Show FARM AND GARDEN matters of interest to AGRICULTURALIST Some Cp-to-D- at of tbo Hortleultara culture Hint About CmltiT-tlo- u and Ylald Thoroof— Viticulture uud Flori- Noll Preparing for Sogar Beat Experlnaent Station:— The Increased Interest in the sugar beet Question has brought to the experiment station an unusually large number of samples of sugar beets from all sections of the state Some of the beets were raised from seed furnished by the station and some from seed obtained from other sources In the case t the seed sent out from the station lull working directions vere furnished In most caseB these directions were not followed although those who requested free seed agreed to fully follow working directions The most essential preliminary to raising good sugar beets Is the proper preparation of the seed bed The ground should be stirred to a depth of at least 16 Inches The best way to accomplish this is to turn a furrow about eight Inches deep with a common plow and follow with a subsoil plow in the bottom of the furrow Very few farmers who tried raising beets report that they used a subsoil plow or any other implement for stirring the soil to a greater depth than eight inches The result of this Is seen in many of the samples received Instead of a single tap root there are a number of small roots and Instead of the beet growing well under ground it extends so far above ground that of its weight is useless nearly one-hafor sugar making purposes Both these defects can be corrected by deep plowIt is much better ing and subsolllng to do this plowing and subsoiling in the fall We therefore advise all those who intend to experiment with sugar beets the next year or who Intend to raise them for any purpose to plow the land now and be ready to plant as early as the season will permit in the spring This early planting Is a great advantage on the moderately light lands that are best adapted for sugar beets since it advances the crop to a stage where it can better withstand the usual dry summer season In the distribution of seed in the spring the station will give preference to those who have land properly prepared If farmers intend to try the raising of sugar beets it is of the utmost importance that the work be For properly done in every respect every test not properly conducted and giving beets pi poor quality is not simply useless it is directly Injurious since it seems to indicate that the locality is not adapted for beet culture Badly conducted tests may be the means of keeping beet factories away from localities that are really well suited for the business They will cerof Inducing means the be never tainly capitalists to invest money in factories in any locality The first step in the right direction is proper plowing and this can and ought to be done at once H A Huston Chemist Indiana lf The Water Supply safe to say that nothing is of more importance to the gardener and florist than an abundant supply of water and this supply always under his control writes B S Hoxie in WisconThe man or wosin Horticulturist man who wishes to cultivate flowers and plants and who gives them a fine chance in spring and early summer of It is late years suddenly awakes in midsummer to the fact that they begin to wither and die Resort is at once had to the watering pot and pailful after pailful from the well or cistern pump is used The earth constantly drinks it in and every day calls for more and we bend our energies to supply the want but finally gave up in despair while we mourn the loss of our flowers and hope that next year may be better My memory recalls when one year I had as fine a growth of Dahlias as ever I saw and the next spring I planted out fifty hills which promised a fine show of autumn bloom but alas! not a dozen blossoms appeared and in the fall the bulbs were weak and puny Result but few (and those of inferior varieties) were fit to plant the next spring The Gladiolus beds showed but imperfect bloom and so on to the plants end of the chapter for So the question had but two alternatives either a permanent water supply or no garden and lawn The right end of the question for me was a supply of water with windmill and elevated tank so that now by aid of gravitation and rubber hose I never have a lack of water when I need it though I have sometimes lacked time to use it Our city does not boast a system of water works and even if it did my own independent fountain supply is cheaper than a “water tax” and there is no "shut oft” when wanted for the winds of heaven blow and the lower fountains yield up their treasure at call There are windmills on almost every farm in the country but not one elevated tank in a hundred A small tank holding thirty forty or fifty barrels placed on a tower of trestle work say ten or twelve feet high would in most cases out-do- afford as ampl from this could supply Ths sssrtew supply ths yard DAIRY AND POULTRY as well tank as it now does or it could bs taken direct to the house and then dis- INTERESTING CHAPTERS FOR OUR RURAL READERS tributed Of course a force pump would hava to be used Instead of ths common lifting pump but it costa only Bow Sueceful Farmer Operate Thle a few dollars more and what a conDepartment of the Farm —A Few venience! Hinte as to the Care of Live Stock and Poultry Inerceae of Intel Knemle It needs little argument to prove that the enemies of cultivated plants are Poultrr Note steadily Increasing and I think It can We are glad to see that some of our be easily shown that they will continue experiment stations are taking up the to Increase so long as the conditions work of Investigating along the lines of for which we are In large part responpoultry culture We do not know of sible remain as they are at present I any line In agricultural science that is do not by any means regard this as a shrouded in greater mystery Poultry calamity On the contrary I look upon diseases are entirely beyond the realm the fact that our insect and fungous of books at the present time though foes are Increasing as direct proof that books pretend to tell people how we are progressing for as Professor many to treat them Their advice is