davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03
FARM GARDEN


We have been giving illustrations and do
scriptions of the different breeds OF cattle,
from time to time that the readers of this
column may know what are the standard
breeds, and what they are useful for We
skall continue this until all the main strains
of blood known have appeared in our agri-
cultural department.
This week we present n picture Of a fine
Hereford bull. The Hereford cattle get their
name from the county in England in which
they originated They are the prize fat beef
cattle of England. They and the Devons are
the oldest known breeds of domesticated
cattle.
Their flesh is evenly distributed in streaks
of red and white of the fat and lean. They
are the nearest solid beef, without waste, Of
any bovines in existence Nature seems even
to have grudged them legs i'll her desire to
make meat of them. They have been bred to
beef for centuries, and the animal in the pic
ture shows the result. There is less waste in
The IN for beef than there is in the Short Horns
They are not great mixers in themselves, but
when crossed with our native cows make use
full dairy or farm animals Crossed with
Short Horns, they would make very fine
general purpose cattle.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03
pptntOes from seed.

We have mentioned that il would he an in.
tereSting experiment for the farm boys and
girls to save some of the sccd in potato ball
when they rpen in the fall, and plant them,
and see the kinds Of potato that viii be pro
duccd These viii he different from the
parent potatoes, and different from each
other as well.
The seed should he sown in boxes in the
the window, or under glass Tho best way is
to put them in flower pots scattering them
lightly and thinly upon rich soil Sprinkle
finely pulveriGad earth upon them till they
are covered an eighth of an inch deep. The
seeds are ~ light and fine that Watering the
earth in the ordinary way VIII wash the GOV
ering of them. The best way, therefore 70
water them is to plunge the pot in which they
are planted into "A vessel filled with water till
it comes nearly to the top of the pot. Water
viii thus soak through the porous earthen.
ware TO moi,ten the soil. When the earth IN
the pot becomes damp the seeds have hal "A
sufficient drink. This is TO b. done when they
are first planted. COver each pot with u
pi1Co cf glass; set IL III the window, and leave
it until the seeds sprout. Then raise the glass
gradually, the first day little, the next {,
little more, and then take it Off altogether.
Tho plants are the smallest things at first
nut rs they become stronger and the DANCE,
Of frost il gone, set them out in warm,
finely powdered, rich soil.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03
- New Agriculture. "

This is the name of Il good many schemes,
some OF which are humbuss Hon. 4 ~
Cole, of Weiisyille, y. Y, gives the title 20 n
large book be has written ON the subject Of
draining lands by the trench system. He
claims that there are millions in it, and there
may be really something in it.
Tho method is to dig deep trenches in the
land andvut in to thesn tile drains oil IA peculiar
pattern Then they are covered over. But
the rains T.rco'ate the soil, the water "seps"
through the tiles Instead Of being carried
off as in the ordinary way, it remain stored
in the earthen rccepiAcles, as a steady Goun-
tain. to b. drawn on ~ the roots of growing
crops as they want II. Then th're is no
drouth, no matter how great the lack of rain.
BY irrigation III the California and the We.
larger, surer crops are raised than in tie
eastern and middle sections Of the country. ia
which the rainfall is derended on for water.
Mr. Coles systcu is explained in his
book called The New Agriculture" He
AYERS that he has raised loo bushels Of no
tatoes from one acre of ground by the trench
ing drainage plan His own small farm, he
says, was uuproiuctive because oi poor soil
before he tried the new agriculture 4 f.cr
that he raised large crops. Below are men
toned the especial advantages he claims By
hard pam he means the hard clay sulsoil
which undcrlies 80 much of our country. The
trenching is deep enough to penetrate the
hard pan Mr. Coles plan is ildorsed 10y
Professor Roberts, Of Cornell university, ani
by the president of the Elmira Farmers
club
The system and the book are worth invest
eating, never losing sight, Of course, Of the
hard pan of ones own good common sense
aud judgment. Don't te carried away with
anything, and investigate new things 70 the
bottom before you 50 INTO them. The writer
Of "The New Agriculture says in support of
il:
/. Cereal crops are increased more than
fourfold
2. The size, favor and enhanced production
Of fruits and vegetables are in proportion as
five 10 one under the old system.
3. Vegetation of all kinds Is rendered Also
utey free from disease. more especially that
arising from fungoid infection
4. The ground worked under this new syI'
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03


