Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1898 — AGRICULTURAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AGRICULTURAL

Device for Butchering. This device for butchering, described by a correspondent of the Ohio Farmer, Is made so plain by the illustration as to require little explanation. The standards A A are 2x4 hardwood scantlings, 8 feet tn length; the upright B, a 2-inch plank about t foot wide at the bottom and 8 inches at the top, 8% feet long. These are hinged together on top with a half-inch bolt running through a hole bored through both plank and scantling, and in the center of this the pulley D is placed, a slot of course being cut in the plank for pulley to play In. The crank C Is an old well crank, and

as indicated is attached to the plank feet from the base. The whole apparatus is easily portable, very convenient and cheap In construction, and every farmer who keeps pigs should have one either of this kind or similar to it, for use at butchering t time. To Relieve Choking Cattle. A correspondent .of the New England Homestead has an excellent as well as a humane way for the relief of choking cattle, and he thus describes it: “When the animal becomes choked I find the obstruction by feeling along the throat with one hand, and in nine cases out of ten it is found in the gullet. With the thumb and fingers the obstacle can be forced out the way it went in, and generally the animal is ready to assist in the removal. A few years ago I had a heifer that was choked with apples every few days, and in every Instance I removed them in this way without difficulty or danger of injuring the animal. I think anything which an animal gets in its throat and cannot get down in the natural way should not be punched or pushed down, thereby endangering the life of the animal, and should be taken, out the way it went in.”

A Handy Manstr, Tire illustration shows a ladder frame hinged in the manger at both •nds, which can be tipped up when hay or fodder is being put in, and let down again. This device prevents the waste of feed, which is pushed put and trodden under foot, and saves stock that are sometimes horned into a manger or in their backs. For eattle the crossbolts or rounds should be strong and close enough together to prevent

.diem from getting their horns caught under the rounds.—Practical Farmer. Cost of Eases. Experiments in feeding and in computing the value of eggs, show that, if no estimate is made for labor, one dozen eggs can be produced at a cost of about G cents for food, or about half a cent an egg. If all of the food allowed to hens were converted into eggs the profit of a dozen eggs would lie large, even when prices are very low, but much depends on whether the hens convert food into eggs, flesh or support of the bodies. It Is a fact demonstrated, however, that when a dozen eggs are marketed they carry from the farm but little of the nutritious elements of the soil in proportion to their value in market, and on that account they are as profitable as anything that can be produced on the farm.—Poultry Keeper.

Corn in Germany. A large share of the $1,000,000 worth of American corn that now goes weekly to Europe is for the German farmer. For the past two years the German farmer has l>een learning how to feed his corn to his stock. It is estimated that there wHI be a yearly market for 150,000,000 bushels of American corn for this purpose In the German agricultural districts alqne. Previously the Gerfnan farmers had fed oats, Russian barley and other cheap imported grains. Tbeir own land Is too valuable to permit them to grow feed. To Tnn Skins. A! .1. Iregg. In the Epl tom Ist, gives the following Instructions: Dog skins, ahee9 *klaa s'M stKh tuuxU aklns as

may be made of value for strings, etc., may be tanned by soaking them in lye made of wood ashes or lime until the hair can be easily rubbed off, then soak them in running water until the lye is soaked out Then soak in a solution of alum and salt in the proportion of three pounds of alum to one-half pound of salt. The solution should be sufficient to cover the skin: Soak for about three days, then hang up to dry in the shade. Rub the skin every day until it is dry soft and pliable. To Cure Coltc. George H. Hogan, writing to the Agricultural Epitomist, says: “I would like to have every farmer and breeder of fine stock know how to cure colic, or hoven, in cattle. Instead of puncturing, as recommended by some, Just get a piece of an old broom handle, or some round stick as large, and about twelve to fourteen inches long, and fasten in the animal’s mouth so as to keep It working at the stick with its tongue, will soon pump up all the extra gas accumulated in the first stomach. Had I known this several years ago I would have been several hundred dollars better off In cattle to-day. I have been curing cattle for the last five years, and have not lost a single case yet.” Feeding Work Horses. Whenever a working team has an unusually hard Job it is the. habit of some farmers to feed it extra, thus giving its stomach an additional labor and thus lessening available present strength. It ought always to be remembered that it is the food eaten the day before, and for days and weeks before that, which is available for present strength. No animal ought to be expected to work on an empty stomach. But a light feed before an extra hard Job Is better than loading the stomach with more than it requires.—Home and Garden. Orchard Manuring. A covering of manure around trees serves as a mulch, and the lumps in the manure are broken fine by frost, while the soluble portions leach out and go to the roots of the trees. Such work as applying manure to trees in winter saves them In spring, for If the orchard is then cultivated the hurried work of spreading manure will have been done, and there is more complete incorporation of the manure with the soil. Champion Butter Cow. A picture is given here of the wonderful Jersey cow, Signal’s Lily Flagg, which has the championship record of

1,047 pounds 9 ounces of butter to one year. The cut is reproduced from a drawing from life made by Mr. Webb Donuell, for the Country Gentleman. Gleaninaa, The farmer who buys bran and itnseed meal never makes a mistake-, as those substances will enrich his manure heap, as well as add to- the thrift of his stock. When meal is fed' to> hogs, either as slop or dry, it is impossible to prevent waste; if meal is worked out of the trough or the slop spilled, it is hardly possible to gather it again. If whole corn is fed the last grain is devoured. The food properties of corn are not changed by grinding if, it is still corn, whether served as meal, mush or slop. When feeding hogs, grind o>nly for the aged sows which have lost tbeir teeth, and it Is doubtful if they will pay the miller. Each field of the farm is fitted for some special use. Have due consideration of the soil, the past rotation and fertilization and needs of the proposed crop. There should be no haphazard way, but some forethought, in adapting the crops to the land. Low heads for trees are preferred by some, its they lessen the work of harvesting the crop and enable the grower to combat Insects with advantage, but cloeer cultivation can be given when the trees are tall and the lower branches trimmed off. There Is a positive scarcity of all kinds of good stock, especially of the high grades, for the best and most profitable feeding, for-the best home market nnd export trade. Thus overproduction of gririn or live stock corrects Itself by being unprofitable. It Is best to keep wethers growing In. stead of fattening them, unless they are Intended for market soon. An allowance of three pounds o clover hay a day for a sheep weighing b»0 pounds using no grain, should b sufficient, but to fatteu rapidly give wo pounds oC hay and a pound of cornmeal daily. It requires about twenty pounds oi milk to make a pound of butter, and fourteen pounds of milk to make ( pound of cheese. More labor and care are necessary to make cheese, however, but good cheese brings a high especially wh< a the parties making It are known r id reliable. » .<4 make a specialty at t. choice artlck

BUTCHERING DEVICE.

PREVENTS WASTE OF FEED.

SINGAL'S LILY FLAGG.