Farm and Garden

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 352, 5 February 1903, Page 7

Farm and Garden

ORIGINAL ARTICLES * FEEDING THE YOUNG COLT. . room growing regions this grain is defended upon largely for both summer and winter feed, if not given to exces i corn is a fairly gool feed for, a -mature horse, but to a colt it should be fed in rooieration, Corn is too carbonaceous to b > fed to any growing animal exclusively. If fed in combination with more nitron mom foods it will be leas harmful in ifa effects. Growth in a colt should consul largely of bone and muscle. Eat is not desirable. The question' may be "..iked, How can «e feed liberally and yet produce muscle instead of fat P If one sfcu lies the composition of different food stuffs, it is perceived that they are divided into two general class it —carbohydrates or heat forming substances, and nitrogenous or flash forming, the latter being composed largely of protein. Corn contains about sixty-six per cent, of carb to seven per cent, protein, showing that it is more of a heat or fat producing quality than a muscle producing feed; thus to feed corn to a growing colt would ooviously be a mistake. Oats contain nine per cent, of protein and forty-seven per ' cent, of carbohydrates, while wheat bran contains twelve per cent, protein and forty of carbodydrates. To combine the three will give much better satisfaction than to feed'one kind of grain exclusively. A mixed feed is more palatable and more digestible tban any other, Many farmers do not accord the proper value to wheat bran, They imagine because it is so light it has but little food value; its greatest value is in combination with other food staffs; it is laxative, and aids digestion. Its practical value is greater than its scientific value. Oil meal is very rich in protein, and, while rather expensive a little can be fed to an advantage. It is laxative also, and helps very much to keep the coat smooth. Where it can be obtained skim-milk is an excellent feed, especially' while the colt is young. It sometimes happens that tbe dam does not give a sufficient quantity of milk; m such oases the natural supply should be supplemented with skimmilk, at least until the colt is old enough to eat readily, Its first grain diet should be ground and fed where it can eat at leisure without interference from the dam, After the first few weeks of its life it can easily be left in the stable daring the day and both mare and foal be batter con* tented. As soon as the foal begins to eat a little hay should be given. An animal should never have more food than it will eat up clean beforo the next feed is given. Regularity both in time of feeding and amount of food should be striotly observed. Another matter that is apt to be overlooked is that of regular exercise. A large paddock should be provided where the colt can be turned out daily. If more than one colt is kept it is safest to turn but one out a time, especially ia cold weather. Exercise toughens their muscles, promotes digestion, produces an appetite, purifies the blood and fortifies the system against disease.

ROOT GRiFTING. To one not skilled in the use of the knife considerable practice is needed in cutting upon shoots of the apple or pear or other hard woods before making the grafts. Tae root or seedling is held in the left hand and an upward cut made at the point whore the root and top come together, sailed the collar. A tongue ia then cut about midway of this, which is to fit into a similar cut on the scion. The soion—a piece of laat year's growth, about six inches long, of the variety desired —is thea ta&en and the same kind of a cut made en its lower end. The two cut sar-' faces are thon placed together and the tongues pressed firmly against each other, taking care that the inner bark, called the cambium layer, comes in contact with as many points as possible. If the scion ia of the same size as the stock this may take place on both edges; but if it is smaller than the stock contact can only ba made on one side. After pressing as (irmly as possible the union is made more complete by tying the parts together with fibre, soft twine er waxed thread. The success of this wjrk depends upon how carefully the cut has bean made, how much of the cambium layers cima in contact, and how firmly the parts are bound together. VINDOfi NO WIND. A wealthy German brewer built himself a summer home. The other day when the German, who is a man of comfortable girth, was sitting on his piazzi, taking it easy, he happened to think of pomething he wanted done. His man Friday was down by the shore and there was a forty-knot gale blowing. You couldn't have heard a foghorn twenty feet away. ' Villiam, Villiani, come here,' sung out the German. - «Man Friday never wiggled aa esr. ' Come here, Villiam, I say, come here,' repeated the German, raising his voice. •The man down by the shore went along with his work. He hadn't heard a whisper of the conversation. f Villiam, Villiam, corns here to the piazza up,' yelUd the brewer, losing his temper and his command of English at the same time. ' But Villiam paid no heed and the Ger man laid down his meerschaum an* started for the shore. He came up behind William and tweaked him by the ear. 'Vy d r n't you co-ae to me mit de piazza up, ven I call you P' he demanded. ' Wind's blowin' so I didn't hear ye/ fxplained William, edging off. 'The German wigged his big finger, warningly. „ _ 'Villiam.' he said, 'ven I call I vant you to come, vind or no wind. You understand mit me—vind or no vind.' HOW EAGLES CATC3 SALMON. That tfce eagle ia very destructive to fish, and particula'ly so to salmon, many circumstances would prove. Eagles are constantly discovered watching the fords in the spawning season, and are seen to seize and carry eft the fish. Some years since a herdsman, on a very sultry day in July, while looking for a missing sheep, observed an eagle posted on a bank that overhung a pool. Presently the bird stooped and seized a salmon, and a violent struggle ensued. When the herdsman reached the spot be found the eagle pulled under water by the strength of the fish. IN THE POLICE COURT. ' Are you the defendant ?' asked a man in a Mississippi court-room, speaking to an old negro. ' No. boss,' was the reply; ' I ain't done nothing to be called names like that. I'se got a lawyer here who does the defenßing.' ' Then, who are you ?' 'Tea the gentleman wat stole the chickenß.' SAYINGS. When a man cums to me for advice, find out the kind ov advice he wants and then I gir it to him—this satisfys Mm, «. Hbat be lid I are two ov the smartest men living.