9o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February t 
Live Stock and Dairy 
MOTES OM WISCOHSIN FARMERS’ 
/MST/TUTES. 
A Mew Yorker Out West 
This being the third time I have vis¬ 
ited Wisconsin there comes a feeling of 
confidence in comparing methods. There 
is nothing in the farm institute system 
here that is radically different from 
generally accepted lines of work. Meet¬ 
ings are held only four days in a week, 
the workers spending the remainder of 
the week at home, if possible to get 
there. Of course this means a great 
deal of travel and railroad expense, hut 
at this point the railways come to the 
rescue and provide mileage in payment 
for advertising which is freely given in 
the annual bulletin or report of insti¬ 
tute work. The railroads are, however, 
very strict that mileage books are not 
made transferable. The holder of the 
book is required to sign bis name in ink 
on the book, subscribing to rules, etc., 
sign a receipt for it, and then indorse 
the coupons every time they are de¬ 
tached; red tape enough for a Govern¬ 
ment official. Perhaps the only radical 
difference in conducting the meetings 
as compared with New York is the ab¬ 
sence of a question box, which we have 
so thoroughly developed, and consider 
the best part of our work. The meeting 
is opened at once by the speaker upon 
the topic assigned. After spending the 
allotted time, usually half an hour, that 
subject is open for discussion for a time. 
So far as the one subject is concerned 
I like it. An opportunity is presented 
to clear up points not fully explained 
in the address, and also to criticise and 
add to by anyone so disposed in the au¬ 
dience. The discussions are usually 
spirited but fair. There seems to be a 
general spirit of looking for informa¬ 
tion, no matter what the source, and an 
utter lack of any carping criticism. 
We ought to give the same opportu¬ 
nity in New York, but not at the ex¬ 
pense of the question box. J have form¬ 
erly thought and said that our question 
box discussion brought out too wide a 
range of subjects, and obliged the work¬ 
ers to scatter too much, going from 
feeds to fruit, to veterinary science, back 
to the cow, and then to her products, 
finally finishing up in a potato field, only 
to find one remaining question, after 
all, on the monetary, or tariff situation, 
which we were forced to decline set¬ 
tling at that time. I find here, however, 
a condition of things that has changed 
my mind. One year ago, when we start¬ 
ed, the superintendent told me that I 
must boil my subjects down to about 20 
minutes. Now, anyone at all familiar 
with the work knows that such a boil¬ 
ing will pretty nearly take the life out 
of any theme; it is overdone and hence 
insipid. I told them after trying for a 
few meetings, that it would probably be 
wise for me to go home; my work had 
not been very satisfactory, so the con¬ 
ductors thought best to try me with a 
little more time, and sure enough there 
was sufficient improvement so that I am 
here again. 
Why this personal story? Mr. Mc- 
Kerrow said he had calls for so many 
subjects to be treated, that he found it 
necessary to place the number upon the 
list and take time accordingly. Now it 
seems to me the question box permits a 
clearing up of many points that can be 
done in a few minutes without formal- 
# 
ity, and satisfy the questioner, perhaps 
as well as a half hour’s address. 
Each force of workers here carries a 
heavy roll of charts. Upon these charts 
are horses, hogs, cows, sheep, poultry, 
tables, pens for animals and much in¬ 
formation, which the speaker refers to 
If he chooses. I have spent much time 
trying to solve in my own mind the 
value of charts. Theoretically, they 
should have great value in more clearly 
bringing out an idea. I do not believe 
that pictures drawn from ideals have 
much value, or carry much weight with 
the audience. Some drawings leave an 
impression from which the farmer will 
draw a lesson easily applied, but more 
often he fails to get such an understand¬ 
ing that results follow. It is hard for 
one not trained to get an idea from an 
architect. If we can see the thing it¬ 
self the impression is at once made and 
lasting. I tried repeatedly to illustrate 
Prof. King’s system of ventilation from 
a drawing, but failed to get the audi¬ 
ence to grasp the idea so they could 
safely apply it. After having made a 
small tin model of a barn which shows 
all 'the flues, all was easy, and half the 
time does the work. Only once have I 
seriously misled. A good honest farm¬ 
er said all could not afford to build so 
expensively; a tin barn would come 
pretty high! Wherever models of de¬ 
vices can be used their value is at once 
appreciated, and farmers are always 
much interested. J. E. Rice always has 
an audience after each session, asking 
over and again about lengths, widths, 
etc., of his poultry house devices, of 
which he carries models. I would not 
do away with charts, but their value is 
often overestimated. Photographs of 
animals, buildings and growing crops 
thrown upon a large surface by means 
of the so-called “solar print” are much 
better than ideals drawn from the im¬ 
agination. 
Let the institutes become still a 
greater power than they are to-day. 
Nearly every State has a force working 
in some capacity; $400,000 is annually 
expended in this country in farmers’ in¬ 
stitute work alone. 'Let us, like Bud 
Means in the 'Hoosier Schoolmaster, put 
in our “best licks,” looking carefully 
that a progressive conservatism, if the 
expression is permissible, is kept at the 
head. h. e. cook. 
" WARMING THE BITS.” 
