1901 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
277 
SOME NOTES ON DISHORNING. 
Dishorning has rapidly grown in favor 
during the past few years, and at the 
present time it is commonly practiced in 
many sections. The prejudice and ex¬ 
aggerated ideas as to the severity of the 
practice are gradually giving way as in¬ 
struments for doing the work improve, 
and farmers and dairymen become bet¬ 
ter acquainted with the operation. In 
our own experience we have found it to 
be practical, rendering the animals, es¬ 
pecially bulls, more quiet, and making 
tnem less capable of injuring each other 
or their attendants. During our first ex¬ 
perience in dishorning the horns were 
removed with a saw. While the opera¬ 
tion was successful, and no serious re¬ 
sults followed, it required considerable 
time and was evidently quite painful to 
the animal. Later a pair of Keystone 
clippers were secured, and three cows 
and one bull were dishorned. It re¬ 
quired but a second to remove a horn 
after the clippers were placed over it, 
and the whole time required for operat¬ 
ing on a single animal did not exceed 
more than four or five minutes, except 
in case of the bull, where gi'eater pre¬ 
caution was taken to make the animal 
secure. All the wounds bled at the time 
of the operation, but not to such an ex¬ 
tent as to cause the animals to show 
signs of weakness. They did not appear 
to be in much pain except at the mo¬ 
ment the clipper was in process of clos¬ 
ing. When taken to the stalls after the 
operation two of the cows ate as though 
nothing had happened while the third 
refused a part of her feed for a day, but 
her usual appetite soon returned. The 
operation had a marked effect on the 
three-year-old bull. Previous to dis¬ 
horning he was inclined to be ugly, but 
after the removal of his horns he was 
comparatively quiet and docile. 
Complete records were kept of the 
yield of milk from the three dishorned 
cows for 20 days previous to the opera¬ 
tion, also for 20 days following, and it 
is interesting to note that the decrease 
in the yield of milk from these cows was 
3.S per cent greater than for three other 
cows not dishorned and giving practical¬ 
ly the same yield at the time of the op¬ 
eration, showing that the milk fiow was 
but slightly affected. Tnis difference 
might have been due, in part, at least, 
to some other cause. The simplest and 
most humane way of destroying the 
horns seems to be to prevent them from 
developing when the animals are young. 
This may oe done by the use of caustic 
potash (in the form of sticks), which 
rapidly destroys the skin and other 
tissues when kept in contact with them. 
The method of applying the potash rs 
very simple. The hair is clipped away 
from the young horn, so that the potash 
may come in immediate contact with the 
parts to be treated. The stick of potash 
is rolled up in a piece of paper, so as to 
leave one end exposed. The exposed end 
is moistened slightly and rubbed on the 
embryo horn for a few seconds, or until 
the skin begins to start, care being 
taken that the whole of the border is 
included in the treatment. A surface 
about three-fourths of an inch in diam¬ 
eter will cover the parts in calves a few 
days old. In our experiments, six calves 
have been treated; their ages ranged 
from three to 18 days. Healing soon fol¬ 
lowed the operation, and smooth polls 
have resulted in every case. The best 
time to apply the potash is between the 
fifth and tenth days, although it has 
proved effectual even on the eighteenth 
day. On page 267 are shown, in Figs. 
110 and 111, calves dishorned with caus¬ 
tic potash and cows dishorned with the 
clippers. c. b. i.ane. 
New Jersey Exp. Station. 
HOW TO HANDLE SORGHUM. 
A recent writer advocates sowing sor¬ 
ghum broadcast, mowing it and putting 
it in large cocks without stacking and 
feeding direct from the shock. Sorghum 
is all that this writer claims for it— 
when properly handled—but is not a 
very superior feed when handled as he 
advises. When ripe, sorghum is full of 
sweet juices, very fattening and palat¬ 
able, but whenever a cut, break or 
bruise occurs to the shell of the stalk, 
air is admitted and fermentation begins. 
