn and make better returns for the corn if they have as much pumpkin once or twice a day as they will eat up clean. We have seen pumpkins hauled to the field and dumped out by the wagonload, resulting in a gorge, disgust or disorder, and tlie feeder practising this method does not think much of pumpkins, as his stock will eat them once only. If the pumpkins are fed In Small quantities at thti 1 ‘ I

start the stock always is ready for them when offered. jWMJLUitdroppings show a more complin digestion of the com. I'umpktß* are so succulent that there 1s no lieetl of slop of bran and ■itUMlfugs to balance the ration witji coni or clover field or (trass. Some hold that the seeds otight to be removed from the pumpkins, as the seeds affect the flow iff unite, out we tTav?' never found any necessity for it. A neighbor fed two milch cows all the pumpkins they could eat twice a day,., with their usual amount of millfeed. The eow*s ran on pasture during the ■ day. To one cow lie fed pumpkins with seeds removed, and to the oilier lie fed the pumpkins with seeds,and added to ! her* mess those taken from her mate. ' This test was continued for six weeks, and the cow receiving the double portion of seeds increased in flesh and yield of milk. Fed as a part of the ration with corn, the pumpkin can be made a saving of outlay for purchased feeds and prove of great value in the feed lot or cow stable. Tompkins are too watery and weak to rely on as the main feed, but fed as an adjunct or relish with grain, we believe they are safe aud have great value.- latm.

TO GET FANCY TRICES FOR MILK Present and recent low prices for ]wrk only suggest a different method of the disposal of t'he product. The cost of production at the present time is low, and iny own experience teaches me that with this feature in their favor. farmers can arrange to make pork raising mean more to them, so far as dollars anil cents is concerned, than ever before. A poor hog is expensive at any aud all times to the feeder, and never will return in his carcass the value he has cost. Keep pigs that will be ready for slaughter any time after three months of age, aud that will make the choicest family pork. The pig ready for market, the question comes tip how to get the most dollars out of him. can be accomplished by dealing directly with the consumer, and in no other way can tills feature be gained. Well-to-do families in our large villages are only too glad to secure a supply of home-fattened pork at a price well in advance of the Western product. Like every other branch of farming, the highest success cannot bt* gained without some effort on the part of the fanr.hr to get desirable customers. The best customers desire the carcass neatly cut up ready for use. This would lie a new feature with many fanners, but it would mean a good many extra dollars for those who will persevere in working up such a trade as this. This plan, to a large extent, does away with the competition of Western pork. It is certain that wholesalers will not interest themselves iu the disposal of the homegrown product, and rarely will the smaller mnrketman pay any advance, claiming that the Western is more desirable in every respect. 'i’lie advantages of pig raising to the farm are many. Much material, containing much and desirable feeding value, can be used in the pigpen, with marked prolit, which would otherwise go to waste, aud the farmer never would appreciate a money benefit only for his pigs. Manure of the highest qualify for plowing under accumulates rapidly in the pigpen if kept supplied with the proper material, such as weeds, sod and grass in summer, and a plenty of bedding in winter. l)o not allow the business to dwindle, as has the good old-time sheep industry, but push it for all it is worth.—American Agriculturist.

HOW TO TREAT A MAX—P,Y A HOUSE. When a man drops from sheer exhaustion or illness, promptly seize au end board or a cart stake and pound him on the head and on the ribs. If this does not recuperate him, kick him violently in the belly. This treatment will restore him if persistently administered. If a man finds his load too heavy and feels ( hat it will seriously strain him to proceed, kick off a fence hoard and knock him down—and hammer him thoroughly with the botjrd. This will give him renewed energy, and he will make no more fuss. But do not on any account reduce the load. That will look too much like common sense or humanity, and he will be likely to balk again when overloaded. It' a man refuses to drink when you offer him water, don't give him any water for two days. That will "teach hint’’ to be thirsty at any time you tind it convenient to attend to him. It is a good plan to ply the whip frequently on a man who is at work. No matter if he is doing bis best, hit him now and then on "general principles” and to prevent him taking any comfort. If his load is not heavy, oblige him to go enough faster to make up for it. Work him hard enough to bring down the av crage life one-half, as is done with horses. If no whip is handy, use a club. Tie your man’s head back in au unnatural position, with his eyes toward the sun. This will give him a "tine appearance” and “prevent stumbling.” Of course lie will not be able to do as much work in this fix. but it makes him wretched, so it is all right. In winter remove his clothing "to prevent his taking cold. - ’ He will also "dry quicker” when you overwork him. You must hang a blanket on his back (hut leave his neck and limbs exposed) when he is not at work. Men thus treated are "much healthier” than when allowed winter clothing. If not: perfectly convenient to feed a man who is working for you at noou, let him go without, and by active use of the whip secure as much work as the food would have secured. Of course it wears out his vitality and distresses him, blit that is'no matter. Put tight shoes on your man -and keep them there until he is very lame with corns. To change his shoes costs money, not much, but some, and lameness and misery are of no account if you can save a dollar on shoes a year. When you hire a man do not be hampered by any humane notions. Act all you can out of him. True nobility consists in getting money, not in decency or kindness, or what some noodles term "character. * Act money, even if it is all blood-stained. These are correct principles, I am sure, for I learned them wnen a colt from my master, who treated all his horses oil this plan—and don't lie know what's j what?— Humane Journal. Wild peacocks exist in Asia and AsI ri«®