Home, Field and Forum (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 6, No. 2, Ed. 1 Tuesday, February 1, 1898 Page: 3 of 16
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Oklahoma Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Gateway to Oklahoma History by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
lMt.
HOME, FIELD AND PORTTM.
when we have only turned four Inches of
soli over, but we have added four Inches
of air to the sol), which la enough to
starve any plant to death. Now, with
so mucn air In the soil, the surface
air has free access, and as the soil has
become thoroughly warmed up 10 about
56" to 60", then a cold wave down
to almost 32° comes along and continues
about a week, with cloudy weamer, we
feel easy about the evaporation from the
soil, but as we- look over to the pond In
the pastrue we see the warm pond water
steaming up Into the air, and we say:
"What's the matter with that pond, any-
way?" Ju«t then we notice that our
breath turns to steam In the cold air.
Why Is this? Why, the cold air Is very
rapidly condensing the moisture Into
visible particles of water that are car-
ried away by the air, both from the pond,
from our breath and also from the soli
that It hua free access to.
Why, many Is the time tnat we have
seen a very cloud of steam arise from the
freshly-plowed soil. Now, this steam Is
vapor so dense that we can see it, and
It all comes out of the soli and passes
away In the air.
Do my brethren realize how fast the
moisture Is drawn out of the soil under
these conditions? When it is about 32"
out of doors, go and blow your warm
breath on the window glasn, and you will
see tiny drops of vapor deposited on the
glass, and if you repeat this a Tew times
a little drop will start ami trickle down
the glass and form a miniature lake on
the window sash. Go out of doors and
repeat this on a hand looking-glass, and
you will see the same thing. But wait
a little while and you will see the de-
(Mkslted moisture all pass away Into the
cooler air that alisorbs it. This Is Just
how the cooler air absorbs the moisture
In the soil when It has free access to It.
If the moisture Is In the soli so as to be
as easily seen as on the looking-glass,
and the four inches of air In the soil
allows free circulation of air through the
soil, why will not the air absorb the
moisture from the soil Just as rapidly
as from the glass In our hand? The air
cannot penetrate the warm pond, yet It
absorbs moisture so rapidly as to make
it visible vapor that Is thick enough al-
most to hide from view the objects be-
yond CLARENCE J. NORTON.
Scab mites are gregarious In habit,
that Is, living in colonies, and not scat-
tering themselves over the sheep gen-
erally, so that a thorough treatment of
the first Infested spot will usually result
In a permanent cure unless re-lnfectlon
tnkes place from some other animal
When a spot is Just starting, with, per
hap*, a single mite upon it, It can be
delected by one who has had a little
experience, from the pale or yellowish
color of the skin and its moist surface,
due to an exudation of serum. A little
later this patch will have Increased In
sire, the central portion will be cov-
ered with a yellowish sealy or mealy
material somewhat resembling dandruff,
produced by the drying of the serum.
Finally these spots become thickly cov-
ered with scales or scabs, and the mites
mostly migrate Into the wool about the
margin, where, with ihelr eggs, they
often almost cover the skin. Mites or
eggs are seldom found under very heavy
scab. Sometimes a heavy reddish scab,
Indicating the presence of blood and an
open sore are found, but such cases are
not common.
When a lanib becomes one month old
It generally possesses eight front teeth,
Incisors, more commonly spoken of as
mf Ik teeth, and, In addition to these,
three temporary molars or grinders.
The first permanent tooth usually ap-
pears at about the third month after
birth. At nine months the second per-
manent molar appears. In most, eases
the Hist permanent incisors or front
teeth appear when the lamb Is about one
yeai old. However, this varies At
eighteen months the third molar appeal 3.
When the sheep Is about twenty or
twenty-one months old It usually has
four permanent Incisors A good au-
thority says that when twenty-seven
months old the temporary molars are
all shed and replaced by permanent
one*. The third pair of front teeth ap
pear when the sheep is from thirty to
thirty six months old. At thirty-six to
forty-eight months old there are eight
permanent Incisors, when the sheep If.
sthl to be full-mouthed and mature
When the teeth begin to show sign* of
wear the sheep Is considered aged. We
are no doubt familiar with the common
mode of telling the age of sheep by the
teeth. It Is generally considered that
one pair of front teeth indicate that the
sheep Is one year old; two pair, two
years old; three pair, three years old;
and four pair, or eight Incisors, tour
years old.
