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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 1910)
6 MmTARM If you nlJow your young cattlo to barely eko out an cxlstcnco thlo win ter, thoy will loao In flosh and bodily vigor to such an extent that It will tako two mouths of good pasture to bring them back to their present con dition. Such management swells the farm loss account and gradually do creases tho net profits that you may expect next year. The farmer who grows clover for hay and seed and Bells both may think bo has done a good thing for tho soil, but aside from the rncts which havo boon exhausted growing tho crop ho has dono tho soil nioro Injury than with any othor crop ho can raise. A good heifer with her first calf at a little past two years of ago, if sho is from a breed of fairly high producing cows, is worth from SGO to $100. A steer that will bring that much money Is usually fed two to threo limes na much as tho average heifer. Pumpkins are ouo of the best winter green feeds for almost all kinds of stock, especially rellshod by dairy cows, and thoy aro excellent to mix with dairy feed for tho production of milk, thocowa relishing them greatly. It is not to bo supposed that every heifer will make a first-class cow, but tho manner in which sho Is fod and cared for from birth will havo some thing to do with deciding tho question, Tho fcodlng of dairy cows for best roaults Is more complicated, and In- volves moro thought than most per sons realize; meroly throwing a cow an abundanco of food Is not all. It Is impossible to tell tho profltablo cows from tho unprofitable animals unless you test your milk. Tho quan tity of milk Is not enough. Tho but tcr fat must be considered. It Is vory Important that when tho o&lvcs aro first placed In tho feed lot thoy should bo given tho. most palat able foed that can be obtained until they have learned to eat. Tbbro Is no known fcod that Is hot ter for poultry than good clean grains accompanied by plenty of clean, fresh water and an abundanco of charcoal. Now Is the tlmo to study up on tho new "serum" method for preventing hog cholera, then you will bo ready to act at once whon you have to. Tho only way to be suro a cow has good milking qualities which can be perpetuated in her offspring Is to bo suro sho has good blood In her. In Improving a flock of mutton sheep, tho ram Is practically tho whole thing until such a tlmo as tho ewes aro equally well bred. Don't pack tho dairy cow away for winter Into a dark cornor of tho stn bio and expect to tako out a strong, hoalthy cow in tho spring. Generally faraors who fcod stock upon their farms are successful farm era, but not all successful farmers nood bo stock fecdors. Producing what tho consumer wants mid putting It on tho market In nn attractive form are two of tho secrets of successful dairying. It isn't much use to keep cows that milk hard. You can find Just as good ones that milk by man-power and not four horso-power. Cattlo raising presents a promising field of endeavor to thoso who aim allko at personal satisfaction and financial profit All damaged limbs should ha cut out, becnuso thoy aro likely to In Juro others whllo swnylng In tho winds. It rcaulrcs skill and a liberal svs torn of feeding to grow nnd develop a nlgn-grado arait norso lor marxet The sheep responds profitably to conditions of peacefulness. They need sonslblo treatment as to surroundings, In the largo city markets tho best prices for fatted fowls aro realized from about February to July. Lousy hogs are a direct source of loss, which, with worms, provont divi dends In tho hog buslnoss. Attention to overy minute detail In dairying must bo observed "If the best results aro reached. All weeds and dead branches should bo cleaned out of tho small fruit gar dens and burned. Marcs do not usually give trouble by abortion If glvon good food anil roasonnblo caro. Of course, when pregnant, a maro should not bo over- driven, nor bo compelled to smoll blood 'or offal, and should not back or hold back heavy loads Iter stall should not havo much Incline Nour ishing food, puro wator and fresh air aro essentials. If ono suspect ergot or smut In hay or feed It should bo discarded. It Is estimated that barn-yard ma nures havo a valuo of about two-thirds that of commercial fertilizers, there fore tho careful saving of farm ma nures and their judicial application to tho soil aro vital factors in farming peratlons, and as essential to con tlnuod success ns plowing tho InnJ or planting the crop. i Tho prlco of