Nebraska Newspapers

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THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
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MEADOWBROOK
COLONY HOUSES FOR POULTRY ARE HANDY
GOOD CARE AND FEEDING OF WORK TEAMS
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Move chicken coops often.
Whitewash the chicken coopa.
Keep the chickens busy and hungry.
Why not corn, clover, cows and
cash?
Be suro the horseB have good, deep,
clean beds.
In preparing the land for alfalfa It
Is best to go slow.
' Pasture and forage crops are needed
to make cheap pork. -
Work the butter Just enough to dis
tribute the salt evenly. , -
Good pastures are essential for
profitable beef production.
It takes a mighty good cow to hold
her own with 25 average hens.
Rutabagas are a good rooting crop
for the hogs-to harvest next fall.
Do not cover fine seedjdeeply. Put
en just enough dlr to cover the seed.
The selection of the sire Is a very
important factor in building up a dairy
herd.
If sows are kept near the male hog
they can usually be bred at about the
earao time.
- Exercise, alfalfa, a little corn, apd
Blop will keep the brood sow in ex
cellent condition.
Exercise the greatest cleanliness in
all your work In connection with the
" rearing of small chicks.
The increasing demand for milk
products Indicates that there is money
ahead for the wise dairyman.
In curing alfalfa hay, the main aims
should be to. save all tho leaves and
to 'keep the plants from bleaching.
San Jose scale appeared and caused
much destruction of fruit trees in Cal
ifornia more than thirty years ago.
A clean coop and plenty of fresh air
and exercise will do much toward
keeping chicks healthy and growing.
For forage purposes tho sweet- sor
ghums usually, produce a greater ton
nage to tho acre than either kafir or
' corn. "-
If tho young sows are fed as liberal
ly as they should be to properly de
velop them, the old ones will become
too fatf
Keep tho pigs growing rapidly, by
feeding through the sow, and by in
ducing them to cat in an lnclosure by
themselves.
Before turning the young horses
, nud colts to pasture, have the teeth
of each one examined by a competent
veterinary surgeon.
As a general rule, the best milking
ewes are tho one3 to suffer from the
low nutritive food value of spring and
early Bummer pasture.
The kind and amount of commercial
fertilizer to use should be determined
by the value of the crop grown and
its power of acquiring food.
Sitting hens should be kept free
from lice and given a chance to eat all
tho whole corn, grit and charcoal tTiat
they want nt least once every day.
The litmus paper is an absolutely re
liable test for tho presence of acids,
but when applied as a boII test It deos
not indicate all that we need to know.
Both soybeans and cowpeas aro
highly nutritious feeding stuffs and b$
reason of their high protein content
aro especially valuable tor feeding
with corn.
To obtain the full value of crimson
clover as a fertilizer, tho entlro green
crop should bo plowed under, thus
adding to tho soil a large quantity of
'nitrogen and humus, or decayed iege-
ttablo matter.
Nothing beautifies a homo more
than hardy vines. Remember this in
making up Uiq nursery order. Half a
dozen different vines planted about
the dwilllng can bo mado to produce
a shower of flowers throughout tho
summer and fall.
h
Se that the young sow raises the
right number of pigs (from eight to
ten, according to her capacity and
milk flow) or nono at ail, as other
wise her udder "will be poorly de
veloped And she probably always will
raise small litters.
Keen tho ctilcko Efuwlng
Fwsd tho chicks for growth.
Rapo 1b used as a soiling crop.
Thero is money In ralslrig apples.
Plant pasturo grasses over the waste
lands.
Handle tho colts carefully und Jn
telllgently.
Any check in a calf's growth Is n
loss to tho owner.
Study individual tnBtes In tho cows,
and feed accordingly.
Young plgB need plenty of oxerclse.
sunshine and dry beds.
It is an established fact that young
cocklebura will kill hoga.
A good lawn and garden will make
the homo brighter and better.
Remember tha.t sheep like a short
bito, but don't lut It bo too Bhort.
Green ryo and alfalfa, equal parts,
will make a fair grade of ensilage.
A soro on tho breast or shoulders
of a horse is a rebuke to the driver.
Sheep must have shade In the pas
ture. They never graze In the hot sun.
A dozen sheep aro more effective
weed destroyers than a man and a
hoe.
Nearly a million women In tho Unl
tod States are either farmers or farm
laborers.