The best of all ways 10 prevent tn bad
effects Of drouth i. persistent cultivation.
Cotton SEED crushed or ground into meal
makes u better fertilizer than jhe whole seeds.
In selecting brood sows choosc those With
long, wide bodies and thirteen or fourteen
tgats, the more the better.
If the fences are out Of repair they should
ba strengthened up without delay. 1t pays
10 keep the cattle out of Che corn.
Southern farmers mr., substituting moro
and moro largely tobacco for cotton a, a
staple II culture. 1t pays several hundred
pr cent better
There are no longer any new lands for cat
Tie ranges in the west Ranclmcn must now
go 10 South America, 10 Alaska and TO the
islands along the Pacific coast.
The demand for young men to take charge
oi .roamerics at T. south Is 50 great that the
Mississippi, agricultural college Is forming a
class for special instruction in this industry.
To Kill lice on cattle one good way is 70
wash the animals in tobacco water. Boiling
water poured over any kind Of tobacco, or
over tobacco stems, Vyiil make tn fluid To
KIN their eggs and all apply twice.
An Ohio farmer has brutally disgrarei IN,
whole profession. He had go sheep when
winter 1T in, ami plenty OF grain and fodder,
bat the other day an agent OF tho Humane
society found saventy-one of the sheep dead,
forty Icing piled in the basement Of one barn
AMI twenty three in another, and scattered
about the place. They had all starved to
I.ath.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03

| In small villa gardens, whore any var .ty
In the common arrangement is acceptable, a
little circular flower bed sunk in cououve
form 20 the t.uiest possible central pool, IL
steal Of icing raised ia the usual convex
mound, has very good effect For the little
pool III nothing better offers a small tut, or
piece sGwn off the end Of AN old cask and
well sunk in the ground, answers ozcellJntly--
of any size that may be likel.a couple Of
feet across, and about ten inches or a foo. in
depth, is q convenient measurement.
With little care the plants, and any pic
turesque rock ike pieces OF stone, or burr,
may he arranged around this, 50 Is TO give the
appearance of natural cis:arn, the small
quantity OF water Is useful as being Away,
at hand, warmed, and aired for special needs,
whilst the constant emptyiny and reiilljHg.
easily managed by few buckets Of ~atag,
keeps the tiny pool in order.
The slightly sunk position. with it, most
air and protection from drYiug dIauEhts over
the roots appears 10 suit many plants pr
fectly, and gives picturesque bit of
natural grouping Of water, rock and yaric'i
LEAKAGE, which Is always attractive in itself
and with care II is always except in tie G-aI
Of winter. bright with some flowers.
Crocuses and hyacinths of different kinds.
first with flowers and then with foliage. hook
well among the stones; irises, double cal.ha
a must effective and permanent pant hard!
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03
LAYING Sod to Shit a Hog.

In the spring there is class of mean farm
ers who turn their cattle into the road that
their PASTURES may get better start Their
cows, leaving the highways, play the mis-
chief with grassy lawns or shrubbery, and
occasionally find their way into garden, de-
stroying everything above ground. When
they leave the industrious hog, who is let out
for little fresh spring food, completes the
destruction Of the horned brute. He has a
nose for business. He detects the tender
bulbs with his keen scent as surely as the set
ter does the quail. He never fails to bring
up and devour anything that suits his taste,
and he has an appetite that is never satisfied
with what he unearths, and he is onlnivorous
in his habits. One old one, with her never
firing followers, can destroy more sod, and
tear up more cutters and plants in one day
than the whole horde is worth.
A learned divine who had cultivated tastes
and means to crafty them had, at great ex-
pense, tastefully graded and sodGed large
yard about his beautiful home. The morn
ing after the work had all been completed he
stepped out before breakfast to crafty his
eye in beholding what the night before was
thing of beauty and a joy to all passers-
by. But, alasi to his horror, during that
first night the neighbours entelprising sow
and family had been there and turned the
nice sod into disgusting mass. The ID.
did not utter cuss words. He folded his
arms peacefully and remarked meekly:
"Well, no man ever could lay sod TO suit a
hog. BEN: Perley Poore in American Guilt
cnfpy
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03
POTATOES From A SEED BALL

