438 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October, 
Cheap Protection for Animals. 
Cold winds and storms are frequent in October, 
and on to April in a large part of the country, and 
it is high time now to look out for the domestic 
animals, whose health, vigor, growth, and profit 
depend upon the care we give them. Costly barns, 
.stalls and stables are well enough, but the great 
mass of farmers cannot afford these, and over a 
large part of our great timberless regions lumber 
is scarce and costly, often not obtainable by new 
settlers. But straw or coarse hay is abundant 
everywhere, and cheap, too, and it affords one of 
the best protectors. A straw shelter may have a 
cheap look, but that is not to be considered in a 
majority of cases, while the materials can be put 
into a shape not wholly offensive to the eye. Re¬ 
member that still air is a non-conductor of heat, 
(moving air particles pick up and carry heat.) 
Hence fur, air, wool, cotton, etc., anything that 
is full of little interstices, or air spaces and holes 
which keep much air in them iu a quiet state, is a 
good non-conductor of heat. Straw, hay, leaves, 
etc., not only stop air currents (winds), but pre¬ 
vent heat escaping through them, because full of 
spaces containing confined air. For all animals we 
want to prevent the escape from their surface of 
the heat formed by food within their bodies. 
STRAW SHELTERS. 
Nearly every one owning animals can get straw, 
and many who have barns and abundant lumber 
can often use straw advantageously for supplemen¬ 
tary or additional stalls for some stock, as sheep 
and swine, and extra cattle. Straw shelters can 
be built without cost for carpenters or for boards. 
The simplest form is built on a high bank of earth 
or sods, running east and west, or better a little 
northwesterly, and of any desired length. The 
walls, perpendicular on the inside, maybe one and a 
half to three feet, or more, thick, according to the 
firmness of the earth or sods used. Lay long 
poles, however rough, from the top of this bank 
to the ground on the southerly side. Close the 
westerly end with sods, or an earth bank, leaving 
the easterly end open for an entrance. Then lay 
straw thickly upon the long slanting poles, keep¬ 
ing the straws running up and down in the top 
layer, as much as they can be, straightened out, so 
as to carry rains off to the ground. Lay a few 
poles over the straw to prevent winds blowing it 
off, or run over it a few lengths of strong twine, or 
tarred rope strands, held firmly either by stones 
tied to the ends, or by tying them to little stakes 
driven into the earth and in the earth wall. Run 
the strings diagonally across, like net-work, if the 
straw is so straight that the cords will not hold it if 
they run straight down the slope. This will make 
a warm protection against north, northwest and 
northwestern storms, few cold winds or storms 
come from the south. For sheep, swine and other 
animals, when peaceable, the eastern or southeast 
side may be partly closed by an earth-bank, leaving 
only a sort of doorway, and this may be closed by 
boards set against it during severe storms. Such 
a shelter, large enough for quite a flock of sheep, 
or drove of hogs, or a small herd of cattle, can be 
put up in a day’s work, and be done at odd hours. 
It may be extended to any size by simply length¬ 
ening the main earth-bank. For large numbers of 
cattle, it is best to make several separate shelters, 
and let the animals be in smaller numbers together. 
They will naturally separate themselves into groups 
that will herd peaceably. 
An improvement on the above, is to build two 
side walls, one three to six feet higher than the 
other, according to the length of the poles avail¬ 
able, and lay on poles and straw as before stated. 
Keep slope enough to have the straw carry off 
rains. Let the lower wall be high enough for the 
smaller animals to go close to it under the roof. 
Another Straw Shelter.— Mr. John M. Stahl 
sends to the American Agriculturist the follow¬ 
ing directions : Set posts, forked at the top, 
firmly in the ground, and lay in the forks strong 
pole3 to support other poles or rails that carry the 
roofing straw. Nail poles or boards against the 
east, north, and west sides, sometimes against the 
south side also, and against these pile straw to the 
top. A southern slope is preferable. Cut a ditch 
just outside the straw, around the higher ground 
side, to carry off water, banking the excavated 
earth against the straw. Set the supporting posts 
deep and firm, to prevent heaving by frosts or sag¬ 
ging by the pushing of cattle. For the roof, put 
straw upon the poles or rails, carrying it up to a 
point like a straw stack. To hold the straw down 
and keep it sharp-pointed, tie together two heavy 
blocks or poles, with a foot or so of rope between 
them, and hang these over the top of the straw, 
running down the sides. [For heavy or high roofs 
four poles may be used, tied in pairs.] Winter 
shelters should not be too close and warm, as the 
sudden change in temperature in going out into 
the cold may produce a chill that will drive the 
blood inward and produce congestion. If close, 
proper ventilation is necessary for the escape of foul 
air from the breathing and exhalations from the 
skin and from the excrements. Openings should 
be made where direct air-drafts will not strike the 
animals. A slanting board over the opening will 
keep out rain. Hogs especially lie close together, 
and have an outside layer of fat, so that they keep 
warm easily, and may go out quite heated from 
close, warm pens. Other animals do not crowd so 
closely together, and may have warmer sheds. 
A Cheap Hog Shelter, and the best we have ever 
seen, is one we have used many years. It is cheap 
and durable. On a gentle southern slope a square 
structure, four feet high, is made of logs, or large 
poles, firmly and deeply notched together at the 
corners. The lower two are logs a foot in diame¬ 
ter, chinked closely between them. Above there 
are four poles, six inches in diameter, laid closely 
but left unchinked for ventilation. An entrance is 
cut on the southern or eastern side. The cover is 
of poles, or rails, and straw, as above described. 