appaBailey has said “Our enemies increase based on limited observations because cultivation Induces change of rently than exhaustive investigation rather habits In wild organisms because it one would be convinced on this point If presents an variety oi food or host plants because the food he has but to read the Investigations carried on by the government some supply is large and in more or lees continuous areas and finally because years ago as to the disease known as the natural equilibrium or tension Is chicken cholera The report in the andestroyed" It follows therefore that nual bulletin issued by the department the more we put forth our energies to showed many things that are not genimprove our native plants or to change erally supposed to be facts connected their habits the more we endeavor to with that disease To illustrate it is Increase the variety and number of our generally given as a reliable indicacultivated vines trees and shrubs the tion of cholera that the fowl must die more we extend our orchards our vine- within a few hours and that if the disyards and our fields Just so much ease causes the fowl to linger for some more do we disturb the equilibrium in time It may be taken as granted that nature and just so much more must the disease is not cholera but merely we expect to burden ourselves with Indigestion The government has the work of maintaining this unstable shown this to be entirely erroneous the condition by more or less artificial fowls remaining sick for weeks and means Where an Insect or fungus had even sometimes recovering one chance a hundred years ago to wax strong and spread It has now a thouForeign nations are taking up this sand chances for unbroken orchards work with some vigor perhaps more and vineyards and millions of nursery than are we What we need Is a most trees cover the country where then thorough investigation of the disease only wild plants grew It is but nat- biologically and otherwise We have ural then that man seeing the on- many problems that can be solved in ward march of his enemleB should look no other way We have a disease that about him and wonder how it will all we call roup It is widely believend and how he as an individual la ed that there are quite several differreally to obtain relief In many cases he has ent diseases all classed as roup befound a way of doing this by adopting cause they are similar to each other in certain more or less empirical meth- some of their symptoms An investiods Again with a fuller appreciation gation of the germs would tell us what of the fundamental principles underlywe really had to contend with and ing plant growth he has learned part- might point out a solution It ly by Intuition to keep his plants la be found also that some of them might were health and when he has reached this common not only to fowls diseases stage he stands far In advance of his but also to the human We neighbor who waits until his plants are would thus be put on our family against guard diseased and then begins to look about as we have been against for a spraying apparatus— B T Gal- them just tuberculosis in cattle loway There is a richer line that the stations can follow with advantage and Live Stock Feeder end Breeders I take this opportunity of advising that is the breeding up of fowls or at all Interested of the calling of the least an Investigation of fowls as to American Livestock Feeders’ ami their individual capacities It is a long Breeders’ convention at the state capl-to- l Job for any poultry raiser to attempt to rooms St Paul January 11 and 12 keep a hundred or more fowls sepanext Its objects will be first to dis- rate and record their egg production cuss the breeding of the best types from day to day for a year or two of live stock to meet the demands of Yet such work would doubtless be a ths market second kinds of food and revelation when its end was reached manner of feeding to produce an aniCow and Medicine mal that will bring the top market Mr C L Gabrilsen of Iowa rarely price third marketing live stock Durever a gets thing wrong about cows ing the past several years the live stock interest has increased very rapidly in His letter on page 714 I hope has been Minnesota the Dakotas and over the read carefully by every reader of the He wants Northwest generally and there are Review who keeps a cow hundreds even thousands of new be- his cows to go dry from two to three who are months between calves So do I He ginners in this business their herds The believes the one who gives his cows a steadily increasing rest of from 60 to 90 days will have meeting however will be national in equally good returns for food and its scope and is intended to represent care as one who milks his cows to withstock live for the discussion interests in a month of parturition So do I of the Important points above menMr Gabrilsen believes greed for a tioned both of the United States and Canada Its object is to bring together Bhort rest between calves has entailed disease upon the dairy cow and weakbeginners in stock raising and exper- ened her calves ’I do too He says ienced breeders and feeders in order as calving time approaches the cow’s a mutual there that may be exchange of views and methods in the manner physical condition should be closely She should be properly fed of feeding and breeding live stock Low watched and well treated so she will do well east rates and west both of railway at calving time So say I He believes St Paul are expected and eminent exin oats as I do and he believes Epsom alperts in breeding and feeding have or glander salts should be among the ready signified their Intention of be- medical stores of eVery well ing present from Pittsburg on ths farm But I don’t Honor regulated bright! I East to the Pacific ocean on the West have never given an ounce of either The various live stock organizations Epsom or glauber salts aconite or saltthroughout the United States and Can- petre to one of my cows and one rareinvited to to appoint delegates ada are ly ever fails to “do well” I prefer nice be in attendance to represent their oretc to cause a “lax congruel ganizations and in addition