The tiny potato plants must be cultivated
Just as ordinary ones are. BY the fall of the
first year, when digging time comes, the
tubers will look much rs they DO in the pic
ture Gather them carefully, keep them
over, and the second spring plant them just
as you would ordinary potatoes. You may
originate IA new variety Of potato that will
provo valuable to you. Al new potatoes are
thus rpissd.
The little plants should be- thiunei ont In
the pots if there Is danger Of their crowding
one another When YOU set them into the
ground plant them one foot apart, rows three
feet apart. You must watch then at first,
and water them if they seem too dry. But
never water a plant while tho sun is shin
ing upon it, DO that in the morning or even
ing.
IL you have no potato bah seed, cut this out
and paste it in your scrap book where you
VIII not forget it, and navv some potato seed
in the fall, ready to begin on next spring.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03
Farm Animals In the United States.

The last United States agricultural report
contains list Of the farIu animals of the
country.
The interest in horse breeiing is increasing,
and small number of horses begins 10 be
shipped abroad. Norman, Percherun, Clydes-
dale and the English Shire or cart horse are
the breeds most imported. The report says
there is little need of new blood in thorough
brod or racing stock The number of horses
in the country, in spite of the march of
steam, electrical and other new motors, has
increased by over 10000. Cows have in
creased So, Go over last year. The increase
in other cattle is still larger. Tho sheep III
dustry has suffered greatly, and is now pass
ing through period of deep depression.
Sheep have decreased 100000 Swine have
increased nearly 100000 All farm ami.
mails, except sheep, have increased in mum
Der
All farm animals have decreased in value
The decline has been going on three years.
Horses and mules have gone down per
cent, cattle per cent?, sheep II per cent :.
hogs Is per cent In two years, although all
farm animals, except sheep, have increased
in number, their aggregate value has CONS
down over Sl0O000,OO. Still, it ~ IA be
remembered that the real value, the animals
themselves, with their meat, hides, bone and
muscle arc all there, just Us much Nv they
ever We're, and their services TO man go just
As far a if their money price was twice as
hiph
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03
FARM zGARDEN
HIerino Sheen.

AInericap Merino sheep are descended from
the Spanish. Merinos imported into this coun
try many years ago. But our climate ant
soil, not to say the bounding air of q fret
country, have so changed them that they are
now TO all intents and purposes q distinc,
family. just rs the American trotting horse
is distinct brood.
The American Merino Is the basis of the
sheep and wool interest in the United States
For mutton it is not SO good, according to
some authorities, as the Southdown, but for
wool 1t is absolutely Indispensable. No other
sheep can take its place for this purpose.
Breeding has steadily improved it, and con-
tinues To do SO,
The ram in the picture in the picture is
wool down TO his ioofs, No other sheep pro
duces such u weight of fleece. Crozier men,
tons that he has seen unwashed Merino
tleecss that weighed thirty-four pounds
There Is 40 much oil in them that they some
times clean down TO fourth of their un-
washed weight. Even then, however, their
fieeccs are much heavier than those of orlin-
AIRY sheep.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03
HEREFORD BULL.

The Herefords were introduced into this
country half century or more ago, and they
are now scattered into most parts of it,
Wherever you see a dark red cow with a
white face and a white stripe down the back,
that COW has Hereford blood. They are pa
tient, good-natured animals, and the steers
make valuable oxen, are popular in the west
and make greatly improving cross with the
wild Texas cattle They are one of the rest
breeds for this purpose The Hcreforls are
regular show cattle at western exhibitions,
and take many prizes. There is really no
more valuable beef animal than they In
our Illustration the bulls deep brisket de-
scends in sold weight Of beef well nigh to
the ground
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03
Things to DO and to Know.

