Show GUMES G AIN FA V OR use of vetch for green manure forage and cover crops matry variety able to withstand win detira which would kill common kinds oune PUPA ice of importance to country homes homce by tho the united hentes department of agriculture Aerl culture la im the growing popularity of legumes lor ifor use as green manure inn nure forage and cover crops vetch has haa played an im part although there are a ot of species grown to some ox ex merl fm ills country the two used most moat R naively are tho the common and tho the vetch of the two hairy vetch vie te mch aach more hardy and can be 10 grown to ellmost every part of the united it withstands winters which kill the common vetch and does vivai on land much too poor for the loa aber flior in addition it will stand con asid erable alkali and much drought on this account it can be grown success sully cully in nearly every state binte of tho the braim but its chief importance will always bo be in regions whore where alfalfa and red clover do not meet tho the tanners requirements vetch has so many addan hungria over the alie common variety that it would probably displace it almost alto it it were not for the fact that the bleed Is so eo much more expensive under normal circumstances it can be imald that hairy vetch seed to Is practically double in price that of common vetch this has not only checked its utilization in the united states but lia has offered an inducement for adulteration te and substitution in the seed which purchasers should guard from a practical standpoint the ox ex of vetch seed should deberr emine tho the following questions 1 Is the seed sed common vetch nicla dativa or hairy vetch V vl vi llosa 7 2 Is old dead seed present ai an ad 3 la other vetch seed or similar weed seed present an aa an adulterant 1 4 Is ie the seed adulterated with low sereen screenings ings 5 are specially noxious wood weed seeds present is does a considerable part or of the seed secil consist of hard seed incapable of prompt germination with a little experience there should ilbe ie no difficulty in distinguishing be tile the seeds of common and hairy vetch awelch the common vetch seeds are flattened and the somewhat angular the surface Is more or ll 11 distinctly mottled pd some of tho the eeds deeds being uniformly light brown or spanish hairy vetch seeds on the other father hand are somewhat smaller spherical and roll readily or their color la grayish or lead am a black although new hew seed la Is often t mottled perhaps the easiest way however fc distinguish between the two varle varie la ast by examining the seed sear scar arbth a magnifying glass in common each h thin sear scar takes the form of a wi wedge sidge with a slight alight ridge or a lighter color extending along g the center in hairy vetch the scar to Is broad oval wedge shaped and stero to la no light colored central ridge there may be a split along aiho 0 center t er tile the purchaser has familiarized with the appearance of this ett scar in the seed of hairy tab ho he should be able readily to perr GOO j 0 0 ad o I 1 IF ig 1 fig figs F 2 afta 1 of common vetch nicla Sa dativa sativa tiva natural size epla 2 seeds of hairy vetch vlola Vil villiana liona natural size othe presence not only of common gw ratch batol but bu tol 01 other seeds as well in any tot trat he be examines exa m ines the seed of wild 1 natch la Is somewhat deceptive it bears a strong resemblance to iffat ot at hairy despite this tact fact amul eare fut examination will show that the iseff scat differs from that of hairy dmn letca in being more nearly wedge ka black anci ana iv in having a slender bo a extinct ridge along the center edua enild vetch Is frequently used as act c adulterant in low grade lots of seed another form of r it er a tn commonly practiced Is pi audition ot of small sized seeds of common man vetch probably the result of screening ning another useful method of de hs the presence ot of other seeds la Is to i arah h a small handful crushed hairy fretah seed should be of a lemon 0 janow color it if fawn salmon or red am h orange pieces are found the lot awe consist of pure hairy vetch bleed the presence of old dead seed or W en an undue proportion of hard seed la Is more difficult to determine in fact tho germination test Is the alio only way of detecting dead seed instead of sprouting ng in four or five days after planting planel I 1 ng each seed will merely become when vetch seed bead is anoro than a year old it usually contains a considerable r percentage of what Is known as hard seed because this ta Incapable of absorbing moisture A d therefore doea although with a little care and experience the farmer will not find it difficult to make sure that he la Is obtaining il a good quality of seed there Is no reason why ho he should not grow his bis 0 own wit seed it la Is well to use ft a special held field for this purpose because vetch that Is not cut until after the seed la is matured Is not as desirable a feed as that cut earlier it the crop la is put in a barn with a tight floor much of tho the seed will rattle to the bottom all that la is necessary then la Is to be caro care tul ful when taking out the straw to shake tree free any loose seed aeed that it may contain dy by this simple method tho the farmer can easily obtain his own supply pure pura ice of great importance to coun try home with winter approaching farmers will find it profitable to make every possible arrangement for harvesting and storing such lea ice as may be avail able in their localities ico ice la Is a luxury and yet in many sections of the country it may be had for the gathering if tho the farmer fanner Is prepared for tile the harvest at the right time the cost of a b 3 rig 4 fig 3 seed scar of common vetch vatch enlarged pig fig 4 seed scar of hairy vetch A and B forms forma showing white central slit silt of some scars scare enlarged harvesting and storing lea ice Is not great compared with the comfort it brings and an ample supply of this luxury Is of greater importance in the country homo home than in the city residence even such farmers as are not near lakes or streams often gather quite a supply of ice by putting out parts pans or wooden troughs filled with water and removing the ice after the water has frozen A special galvanized iron can which ch may be used in this way will bo be described later in this series while city people may purchase perishable supplies as needed the remoteness of country homes himeo from markets makes it necessary to use more canned corned or smoked meat products at a season when the table might bo be supplied with other meats 1 it there was an available supply ot of ice to keep it not only Is ice appreciated because of its use in the preservation of fresh meats butter and other table supplies but the production of high grade domestic dairy products Is almost impossible without it many markets to which milk la is now shipped demand that it be cooled before shipment tto to a degree pot attainable without the of 0 ice modern methods of marketing I 1 show ebow other products besides milk such as aa fruit and eggs it if chilled before being taken to market arrive in much better condition ice in the country home therefore to Is of value tor for a greater number of purposes than at first might soom seem source of the ice supply the source of at the ice supply varies with local conditions in many sections lakes rivers or large streams afford a supply ot 0 suitable ice without special plan or preparation on the part ot of man in those instances where such natural sources are not easily accessible small streams or even the water from a spring can be stored in an excavation or by means of a dam so as to rifford afford sufficient water murfa surface ce to provide the desired ice supply the harvest area or surface will depend upon the tonnage to be stored and the normal thickness of 0 the ice in the lo 10 bality in central now new york the normal ice supply ranges from 8 to 12 inches in thickness while in eastern virginia 4 to 6 inches Is as great a thickness as can usually be counted upon the stream or pond from which the supply of ice Is taken should be fed from a source free from cont contamination arnina or pollution if the stream Is so sluggish that water weeds thrive in it all vegetation must be removed to prevent its freezing in the ice decaying vegetable matter frozen in ice la is very objectionable because as the tee ice melts this matter Is deposited in the ice fee box or refrigerator rendering it unnecessarily filthy and dangerous to health ponas in which green spawn or algae grow profusely can be rid of these pests by the use of copper sulphate the crystals can be placed in a cloth sack which la Is hung to a pole and trailed through the water until the salts are dissolved one or two treatments of the sulphate during the season at the rate of one pound to gallons of water will bo be sufficient lelent to keep down such growth and make the water clear and pure it Is impossible to have pure ice unless the pond or stream Is clean and the water is ia free from contamination |