Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 24, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 September 1901 — AGRICULTURAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AGRICULTURAL

For Fastening Horae*. With some horses there is always constant trouble when they are at the manger, by getting their feet over the rope which fastens them to the stall. Of course, this can be obviated by shortening the rope, Hut this Is not advisable where the horse is locked up for the night after the feed is put in the box, for the short rope does not give him the opportunity of lying down In a comfortable position. The trouble indicated can be remedied by use of a halter ring fastened on the strap going over the nose of the horse instead of under the jaw as usual. The rope is attached to this ring, and then run through a staple in the wall directly in

front of the horse- in the back of the manger, as shown in the cut. By attaching a weight of some kind to the end of the rope to keep it taut, there will be no trouble caused by this rope getting in the way, for when the horse moves toward the manger the weight will carry the rope down. The weight should not be heavy enough to inconvenience the animal when he is lying down at the full length of the rope.

Care of Winter Apple*. Apples marketed during the winter always bring a much higher price than when offered for sale just after harvest. Of course, it Is well understood that It Is impossible to keep apples through the winter for the high prices of early spring unless they are kept in cold storage, but with an ordinary storehouse, or a good cellar, it is possible to keep the fruit several months longer by handling it properly. It should be carefully picked from the tree, and be free from imperfections or bruises. In putting it into the barrels, the barrels should be laid partially on one side so that the fruit may be turned into it from a small basket and roll to the bottom rather than fall. In this way there is little chance of the apples becoming bruised. Great care should be taken to see that the fruit is so packed that there will be little or no space between the specimens, and they should be packed into the barrel as firmly as possible without enough pressure to bruise them. After the barrel is filled, it should be carefully hooped, and the head put in so that it will hold the top layer.flrm, but not with much pressure. Apples packed in this way can be kept until midwinter easily if stored in a building where they will not freeze, and where the ajr is reasonably dry.—lndianapolis News. r -

Rimpl" Fwincintr Tronsh. I have a {eed trough which I made myself out of a piece of galvanized iron, writes a correspondent of Poultry Keeper. It is three and one-half feet long. To make it, get two pieces of wood and shape them to fit the inside of the trough for the ends as shown in the diagram. Nail well with lath nails. If you want one for water, make it shorter, and before putting the end pieces on paint a piece of cloth and place between the end pieces and the trough. Then after you have your end pieces on, get a piece of lath just long enough to fit between the ends and nail It lengthwise just above the level of the trough. This will keep the chickens out

of the water. Put two eyes on the top of the pieces to hang it by. Drive •takes in th* ground just far enough apart to let the trough swing. Put pins In the top of the stakes to fit the eyes on the end pieces of the trough. The top of the trough should be about six inches above the ground. You can use your judgment about painting it. If you do, put some water In it and let It Stand about a day before allowing the chickens access to It Prrvrentlo>» of Interfering. The interfering of horses can oftentimes be remedied, especially if the animal Interferes b>. front The feet nbonM

be trimmed so that they are level, and the animal should be shod with a small outside calkin at the heel outside. The inside heel should be plain and short. Have the calkins placed on each side of the shoe about two inches from the toe. Interfering sometimes comes eral debility of the horse, and when this seems to be the case the animal should be brought up. in every way possible, feeding it on oats and bran with good hay. Of course the interfering which is brought about by general debility, is caused by the weakness of the ankles. This, however, is not often the case.

Fall Planting. With nearly all fruit trees, except peaches, which must be planted in the spring, there is to be said in favor of fall planting, that the soil can be put In better condition at less expense of time and labor than in the spring. The planter generally has more time to devote to the work in the fall, and hence can do it much better. Then, too. the trees from the nursery are generally in better condition than after they have passed through a winter. The nurserymen also have fewer orders in the fall, and can give more care to filling orders at this season, and generally furnish better stock. Even with the more tender sorts it is possible to give them needed protection during the first winter by throwing a furrow toward the trees on either side. Unless there is a large area to be planted and other work seriously interferes, everything is in. favor of fall planting.

Flavor in Kalf-Grown Chick*. There is considerable complaint every year on the part of consumers that the half-grown chicks marketed as roasters have a very undesirable flavor*/ There is no doubt that in nearly every case it is due to a poor quality of food given the growing chicks. Meals of various kinds, usually cornmeal, is fed largely to growing chicks in some sections. When bought at the low price it is generally found that it is filled with worms. This sort of food given to chicks will taint the flesh every time. It is hard to understand why those who raise fowls for market will persist in buying cheap foods. If the chick is worth raising at all it is worth being fed on the best obtainable. If given the best grains in variety, and a good grass range, there is no reason why the flavor of the growing chick should not be all that is desired.—Exchange. Block for Cutting Corn. When it is necessary to cut the ears of corn into small pieces for economical feeding, unless one has a device for.it, there is considerable danger of the person cutting the corn being Injured. One plan is simply to attach a board to a chopping block, cutting a hole in one

edge large enough for the ears of corn to pass through on to the block. This board should be about ten inches wide. By slipping the ear of corn through the hole, the chopping is done on one side of the guard, while the ear of corn is held on the other side, so that it is impossible for one in any way to Injure the hand holding the corn. An opening in the board above the hole is made for convenience in handling the block.

Vegetables for Poultry. During the summer months on every farm there are large quantities of vegetables too small for table use, which usually go to waste. It will pay to gather up these vegetables and feed them daily to the poultry. Even If the flock of fowls Is on the range, the feeding of these odd vegetables chopped fine will furnish variety which will do the fowls good. In the fall when potatoes and other root crops are harvested, there is always a qifantlty which Is unsalable, but which might be kept with care for several months. It always pays to do this, feeding these root crops at least once a day during the winter. Even after the home crop is used up, it pays to buy small potatoes, cabbages, and other green crops for poultry food. Australian Apples. Parts of Australia are becoming lively rivals to Canada and the United States in the European apple trade. Tasmania, especially, has been found a first-class apple-raising country. There are 8,373 acres in apple orchards there and the product in 1890 was 363.915 bushels. Dark Stables. Dark stables are as Injurious to cows or horses as a dungeon Is to a man. It is the basement barns for milk cows that have developed tuberculosis to such an aburetaff evnMak,

GOOD HORSE FASTENER.

SWINGING TROUGH.

BLOCK FOR CUTTING CORN.