320 
bugs and insects. Use liquid manure in the 
garden. Plant melons, squashes, cucumbers, 
and pumpkins. Plant pole beans, and bush 
beans for a succession. Now is the time to 
sow the winter cabbage. Sow lettuce for a 
succession. Plant musk and water-melons. 
Keep them away from squashes and pump¬ 
kins. They do best in a light soil. Still sow 
peas for a succession. Plant, peppers. Put 
out the sweet potatoes if the ground is warm. 
Keep up the succession of radishes. They may 
be put in borders around the beds. Sow late 
tomatoes in a sheltered border. Transplant 
the early ones started in the hot-bed and cold- 
frame. Water frequently and shade lightly 
for a few days after transplanting. Turnips 
may be sown for a succession. If there are 
“fleas" in the patch, dust with lime while the 
dew is on. Shear the sheep. Mark lambs. 
Put the poultry coop* under the cherry and 
plum trees. Young chicks and turkeys in the 
garden will do no harm, and much good; but 
keep their mothers out. Finish smoking the 
pork. See that the cellar is clean and pure. 
Go to bed early and get up early. Rapid work 
gives more hours for sleep. Use you brains. 
Plan, aud work, and win. 
tience in investigation. I have seen many si¬ 
los and have bandied the ensilage, and I have 
yet to see one where It did not come out with 
a rank, disagreeable smell, and where the 
feeder did not admit that at first he bad to use 
to induce the stock to eat it. 
looking fowl, with rather large frame and 
legs, very close-lying plumuge, fine ml gills 
aud face; white ear lobes, and a comb like a 
pair of horns or spikes of coral. Hens of this 
breed lay the largest eggs 1 ever saw from any 
fowls; but they are not prolific layers, and 
although they attain great size, aud are very 
floe, delicate table fowls, their black legs are 
objectionable in a market fowl, and their deli¬ 
cate constitution unfits them for our change¬ 
able climate. 
The Cr«-ve-coeur is also a black fowl, with 
shorter legs and square r body than the pre¬ 
ceding. The fowls have also horned combs, 
or, as their name denotes, a broken heart- 
shaped comb. They sport a beard, and finish 
up with a crowning crest. They are hardier 
than La Flfeche, yet they do not hold their 
own as a breed. 
The Houdan, another pojiular breed of 
French fowls, iB by fur the strongest. The 
birds are spangled bluck aud-wbite, and are 
good layers, with square, compact bodies. 
They mature early for the table, have lighter- 
colored logs than the others, have beards, muffs 
and crests, aud small, split, bright-red combs. 
They are also fine-flavored table fowls. They 
are non-sitters, but the chicks are hardy. Al¬ 
though this breed of fowls was introduced 
some years ago, little was done with them for 
a long time; but during the last few years 
they huve come to the front, showing that 
they are, at any rate, hardy enough to in¬ 
crease in numbers, which can scarcely be said 
of other French breeds. Still, 1 do not like 
them for a farm as well as some of the others 
before mentioned. Their crests and muffs pre¬ 
vent their seeing much around them, aud ex¬ 
pose them to many da' gers; but where the 
space is limited and (tooted, they are an 
acquisition. 
It is singular what a variety the breeding of 
poultry can produce. Many oddities have been 
bred, continued for a time, and afterwards 
neglected. A very abort-legged variety of 
fowls, called Creepers, was once common. 
Their Jogs were so short they could scarcely 
walk. Other fowls without fails, or rumpless, 
are sometimes seen. Both varieties can be 
easily produced by selection; but they have 
uothiug to recommend them, and should be 
discouraged by farmers. 
Bergen Co., N. J. henry hales. 
some means 
While some claim that it docs not affect the 
milk and butter, others as loudly assert that it 
injures both, and we know that the milk con¬ 
densers are reported to utterly refuse to use it. 
Last Fall my corn was injured by tbe frost and 
was immediately cut aud put into shocks and 
was fed to uiy cows, and though apparently 
all right, my customers complained of the 
butter, so much so that I was compelled to 
change to hay, grain and roots, when the 
butter was all right. Now it seems to me that 
if this frosted corn, with no bad smell, would 
affect the butter, this rank-smelling ensilage 
would affect it still more. 