dairy products In tho winter Is so much higher than in Bum mor that only a small extra effort as to caro and Judicious feeding may ro Bult In n considerable lncrcnso In the profits from tho cntiro herd at thl3 season. Tho intelligent flock-masters aro fast coming to recognlzo tho fact that tho man who makes tho most of his opportunities in handling a farm flock must become a brcodor nnd feeder of high-class mutton, moro especially shoop. Tho farmer who Is breeding a flock of Improved mutton sheep and feeding them In nn Intelligent and palnBtnklng manner, may plan' his feeding opera tions so that ho may havo a good nonr by city market overy weok In tho yenr. Farm-yard manures benefit tho soil by acting as a mulch and mnko hu4 mus, but their benefit to tho growing crops depends entirely upon tho amount of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, nnd potash they contain. It Is true that tho generality of farm marcs aro low In quality, but that Is no valid excuso for farmers ta persist In brocding horses that hch body wants, not oven themselves. Sheep raising numbors among Its requirements qulotncss and content ment in a degrco perhaps not so es-i scntlal to success In the handling of other breeds of ltvo stock. In tho production of strawberries tho best Bpoclmons aro obtained only by careful culture ho plants should bo of a largo fruited and firm frultod variety of tho fcost llavor. Begin to tako tho chill off tho wator you, glvo tho horses when tho woathoi; gets cold. You can heat It cheaper on tho stove than you can In the. stomach of tho-horso. A thick coat of paint daubed over tho severed HtnbB when pruning ip tho orchard or wood lot prevents cracking of tho wood and gives the trees a bet ter appearance. Tho ordinary diversified farm with its abundant uso of horsepower fur nishes ideal conditions for growing, developing and training draft horses. It will pay anyone that koeps from 25 to 100 hens to build a shod closo to tho honhouso In which to deposit tho droppings during tho winter. It Is best to separate pullets from tho rost of tho flock, let thorn havo free rango and feed largely of whole or cracked corn, wheat or oats. i t It is Impossible to create cnnncltv. You may breed for it but' you enn'ti create it and it's a very lmnortant function In tho dairy cow. There Is tho most money .In tho long run In dulrylng by selling tho cream or butter only and kcoplng tho' other products on tho farm. Tho Duroc Jersey sows are very docile; they are easily handled during tho breeding and farrowing season and aro very prolific breeders. Under no circumstances should any thing bo added to milk to prevent its, souring. Such doings vlolato tho law. of both God und man. Tho problem of kcoplng tho boys and girls on tho farmstead Is solving Itself, for farm Ufa Is becoming moro and moro attractive. While it is some troublo to strain .tho cream before churning, but when that Is dono thero will be no white BpockB in buttor. Tho feeder Is tho only man that enn toll how much food tho colts requlro for their best growth nnd develop mont. Fresh air Is all right for tho hens, but not whon it Is sifted through knot- holos and cracks betwoon tho boards, Ram lambs aro a drug on tho mar ket, vet thousands of fnrmors con tinue to flood tho roarkqts with them, r-V. , 1. n t Irani nn rtAA.AMAM soon assumo tho appearance that ,. i vneir purpose wuuiu bikhuj-, Good, bright oat straw is good rougiiago ror iuio norses, out somo grain should bo fod with It. Hold on to somo of tho clover fop spring feeding. It Is great when tho sheep get tired of timothy. Hens aro much bettor brecdors than pullets, becauso n greater per cent, of tho eggs aro fertile. MODERATE-PRICED PIGGERY ACCOMMODATING BROOD SOWS Excellent Pens for Shelter of Winter Sanitary and Ventilating Con ditions Arc Superior. In response to n query for plana for a moderatc-prlood houso to accom modulo 26 brooding sows nud tho usual complement of pigs, tho Coun try Gentleman publishes tho follow-1 Ing: ' For tho brood sows It Is best to have Beparnto cots like thoso describ ed by Professor Shaw of tho Michigan Fig. 1 Movable Cot for Drood Sow. Station, from whoso bulletin on tho Bubject tho following ougrnvlrigs aro made. Sows and pigs should be kept away from tho main or winter pen as much as possible Tho bow should havo plonty of exercise, plonty of green and succulent food, nnd ncccsB to tho ground. Thoso cots offer Ideal Bummer conditions both to bow and litter. Fig. 1 Is a good oot for a sow thnt Is about to farrow, sle sho cannot lie down close to tho sides and thus overllo the young pigs. A cot like that shown In FIg.