®fie Stocfc interest.
VALUABLE ADVICE TO OATTLE
SHIPPERS.
In the preparation of the quarterly re-
port of the Kansas Board of Agriculture
devoted to "The Beef Steer," Secretary
F. I) Coburn aimed to not only secure
the views of those who are masters in
beef production but also avail himself
of observation by others, among them
those who deal with the stock when it
roi.tfies the market. None have a keener
eye for the merits and defects of the
beef animal, both as to his individual
quality, condition and treatment given
him at home and on his way to market,
than the salesmen who receive, care for
and sell them to the slaughterer or ship
per. From the counsel given by one of
the most extensive live stock commission
firms, the following excellent advice for
every feeder and shipper is given, and is
the result of very extensive experience
and wide ol«ervation. This firm says:
lr. the first place, a large majority of
the feeders make a mistake in holding
fai cattle that are ready for market;
for instance, a man is feeding 100 to
150 head of steers, and there are, say,
one-half or two-thirds of the cattle that
are fat and could be shipped at any time.
Very few men will ship them out, for
the simple reason that all their cattle
are not ready, and they hold onto the
goou ones until the entire bunch Is
ready. We are continually advising our
customers to ship out all fat cattle as
f,u?t as ready. By doing so they divide
theli risk. The cattle that are left have
a better chance to Improve, and there la
•more profit to be made In this way on
account of the small margin there Is In
keeping matured steers, as this class of
cattle make little gain compared with
half-fat steers. Another mistake that
le made is in shipping cattle ofT grasH.
We have had a number of instances
where our customers have shipped cattlp
that were fed on the grass without put-
ting them In a dry lot for a day or two
before shipping and feeding nothing but
corn, oats and hay; and, by not doing
so, the cattle on arrival look grassy,
theli hair looks shiny, they shrink al-
most double what they would If han-
dled In the proper way, and they don't
sell within 10 to 15 cents per hundred
(and In some cases more) of cattle that
art put In a dry lot and fed nothing but
corn, oats and hay for a short time
before shipment. Overloading Is a very
bad feature, but we might add that we
are not troubled as much in this re
sped as we were before the charge of
freight by cents per 100 pounds became
established. A little advice on this sub-
ject is still quite necessary, as we have
customers who frequently overload their
cattle, and, as a result, they make an
extra shrinkage; they do not look as
well at market, which, as you are aware,
affects the sale fully 10 cents per hundred
pounds; this means a direct loss to the
shipper of 10 cents per hundred, and the
er.tra shrinkage, which Is quite a large
Item, that could be saved with proper
management
"The best Investment a shipper ever
made was in putting extra good bedding
In his cars. This is a point which should
be well looked after, as it means a big
saving from loss of possibly dead or
crippled cattle, as well as the shrinkage
Wc think another point that could be
well covered would be, where parties are
shipping stock, to classify It as much
as possible. In this way the cars are
more evenly loaded, the stock ships much
better, and It also saves considerable
delay upon arrival here. The work of
sorting and shaping at this end Is a very
sinali Item, but. by classifying the stock
In the country. It means economy of
time at the market. Cattle handle better
If they do not get too much water Just
betore shipment. The golden rule In
shipping all kinds of cattle Is to get them
as quickly as possible from range, ranch
farm or feed yard to market. Notably
Is this the case with rangers It has
been proven time and again that a range
bullock shrinks every hour after he
leaves his native haunts. It stands to
reason that all cattle will do so, but
nutlves do not fret, nor are they liable
to get so bruised as the former.