After a hard freeze has occurred the 
whole stalk undergoes this change, 
hence sorghum is not a good feed after 
really cold weather has set in, and 
should always be fed up early in the 
Fall. Any other cause that tends to rup¬ 
ture the shell of the stalk and admit air 
will also cause the sweet juices to sour. 
When sown broadcast and cut with a 
mower, the freshly-cut swath is next 
driven over by the team and two heavy 
wheels of the mower; then the two 
horses and the rake travel over it, 
breaking all stalks that escaped the 
team and mower wheels; then tne 
bunching with team or with forks about 
completes the breaking or bruising of 
every single stalk on an acre. Just 
think of deliberately or unknowingly 
destroyihg 90 per cent of the food value 
of an acre of forage! 
Here is the only correct way to handle 
broadcast sorghum: Cut with a revolv¬ 
ing reel-rake reaper, same as is used 
for oats, fiax and wheat. The reels will 
gently press the cane down on to the 
table, and the fourth reel rake will 
sweep it gently off to one side without 
fracturing a single stalk in the whole 
field, out of the way of the team and 
wheels, and then the bunches, when 
properly cured, should be set up in a 
large cock by hand without the use of 
any tool, simply the gloved hands. 
When treated this way and fed before 
Winter it is a valuable feed. I practice 
listing sorghum in quite thickly, and 
the disk cultivator fills the trenches, and 
ridges it up when laid by, so that it 
never breaks over, all standing up nice¬ 
ly. The corn binder cuts and binds in 
bundles that are set up in shocks. When 
dry it is run through a feed cutter, cut¬ 
ting as short as possible, then mixed 
with ear corn in the mili, and all ground 
up into meal. This is “pie for stock 
as compared with other feed, and when 
a few Soy beans are ground up with It, 
it becomes a perfect balanced I’ation, 
very appetizing and healthy. When 
steamed and fed to hogs a gain of four 
pounds a day per head can be made, and 
is the next thing to putting molasses in 
mush and milk for hogs. 
When I was a boy in Maine the 
Yankees used to boil and mash small 
potatoes, add to them some cooked corn- 
meal mush, a cupful of New Orleans 
molasses, some skim-milk and feed to 
the hogs while warm. My father fed a 
hog thus that gained four pounds per 
day from birth, and took the first prem¬ 
ium at the State Fair, being a wonder to 
all who saw it. When cold weather has 
spoiled the sugar in the cane, sorghum 
molasses can be substituted for the cane 
when feeding hogs. 
Moran, Kan. ,i. clarence norton. 
Yo^(i 
kknow- 
v\*at Sp^ 
li^ory IS 
It’s theyDest'.. 
/p^iblfmaterial 
/for vehicle bi^d- 
tis whatymalc 
(ing. Itl 
il4s 
Ab 
eveTy.4et^They ha* scores of "little^ings 
which addmqheir aurabilityMlieifa^tifort 
Jnd jtheir beauty>,l-We'%ll them, to 
^ect from the factory, saving 
, \b^’sl and agent’s mmmissions 
^^ShlDi on / 
^ ^ I fn &nyoiie^wl))eFe-,^an3guarant,ee 
(feet satisfaction. 'Our 
ok tells lots ^ ' a 
OHIO CARRIAGE MFG. COMPANY, 
39 W. Broad St., Columbus, O. 
WHEELS 
FARM WAGONS 
any size wanted, any width of 
tire. Hubs to fit any axle. 
No blacksmith’s bills to pay. 
No tires to reset. Fityonrold wagon 
with low steel wheels with wide 
tires at low price. Onr catalogne 
tells you bow to do it. Address 
EMPIRE MFG. CO., Quincy, III. 
BUGGIES 
!■! THIS ISO 
TOr lUGQT 
YOU CAN BUY FROM US AT FACTORY PRICES 
Buigles-Pbaetons-Surreys-WaKoas-AII kinds of Harness 
We willsell direetto you a vehicle or harness as cheap as dealers 
buy their^oodsin car-loadlots. Don’tpay profits to middlemen. 