all persons dition turnips of the bowels” I have asked interested in the breeding and feeding scores in the last five of dairymen of live stock will be accepted as delemake a practice of givIf years they their names and gates by reporting salts etc to their cows addresses to the secretary upon ths ing Epsom time about and to cure garget calving day of their arrival at St Paul The etc Not one in ten make any calculaof to council arrangements extends tion of giving medicine Men with 50 cordial a most to invitation your paper cows or more don’t spend 25 cents a be represented at the convention The year for medicine And they are the ripe experience of your editorial staff ones whose cows don’t have many afcannot but be highly beneficial in ths was “brought up” to not flictions I of the meeting deliberations take medicine or give medicine I got David R McGinnis no "soothing syrup” when I was a Executive Manager Father said babies do not cry baby Dried Potatoes — The Grocery World for soothing syrup Mother ate a says that the opening up of a demand great many turnips and — and broths for potatoes peeled sliced and dried when I was pretty little The no medilike apples promises to give a fresh cine policy worked well In papa’s famimpetus to potato cultivation as de- ily Of fourteen children twelve are cay will be prevented and freight cost living the youngest past fifty The lessened The potatoes are peeled and second that died had passed three-scor- e sliced by machinery soaked twenty and ten Of course we were born right minutes in strong brjne drained and Mother weaned her babies before they dried at a temperature of about 194 de- were a year old and then she had a grees Before using the slices are soak- year on ap aerage to recuperate beed from twelve to fifteen hours and fore the next one The fourteen chilthen have all the freshness and flavor dren were twenty-siyears getting of new potatoes here It was1 Major 1824 Alva 1828 Russell 1830 A Apple orchards stand drouth much 1826 Anne E better than many of our other farm X 1832 M B and Sarah J (twins) crops and this is encouraging to the 1834 andy so it was continued to the end — all born in a year that could be apple enthusiast ever-increasi- ng ‘ x divided by two and about two years Point for VnderdrelaHtflh It is a common mistake to suppoM apart Father did not shut mother in her room during the winter for fear lht the only time the underdrain I exercise and cold would stop his babies helping land is when it 1b pouring forth n stream of water at its outlet growing— but I have digressed says' What cows want is to have been American Cultivator It is of course born right to be fed and cared for helping the land then and probably But ths right and when they become mothers in its most effective way it won’t take any drugs to tide them drain also helps the land in winter for safely through the ordeal of becoming by having previously taken away thal mammas Bro Gabrilsen would have surplus water near the surface it al- -i told you if he had thought of it that lows the soil to freeze more deeply the time the cow was dry sbe should md thus become deeper and more open take a great deal of exercise (Mother to the outside air Wherever a deep rarely ever kept a hired girl) I prac- underdrain is laid it receives some of tice allowing all my dry cows and heif- the internal heat of the earth which it ers to go back to the spring eighty conducts to the soil above gradually rods every day in winter for water thawing it to the surface as warm once a day I say I “allow them to weather returns In spring Thus over n deep underdrain when the surface go” It must be a very cold or stormy is covered by snow the frozen soil will day for my cows' not to choose to go gradually thaw from beneath and will to the spring In all ordinary weather be all thawed out by the time the snow my cows giving milk will pass by a is gone Under snow where there la vat full of nice water in the barn yard no underdrain the soil will remain and go back to the spring with the dry frozen until the snow has all gone This cows I generally allow them to take shows how an interchange of air octhe tramp if they so desire and if they curs in drained soil even in the winter give some less milk and eat more hay As soon as spring comes the rains carry I believe I am the gainer in other ways warm outside air down to the drain The first thirty days after a cow making it warmer while the undercalves Is the time to fully adopt the drained land is until late in spring Hard Gould “no exercise” theory filled with stagnant water which keeps (Father looked out for mother about it cold because it prevents the entrance then) but after that no need of boxing ot air As the drained soil freezes more deeply in winter it also warms more up good strong cows or— In open winters Mr Editor I am sorry so wise a quickly in spring mortal as Mr C L Gabrilsen cannot when there are alternate spells of cold get over the idea that cows In perfect and thawing weather the drained soil health need that nauseating “Epsom both freezes and thaws several times Yet It does this salts 1” I wonder If he don’t mix In during the winter I will write without serious injury to the winter any ginger? Good-bygrain growing over it This is probagain A X HYATT ably because the water has been so far abstracted from the soil that no ice can form to clasp the wheat roots and Winter Feedng During the coming winter the grain then in thawing throw them on the that will be used for poultry will surface Is It In the soil nothing but amount to thousands of bushels yet a hoar frost which absorbs air and thus grain is not as essential to success as enriches the soil with the ammonia It some other foods says Colman’s Rural contains when the hoar frost is thawed World Cut bone has given excellent In the undrained soil there is very litsuccess in experiments and it has been tle air as stagnant water usually comes demonstrated that when it is used In near the surface If not covering ite connection with corn and grass it Undrained land often does not even get makes the ration a very suitable one frozen In winter as there is so thick