5" ':i-: Twanvn

.. uu-...uys..

.....'u-NV In this issue we complete the

-.-article by Dr. E. Rendle Bowness entitled-Critical Factors Affecting

3-Mink Feeding and Housing. Con-

myfgiderable of it is applicable to Hfoxcs asAwell, particularly the first jpart which dealt with the neces- ,.51ty of keeping watering pens fill- -;.ed frequently with fresh, clean water. The remarkable result -achieved by Dr. Bowness in filling Hhis pans frequently at his .anch .-during the hot months must have --registered with a great many mink "breeders. . . . .

"The practice of running a roll of black building paper over the tops of the pens in a continuous manner throughout the whole row ils slightly less undesirable. The lonly difference between the black -building paper and the previous shade arrangement is that it lacks ijn thickness and thus lacks in ability to store heat. However, it ilttracts heat by its color and it prevents circulation both horiz- ontally and vertically. For out- -side pens which are placed in vtirzht rows the best shade and vrntiiation is provided by a slightly sloping roof- made of bright steel or aluminum and rais- ed at least one foot above the top of the pens. The action of bright steel or aluminum is to reflect the heat caiising a rapid rise of air drawing cooler air through the pens. The higher the temperature on a sunny day the greater the movement of air under such pro- tection. The slope of such roofs aids in air circulation and the slopes should be towards the south or west depending on whe- thcr the pens are run on a line east and west, or north and south.

''While most people regard shade as a safeguard against hot weath- "er losses, its principal value is to keep the Mink comfortable and eating well so that growth does not slacken too much during ex- tremely hot periods of weather. Modern and comfortable pen de- signs can and does mean many things. No one pen design is uni- lormly suitable in all parts of the country or under all conditions. ,While shapes, sizes and types of pens vary according to climate. sheds or no sheds. and the indiv- iduai ideas and abilities of the rancher in building, still there are some basic principles upon which the majority of breeders agree. Pelting pens should not have less than three square feet of 1100? ipace. This is particularly true in trials pens which if anything ' ould be somewhat larger. Out-

de pens should have a weather-

r-oof neat box. Shed pens should Lure some sort of a sleeping cub- Eue. either as a standard nest box

r some arrangement that provides E hiding place that will protect the animal against loss of body heat especially in the fall months.

1' "A Mink is pretty well insulated against the cold when he is on the ground. Howeveruwhen the Mink is suspended up in the air in i pen that does not have a. nest box or other arrangements that pre- vent heat loss, it uses I Breaker percentage of its food intake in the provision of heat. in other words, you have to provide more food which costs more money In order that that Mink can keep reasonably warm. Other argu- ments as to the advantage of Pen! not having nest boxes are render- ed futile in the face of this disad- vantage.

"There is some confusion in the minds of ranchers as to the affec

, of light on furring during the 1811

months. It is not 3: question 0? placing the animal in total.da.rk- ness or somcthiril! nearly slmllafv but that of shorteninl the lenilh of day and conversely makini H15 nights longer. The older concep- tion of the phenomena of tuning

. - ' O was bound up With the idea the. cold weather was the Prime V” The common complaint on an open and warm fall was that if we could just get some cold weather to fur our Mink up Pf09' erlv everything Wm-lld be 3” ”gm' Actually, unseasonably Wagm lag weather usuallg interfere W food intake an ' . off feed faltered in their tpirogriecslg in furrinS- we 3” k"”w. 3 :1,” animals show 1700? lmgmg 3 0! ny, thus even minor egreo interference which destroys IP99 lite also have their effect-

"In our .rt-search work we :1”: found that lllVmC "19 ””"" am December length day fr-on; un- middle of September throug Mm- til peltinfl lime. Ciused me 3. 3 ins to not rish! 40” "l b"5"”, in the production of I winter cpl. ilf Mink can be Bum! 9' ihmk then you can any mil W" "E." the Mink think it was later nee they realized. Many r-nchm P

Mink in darlv.-med she . old bar-1;!

cut down at all times. Mink housed under such I:thd . tone show a wide variety tn actions in Drlmlnl Ind "'0'

ch than ma" "'6 much Wu H f.I:IOh!f'I of

pun. were still pelt-ind 05 of Deceinbery ihdf tnlmlll

when ch-rfhm-I-0 in partial d-rlnoll

7' :.n on tube. V v I, 4......-

the animals going i

I

I ml!”

