Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1902 — FARMS AND FARMERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARMS AND FARMERS

Milkins by Machinery. One of the greatest and most laborious tasks on the farm is milking. Xtany persons have addressed themselves to the problem of performing this work by mechanical means, but thus far nd machine for the purpose has come generally into use. A late device is exhibited in the accompanying cut from the Scientific American. It comprises a can provided with an air-pump by which the air in the can may be exhaused to a certain degree of rarefication, as indicated by the vacuumgauge at the top of the can. A flexible tube is connected at one end with the can and at the other end with the udder of the cow by means of four teat

cups. As soon as a sufficient portion of the air has been exhausted from the can the teats are placed in the cups and the stop cocks opened, which causes the teats to be drawn Inward, making an air-tight joint. The suction then draws the milk through the hose into the can. A pneumatic ring in each cup prevents injury to the cow and an outer adjustable cylinder prevents the teat from being drawn in too far. The lower portion of each cup is glass, which permits the operator to watch the proper working of tin? device. The pump and gauge are arranged to be easily applied to any milk-can.

Wire Fence Stretcher. A correspondent of the lowa Homestead writes; “To make a fence stretcher take a wagon wheel for a frame, nail your 2xß's far enough apart to admit wagon

hub in between, ns shown in the i 11 u s tration, on both sides. Now bore holes through the 2xß’s one inch from the front edge largo enough to pass

through a piece of tumbling rod. Put your wheel through uprights and slip the bolt through and place the frame in line with corner post, sink your wheel until the hub will be in line with the center of patent fence and so the wheel will revolve. Clamp on the fence, pass log chain around spoke back to clamp and hook ends together. Put a brace from the top of corner post to top of frame. When ready to stretch use your wheel as lever and pull downward and have a piece of 2x4 ready to lock the wheel, whlclf will be placed in between the frame and top of spoke. It will be found equal to a four-ton stretcher.” * •

Good White Leghorn. The White Leghorn pullet Wbown in the cut has scored 95 and 9<5 at various poultry shows and is owned by a

Pennsylvania man. Rural New - Yorker prints the picture as a good likeness of a business Leghorn and quotes the owner as follows: . “Wh 11 e Leghorns are among the best of jioultry for broilers, as they grow fast ami mature ear-

ly and have white, tender meat. As for eggs, they are acknowledged by all to be the heaviest layers of any breed of chickens known. They lay large, white eggs and lots of them, and with a little care in cold weather can be made to produce a large quantity of high-priced eggs."

Don’t Waste Corn Fodder. In view of the fact that the annual crop of corn will yield some <10.000.000 to 80.000.0 w tons of com stover; ail of which may be utilized, the American farmer can. If he is thrifty, save onethird of the feeding value of his crop. From this the farmer will learn the lesson that he cannot afforu to waste one hill of his com fodder. It should all be cut and shredded and fed the next summer to save his pastures for the dry fall weather which so often Imimlrs them With n barn or sb«*d full of shredded fodder the stock can lie kept growing all the time and will Im* in g<xs] condition for the feed lot or to enter the next winter. Exercise Windom. Every breed has individualities peculiar to Itself. These show themselves in ability to assimilate food, susceptibility to changes of climate and weather and general surroundings. He is a wise man who recognizes this fact and pursues bis investigations steadily until he arrives at a conclusion as to the breed most Dearly

suited to bis conditions and then sticks doggedly to his conclusions regardless of men who have other pet notions of their own. Raisins a Balanced Ration. It is now generally understood that the great need in the ration of cows Is protein and because it Is expensive when one has to buy grain containing it, the cows do not have the grains to make the balanced ration. Of late years experimenters have urged farmers to grow the crops that would give the balanced ration and have shown that it may be obtained by the growing of what are known as forage crops so that one becomes practically independent of cotton seed meal and other concentrated feed. Cow pea hay and silage will take the place of bran largely, in the ration, but a far better combination to grow is alfalfa, although with silage, cow peas and corn meal one may meet the need for protein until the time when alfalfa la fit to cut. The soy bean should also have a place on every farm where it can be grown to advantage. It is of the same nature as the cow pea but on some farms gives better results hence should have a space in that experiment plot referred to some weeks since. This question of growing the feed that may be given to the stock to the best advantage is one that should have the attention of every farmer and dairyman.

Poultry Pointers. Never feed the poultry near the dwelling or throw out scraps of any kind to attract them near the houke. One of the secrets of success with poultry Is not to keep any unprofitable birds; sell them as soon as possible. As long as a really good hen Is not too old to lay eggs, she Is not too old to keep. Forty hens can no more eat from one plant than forty people. Broadcast the grain and provide long troughs for feeding soft food. Buckwheat straw is very good for scratching material. The roosts should be low, especially for'the heavy breeds. Keep the lice off your fowls and they will keep healthy. Feed plenty of meat scraps If you want to get lots of eggs. Keep plenty of fresh water where your fowls can get It. A pale yolk Is not an indication of poor qaullty In an egg. Beware of drafts at night and you will prevent much sickness. If you can secure milk to mix with you mash it will be profitable. Siiuaestion for Apple Grower!. Any apple grower within reasonable distance of a large city will find it profitable to sort his fruit carefully and make up small packages of the finest. It makes little difference In what form the package Is, although It should, so far as possible, conform to the shapes familiar In the city where the fruit is to be sold. Small baskets holding a half peck of fine fruit will bring the grower much more money than half again the quantity carelessly selected iwud packed In an ordinary basket. The second grade of fruit, or rather the best grade ijfter the finest specimens are taken out, may be put up In larger packages for market. By the use of the selected fruit and the small pack-e age the high-class trade is reached and the grower puts Into his pocket the profit that usually gets into the pocket of the middleman.

Cabbage Growing. Cabbages always do best on a freshly turned sod and should be set before the land has had time to dry after plowing. The secret of success In getting a large-yield of cabbage is to start with rich land and put in all the manure obtainable. Clean out the hogyard for this purpose.—Exchange. To Secure Good Calves. Warm, sweet milk, fed In clean buckets, with access to cornmeal or Kaffir com meal, bright hay, fresh, clean water, salt, plenty of sunlight, shelter and bedding In cold weather, shade in summer and regularity and kindness in treatment will usually insure good, thrifty calves that will gain from a l>ound and a half to two pounds daily. —Kansas Experiment Station. Keep Poultry Houses Dry. A prime requisite Is to keep the poultry house dry. As fresh air leads In this direction, ft goes without saying that plenty of fresh air should be circulating all the time. If the houses are-dry. that dreaded disease, roup. Is not apt to get a foothold. The houses should Im- thoroughly aired every day, rain, hail or shine. Dainty Sandwich**. The chef of one of the ln*st cuisine* makes ham sandwiches in the following way. which is particularly recommended for the summer picnic baru|>er. Finely minced ham, butter and dry mustard are put together in the proportion of a heaping tablespoonful of mustard to a cupful of the ham; warm the mixture, then press In a clean bread-pan, and, when cold, slice very thin and put between wafer slices of bread. This obviates the necessity of buttering the bread, and the pressed form of the ham and seasoning gives a much neater appearance to the sandwich. jmrtk-ularly for picnic packing. The largest volcano Is Etna. Its bass Is ninety miles In circumference and the mountain is 11.000 feet high.

A MILKING MACHINE.

WHITE LEGHORN.

FENCE STRETCHER.