Our work! sallhigh-^^rades correct style* and elegantly finished. 
r FREE caTAineuE 
ill work Guaranteed ant Shipped on Approval 
CONSUMERS CARRIAGE I MFG. COs 
2SZ 8o. Desplaines street, CHICAQO, ILL. 
This Company is reliable.—Editor. 
Buys a Good Buggy, 
When yon buy from first hands where an agent d> nU receive a profiL 
We have no asenta. Weaell direct to the user. That’s the reason 
why we can sell this buggy for $20.00 less than a dealer or agent can. 
Wheels and gear* hickory* double reach, ironed fall 
l|lilvlla len^h, (Wheelsany size wanted.) Axle 15-16 In. 
'doublecollar. Body 18 to 24inches wide* 55 in. long* Springes oil tempered, 
Sent has ahigh solid panel bark, with springs in back cushion. TrlmmlngrA 
da:k green cloth or whip cord, (genuine leather tl.OOextra.) Carpet for bottom' 
of body,atorm apron and boot. Kubber top, nicely lined with regular top lining. 
We do not Mk you to send one single cent with your order. When you receive the 
■ buggy look it over, if found just as d^escri^d and perfecUy satisfactory uTyoiTin 'e' 
twice our price, and a bargain, send us the money. If 
For liarnfss No. 165. 
Nick or Im. rubber 
trim.,X lines, 1 In. 
:c, anoB oargaiD.sena us tne money. It not 
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every 
not ! 
- - i AYe retailed tor nearly twice our pr 
we will nayall freight charges. Our Guarantee de 
years. We guarantee safe delivery of every buggy,. ___ ...... .... 
roadwi^ns.i.hwlons, surreys, sprlnit wagons, carts.hsrness snd'fly nelBever'iihowD tiy one concern.' It’sfkee. Write lor It now. 
MARVIN SMITH CO., 55-57-59 N. JEFFERSON ST., CHICAGO, ILL. 
dealer and protects you against poor material aod workmanship for two 
Our Vehicle Catalos lllustratea the largest and moatcomplete line of buggies, 
.V-sat... -a . .... . 
WeCAmrumA 3 alajvce 
on this vehicle. The quality outweighs the 
always in your favor on 
highest grade_^ ,ggflQite^nd~~sgf|[ them to you direct 
price^ysavihgyou the two profits of the jobber 
dealer. .Besides all thf 
hide on 10 days free trifil. If not entirely! 
satisfactory, return if!at our expense.' 
Can you ask more? ^rite for catalog,: 
we mal 
at 
rswe. 
lialamaxoo Carries and Harness Company, 
Box 30 . Kalammxoo, MIoh. 
Stands 
Reason 
AS 
-y ^ 
V 
That There Is Money Saved in Buying 
Direct from the Manufacturer. 
<9^ 
^ The nrofits between the manufacturer and consumer are large. We ^ 
^ Save You These Profits. We are the largest manufacturers of Vehicles ^ 
and Harness in the world selling to the consumer exclusively. For 28 years we 
have conducted business on this plan. We guarantee to give you much better 
quality for the same money, or the same quality for less money than the dealer, 
jobber or supply agent. 
We Ship Anywhere for Examination and Comparison, 
Guaranteeing Safe Delivery. We have No Agents, 
^Ve make 178 styles of vehicles and 65 styles of harness. Our Large Catalog 
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Elkhart GarrlaSe and Harness Manfd. Co. 
W. B. PRATT, Sec’y. ELKHART, INDIANA. 
. JJ®, 47 1-8 Sini^Ie .Strap Hamesa 
nickel or imitation rub- 
. ber trimmings. l*rlee 
<19.60. As fine as. 
sellsfor tl3.0U 
to <15.00. 