Exclusively grain is a detriment to lay- a covering of ice over it that freezing’ f the soil Is impossible ing because It warms the body provides a portion of the essential eleDliieminutlon of Weirt ments necessary to egg production but More weed seeds are disseminated is lacking in the substances that form the albumen shell etc When the hen with clover seed than with any other is deprived of a sufficiency of all the one kind of grain and soma of these elements necessary to produce eggs like the bracted plantain are among It she will lay only as many eggs as she the very worst says an exchange can supply the albumen for With plen- Is a curious fact that in cleaning the ty of corn she is then provided with seeds of cockle from wheat some of the all the elements fqr the yolk and to larger grains cannot be separated This warm her body such elements being process of selection has bred up a kind known as "carbonaceous” Now if the of cockle that produces seed so nearly carbonaceous elements are proportion- the size of wheat grains that it cannot ately balanced by the “nitrogenous” be separated from the what among materials (cut bone clover etc) the which It grows Many weeds that are hard to handle hen may lay nearly every day and she will not become fat because the are coming west year by year each production of the eggs takes from her year getting a little further on their all over and that which she may need journey to the Pacific ThL Is a class for the support of her body but if she of Immigrants that we do not welcome is fed liberally with corn and is not and farmers should watcb for them given enough of the other foods she and destroy them as soon ai found A will not lay so frequently hence the little neglect in this matte may lead warfare loss of carbon in the form of eggs will to a costly and never-endinThere was a time be reduced and the excess of carbon- within a few years aceous matter is then stored up within when if a few Russian thistle plants the body as fat She may be apparent- had been destroyed the country would saved millions of dollars ly not too fat and may lay fairly up have been that seeds you know are pure to the average but if the carbonaceous Buy material Is not balanced with the Watch the farm for unfamiliar plants proper proportion of nitrogenous ma- and be careful about planting flowers terial she will soon become too fat and that are liable to become plants out of this may happen gradually as she may place and make trouble In the future lay a sufficient number of eggs to preBuying Too Fast — One oi the obstaI I i j e g vent becoming very fat until she has done fairly well but sooner or later she will cease to lay succumbing to a natural law of supply and demand— not being able to produce something from nothing — the corn being useful In protecting her from cold and serving as a valuable assistant in the production of eggs but being deficient In lime and nitrogen the farmer sustaining a loss because he does not fortify his corn with nitrogenous foods A flock of poultry on any farm can be made the source of a neat Income but even should the farmer only raise enough for his own family selling never an egg nor a feather they will pay better than anything else requiring same outlay of time and money Hogs for Slaughtering — Hogs to be slaughtered should not be fed twenty hours before slaughtering They will not bleed freely Nor should they become heated by chasing or auy other cause It likewise has a tendency to check the flow of blood Nor should a hog be scalded until fully expired After the hog Is hung up and the Intestines lungs heart and all are removed and washed out split the hog right through the center leaving a small attachment near the tail and at the end of the snout so as not to overbalance it and as soon as the leaf lard Is cold enough to be principally removed take it out This will Insure the perfect cooling of the meat This last precaution we learned from our large lumbering concerns and packers in the early days- when selling dressed hogs We have found It a safe practice The heavier the hog the more essential its quick and perfect cooling Never allow medt to freeze solid or pack It In frozen condition for It Is sure to spoil Keep an account of the profits and losses In your poultry yard by keeping an account of the number of eggs laid poultry sold and loss by disease - Is cles to the farmer’s success of the fact that many things that formerly were only luxuries and unknown to many farm homes are now or at least seem to be necessities to every farmer’s household Until recent years farming was profitable to nearly all engaged in it and the earlier settlers of all our state i exercised many economies Unknown (o the present generation Gradually and by a process of accretion many surrounded themselves with home comforts that can be had at once only ay the result Our people of a considerable outlay are sanguine and ambitious for their families and too often are not content to gradually acquire or acq lire only as a prudent husbanding of their means will permit the luxuries which they see enjoyed by those who by lung and pato-da- the result tient economies have secunJd them In short farmers often at thu beginning of their careers don’t live within their means nor do they produce at home a sufficient proportion of their supplies Farm Journal Soil Fertility — The fertility of soil —Texas Stock and depends upon its ability to supply plants with all the elements of food No one of the which they require elementary substances which are al- ways found in the composition of a plant can be dispensed with As an animal cannot live or thrive without a proper supply of the ordinary elements of food so a plant requires a regular supply of these various elements from the soil A plant poorly supplied with potash or nitrfigen for instance would produce only a sickly growth and if entirely deprived of these or of any other essential element would die Fertile soil tlerefore must contain not only large quantities of plant food but sufficient quantities of every kind of food which plants obtain from the soil to supply the wants of the crop —So- - |