"Grass cattle as a rule do not ship
well. On the pasture they look well,
and many a buyer has been deceived bf
the appearance of a drove of steers in a
grass field with full bite. To ship
such cattle Is a hard task, and la In
variably disappointing,, but as It has to
be done, where convenient, It Is a good
plan to place such cattle In a pen and
feed them hay for a day or two. The
secret of shipping all classes of cattle
Is to place them on the can full of feed,
but with as little moisture as possible
If you ship a steer full of water he la
apt to have loose bowels and show up In
the yards badly. Properly handled cat-
tle Bhould arrive In the sale pens dry
behind and ready for a good All of water;
not over-thirsty, but In good condition to
water freely. Many of our shippers
think that by salting their cattle, or
by feeding them oats, or by other schem-
ing, they can fool the buyers. This Is
nonsense. The buyers are Just as sharp
a* the owners, and while many of them
say nothing, you often see them ride
Into a pen and out again without the
courtesy of a bid on this account. Doi-
enu of times we have seen this happen.
It always acts against the shipper to
use unnatural means. To Eastern buy-
ers It is a matter of great Importance
that cattle should be In good condition
when purchased, so as to stand further
shipment. When cattle drink too freely
they are apt to founder and break down.
In this condition the dressed beef men
can use them, but It stops competition,
anil as a natural consequence cattle often
go below their value when In this con-
dition.
"The same rule applies to grain-fed
cattle, whether in pasture or dry lot,
as to the above. Only they are much
more easily handled In shipment, and do
not show much distress In their changed
circumstances. As to feed on the road,
nothing equals good, Bweet hay. It beats
corn or other grains, because It Is easily
digested, and does not fever the animal
Simple methods and simple feed are the
beet that can be used. As to water on
tha road, It Is a matter to be decided on
at cording to the weather. In inldsum
mer care must be taken to supply animal
wants, whereas, In winter a steer can
go for many hours without a drink. Good
management in this line also calls for
the arrival of stock at the yards In
proper time. From 5 to 8 a. m. Is the
best tinie In the day to appear upon the
scene— the nearer the latter hour the
better, for cattle especially always look
better when they are taken off the cars
and have Just been fed and watered.
Then they have a bloom upon them
which wears off very quickly.
"Many feeders would be saved both
disappointment and loss If before send
Ing cattle to market they would notify
their commission house what and when
they are going to ship. Then, if the
commission merchant thinks the stock
would be benefited by longer feeding,
or that the prospect Is unfavorable for
the time the feeder expected to have his
cattle In, he can so advse his client
and thus save him from sacrificing his
stock or getting in at a wrong time
Especially Is this Important In Novem-
ber or the beginning of winter, when we
are getting half-fat cattle that ought to
have been held back thirty to sixty
days longer at least. No doubt many
of these look all right In the feed lot
and appear to have good finish, but not
having matured or ripened they practl
cally "go to pieces" on the cars, and In
addition to loss through heavy shrink-
age the owner has to accept a low price
on the market. We wish every stock
man would follow out this plan of glv
lng notice a day or so ahead of the time
he expects to ship. It works both to the
advantage of the shipper and seller. The
latter, being on the market every day,
knows Just what the market wants and
can Judge pretty closely of near pros-
pects. He Is thus able to give his client
the necessary advice and Information
he should have before he sends In his
stock."
A Good Cheap Farm Wagon.
In order to Introduce their low metal
wheels with wlde*tlres, the Empire Mfg
Co., Qulncy, 111., have placed upon the
market a farmer's handy wagon, sold at
the low price of 119.95. The wagon Is
only 25 inches high, fitted with 24 and
30-Inch wheels, with 4-Inch tires. This
wagon Is made of best material through-
out, and fully guaranteed for one year.
Catalogue giving full description will be
mailed upon application to the manu-
facturers, who also furnish metal wheels
at low prices, made any s1r.e and width
of tire to fit any axle.
Test the seeds that you have any doubt
about germinating; especially the seed
corn. Home good soil, a bo* and a warm
room are all the facilities required.
The average wages of the cotton opera-
tives of New England, In 18J7, was W a
week; In the South the average was SO per
cent. less, or 14 M a week of six to eight
hours more than In New England,
She Jtouftry fjord
Chicken-Raising.