It is a waste of time and labor to
plant corn on rough, badly prepared,
thin ground.
If tho butter is -to go on tho mar
ket it should bo put in neat, attrac
tive packages.
Thin steers when put on pasturo
make larger and cheaper dally gains
than fleshy ones.
""
If beginning In tho poultry business
be sure you get healthy stock or eggs
from healthy stock.
o
The more milk a sow gives after her
pigs are old enough to take It, the
faster they will grow.
.'
Don't burn the straw. Use It for
bedding for the stock and return It
to soil to renew fertility.
At this time of year a good sized
hen, like a Plymouth Rock, can cover
lGggs If given a snug neet.
Try to give tho chicks, chick-size
grit and charcoal In such a way that
they cannot help but find It
There Is no excuse for stacking al
falfa, for. ono can make big interest
on money that is Invested in barns.
For every cherry that a robin eats,
he should be credited with destroying
perhaps thousands of injurious in
sects. Rye strawmakcs the best bedding
for stock. Do not be too economical
with it. Place a foot deep under the
stock. "
Hogs should have plenty of clean,
fresh water to drink. They prefer
clean to muddy water and it is more
healthful.
Rape is used In a small way only as
a soiling crop to grow near tho barn
and cut for hogs oc other stock when
pastures are dry.
Moro than In any other branch of
farming, success In poultry raising de
pends on regularly and faithfully do
ing ho little things.
Weed seed and small grain will
never produce a profitable crop when
run through the seeder. Look out for
your seed beforo sowing.
With a pair of tinsmith's shears
remove all the black teeth that are
present In the young pig's mouth as
soon after farrowing as possible.
Frequent chango of pasture and tho
feeding of supplemental forage and
grain arc excellent means of assisting
in keeping tho owea in good flesh con
dition. Weeds should be killed as coon as
they begin to grow, but the primary
reason for cultivating is to maintain
tho proper proportion of air and mois
ture In the soil.
Therp la a growing interest In sav
ing and Improving old neglected or
chards. Do not cut down a slnglo
tree until convinced that It Ib wholly
useless. If necessary, consult an ex
pert orchardlst.
Hogs should have warm, dry beds
during tho chilly nights of late spring
and early fall and during cold, wet
weather in summer. This will provent
many cases of pneumonia, probably a
greater hog-killer from year to year
than cholera.
Brooder chicks require less heat dur
ing the lato spring and summer than
the early hatches. Ninety and 95 de
grees for the first ten days is a good
temperature, but after this it should
never go higher than 90, and with It
plenty of fresh air.
Colony House Used at Government Farm at Beltsvllle, Md.
(By J. "W. KKLL.ER. Copyright, 1914.)
After the brooder, beforo the' laying
Iioubo, what then? Thp colony houso
is tho answer. Chicks aro generally
ready to lcavo tho brooder at about six
weeks ot age that is, when fully
feathered, They aro then ablo to tako
caro of themselves during tho day
'time, and, except on cold, rainy days,
tho question of artificial heat is not
vital.
There are several types of colony
houses, but all should have tho follow
ing features: Perfectly dry, freedom
from drafts, well ventilated, easy 'to
clean and move (this latter should bo
done every season), and, lastly, they
should be uttractlve, but inexpensive.
Don't crowd tho chlckB in tho colony
house. Remember, they will bo al
most grown beforo they aro moved
again. Have perches removable, and
do not allow tho chicks to roost until
their bones have hardened up consid
erably, or they may havo crooked
breast bones. When roosts aro given,
Jiave them at leaBt two inches wide.
For small flocks suitablo colony
houses may bo mado from large storo
boxes by covering the top and three
sides with tar paper, tho other side
being made of cellar window wire ex
POOR PRACTISE OF FARMERS I
Department of Agriculture Investiga
tors Recommend Incubator Eggs
Be Used at Home.
Tho mixing of incubator eggs with
tho fresh spring eggs leads the egg
packers, who get their principal cold
storage supply in tho spring, to cut
tho price they pay tho farmer, depart
ment of agriculture investigators And.
Tho spring eggs designed for keeping
for winter consumption must be abso
lutely good. Moreover, tho egg pack
ars in tho spring do not candlo eggs,
but hold them three at a time In the
hand and clink them to discover any
nrnnlr nnil thnn liulpft tliplr frPSlinCBS
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shell. Tho mixture of infertile incu
bator eecs with fresh eggs Interferes
seriously with this clinking and forces
tho packer to candle tho egga. He
then deducts this added expense from
the price he offers to the producer.