The Iowa Register informs farmers that
there are ten lawyers where th-ro should he
one.
Seventy-iyn loads Of barn yard manure, or
1909 to ZOO pounds Of the best commercial
fertilizers to the acre are necessary for
market gardens
4 colt shoull be halter broke when week
old and when allowed to follow The mother
should lie led at her side 4 colt thoroughly
halter broke before it is wcaned Is half
broken. Feed colts Little corn Tut plenty Of
hay and oats,
Some of the best corn lands in Indiana are
the bottoms Of ponds which have been
drained, but in certain OF these the working
of the sol on warm days Gauss an intolera-
be itching, followed by burning pain in the
skin for some days. The cause oil this i found
10 be the minute spicules n fresh water
sTongeS which once grew in the pond and re-
man in enormous abundance in the dust
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03

The illustration shows captain jack" a
sheep that has won many prizes. Rams OF
this blood have been sold rs high as $40, 600.
They are the fine-woolei sheep Of the coun-
try. They are easily kept, and are well fitted
for billy and mountainous regions, and are
strong and hardy. They are the favorite
breed Of the Pacific slope
There are few breeds Of animals in which
America leads the world, and the Merino
sheep Is one of these.
Mr.. Crozier, author Of How the Farm
Pays" says he feeds his sheep Oh cut peas and
oats in winter He leaves water i'll their
reach constantly, gives them salt now and
then and once i'll awhile little sulphur In
the spring, about the time young pasture Is
ready 10 put stock on, he turns his sheep into
the wheat field They 10 the green wheat
good i'll various ways. He then puts the
flock upon pasture. He sows a crop of soft
turnip4-Ye elbow Aber1cens or Taukards. In
the fall, from the lst to the 10Th of October,
he turns the sheep III upon this green crop
He has pastured fifty sheep thus upon two
acres, up 10 the end OF December. The only
extra feed they had was little hay III racks
built in the tuTnip field
In January he sold the sheep TO the butcher
for 50 opiece They had previously cost him
81 30 apiece beng animals that he had
fought in the New York market and taken
home to fatten. lie considers this pasturinS
of sheep on turnip patches one of the best
ways TO bring up poor land, The sheep drop
pings enrich the soil greatly. Next spring
he sows the same soil in oats, grasses and
clover, and it Is ready to bring 4 tne crop.
The sheep are dipped in strong tobacco
water to Lii ticks, and in strong, hot tobacco
water, to which some phur has been added,
10 kill sCab.
Mr. Croziar i. one of the most successful
general farmers in the Atlantic states
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03

Don't forget your grassy lawn or door
yard this spring. II you have not time for
many flowers you certainly have leisure for
making n beautiful bright green grass plot
about your house
Seedsmen sell what they call mixed lawn
grasses. W. j. Beal, professor of botany and
forestry in the Michigan Agricultural col
lege, has struck CONSERVATION into the hearts
of nurserymen and secdsInen by Analysing
the mixtures they send out, neatly labeled
and sold for from s. to $3.50 busheL He
found, without exception, that the com
pounds contained quantities of weed seeds
and plants that were detriment to a lawn
Some contained eggs of insects. Look out
for them
From careful study and experimenting
Professor Beal finds the following to be the
best wearing lawn grass mixture to plant
Sow at the rate Of two bushels of Kentucky
blue grass, poa pratensis, to two bushels OF
some small bent gTas known as Rhode
Island Bent, Brown Bent or Creeping Bent,
or as red top. A few ounces Of white clover
may he added if one wishes As to the sow
ing, Professor Bcal writes:
"Ir not so already, make the soil strong,
drain thoroughly, deeply pulyori2e, harrow
and hand rake the surface carefully In
early spring, or in carly autumn if not dry,
SOW, without any wheat or oats, three or four
bushels TO the acre of June grass or red top,
either one or mixture of 10th in any pro
portion
April is a good month in which to SOW
lawn grass. Never mix any timothy, red
clover meadow fesCue or other large grass
or clover, but only the finest perennial
crassc, and clover
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03

ranunculi, low damask rose bushes, campan-
ulAs, sweet williams, and endless old fayorites,
according to taste, succeed in date of flower
ing; and their LEAKAGE, bending over the pool,
OF standing up in rich luxuriance, is always
ornamental
As the brown tint OF tho whitening leaves
OF the bulbs is not an eyesore amongst the
few morsels of rock, they may be allowed to
pass quietly away, and any bright temporary
flower planted by the side re-enlivens the
spot. But however it may be arranged, the
little sunk bed is usually a favorito spot with
visitors, and great convenience tn its anna
tour owners London Gardeners Chronicle.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03