I am not so young but that I well remember 
the excitement of 30 or more years ago over 
steamed food; every feeder was singing its 
praises; the wildest stories now told by the 
disciples of Ooffart, are tame beside what 
was claimed then for the new system by its 
advocates, and the same argumeuts were used 
as now, and all men urged to invest—and 
many did, and put money into machines and 
apparatus for steaming food, that they could 
not afford to lose. These outfits have long 
since been abandoned and sold for old iron; 
the disciples, disgusted, went back to the old 
ways. I was sorely tempted then, as I listened 
to the praises of steamed food, to invest; but 
I hesitated, and huve always been glad 1 did so. 
Wealthy men are building silos and investi¬ 
gating, uud sooner or later we shall know the 
truth, and I do hope that it will prove all (and 
more) that its warmest admirers can desire. 
But at the same time ! believe the course ad¬ 
vised by the Rural is the true one, aud I ad¬ 
mire it for refusing to join the “booming cry.” 
People of moderate means have always got 
along without this method, and they can do as 
well for a few years longer. rustic. 
FALL PLOWED LAND FOR CORN. 
Here most farmers plant theireorn on fall- 
plowed land, considering it much better thau 
spriug-plowed for that purpose. I have done 
so for the last 90 years, and find a marked dif¬ 
ference in the yield over that on spring plowed 
land whenever I have been unable to plow 
it all in the Fall. If those who have fall- 
plowing for corn, will, in the early Spring, 
as soon as the land is dry enough, drag it over 
and break up tbe surface and let it remain 
until they are ready to work it for planting, 
they will find that most weeds will have 
started growing and will be readily killed. 
w. h. c. 
PREPARING HEN MANURE FOR CROPS. 
Farmers hereabouts find the beat way to 
prepare hen manure for crops is as follows: 
We take it, just as we find it, to a floor, on 
which it is spread out, sprinkled with water 
aud stirred until it is pretty well moistened. 
Then we add plaster—about one bushel to four 
of the manure; mix well, and pile up snugly. 
We watch It closely, and when it begins to get 
warm we stir it thoroughly, throwing out all 
lumps. After it has been stirred a few times, 
it should be very flue and ready for use. No 
ashes or lime should be added, uutil one is 
ready to use it, aud after these are added, the 
mixture should be covered at once. A- E. 
NOTES ON APRIL 26 RURAL, 
JOHN M. STAHL. 
Undoubtedly those who condemn ensilage 
in toto are wrong; but they are not so far 
wrong as those who give it unqualified praise. 
There is a golden middle ground in this dis¬ 
cussion, but the opponent of ensilaging is 
uearer it than the advocate of it. 1 huve 
watched all the reports closely, and am now of 
the same mind that 1 was at the beginning— 
that for years at least ensilaging will beproflt- 
able to but a limited number of our farmers, 
these being found principally among Eastern 
dairymen. The Rural’s advice to go slow, 
but investigate, is sound. 
Jonathan Periam crowds much truth into 
those first two paragraphs of his. I have fre¬ 
quently seen youngish animals which had been 
so poorly wintered that they weighed no more 
iu the Spring than they did tho Fall before. 
The farmer had kept them all Winter for less 
than nothing, for they had lost in muscle and 
fat, and were so “run down" that it required 
two months to get them in such condition as 
to digest and assimilate their food at all pro¬ 
perly. An animal should gain each day. The 
faster it gains the more profitable it is. 
POULTRY FEEDING TROUGH 
Poultry raisers have been much auuoyed 
by the chickens putting their feet on the edge 
of the dishes in which their feed aud water 
are given, aud tipping them over. A corres¬ 
pondent has sent us a description of a little 
contrivance which so effectually pre¬ 
vents all trouble of this kind that we give 
in Figure 156 an illustration of it. It 
MORE ABOUT ENSILAGE. 
I have read all that has appeared for aud 
against the feeding of ensilage, aud I must 
say I am uot very near a decision whether it 
be a good or bad thing. Major Alvord says 
ensilage or roots increased the butter yield 
14>£ ounces por 100 pouuds of milk. Mr. Good¬ 
man says he doesn’t think either ensilage or 
roots are essential, but that they are an unne¬ 
cessary expense l’or butter makers. Who shall 
decide when doctors disagree? I produce milk 
foi the town use, and I want to |know what is 
the best method; let us know more of this en¬ 
silage question. 
Hobart, Ind. e. c. 
Poultry Feeding Trough. Fig. 156 
consists of four pieces of board, of any con¬ 
venient thickness, cut as shown at Fig. 2, the 
short sides being cut to fit the sides of any 
dish to be used, and the pieces being cut about 
five inches wide. They are nailed together at 
the corners iu shape as shown at Fig. 1, so that 
the feeding or drinkiug dish will slip down in¬ 
side its rim, just resting all arouud on the 
edge of the base, which will hold it firmly, 
and render it impossible for it to be tipped 
over. 