I'oultry-ralsers have different opin-
ions us to how the chicks should be fed,
especially when first hatched, Our plan
Is simple and can be practiced by any-
body; some of the readers may not ap-
prove of the method, but what Is good
for our chickens In the South may not be
wholesome for those In the North.
I will ay In the start, do not neglect
to dust your hens with llce-klUer at
least once a week during the time of in-
cubation, and an extra good dose ct
powdetrlng a day or two before the eggs
are due to haitch. There are several rea-
sons for this precaution, viz.: The hens
will sit the better and more quietly
when not bothered with lice and the
chicks will not be scattered with the
e&t as soon as hatched.
When all the fertile eggs have hatohed
remove the hen from the rest, put her
In a quiet, comfortable place for twenty-
four hours; the young ohlcken« require
no attention—they will hover under the
hen, hardly daring lo come out. After
twenty-four hours have passed the
chicks want feed. We must provide
something light that Is eanily digested.
Our ration Is three parts corn, one part
wheat coarsely ground; tills Is made Into
a dough by adding milk; put in an oven,
let It laike thoroughly—the baking will
soften the corn and It will not swell up
in the young chick's craw. Until the
young ones are a week old they should
not receive anything which Is liable to
swell up much when in the craw. Their
digestive organs are not very strong
and not developed as in older birds,
hence It works slower, bo if food Is given
that swells tne weaker chicks must suc-
cumb. Some breeders feed the young
chicks «mi a custard made o< beaten eggs
and milk; this 1s fed for about a week.
I object to this ration. I do not be-
lieve la pampering chickens, but five
good, sound food and have sturdy birds.
Fancy feed will do for a fancier that
raises fancy chickens, but not for a per-
son that breeds them for business and
profit.
After the chicks have passed their
second week the wheat Is withdrawn,
provided it is too high in price, other-
wise It is continued, and the bread Is
leaked as before. If you have a bone-
cutter, feed the chicks a little cut bone
with this; you must be careful; feed it
every other day. I cannot say haw
much to feed each chick, as some breeds
can stand more than others; but don't
feed more than one ounce to ten chicks.
If you have no cutter, add some Unseed
meal to the corn cake; this is a good
substitute for l ne, and must atao be
used moderately, as It is a laxative. We
use this meal continually, as we cannot
procure enough bones for old and young
chicks.
It sometimes happens that at this age
the wings of the chickens grow too fast.
The large wing feathers take the
strength out of the birds; these grow
weaker and weaker until they dig. To
prevent this cut the wings off; not too
close, as they are liable to bleed to
death. I-ook well for lice and fight then
If found. We use vaseline, mixed with
a little llce-klUer. This we rub on tiie
chicken's head, throat and under the
wing. If the chicks are feathered.out
they are powdered with the lVce-klHer.
When chicks are one month old they
are fed on cracked corn and oats, with
cut bone; the corn should be cracked,
as the grains are too larg« when fed
whole. Feed all the grain they will eat.
Ho not throw It on a pile of straw and
let them scratch for It -scratching will
not fatten a chicken. When birds are
wanted for breeding purposes, then
plenty of exenrrlse Is very essential, but
you cannot expect a chicken to work
for his feed and get fat.
Gapes Is one of the worst things we
have to contend with. Remedies far
this are numerous, but nothing will
cure this but a gape-worm extractor,
and when this falls to bring out the
worms, a blue grass Is taken, the seed
stripped off and used the same way ss
a gaper. We ahn to raise all at our
chickens early, as these are hardly ever
bothered with gapes; besides that, early
ohlckene bring the beat price In the
market.
The above rations are not Intended
for chickens that are wasted for breed-
ing purposes, but for chickens which are
to be sold for table purposes at the age
of two to three months—Frtta Knorr,
Clerks. Ky., In Wall ace's numr.
Hisusas aid AsTiam OnnAUT are
of "Brows'i DrowMdl TVoofcsi" for I
I sad Throat TroabieaThey am
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Soule, J. S. Home, Field and Forum (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 6, No. 2, Ed. 1 Tuesday, February 1, 1898, newspaper, February 1, 1898; Guthrie, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc102581/m1/3/: accessed March 18, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.