Eggs which have once been subjected
to the heat of the Incubator cannot bo
stored, even though frozen.
Tho farmer who sells Incubator eggs
to tho dealer, therefore, Is very Hablo
to injuro his own market for fresh
eggs. When dealers find a percentago
of low-grado incubator or otner eggs
in their fresh spring egg supply they
lower tho price for all eggs bo that
they will be certain that they havo
covered thomsolves against Iobscb from
this cause. Tho department's special
ists adviso farmers to uso any Infer
tile eggs they may take from their in
cubators for home consumption and to
send only fresh egga to market.
START IN POULTRY BUSINESS
Select Good Foundation Stock and
Erect Comfortable Buildings
Fowls Need Free Range.
A few things to remember In start
ing, it a living is to bo tho objective
point in keeping poultry, are: Select
a good location, as to ground con
ditions, markets, etc. Choose good
foundation stock. Build well, though
this need not bo expensive; but poorly
constructed buildings aro a loss in
tho long run, and false economy.
Start slowly and work up gradually.
Ilavo enough cash on hand to carry
the poultry operation for at least two
years. Don't purchase a placo with
too small acreage. At least fivo acres
should bo purchased, although many
successful poultry plants aro operated
on three. It takcB more caro to keep
the land in condition. Free range for
growing stock is eecontial In Wie long
run. Rather havo too much room than
too little Study cnrefully tho Incu
bator nnd brooding systems. This Is
ono or tho main items in the? busi
ness. Study tho poultry situation at
least a venr beforo commencing.
Vleit tho leading poultry operations
that havo been in the, business for at
least five or six years. Ono can learn
a good deal by visiting tho successful
poultry keepers, and will be less Hablo
to mako mistakes in poultry house
construction. Carefully entering tho
bublnesB in a safe and sano way will
Jo much toward, the success of tho
T..ture.
tending six Inches down from the top.
which should ordinarily bo left uncov
ered, but there should bo a curtain to
drop over it in bad weather. The bal
ance of tho side should bo hinged so it
can bo thrown open during tho day,
admitting sunsliino and frcBh air.
The "A" shaped colony houso Ib
not bo easily cleaned as some of tho
others.
Most colony houses average about
6 by 8 feet in size, with shed roof and
n largo wire covered window with cur
tain in front. This type should bo
built -on skids, so that they can bo
eaally dragged to new ground 'with tho
aid of a horso, and, if tightly built,
houses of thiB sort can bo UBed for lay
ers and also breeders In tho winter by
tho addition of nests, hoppers, etc.
A word about placing tho house.
Choose well drained ground that 13
covered with a heavy, sweet sod. An
old orchard is almost ideal, as the
trees furnish shade during tho hot
summer days. Clean away any brush
piles or thickets which might harbor
vermin, and if the same ground must
bo used year after year lime It, plow
It down each fall and sow with soma
suitablo crop which will afford green
pasture for tho growing birds.
HOW TO TELL SEX IN GEESE
Male in Most Cases Is Larger Than
Female Never Look for Curled
Feather In Tails.
(By N. A. HAItTLETT.)
It is not an easy thing to tell tho
sex in geese.
When they rfre six or seven months
old ono can usually tell by observa
tion the geese from tho gander.
Tho male In most cases growa
larger than tho female.
The female has a deeper body, slim
mer neck nud smaller head.
Tho call of the gander Is long, loud
and shrill, while that of tho gooso
is merely an answer to it.
It is a good plan to divide the flock
part on ono side of tho fence and part
on tho other when trying to dis
tinguish tho sex when you can dis
tinguish most of the ganders by their
calls.
Never look for a curled feather In
their tails or other outside marks for
there are none.
The male Is bolder and vicious and
if cornered in Borne small place will
show fight to protect his mate.
EFFECT OF FEED ON FLAVOR
Hens Fed Nitrogenous Ration Pro
duced Eggs of Disagreeable
Taste and Small Yolk.
