Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-08-22
CROPs-sTATE EXPERIMENTAL STA
TIONS--kKLLING SRBourS--DOGS
vs.. SHEEP, ETC.

ElllA W bdAh Nat "SAAt
wool is going off at 4Oc, and the average
farmer appears to be satisfied. The
wheat that has been threshed yields
well, although oats does not give as
many bushels as the straw promised.
1t is seldom that oats looked so well as
this season, in the field, yet much of it
was struck with rust that was hardly
noticeable until it reached the measur-
ing bin, when it was found that many
of the light oats had blown over
with the straw and ehaff. -.
Some are complaining Of potatoes
rotting in the ground. We hear Of this
more or less every year, and hope it
only extends to few lots situated UNI
favorably. The yield of potatoes seems
to be very fair. The acreage planted
has been large and the season rather
favorable.
Corn is growing itself away. We do
not remember to have ever seen such
immense stalks Of corn. Some pretend
to say that we will not have large ears;
the stalk is too large. This, We think,
like the potato rot, is only the sound Of
the croaker.
BAD CASE or DOGS.-The following
is clipped from the proceedings of the
Elmira N. " Farmers Club, as pub
lished in the H,tsbandmGR:
Another recommendation comes from the
Wheeling REGISTER in which the follow
ing reference to the case appears:
"At a recent meeting OF the Elmira Farm
ers' Club nearly the entire session was
taken up by discussion Of how to get nd
of sprouts and bushes. A members field
had been cleared, but the roots OF the
stumps would sprout and sprout, grub as
he would. Any Ohio, pennsylvania or
West Virginia would have acted as If he
were sitting on nettleS, listening to such
discussion. in anxiety 10 tell the inquirer
after information, who was none other
| than W. A. Armstrong, editor OF the H'Is-
| BqndlRan. one Of the best agricultural pa
pers published, Turn sheep and calves on
| the field; they will kill the sprouts.
As general instruction this is no doubt
| applicable. In the particular case cited II
| is not. Pasturing with Calyes-yearllngS-
/ has been tried year after year with no ap-
| parent advantage A single trial with sheep
! "a large Archaeological trouble appre'
| hended in the outset and showed conclu-
! siyelv that expected benefits must be
| attained if at all, at such
| cost as would wholly neutral
| ize every conceivable advantage sought.
| The field is long distance from any pub
| lie highway, the nearest screened by
| border OF thick woods over which hunters
| with dogs roam almost continually. Two
| sides are bordered by ridges, and the fourth
| side partly BY timber. The flock OF sheep
| employed was annoyed by dogs even in the
| day time with a man in attendance. untlI
| at last it was positive relief when the I'M
| equal contest was ended by taking the
| sheen out. Ii NAV be of interest to the
| Wheeling editor as well as the Ohio, Penn
| sylyania or West Virginia farmer he cites,
| to say that paSturing full grown cattle on
| the field in question is not wholly free
| from risks. for in several instances preda-
! tory ours have bitten off the tails OF cows
| kent there in other cases COWS have been
] worried to such degree as to diminish the
milk product seriously, several have been
| famed so they had to he taken to the stable
! for treatment, one had a leg broken and was
| otherwise injured so she had to be killed.
We will confess that we had not taken
the dogs into account and still do say
that if the dogs will not kill the sheep
and calves, or scare them out of heart,
the latter will so discourage the old roots
that they will die. When the senti-
ment of community is more in SYM
pathy with dogs than sheep, and the
farmer generally makes more money
i'm other branches of agriculture than
by raising sheep, and growing wool,
the plan we recommended would prob
ably be too expensive, but in this Sec
ton we kill too birds with one stone by
this cOurSe-get our sheep and cattle
pastured, and the sprouts and weeds for
sheep { f6ffi1r. We speak of the Merino,
who like little woods pasture, and a
weed now and then, and will keep a
sprout and most weeds trimmed until
they give up in despair.
EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. - Other
States are being benefited by their eX-
perimental station farms. West Nir-
ginia has not even taken the first step
towards the establishment of one, and
yet she is an agricultural state. Maybe
she has passed the experimental sta
ton. Now, we venture that the aver
! age legislator cannot tell whether the
above i wit, sarcasm or fact. But to
close with fact. We notice among our
agricultural exchanges reports from the
Superintendents or Directors of the eX-
perimental stations established by the
various States, which are of incalcula-
| bic value to the average farmer who
cannot afford 10 make these experiments
| himself.
ONE FARMER CANNOT KNOW IT
! ALL.-No one farmer can know it all.
This is the use to which experimental
| stations can be- put, viz: To provide
| knowledge for the farmer at public ex-
pense. In an agricultural community
the farmer is the public. He pays his
taxes, and for whose benefit can they
/ be better discussed" Even in u mining,
commercial or manufacturing cOmmun-
! ity if the farmer can be taught to pro-
duce two bushels where he produced
one before, that much is gained to the
entire community. There are Il thou
sand theories to he learned by and
through such station; even the habits
of the moth that floats around the lamp
at night, if known, might save many
crop.
THE Republican wrangle in New York