Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1895 — FARMS AND FARMERS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARMS AND FARMERS.

THE MANURE SUPPLY. Manure on the farm is the store of plant food for the next year’s crops and it'varies in composition and quality according to the substances from which it is produced. Its value tan never exceed the substances used as food from whiqh the manure came, and greater value can t>nly be given it by the addition of some substance suitable for that purpose. When a farmer buys certain foods and converts the food into milk, through the agency of stock, he sells fertilizing substances in the milk, leaving an excess of some kinds which may not be required on the farm owing to the soil being fully supplied in that respect. What he should do is to aim to get back on the farm the materials which he sends away, and the easiest and bes t manner of so doing is to resort to the aid of fertilizers. Manure is not always a complete substance for plants, though such claim has been made in its favor. There is some antagonism on the part of farmers who feed large herds against lertilizers, but it only requires fair consideration of the subject on their part to show the importance of the judicious use of both manures and fertilizers in order to retain the fertility of the soil and increase the yield of crops. If manure contained all that may be required the farmer would have no use for artificial fertilizers, but it so happens that after the manure has been used

there is something left over which was in excess of the needs of the irops—perhaps potash, for instance —and should the farmer then procure sufficient nitrogen and phosphoric acid to balance the potash, he then gains largely by so doing, belause he brings within reach of the coming crops perfect food by simply itilizing his surplus potash, his olant food then being complete. Fertilizers are more soluble than barnyard manure, and give the plants an early start, enabling the roots to sooner yeach out and utilize all kinds of manure with fertilizers, ’or the reason that coarse, unrotted nanure is often spread on the land when it can be of no service until it iecomposes, and the more soluble fertilizer sustain'the crop to that >tate of growth, when the manure will have become suitable for the iperations of the rootlets, and thus perform service. Many crops are ost by the manure and being immeliately available, but by the judijious use of manures and fertilizers ;he crops not only secure an early itart and are fully supplied with plant-food from the beginning, but ihe manure itself is rendered more ivailable by being balanced or concerted into complete plant-food.

AMONG THE POULTRY. When beginning to keep poultry itart in a modest way and increase is conditions seem to warrant. Experience is the best teacher, and the ilphabet of chicken lore is quite as Ihoroughly and far more cheaply earned from a dozen fowls us from i hundred. As to the question what to go in lor some people find the most profit in broilers, others prefer eggs, while Jthers combine the two. The proper way to determine the matter is to ind out what your market wants ind try to supply it. Speaking gen?rally, the egg business is considered easier work than the broiler, (t is also more desirable if the poultryman is a considerable distance Irom his market. The most prolific layers are to be found among the Mediterranean, Hamburg and Poland varieties. If the poultry house is not warm and comfortable, no lingle combed fowls should be kept. TWO NEGLECTED CROPS. Peas and beans are two neglected :rops, as they are not grown on many farms, where they could be nade profitable. It is possible to <row two crops—early peas and beans later—on the same ground. Beans are always salable at good prices, and the straw of both peas ind beans may be utilized as bedding or for sheep to pick over. The best early peas are grown on land that is heavily manured in the fall ar in winter, so as to turn it under my warm spell when the frost is out if the ground.

FOOD FOR HOGS. Swill is readily eaten by swine, fven when it-is so fermented as to be sour, but hogs will keep in better condition on more wholesome food. Wheat, eorn and oats, ground together, scalded, with clover hay, cut fine, the whole made into a somewhat sloppy mass, will be just as theap as swill and far more whole-

some; Hog cholera and other diseases may sometimes be traced to the filthy food which the hogs art compelled to eat because they cannot procure anything better. A writer says it is hardly possible to overfeed the hog with corn if he has first had a liberal feed of pumpkins. We never knew one to eat too many pumpkins. SHOEING HORSES. The United States army regulations give the following directions for shoeing horses: “In preparing the horse’s foot for the shoe do not touch with the knife the frog, sole or bars. In removing surplus growth on that part of the foot which is the seat of the shoe, use the cutting pincers and rasp, arid not the knife. The shoeing knife may be used, if necessary, in using the top clip. Opening the heels or making a cut in the angle of the wall at the heel must not be allowed. The rasp may be used upon the part of the foot when necessary, and the same applies to the pegs. No cutting with the knife is permitted; the rasp alone is necessary. Flat-footed horses should be treated as the necessity of each case may require. In forging the shoe to fit the foot be careful that the shoe is fitted to and follows the circumference of the foot clear around to the heels of the foot, as is frequently done. Care must be used that the shoe is not fitted too small, the outside surface of the wall being then rasped down to make the foot short to fit *the shoe, as often happens, The hot shoe must not be

i applied to the horse’s foot under any circumstances. Make the upper or : foot surface of the shoe perfectly flat so as to give it a level bearing. A shoe with a concave ground surface i. should be used.” > ALL OVER THE FARM. Dig up the canna roots, separate them and wrap them in brown paper. Then place them in a cold place, but not tfhere they will become frozen. ;, Glean off the clusters of eggs on limbs of the apple trees and there will be fewer caterpillars to destroy next spring. r Experiments favor the continuance of sods in orchards during the ’ winter. While fall plowing is an advantage in many cases, the sod of ' the orchard should not.be turned until spring. Candy to feed bees on in winter is made by, gradually stirring six I pounds of loaf sugar into about three quarters of a pint of boiling water, the whole kept boiling and constantly stirred to prevent burning. | Bank up all fall planted trees with earth, so as to protect from frosts in the winter and insects in early spring. By banking up the I trees they will also be less liable to injury from high winds.

FRENCH BULL OF COMMON TYPE.—Farmers’ Review.