In taking off a hide or calfskin never cut
the throat crosswSe in the least Slit the
/ skin from the brisket To the tail, and from
the brisket to jaw; then cut around each LEG
10 the hoof. Slit the hind leg from the hoof
up directly over the gambrel, and tho for
ward legs in the front, directly over the knee,
to the top of the brisset bone. This leaves
the hide, or Skin, then in tie proper shape for
finishing.
Skin the head and legs carefully, to avoid
cutting them, then, commencing at the head,
draw or fist or the kin without any further
use of the knife thereby avoiding the holes
and cuts that almost spoil so many calfskins.
Some farmers us windlaSS TO draw of the
dairy skins, and others use horse; but one
or two men can do it "a great deal more qu 'My
and easily.
When taken Off, lay the hide or skin fat on
the floor in cool place, where the sun cannot
shine upon it, and cover it with salt-rathcr
fine salt being better than too coarse salt
Do not roll it up, but let it remain in the salt
until you take off another; then place that
on upon the other, sailing freely as before,
and SO on until you get enough to make quite
a pile; then commence another pile in the
same manner, DO rot be afraid to Use salt
freely; what the skins do not require Will
shake Off and can be used again
II You prefer to dry out your skins before
selling them be sure that they Are thoroughly
cured with salt before drying them, and then
that they are thoroughly dried leforo being
baled up for shipment
Never dry out a skin without having it
salted as described, to preserve it from moths
and other injuries on the hair side which are
liable to occur if the skins are not properly
sailed before being dried out.
If your skins remain on hand very long
after being dried out, before delivery to the
tanner, even if sailed, watch them carefully
to detect any Indications of moths or worms
ON the hair side, and if any are discovered
have the skins vigorously whipped with a
stick so often thst they shall be wholly cradi,
Gated from the entire lot of skins as they
often work serious injury in very short
time Leather Review
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03

If the farms Of the northwest generally are
to be preserved in their fertility, it viii have
to be done by clover and Iy being largely de-
voted to grass, so that the ofIal will remain
On the farm 1t is idle to even think of in
creasing the. productiveness Of our lands, or
preserving their present condition by COM
mercial fertilizers. Farms can be kept up to
their full production by natural agencies,
which every prudent man can control And
yet three-fourths Of all stable manures in this
state are wasted, thrown into rivers, etc
Iowa Register.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03

a man named Daniel Boone, supposed to b,
a lnoal descendant Of the famou, pioneer, way
killed by rel poIlo,l bull, on the farm of A.
H. Brown, south Of Wesuort, No lie wa,
leading the bull to water, when the ANNA
viciously attacked him, knocking bin down
and then failing upon him with his knees
breaking al, OF his ribs AMI crushing ia hi,
brcas, bone 1t may be stated. plrentheti
Caly, that tn bull haG no ring in bis nose
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03

Here is another trick that needs watching:
One sharper agrees to buy a larmW's land,
and pays him So to bind the bargain An
other comes along and offers him 500 more,
and gets the promise Of it, If the farmer can
buy off No /, who soon comes around and in
siSts on the fulflment of the contract, but
will give up for 500 This the farmer agrees
TO, and pays back the s2j and the $500, and
the second purchaser never turns up.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03

Drainage districts are formed in Illinois,
varying from 10000 to 10000 acres in extent,
according to the lay of the land. Some Of
the smaller districts have been completed,
and their success gives confidence to others,
Farmers owning these lands make a common
fund, according TO the drainage required.
The work is done on IA large scale, with every
possible help from machinery, and much
more cheaply and effectively than any
farmer could nope to DO it unaided and alone
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03
Crops at This Dats-

The winter wheat crop still continues, gen.
orally, in favorable condition, the usual
March fre'zing and thawinS has not devel-
oped any wide spread or serious dam
age, Ground generally in good condition.
Cotton crop still very largely in hands of
producers, Winter packing season over.
Decrease in weight and quality of hogs.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-03

ten being mcasursbly impervious TO frost,
the producing season is prolonged from forty
to sixty days.
g. II creates rich. moist and loamy soil
out of the most unpromising hard pan.
D. 1t prevents the washing Of surface soils
from hillside farms during heavy rains.
T. Springs are created on tho most sterile
hilksides.
g. Drouth Is effectually guarded against.