The next morning that the mercury 
is hovering near zero, as you go to take 
your team from the stable, just stop 
and stick your tongue against the hinge 
to the stable door, and withdraw as soon 
as possible. Then, without saying any¬ 
thing to yourself or anyone or anything 
else, proceed to bridle your horses. If 
you are in the Jaabit of taking down the 
bridles and placing the cold bits in the 
horses’ mouths, and do not change your 
customary manner this time, go to the 
door hinge and repeat your previous ex¬ 
perience each time you bridle the horses 
till you are thoroughly acquainted with 
the sensations following such a proce¬ 
dure. A better way for both you and 
your horses would be to dip the bits 
into the water tank. They would still 
be cold, but the coating of ice would 
prevent their sticking to the horses’ 
mouths, causing them to become raw if 
the operation were repeated often. Few 
men are brutal enough to torture ani¬ 
mals by placing a frosty bit in the 
horses’ mouths, if they stopped fully to 
consider the effect. Not only do horses 
suffer but other animals—yes, mankind 
in general suffers a great deal from 
pain, wounded feelings and other 
causes due to some one’s thoughtless¬ 
ness either in saying cutting things 
that sting worse than the frosty bit in 
the horse’s mouth, or in neglecting to do 
little things that really consume no 
time that would otherwise be wasted, 
but which are left undone through 
thoughtlessness. J. d. p. 
Ohio. 
Inbreeding for Hogs. 
Having two young purebred sows and no 
suitable boar available, is It advisable to 
breed them back to their own sire rather 
than to a young boar not up to standard? 
In my opinion it would be advisable 
to inbreed the young sows to their own 
sire rather than to a scrub boar. There 
are some people who would differ from 
the above opinion, but I am inclined to 
think that this would produce much bet¬ 
ter and more satisfactory stock. 
Manlius, N. Y. w. w. cheney. 
1 would not advise breeding a sow to 
her own sire under any circumstance, 
although I have known cases where 
sows have been so bred by chance and 
produced good strong pigs. However, I 
very much oppose inbreeding; would 
much prefer breeding to a boar not up 
to standard. w. a. lothers. 
Lack, Pa. 
Our advice would be to breed those 
sows to their sire, much rather than to 
some inferior boar. Noted breeders find 
no bad results from occasionally follow¬ 
ing line breeding. To set tne type of a 
litter breed the sire to his get, or dam 
to one of her choicest progeny. We do 
not want to be misunderstood, and 
create the impression that we uphold 
inbreeding; we heartily condemn it, but 
under tne circumstances in this case we 
would do as stated above or purchase 
from some reliable breeder a choice 
purebred boar of same breed not akin 
to SOWS. HAMILTON & CO. 
RosenvicK, Pa. 
Scours in a Calf. 
I have a calf about six months old that 
has the scours very badly. Can you give 
me a remedy? It appears to be quite com¬ 
mon In this county at all ages, and from 
different causes; sometimes turning into 
the field in the Fall, too much milk, etc. 
My calf runs with the mother all the time, 
and has all the milk. t. d. w. 
Waldo, Fla. 
I feel safe in saying that 99 cases of 
scours out of 100 are traceable to im¬ 
proper feeding at some time. The young 
calf has a very sensitive stomach. As 
he is ordinarily fed the tendency is to 
weaken and impair digestion. Some¬ 
times too much food and then not 
enough. This, coupled with irregular 
feeding, produces trouble; scours fre¬ 
quently follows at once. In other cases 
the calf seems to endure the trouble un¬ 
til a later period, and then indigestion 
breaks out in a period of scouring. This 
is notably true with the young of the 
Channel Island cows. The Holsteins, 
Ayrshires and 'Short-horns are able to 
stand more injudicious feeding. Feed 
the calf; do not let him help himself, 
and then begin with three to six pounds 
at a feed twice a day; increase the 
amount as the calf requires, and when 
changing to other foods let it be done 
by degrees, in other words, feed a calf 
with as much judgment as you would 
a baby. Whenever you have trouble 
with a calf, or when raising the little 
fellow, just consult your wife if you are 
so fortunate as to have one; if not some 
one who has had experience raising 
children. I should at once scald the 
milk for this calf. Put him where he 
can get only such food as you serve to 
him. Put him on short rations for a 
few days. Mix some scorched flour with 
the milk. If this does not check it give 
laudanum according to age and size; 
two ounces is a full dose for an ox or a 
horse; one-fourth level teaspoonful of 
bismuth is also said to be very good. 
h. e. c. 
Neglect of a Cough or Sore 
Throat may result in an 
Incurable Throat Trouble or 
Consumption. For relief use 
BROWN’S BRONCHIAL 
TROCHES. Nothing excels this simple 
remedy. Sold only in boxes. _ 
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sell direct to you on 
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^saving you the jobbers’ and dealers’ 
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A fully illustrates and describes our 
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IT IS FREE. 
,We are pioneers of the 
free trial plan. 
Jtalamazoo Carriage 
Harness Mfg. Co., 
V Station K 
^Kalamazoo, 
. Mich. 
$10,430.00. 
Was paid us by the D. 8- 
Gov’t for one day’s ship¬ 
ment of our farm trucks. 
Uncle Sam buys nothing 
but the best and all farm¬ 
ers ought to do the same. 
Send for our free Cata¬ 
logue. We make steel 
wheels for old wagons. 
FARMERS’ HANDY WAGON CO., Saginaw, Mich. 
Free Wagon for lAUi. 
ri EPTDin for strength 
1 nlll You are through with 
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KuMMd They carry 4000 lbs. and do 
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ELECTRIC WHEEL CO., BOX 88 , QUINCY, ILLINOIS. 
THE MIETZ & WEISS 
Kerosene Engines, bizes, 1 to 60 H.P. 
Cheapest and Safest Power 
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128 Mott Street. New York. 
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Statioruiries, Portables, Engine* 
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Send for Illustrated Catalogue and 
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Charter Gas Engine Co., Box 26, Sterling, III. 
DRILLING 
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Over 70 sizes and styles, for drilling either deep or 
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FISTULA AND POLL 
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in 15 to I 
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Fleming’s Fistula and Poll Evil Cure 
is a new, scientific A certain remedy, 
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Union Stock Yards, Chicago. 
All harness, old or new, is made pliable and easy—will look better 
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The finest preservative for leather ever discovered. Rave<* 
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