Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1907 — FARM AND GARDEN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARM AND GARDEN

PORTABLE HOG HOUSES. An E«»y Matter to Put Them In » New Location. A handy portable bog house In use at the Montana experiment station Is described in Orange Judd Farmer as follows: These houses have been In use for more than two months, and the Idea Is such a practical one and the outlay so small that we give our exact plan for building. It might be stated right here that the material for the roof, ends and

floor of the hog house was ordinary 1 by 5 tongued and grooved flooring, which cost us at the rate of $23 per thousand. The other material used was the ordinary 2 by 4 scantling, which cost sls per thousand. First make a platform 6 by 6 feet, with four 2 by 4 pieces supporting It and running the entire length as skids. The platform will appear as In Fig. 1. Next a 2 by 4 is supported four and' a half feet above the center of the platform, with Its long way running the same direction as the 2 by 4 skids supporting the floor. Now begin to nail the boards that are to make tho slanting roof to the edge of the platform and also to the 2 by 4 supported above the floor. It Will not be long before the slanting roof boards will

support the 2 by 4 at the top, and the false supports may be knocked out. The hog house partly built may be seen In Fig. 2. After the roof is nailed on completely then come the ends of the house. We first fit In pieces of 2 by 4 under the roof and resting on the floor. One of these may be seen In Fig. 2. The bottoms of these are toe nailed to the floor and the tops nailed securely down through the roof. To these 2 by 4’s the end boards are nailed. The ends of the house should be so Inserted that the roof projects an Inch or so beyond, to prevent the rain leaking through In wet weather. In one of the ends the door Is made. A swinging door, as in Fig. 3, is fitted to the opening, and the hinges, which are at the top, ar,e simply loops of wire. This wire runs through holes bored above the door and also through two holes through the top of the door, the idea being to have the door swing either in or out, according to the will of the hog. Two round openings are placed, one in either end of the house, near the

[Will accommodate from two to six hogs, according to size.] peak of the roof. These ventilating holes are about six Inches across and are controlled by swinging blocks, fastened sufficiently stiff so as to stay wherever turned. The hog house complete, showing swinging door and ventilator hole, will appear as in Fig. 3. Now, if an armful of straw be placed Inside of one of the houses, we have a snug, comfortable and warm winter house. With these Individual houses it is a very easy matter, with the use of a horse, to draw the house to an entirely new, clean and dry location. Farm Brevities. Anybody who can drive a team can spread manure with a spreader. It’s easy to put off the short.jobs till another day, but It never pays. Down in Alabama they get the best returns by sowing their oats in November. Keep the water from lodging in the road. That’s the secret ot’ the road drag. Don’t throw away tike wood ashes. They are valuable for the lawn, garden or orchard. Put the manure upon the ground aa fast as it accumulates. You may have some trouble doing this durlug the coldest weather, but most of the year it can be done with a spreader. Watering Fowls In Winter. It is difficult to supply fresh water to poultry when the weather Is severely cold, as the water freezes and cannot be used. Earthenware fountains are often broken by expansion during freezing, and the only convenient method of providing water Is with the aid of wooden troughs, which can be scalded and kept clean with ease. To avoid freezing some poultrymen adopt the plan of watering their fowls three times a day, using tepid water, and the birds soon become accustomed to the practice. Immediately after the hens have finished drinking the troughs are emptied, placed on end out of the way and used only when the next watering of the flock occurs.

FIG. I—PLATFORM FOR HOG HOUSE.

FIG. II—IN COURSE OF BUILDING.

FIG. III—A MOVABLE STRUCTURE.