-2, howover, gives better ventilation nnd Is preferable In very hot weathor. This Is built Cx8, with vertical sides 3 foot high, with board roof, half pitch. Tho center boards on tho sides are bung on hlngos to open in hot weather. Noto nlBo the slmplo way of ventilating at Fig. 2 A Slx-by-Elght Cot. tho highest point of tho roof. Covor thd openings In tho sides with woven wire. Such a cot contains 100 feet of stock lumber, CO' feet of matched stdff, 20 feet 4 by 6, 12 foot 4 by 4, 44 foet 2 by 4, and ought to bo made by n car penter in a couplo of days, A floor can be made for it If desired for win ter quarters, using two-inch stuff cut In lengths to rest on tho skids, which aro wider than tho sills, Do not fasten tho sills to tho sklda, as tho latter are tho first to rot. Whero tho pigs do not como lato In tho fall or too early In tho spring, It is bettor to uso such a cot ns tho per manent homo of tho sow, kooplng her thero during tho wlntor and compelling plenty of exerclso by putting her food at a considerable dlstanco from tho cot, and not using too much bedding, but enough to koep her warm and comfortablo. Such cots aro Used also for fatten ing pigs, A movahlo hog cot Is hotter in most cases -than a pormnnont pen, aB it koeps tho pigs away from any central place, which Is sure to becomo permanently contaminated, muddy In wot weather, dusty In dry, und dirty all tho tlmo. If a permanent hog-houso Is to bo built, It should bo located on a knoll ENGLISH BREED OF DORKING Of tho domesticated broods of fowl In England tho Dorking la amccig tho oldest, ranking In this roBpoct with tho Games. Thoro nro thoso among poultry writers, who giyo It ovon greater historical significance, claim ing to trace its ancestry back to tho time of tho Iloman invasion of Brit tany. It takes its namo from an Eng lish town in Surrey, whero undoubted Swine Doth in Summer and rather than In a moist hollow. Next, sufficient yardngo, which you say you have, should bo nvnllable. LArgo lots, whoro succulent food can be grown, nro to bo preferred to small oxerclso pens, which cannot bo kept hoalthful In n warm climate. Tho pig should naturally bo fattened In tho late fall, nnd nono cnrrlod over but tho breed ing stock. Experiments beyond num ber hnvo shown thnt It Is not proflt ablo to feed olther old or heavy hogs. Tho rule ought to bo to havo olght-months-old pigs weigh at least 200 pounds nnd fit for slaughter. Such pigs ought never to see tho Inside ol it costly pormnnont pen, hut ought to go to tho slaughter house dlrcctry from tho lots ,and tho cots. Use coment floors with overlays for tho pigs to He on. Tho drnwlug shows I this clearly; tho overlay being hinged' to the side of tho pen, bo that It may bo raised up and tho floor beneath properly cleaned. Nora also that It Is In tho corner of tho pen and away from tho feeding trough. It Is bedded with fresh bedding once a week. Tho The Arrangement of the Pen. overlay hero described Is mado from Inch lumber, with Inch cleats bolow to hold tho boards together. A 2 by 4" surrounds tho affair to hold tho bedj ding In pluco, nailed to tho boards and rolnforcod by a triangular pleco o( scantling nailed to tho 2 by 4 and td tho floor. It Is not necessary to go Into do tails In tho description of tho pons. The cut shows how tho 10 by 14 pen Is nrranged, with swing door at ono cornor, Hftod by a rope lending to tho front of tho pon; abundant windows and ventilation; tho widening out o( tho door frnmo to provent tho plgu from getting their noses under tho door whon closed; tho feeding trough', with swinging door ovor It, to hoop back tho hogs when feeding, and pan ,r..J -J I 1 JL ! Plan of Piggery. tttlon betwoon tho pens high enough to koop tho hogs from qunrrellng over, thorn, but not high onough to provent frco movement of tho nlr lengthwise of the stable. ly it first attained oconomlo Impor tance From this sourco It has sproad pretty much over England, and occu pies tho samo position to tho poultry industry of that country that tho Ply- mouth Rocks and Wyandottoa do to America. Pro-eralnently It belongs ta tho all-purposo breeds, with a slightly propondorating advantage for able UBOU, y-r; i mm mm DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INEXPENSIVE CHICKEN HOUSE Building Planned for Farmer or Villager of .Moderate Means Who Wishes Flocks of Cross Section of House, Show) This houso Is planned for tho farm tr or villager of inodorato means, who