Some years ago tho Cornell station,
In tho effect of nitrogenous vs. car
bonaceous food for poultry, reported
observations on the different rations
on the flavor of eggB. One lot of
fowls was fed a mixture of wheat,
shorts, cotton-seed meal nnd skim
milk; another lot cracked corn und
corn dough. Tho former ration con
tained much moro nitrogen thnn tho
latter.
Tho hens fed corn laid fewer eggs
thnn thoso fed tho nitrogenous ration,
but tho eggs wcro larger. The eggs
produced by tho nitrogenous ration
wero of a disagreeable flavor and
smell, had a small yolk, and did not
keop well. Tho flesh of the poultry
fed this ration, however, was darker,
moro succulont and tender than that
of tho fowln fed tho carbonaceous ra
tion. TAKE CARE OF THE BROODER
Material Used for Floor Covering
Should Be Changed Every Othe."
Day Prevent Crowding.
Brush out tho brooders every other
day, changing tho material used in
floor covering. This may bo of bran,
sand, sawdust or paper, but must bo
dry. Damp bedding induces dlscaao
overy time.
Whon it ia necessary to wash tho
brooder choose z. warm, sunny day,
so that tho chick- will not need It, and
It can be thoroughly dried before re
turning them at night. If these condi
tions cannot bo complied with, a tem
porary brooder may be used for
tho day by means of a box and on& or
two Jugs of hot wnter well wrapped
in flannel, the latter serving tho dou
ble purpose of holding In tho heat and
preventing a chick being crowded up
and burnt.
Fine Work Teams' Tho Requisites for a Working Horee Are Good Size,
Quick Action and Strength.
(By It. A. CIAI.UUDin
Perhaps no subject la of more Im
portance to tho avorago farmer than
tho proper caro nnd feeding of tho
teams that aro relied upon to do the
farm work; aud nB a rule, Wo do not
bollovo that those horBcs rucelvo the
caro and consideration that they
should. A good horac used in com
tnoueenac manner, should live to an
old ago and be In condition to per
form good work nt all times.
Tho essential requisites for a work
ing horso aro good bIzo, quick action
and strength. A high-spirited anlmnl
or ono of groat value Is not tho moat
desirable animal for the farmer.
What wo need Ib a good walker, as
much of tho usefulness and cfllcicncy
depends upon that quality. This fac
ulty Is qulto aa much a mattor of ed
ucation as inherited qualities.
Undor ordinary circuniBtnnccs It Is
Judicious, to use marcs for working
teams upon a farm. Except for a short
tlmo, tho period of parturition and im
mediately after, they aro fully ns well
adapted to farm work as geldings.
They also posaesB tho advantage of
annually bringing colts, and in event
PRACTICAL. HINTS
FOR THE SHEPHERD
While Dipping the Sheep Just Dip
the Lambs, Too Keep All
Good Breeding Ewes.
Do not lot anyono deceive you by
telling you that buck lambs will bring
you as much money aa wether lambs,
for they will not do It.
Castrate all male lambs at eight
days to two weeks of ago, and any
good operator will not lose ono out
of 100.
Dip all your sheep as soon as shear
ing Ib over. While you are at it JuBt
dip tho lambs too, aa tho ticks will
leavo tho Bhorn owea for the woolly
lambs.
Just as long as-n owe "holds her
teeth" It will pay to keop her for a
breeder, as ewes breed lambs up to
quite an advanced ago.
Tlmt old ewo might havo brought
$2.50 last" fall and tho two lambs trot
ting at her side will bring $5 or $G In
July.
An old ewo or two may dlo during
tho winter, but you can lose ono out
of three nnd still mako It pny to keop
them at ?2 to ?3 per head,
The sheep got uneasy as Boon as
tho hot weather comes on unless they
get out on tho groiind. It Is a good
plan to let them out every day for n
while. If the pastures are not high
enough bo that they can get nil they
want to eat, bring them down nt night
and glvo thpm a nice, bright look of
hny and a llttlo grain. Tho owes need
this If tho Iambs aro to bo kept grow
ing. If tho coarso hay In tho mangers is
given to sheep they will nibblo a
great deal of It away.
Tho sheep Is a dainty feeder and
will not eat musty or unclean hay or
fodder. Neither will sheep drink un
clean wutcr.
Itja strange that some men will
inafat on raising a scrub ram when n
thoroughbred costs so little In com
parison to the Improvement ho will
mako In his flock.
Sheep will sometimes eat weeds.
hut it is generally because they havo
nothing bettor.