TIMELY lIO'I'ES Oil TOPIOS i OOIIIEOTEO WITII

Silver Fox and y N, Mink gFarmingw

'equipped with shutters to let in the daylight throughout the day and that can be closed late in the afternoon and left closed until early in the morning. However, for those who feel sheds are use- ful. it is just the question of de- Dlkmng your new sheds or con- verting the old so as to follow the principal of sundown at 5 o'clock in the afternoon and sunrise at 8 to 8.30 in the momlng, Light, has an even more powerful effect on reproduction. It's effect is too risky for other than the research worker to play with. During the winter months. expose your ani- mals to normal daylight and let it go at that."

Lampson, Fraser dz l-Iuth's New York sale last week showed a strong advancing price of a vari- ety of furs compared to June. Dressed Silverblu mink had a rise Of 259?. Royal Pastels reached a top of 356. for light medium and light. advancing 107;; Aleutian; had 8 109 Of S10. for dark med- ium; Breath of Spring Aleutian mid 3 WP of 3.32 for. dark medium; Breath of Spring Silverblu a top of 346. for light medium; Stewart, S-ilverblu had a top of 540, for light and pale: Steel Blu a top of s23. The report ends with:-"The supply of mink from the 1949 mink lalaway down and n 101, 01 dealers and manufacturers have been anxious to take on a little more goods. With so many people in the mink business it is not hard to understand why the mink crop has been pared down so quickly this year."

Soil Protecting Practices For The Maritime

OTTAWA AUK- 8-Soil surveys conducted in Prince Edward 13- land show that approximately 30 per cent of the land can be class- ed as moderately eroded. This represents a considerable loss in potential productivity with a con. sequent increase in cost of pro- ducing crow. says GB. Whiteside. Soil Specialist at the Experknen. tal Station, Charlottetown, P.E. I.

Experimental evidence, as well as practical experience, has shown that the most effective protection against erosion is a dense grass cover. Too frequently. however, grasslands are neglected and the vegetation becomes so thin as to afford only partial protection. Good grassland management will improve the density of the sod. and this is a practical step that every farmer can take in protect- ing his surface soil for productive purposes.

Every spring the action of rain- fall ahd the effect of surface run- off from melting snow pruenls an erosion hazard on cultivated crop land. This can be reduced to some extent by allowing plant residues as potato and turnip tops to remain on the field to form a trash cover. Ridging the land across the slope. rather than leaving it smooth as frequently happens after potatoes are har- vested, can also be effective in reducing surface run-off.

Nature is slow to build but can be quick to destroy. especially when aided by man. Natural pro- cesses take several hundreds of years to produce one inch of sollr But when once the land is cleared of its cover of natural vegetation and brought under cultivation. it should be borne in mind that it only takes a comparatively few years of improper sell manage- ment on sloping land to destroy the work of centuries.

Sweet clover, A Soil Buildiiig crop

orr.1.wA. August 19, 1960 - In southwestern Ontario growing sweet clover as a soil building crop was common practice until ten or fl ,- teen yea.rs ago. since then it has become increasingly difficult to ob- tain good at.andr,of clover in the second year of growth. In recent years, for instance, sweet. clover has only been grown successfully in some years.on certain fields in ar- eas of Ebsczgcounty.

It in thought that a fungus dis- ease present in the soil is responsib- le for the rootrot of sweet clover which kills the plants during the early spring growth of the second year.

At the Experlmentsl substation at Woodslee, Ont, at breeding programme in under way to devel- op vsrletlcs of sweet clover with

It- resistance to the root rotting dia-

Iau which is prevalent in the dis-

of trlct. Although the breeding work

la in its early stages it is hoped says J. W. Aylesworth, that raalrtant vnlatlar will be available to the farmer within a few years.

At the present time the chief soil building crop u Id In the district are alfalfs, gnu mixtures andred clover. Thou are expensive to lutabltab and once established the perennial types are left. down for uvaral years. A blannlsl crop such as atclovar would fit quite will in I aotl bulldlng rotation where

lddl . would sup”.-

Iubmtttlat s'mounta.of omnlc ya aiichlupuafcr IIII soil.

- NEWSY

bOO&v THE LOGGIIIIIAB IIIIIKI

This is now called the Migrant Shrike. but the older title in to be preferred since both our Shrike: are migrants in the accepted sense of the word. John Macswelne. who includes it in the Island list. of 1916. says it is rare, and the. New Brunswick lists puts it down as uncommon, but add! that it has been known to breed in that Pro- vince. Nova Scotis list: it without remark.

As to the Loggerheadts habits there is little dlfferncc between it and the Northern Shrike. Charles W. Nash of Ontario noticed that the Loggerhead was much fender of those hairy caterpillars called "woolly Bears." which are refused by most other birds.

