The Northern Pacific farmer., 1883-09-27
FARMERS COLUMN.
Agricultural T0Dics.

Agricultural Topics.
Mr.. F. K. Phoenix, Delevan, Wis, Ia
ments in The Western Farmer the de-
struction of ''the large meadow moles.
woodchucks and skunks,' which. are
very helpful, he thinks, in our fight
against grubs.
Henry Stewart notes in the New York
Times the fact that some varieties of
potatoes seem to be more distasteful to
Colorado beetles than others, and in
stances Wallis Orange and the Dakota
Red as two sorts which with him re-
quired no attention. wi lie others grown
near we're given daily pickings.
The trotting premiums of fairs can
safely be omitted. but those for fast
walkers should be permanent and liber-
al, says the Weekly Press.
DIR. Sturtevant reports that the husk
corn, which is of little value for the
grain, is most prolific of all foliage, and
therefore presumably best for fodder
purposes.
The experiments of Wolfe and others
at German experiment stations shows
that horse weighing l,lOO to 1900
pounds would eat from % to 27 1-2
pounds OF hay if no other food were
given. With grain 20 to 25 pounds was
usually eaten by working horses OF that
weight Lighter horses would not need
quite SO much, but we can find no date
of experiments with horses weighing
less than 1000 pounds. Gen
tleman.
Farmers who have kept strict &C.
count with their stock say that a pound
of poultry can be made far less than
pound of pork, yet the laboring man
who has to buy both feels that he can
not afford to buy poultry very often. as
it costs more than other meats. This
that the poultry growing business may
be much extended before the market
will be overstocked so as to bring the
price down to where it will not pay to
raise.
The American Cultivator states that
ton Of wheat bran is worth $l4.59 for
manure, while ton Of corn meal is on
ly worth $665. These figures are based
on the cost of nitrogen, phosphoric acid
and p.tash in their commercial forms.
and represent the comparative man urial
value of feed. 1t thinks that at present
prices farmers can purchase bran to feed
and make manure more cheaply than
they can otherwise obtain it. After
feeding it's manurial value will be great
er, because il will be more available.
Beans are not eaten whole by any
kind of stock excepting sheep. But, by
grinding and mixing with corn or oat-
meal, beans unfit for sale may be profit
ably fed to cattle, horses, and pigs. They
are very strong food, and as stock be-
come used to them the proportion of
bean-meal may be increased.
A large number of farmers make Sc
rious mistake by dispising or efecting to
despise, the small things that come in
their way. 1t is safe to say that the income
of any farm can be more doubled by
small things that would interfere with
the number of COWS MIXED or tons of
hay produced.
In view of the great losses every year
incurred by farmers owing to the use of
poor or bad seed corn, we cannot urge
upon them too strongly the advisability
OF exercising great care in the selection
of seed corn. Whatever outlay Of time
or money may be made to do this we'll,
will be amply repaid next year by surer
and better crops. An Iowa correspond
ent gives elsewhere method of insur
ing good seed, which can be followed
everywhere with some slight allowance
for the necessity he is under to pick his
corn early in order to avoid any posi-
bic danger from frost.
There is a point in sowing wheat which
deserves attention. It is that of the
depth of the sowing. On mellow land
much of the seed is buried, too deep for
the most successful germinatjon and
growth, as experiments have deter
mined. One and one-half inc hes in
depth seem. to be the best for wheat,
but varying from one to two inches
seems to meet all requirements. It will
grow if planted deeper, but not so quick
ly, and if buried shallow does not obtain
sufficient moisture if the ground is at all
dry.
The dandelion has of late become very
popular as salad herb in England. It
requires the same routine in the way of
culture as chickory, viz: Sow in April
In drills, take up the roots when fully
grown in autumn, and plant in dark,
warm cellar or mushroom house. The |
young blanched leaves are excellent for
making up winter salads and they come
in at a time when the ordinary supply |
of outdoor material Tor salading is at its !
lowest ebb.