TIMELY HINTS. 
Are not stockmen more progressive thau 
grain farmers? Mr. Periam notes the fact 
that they are more given toreuding papers 
and books devoted to their calling. Notice 
also tbe character of our agricultural papers. 
Quite a number are devoted entirely to stock- 
raising, and these are generally prosperous. 
Every agricultural paper devotes considerable 
attention to live stock, and I have noticed that 
those which give it the most attention are the 
most prosperous. Stockmen support the papers 
devoted to their interests. 
This is because there is great progress in 
stock-rearing, and tbe stockman mu3t keep 
posted to be successful. A goodly number of 
our breeders and feeders are always really 
able men who are continually driving for¬ 
ward. To keep up with them, the stockmau 
must read stock papers. This has a reflex ac¬ 
tion again, and increases progress all around. 
Isn’t the trouble with our grain and grass 
farming, that we have paid too much atten¬ 
tion to machines, and too little to varieties 
and methods? In this, grain farmers differ 
from both stock raisers and horticulturists. 
Improved machinery is a great thing; but we 
now want more attention given to the im¬ 
provement of methods and varieties. 
I want to say to “ Amateur" that my creed 
hills potatoes but hills them downwards, 
i That is, I plant them deep, and keep the 
row follow immediately aiier tue ™ 
the corn ground. Watch the horses’ shoul¬ 
ders. Keep the collars well oiled. Sow rye 
and corn for green fodder. It would be well 
to overhaul machinery for harvest, if oppor¬ 
tunity can be had. Give the brood mare mod¬ 
erate exercise. Gentle work will benefit her 
and the coming colt. Turn the stock upon 
pasture. Be careful about booven. For the 
first few days leave the cattle on clover for 
only a short time each day, and don’t turn 
them on the clover while it is wet with dew. 
Keep rock salt where the cattle cau get at it. 
Supply the hogs with an occasional feast of 
charcoal and ashes. Give the horses some bit¬ 
ter bark; wild eherry is good. The cattle will 
be thankful for a bunch of hay if they are 
upon pasture. Make liberal use of the curry¬ 
comb and brush. Wean the lambs, if tbe grass 
is good, aud give them a little extra feed. 
Don’t pasture the meadow. No land will make 
both good pasture aud good meadow. See that 
the animals get pure water. Surface water is 
rarely fit at this season. Cultivate the young 
orchard. Straighten up inclining trees 
SHEEP AND STRAW 
COL. F. D. CURTIS, 
In a former article the advantages of sheep 
to the pasture were spoken of; in this I pro¬ 
pose to speak of their importance as stoek to 
wiuter. On all farms where considerable 
grain is grown, there is, of course, a large 
amount of straw. It is a common practice to 
waste this—that is, to throw it into tho barn¬ 
yard or put it into stacks, where it is not 
utilized in a profitable manner. It is true that 
cattle are allowed to feed at these stacks, 
where they pull down and tread underfoot the 
larger part. This system of handling straw 
really makes but very little manure of much 
value. It is coarse and bulky, being unrotted 
in the Spring, aud is in the way of good cul¬ 
ture, and not immediately available for plant 
food. It often has a deleterious effect upon 
the first crop when it is plowed under, as it 
absorbs a great deal of moisture, thus really 
robbing the crop of the moisture which it may 
require. Considerable labor also is required to 
haul it out and spread it upon the land. It is 
always in the way of good plowing and thor¬ 
ough harrowing. For these reasons, in the 
West where straw is plentiful, it is considered 
more of a uuisauce than a benefit, aud it is a 
common sight to see huge stacks of it piled up 
WAIT FOR MORE LIGHT, 
“We expect to know a great deal more 
about silos and ensilage 10 years hence; but 
why not believe and use that which has al¬ 
ready been made known. * * * I regard it as a 
great mistake to advise farmers to wait, wait, 
wait!’’ 
This is what Major Alvord says q>. 234) of 
ensilage, and the RcraL’8 course in connec¬ 
tion with the subject. I own a considerable 
farm aud feed considerable stock every year, 
and find it absolutely necessary to grow seve¬ 
ral acres of roots annually for feeding pur¬ 
poses, and though they are quite expensive, I 
cannot do without them. I have tided to be- 
ieve in easilage, and Lave taken much pains, 
aud have spent much time, money and pa- 