Loggerhead Shrike LOU 032 Rare visitor; no recent records. Plumuge: upper parts slaty gray. a black bar on each side of the head. connect " by a narrow black line across the forehead at base of the bill; bill hooked. hawk-like, both mandibles black; scapulars and upper tall cc- verts whitish; wings and tall deep black. primaries white at the base. secondaries tipped with white. the outer one mostly white. Under- parts. always white. Length of adult 9.0 inches.

THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN

On-August. 10. there was'a note in The Guardian, that this date in the year 1388, the battle of Otter- burn, in which Douglas defeated Percy, took place. There is a good and reliable account. of this battle in Frolssartxs "Chronicles" upon which we must draw to get the true perspective. The Battle of Chevy Chase was a previous fight. and the account of it has been enliv- ened by some later poet. who "lift- ed"-the story of the death of Doug- las from the battle of Otterburn. and inserted it in "Chevy Chase".

The events which led to the bat- tle of Otterbtirn are these. Richard II. King of England, was a weak monarch, and England in consc- qucnce was in a dlsttessed state. James. Earl of Douglas, an enter- prising Scot, knowing this. invaded England with a. picked force of 4.000 men and passing rapidly and secretly through Northurnberland, reached Branspetb in County Dur- ham. This village was looted and burnt by the invaders who now turned northward, plundering and burning every- place on their route. One object of the Scottish raids was to secure weapons and iron to be made into weapons, of which Scotland has scant store in those days.

In returning. the boots lay three days before the walls of Newcastle which were ably defended by sir Henry Percy ("l-lolspur") and sir Ralph Percy, his brother. sons of the Duke of Northumberland. In order to conclude the siege the im- petuous l-fotspur challenged Doug- las to single combat, like the knights of old. The encounter took place outside the New Gate, and Hotspur was unhorsed. His adver- sary. seizing Hotspur's spear with its silken pennon, waved it and cried "I'll take this token of the fight to Scotland and place it on the tower of my castle at Dalkelth so that all may see." With an oath. Hotspur replied: "Earl Douglas. you shall not bear it out of North- umberland to make a brag of!" with a taunting remark. "come and get it!" Douglas retired to his tent. These four words cost. Doug- las his life and l-lotcpur his free- dom.

.very early next morning the Scots struck camp and marched to Pontc- land, about seven miles to the northeast, where they captured the castle and burnt: it and the village.

Otterburn castle is roughly twen- ty-ftve miles from Newcastle in a northwesterly direction. To it the Scots made their way driving the cattle they had "collected". The day was declining when they reached otter-burn, so they retired to the shelter of some ancient British earthworks and built huts of tree branches. They drove the cattle down Into the nearby marshes to feed and placed their baggage and the camp-followers and servants in the gateway of the ancient camp -a simple arrangement that was to cost the English dear.

Next morning the Scottish host. went to Otterbum Casle intend- ing to treat. it as they had treakd Pontcland. The garrison resisted so vigorously that the Scots were greatly fatigued at nightfall, and badly in need of rest.

while the Scots were at their un- profitable task, I-fotepur wu'collec- ting his men. He got together, ac- cording to Froluart. 600 spear-men and upwards of 8.000 infantry. "more than enough to fight the

to suspend delivery on

However we will our supply lasts.

We will continue- and , dairy foods.

Vernon A .

ly Agricola

Owing to railway strike we are forced.

grinding dailylfor hog.Tpoultry' ”an

a. J. u...nouq

THE GUARDIAN. cHAiu.urrra'rowhr

NOTES -

soot: who were but :00 lanes; and 2.000 otheu."- The English left Ncwcaa-tle,aftler.dinncr, and follow- ing the road the Scots had taken. arrived at the Scottish camp about seven o'clock. It wts not yet dark. and the bright August moon shed a -peaceful radiance over the scene. Hotnpur opted the servants at the entrance of the camp and suppor- lng them to be the mom army of the Scots, ordered his men to charge them. Though dog-tired with their long march, they obeyed. Raising the cry "Percy! Percy!" they attacked the servants and camp-followers who fought. hard for their lives. The Scots warriors hastily armed themselves, clamber- edlover the earthworks and making a circuit fell upon the English flank -"a great surprise to the English”, says Proiasart. (concluded in next notes. '

SALAMANDER AND WARMING- PAN

Houses of the elgthtecnth century and part. of the nineteenth cen- tury were built wlth fairly large rooms. My present living-room would easily fit into my grand- father's bedroom. Such houses were pleasant in the summer but as the temperature dropped the pleasure was less evldent.. The bedrooms. however, all had fireplaces, and the fires were always "laid". meaning that the paper, wood and coal were in situ. so that a fire could be started at once if needed. In order to make sure thin the wood ignited, a red-hot "salamander" was thrust into the pile of fuel. This imple- ment was a poker with a large tri- angular head, shaped like a smooth- ing-iron. It was heated in the kit- chen flre till it. glowed. then car- ried to the bedroom to kindle the fire there.