wishes to keep ono or two fair-sized ilocks of fowls. Should a houso with a largo capacity bo desired, tho build ing could bo made longer. Tho foundation wall Is of concroto, 18 Inches high. It extends ten Inches bolow tho surfaca of tho ground, whoro It vjs olght Inches thick and olght Inches nbovo tho ground, whoro It Is six Inches thick. In mixing tho con croto, ono part of cement was used to bI.x parts of sand. Tho floor Is 18x40 feet, and contains 720 squaro foot of space, divided Into two equal pens. If Leghorns aro to bo housod, tho Btructuro will sholtor 180 birds, 90 In a pon, with an allowanco of four squaro foot to each. Of Ply mouth rooks 104 may bo housed, al lowing four and one-halt squaro foct to each. Tho studding Is soven foet In front nnd hour and one-half foot In tho roar. Tho roof Is of tho combination typo, rising to n holght of nlno feot at tho ponk. Its rafters aro of two by six lumber, 1C foot long on tho rear and Bovon foot long on tho front slopo. Each is tlod by a ono by four board run ning from tho top of tho plate in front to tho 14-foot ratter running from peak to roar and high enough not to In- commodo tho attendants. With the rafters thus tied, supports aro not noodod in tho contor. Upon thq rafters nro laid tho root boards and roofing, In dotall tho same ns in tho houso of hollow tile de scribed nbdvo. All sides of tho building aro of No 1 six-inch drop siding. In each end thore Is a door, swinging outward, and placed as near tho centor as possible, thus making it handy to either win dow, nosta or roosts. For tho doors, No. 1 D, & M. lumber Is used. Tho partition botwoen tho two pons Is of matched lumbor for tho first thrco foet from tho floor, and of mus lln thonco to tho celling. For ftvo feot from tbo north wall around tho Iff a ' " ' ' I I MOST REMARKABLE PRIZE HOG (GIRTH! X is, -JjWEfOHT 7&i ? , 5rr 1050 I LENGTH I 22 IN L WEIGHS A3 MUCH 1(7 i I P f iw-V ' Tho most valuablo and moat ro markablo hog In tho country was ono of tho chief attractions of tho recent International Llvo Stock show at tho stock yurds, Chicago. It 1b worth 2,C00 and wolghts 1,000 pounds, It Is forty-two lnchos high nnd eighty-four lnchos In length, tho girth moasuromont being soventy-olght and one-half Inches and still grow ing. The animal la only 2 years old and has won highest honors In many prlzo rings, bolng tho grand champion at the International Live Stock show last to Keep One or Two Talr Slsse. j . . . . . v ng Partition, Door, Windows, Etc. broody coop It Is tightly boarded, ta protect the fowls against any posslbU draught whllo roosting. Tho partition door Is hung In th middle, on doublo-nctfng hinges and swings clthor way. Tho dropplng-boards, roosts and broody coops aro located on the north sldo. Thoy' aro surroundod bydoubl walls to guard against draughts. Tho nosta are built In sections ol six, Tho bottoms aro of ono-lnch dia mond mesh poultry fencing, and ar self-cleaning. Tho fowls ontet from tho roar and tho eggs aro takon oul from the front. WELL-BRED DAIRY COWS Rumarkakle Herd Owned by Fan mer Hear Marblohead, Muhb. Beautiful, Clean. Sleek aad Great Milkers. Mr, Charles It. Adams, who has sue; cossfully conducted a farm In Marble? hond, Massachusetts, for several yearn past, has a remarkable herd of cows, observes tho Messenger of that town, Thoy are beautiful cattle, clean and slook, all of thorn, and great "mllk ers," and, their quiet and gentle ways show In a remarkable degree what kindness Is capable of accomplishing) To Mr. and Mrs. Adams each cow is nn Individual and tins Individual trails nnd nn Individual namo. Nq stick or Btono or loud word has ever vexed their tranquillity and therefore thoy aro almost without foar. Le( Mr. Adams or his wlfo, standing at a consldornblo dlstanco, spook In modor. ate tones tho names of "Blue Dell," "Specklo," "Daisy," "Blossom," ol any other of tho herd, and Immediate ly the owner of tho name will ston feeding and give quick attention, often at once approaching at the firs) call. . year nnd senior champion ns well standing first In Its class at tho Iowa state fair and also at tho IlltnolB stat fair nnd Is slated for tho grand cham pionship and othpr honors at thli yoar's International. Tho porker was tho contor of at traction In tho swine exhibit. It Is a Duroc-jcrsoy and Is light brown in color, Tho owner, II. H. Browning of Hors man, 111., has named tho hog "Defon dor," bocauso ho believes that It can defend against all comora all tho champloushlp titles which havo boon bestowed upon It. mm " m t