Tho" reason why bo many men fall
In the Bheep business Ib because they
do not ntudy it before they begin.
FENCE REVOLUTIONIZING HOG INDUSTRY
Pigs Find Money
(By W. M KKM.Y)
Tho woven wlro fenco Is revolution
izing tho hog industry in tho whole
country, and whon fnrmorB learn to
utilize every bit of waste land for pas
ture for their hogB the herds will bo
healthy and tho coBt of production will
bo decreased many dollars.
It won't do to allow the pigs to Ho
In the shade of the corn cribs or to
allow them only a run of pas'Avo. I
of their being incapacitated by nccl
dent or labor thoy may still bo kept
with profit ns breeders.
Horses employed for farm work
should not bo pampered, but Bhould
bo fed gpnoroutly, so nB to suatnln
vigor and good splritB.
A team ill fed, and consequently In,
poor condition nnd feoble, will not ac
complish much real hard work, and It
is a wnslo of labor to hire an expen
sive hand to drive such a tenm.
Tho harness, and particularly tho
collar, should bo accurately adjuBtetl
to tho horBo. If tho collar Is either
too tight or too looso it galls him and
seriously affects his breathing.
The workhorses should bo fod early
In the morning, and thoy should havo
a liberal feeding. Tho comfort and
rest of tho toam will bo vastly pro-)
moted if tho harness is entirely re-
moved at noon whllo thoy aro feeding.,
Rub them down cnrefully and cleanso
from dust nnd sweat.
Allow them plenty of tlmo for a
good meal and partial dlgentlon before
they aro put to work for tho after
noon. It Is poor policy to put them to
work right after eating a hearty meal.
Sheep raising means something moro
thnn buying n (lock of sheep und turn
ing them Into a bnro pasturo without
Bheltcr.
Our sheep farmers aro beginning to
learn that they need permanent pas
tures IncrcnBcd yearly In productive
ness by high fertilizing.
Tho hlt-or-mlsB plnn of raising
Bheep has never yet proved profitnblo.
Nover feed sheep heavily on ono
grain alone. Glvo them a variety and
don't forget the roota.
English Bhcphcrds bcllevo that pco
plo who eat mutton nnd leavo pork
nlonc will nover hnvo Indigestion,
Arrange your fields bo that tho
sheep will havo good shndo during,
tho coming summer.
It is an easy mattor to provide a
narrow trough filled three or four
IncheB deep with solution through
which the sheep can pnBB from tho
pen to the pnsturo every morning.
Thja will not euro bad ensea of foot
rot but It will prevent now cases.
One of tho necefcsary things In tho1
cure of Bheep is tho paring of tholr
hoofs nt least twlco a year. Naturo
provided a rapid growth of hoof to
stand tho wear and tonr of Btony
giound but soft pastures will not wenr
down the hoofs fast enough nnd tho
broken hoof often results In disease.
If you havo any old sheep, thoy
should be separated from tho reBt ot
the Hock, and If thoy aro to bo fat
tened, corn should bo cracked for
them.
Do not mako tho mlatako of starting:
the sheep business with a largo flock.
You will havo your hands full for tho
first year or two with a dozen.
Tho most profit to bo mado In sheep
la on tho farm where Birmll (locks can
bo handled to better advantage thaa
by wholesale.
Ever try smoked mutton hnmsT
They are cured Just a8 easily aB pig,
hamB and are good eatlpg.
If Bheep and lambs aro fod grain
together, tho lamba will faro pretty
slim. Have a hole In the fenco near
tho barn through which tho lambs can
slip and get away from tho old sheep.
Havo n good trough out thero for tho
grain you feed tho llttlo fellows and
they will get their share and grow like
weedfl.
Make It a rule to see the sheep and
lambs every day. Count to see that
nothing hnB happened to them. IC
ono is sick or otherwise In trouble,
get It out of tho (lock where you can
I glvo It a llttlq extra caro.
In Waste Land.
bellovu In feeding it llttlo corn all tho
time that tho pigs are running in tho
pnsturo.
Tho grass-grown pig doea not appear
so attractive with hla working clothes
on, but when ho Is well-developed and
ready to bo fatted he makes tho pam
pered pets look like very llttlo Ho
makes a tine appearance in society
and . is a credit . to his o,wner and
feeder. "