The guest bedrooms, since they were not in constant use, quickly acquired the chill associated with the ice-box. When a guest dld ar- rlve. the fire was instantly lighted, and the bed warmed up by means of a "warming-pan." This was a flat pan (rather like a frying-pan) with a tight. lid, and a long wooden handle. The pan was made of cop- per or brass. and held hot coals. Probably there were rules and re- gulatlons for its use, of which we now know nothing; but it. without doubt alleviated the misery of the ice-cold bedl

(I have often wondered whether those spacious rooms had a psy- chologlcal effect on the minds of the occupants?)

NOTES ON CONSANGUINITY

A half-brother. says the diction- ary.-is a brother by one parent only: a neat. definition, when you think it crut. The only other kind of brother that you can have and the commonest - is the bro- ther german, having the same fath- er and mother that you have. Ger- man in this case has nothing to do with the nationality; it is related to the word "germane", which see. There are. of course. half-sisters and sisters german, and even cous- ins german, but half cousins are in a different. class. Cousins german are usually called "first cousins" by the genealogists and "cousins" only, by the commonalty. The chil- dren of first cousins have likewise two titles: the people refer to them as half-cousins" but the books call them "First cousins once removed," The children of half-cousins are P0D'ularly called "quarter-cousins." Your "second cousin" is the son or daughter of your parent's cousin. In like manner your grandparents are the progenitors of your "third cousins"; and you may extend the family tree to "fourth cousinr" if interested!

The children of one's nephews or nieces are orie's grand-nephews or grand-nieces. l Your uncle's uncle (that is your grandparents brother) is your

"grand-uncle", often termed, though incorrectly, your "great uncle." '

There are a few titles which I omit. as Just out of focus in any tabular statement of relationships.

BRUISES

nu. Iolllnu pa and Illaarla. in "tin bold". IAcdaoIIle. until-out-Illav

Olvol qulck nllof I

lli”KFTDiSl "KIIO OF PAIN" L IN! M E NT

our usual router. I accept orders while .

t goossbenlu. and rupberrlea is of-

Pntlllg Snail Frllts

arrAwA. AC5. to - rrunias small fruits such use currents.

ten neglected. Tbess fruits must be pruned regularly to get the but production, says RH. Anderson of the Melfort: Experimental station. currents are best pruned in the early spring while the wood to dor- mant. Red and white curmrits bear meat. of their fniil7 on short. spurs on two-and three-year old wood. Pruning in this case consists: of removing wood older tlnn three years and thinning out all weak growth. The aim is to have vigorous young grow.l: to take the place of the wood older than three years. Lateral growth and tips of new growth may also be iemoved in the rail. to keep the shape of tho bush and to induce spill BP0VVlh- Black cur-rants hear much of their fruit. on one-year old wood and on the laterals of two-year old wood. It is important to hl-VI I supply of one and two-year old stems. All older stems should be removed and the younxef MGM!- thlnned to ten or twelve Iftml per plant depcndlns Wpon Ch! 0011' dltlon of the 'pil!.nt.

The fruiting habit of goosebu- rier. is practically the same as red and white currents. most of the fruit is borne on two-and three- year old stems. They should be pruned to. leave "roxtmately

llcw if

The Pullct crop

O'l.'l'AWA. August 10. 1060-tab ly batched pullots. for the most. part. are already in production but the main crop of layers will be brought int from range during September or early October. culling the prospective laying flock to au- rnlnatc the "loafers" has always been good some but today. with high food and labour costs. it is ab- solutely essential if the birds on to return I profit.

obvious vigor is a first require- ment. Untthrlfty birds will not pay

for their Imp. Alert carriage, bright eyes. close. glossy feathering indic-

thrce one-year stems. three two- ya- and three lzhrae-year stems. All branches in contact with the ground should be removed. The pruning may be don. in the fall or ln the spring before growth begins. In the case of the raspberry. the canes bear fnilt in their second season and then die. Pninin:. therefore, consists in removing the canes which bear fruit. as soon -i: the harvest is over. and thinning the new canes where these are too numerous. In thinning the new ones, the weak one: should be removed first and then any sur- plus of strong ones. The canes that remain should not be closer than six inches apart' preferably nine to twelve inches. In the card spring, six inches may be pruned off the tips of the canes. This en- courages strong lateral which bears most fruit.