288 USEFUL HINTS 



strong, but allow them to nip the tender grass at will. A 

 shallow dish of water is given them to drink from. They 

 are kept out of rains until they are well feathered. I 

 feed a little cracked corn at night to coax them home. 



The amateur farmer does not need expert advice to en- 

 able him to keep his hogs in clean yards and buildings. 

 Without much scientific knowledge he can see the wisdom 

 of allowing them to range in grass or clover. They need 

 a change of pasture and grounds now and again. It takes 

 only a little systematic effort to provide clean troughs 

 and fresh water. A shed is needed for shade in summer 

 unless there are trees, and winter pens and yards should 

 be kept in a sanitary condition. All these things count 

 largely in warding off disease and in making a good 

 quality of pork. The charcoal and wood ashes which are 

 valuable aids to the health of swine, will help to a great 

 extent in warding off cholera. Corn given in a green 

 stage is one of the causes of cholera and this kind of 

 feeding should be avoided. 



Sheep are easier to winter than any other stock. That 

 is, of course, providing they have sufficient shelter and 

 plenty of fresh water. The barn in which I keep my 

 sheep is completely inclosed, and as warm and tight as 

 any of the buildings for the rest of the stock. It has 

 plenty of windows, and openings in the windows for 

 ventilation. I feed timothy or upland hay at night, and 

 straw liberally during the day, with a little ground oats 

 and shorts, mixed, in the morning. My feed racks are 

 built a foot from the floor. They are a foot wide at the 

 bottom, 23/2 feet high and 2 feet wide at the top. The 

 sides are made of boards 8 inches wide and 6 inches apart 

 up and down. Besides a system of window ventilation, 

 I have ventilators in the roof, so that I am sure at all 

 times of the sheep having plenty of fresh air. 