A ditch is cut around to carry off water, leaving the 
soil dry inside. Hogs thus protected need no bed¬ 
ding straw. 
A More Tasteful Hog Shelter, though no 
more effective, we have used for fifteen years. Posts 
firmly set, standing four feet above ground, have 
horizontal boards nailed upon them. Shorter posts 
are set that hold a plate which supports the roof 
boards, which slope towards the front. The plate 
posts are set far enough iu front to correspond 
with the length of the roof boards used. The 
south side is left open ; the ends are closed with 
boards. The pen may be square or extended each 
way to any desired length. A neighbor of ours 
has one over two hundred feet long. The roof 
should be water-tight, aud the sides sufficiently so 
to prevent cold air drafts or the direct entrance of 
driving storms. Dry ground and the removal of 
excrements to maintain cleanliness are essentials in 
all shelters. 
Fermentation of Cider and other Juices. 
A fruit juice of any kind, in a warm place, will 
soon begin to ferment. The sugar, and similar 
substances it contains, will, by tbe action of a nat¬ 
ural ferment, soon be converted into alcohol. If 
the juice be exposed to the air, its alcohol will be 
rapidly changed into acetic acid or vinegar, and the 
fermentation may go still further, to the putrefac¬ 
tive stage. To properly ferment fruit juices of 
any kind, whether of the apple, the pear, or any of 
the small fruits, including grapes, the operation 
should go on with complete exclusion of tbe air. 
The first stages of fermentation, that in which 
sugar, etc., are converted into alcohol, does not 
require the presence of the atmosphere, but will 
proceed much better without it. In the change of 
sugar, etc., to alcohol, carbonic acid is formed which 
must be allowed to escape. If this can be provided 
for, and at the same time no air allowed to come 
in contact with the liquid, tbe fermentation will 
stop at the proper point. This may be accom¬ 
plished by providing the cask, containing the 
juice, with a water-trap, such as is used in the 
French vineyards. The cask is fitted with a tight 
bung, from which proceeds a tube, bent twice at 
right angles; one leg is tightly inserted in the 
bung; the other dips into a cup of water. This 
tube may be of tin, glass, lead, or India-rubber. 
As the carbonic acid gas is formed, it passes 
through the tube, bubbles up through the wa¬ 
ter in the cup, while the water covering the end 
of the tube, prevents the air from passing back 
into the cask. When the sugar and such materials 
are exhausted, fermentation ceases. Those who 
have not tasted cider made in this manner can have 
no idea of its excellence. Those who wish to experi¬ 
ment with the juice of grapes or other fruits, in a 
small way, can easily attach such a water-trap to 
the jug or whatever vessel may contain the liquid. 
The best native wine we ever saw, was made in a 
two gallon jug, in which a similar tube was used dur¬ 
ing the fermentation. The lower the temperature 
at which the fermentation takes place, the better. 
A Good Hopple. 
The strap, a, is of good leather, an inch and a 
half wide, and one foot long, with a strong buckle 
and guard. The iron ring, b, should be at least 
two inches in diameter, to slide easily on the strap. 
For cows, run the strap through the ring, as 
shown in the engraving, and buckle it around the 
A CONVENIENT HOPPLE. 
fore leg below the knee joint, tightly enough to 
prevent its slipping over the fetlock when the head 
is lowered in grazing. Put the rope around both 
horns, and tie it with a fast knot, not a noose, 
barely tight enough for the hand to pass under it. 
This prevents damage to head and horns in long 
wearing. With the other end of the rope through 
the ring draw the head well down and fasten it. 
For horses or mules use a rope halter, and fasten 
the strap above the knee joint, drawing it tightly 
enough to prevent its slipping down when slacken¬ 
ed. Experience will soon indicate the length of 
rope required between the head and leg ; two and a 
half feet is sufficient for the largest animal. A 
mule of mine has beaten every hopple but this one. 
A cow (otherwise valuable) that I bought with a 
county-wide reputation as a jumper, has been con¬ 
quered by this hopple. If the strap be dropped 
lower than above directed, the animal is very apt 
to get the other foot over the rope and be thrown, 
or cut the rope. The strap can be changed from 
one leg to the other at pleasure without removing 
the head gear. Always use a rope, and not a chain 
which is easily tangled and broken by a sudden 
jerk. A worn out rope is easily replaced. One is 
more apt to get the strap too loose than too tight, 
and the rope too long than too short. This hopple 
is perfectly safe. A mule can roll with it when so 
hampered that he cannot jump two rails high. 
Teamster. 
Tlie Little Gem Squasli.— We have more 
than once called attention to the fact that winter 
squashes, used green, indeed when quite small, were 
far preferable to the very best of the early squashes, 
the “Summer Crookneck.” This has received a 
marked illustration the past summer. Observing 
that our vines of “Little Gem” were well set with 
fruit, some of them, the skin of which was still 
tender enough to be cooked, were tried upon the 
table. The “ Little Gem ” is a most excellent win¬ 
ter squash, and its small size makes it acceptable 
to small families, who find a large squash, like the 
Hubbard, etc., too much to cook at once. Taken 
in its green and partly grown state, the “Little 
Gem ” is really delicious, and so far superior to the 
best kind of “Summer squash” as to make it un¬ 
necessary to grow those varieties. The same applies 
to the “Hubbard” and other winter varieties. 
