The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-11-20
FARM NOTES.
THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS THE PROPER
TINE IN WHICH TO PLANT
FRUIT TREES.
Roasting Cotton Seed for Feed-Other
Interesting Matters for the
Farmers.

This column is edited by Mr.. John G.
| Edgar of Duyal to whom all communlca'
tons should be addressed.l
FRUIT TREE PLANTING.
l would strongly urge all intending to
set out fruit trees to do so within the next
four weeks, and the sooner the better.
There is often years difference III the
growth of trees planted in November and
February. Decide what trees you Will
plant and set them out as early as possible.
will again insist on the importance OF
a thorough preparation of the land by
plnwing, cross blowing and narrowing, and
on tie necessity for hole OF sufficient
superficial area to fully accommodate the
roots in a natural position. Depth of hole
is not so essential as diameter.
Trees are often ruined by too deep plant
! ing. They should rarely be set more than
two inches deeper than they grew in the
nursery.
In starting a new orchard, stick to va
rieties that are known to succeed in your
locality and SOIL for your main crop and
pay little heed to alleged fine properties OF
new SORTS, unless you wish to experiment,
knowing the chances of failure to be fully
| IS per cent. Every one should experiment
little but the time to do that is after
safe and good orchard has been fairly es-
| tablished.
Whatever your location. plant few
pears of the LIE Conte and Keiffer varieties,
also the Kelsey plum.
ROASTED COTTON SEED.
Some time ago | suggested that farmers
should try roasted cotton seed as a substi-
tute for or adjunct to corn in the manu-
facture Of pork. 1t has been favoraby
spoken of by many, but some are doubtful
as to its value as a pork producer, but ex-
toll its merits as milk and butter food.
Writing on this subject Mr.. D. A. Word
in Texas Stockman says: Il have been
feeding three weeks and | cannot say that
/ am satisfied with the result. Some OF
the hogs are improving slowly, but others
appear to fail off, at least improve none.
1.-The will not swallow the bulls, but spit
them out, which l know is considerable
waste. have good rooster and good
wood and l estimate the expense at about
~ cents per bushel of thirty-three pounds.
81 have been feeding my mich cows on
them, and while they do not increase the
flow of milk much, the milk is much better
and makes as nice yellow butter AS | ever
saw and has no cotton seed taste as when
fpI / Them nnnn6
pound, with any feed, corn meal not eX
cepted, and were ] in the dairy business |
would feed nothing but roasted cotton
seed"
THE COTTON BOIL WORM.
A correspondent recently proposed the
planting of peas in cotton rows as a cure
for the ravages of the boil worm, but
pointed ont that the cure would be little
more tolerable than the disease.
Jeff Welborn has heen experimenting
with and observing the properties of field
p as and in recent issue of Texas Farm
and Ranch says: ~ have found q so ution
to the boil worm problem. First, as DR..
Stell says, make the cotton early as posi-
BILE, then plant peas so they will be i'll full
bearing about the first of August, in the
latitude of Dallas.
South of Dallas, earlier; north, later.
The peas seem, at least this season more
there are fifty boil worms III my pea patch
to one in the cotton each side of it. In fact,
saw none in the cotton during the boil
worm time Since the writing | have been
ON all day in the pea field where we had
some hand picking; the pea field lay beside
ihe cotton patch-just turn row between
tr' m The pea field seemed alive with the
boil worm, but not one did see in the cot,
ton, although the cotton was large and
very green. Nor did | find boil or square
pierced, while in the peas, full five
per cent of the pods had worms
or holes in them" Cotton planters troubled
with the boil worm would do well to ar
range their crop next season so that patch
of peas may be in close proximity, and
thus test the value of "the latest discov-
cry"
WEAVING COLTS.
Spring colts should all be weaned before
November, but should any have ESCAPED
that treatment they should be attended TO
at once, in justice to the mare, if for no
other reason. 1t is we'll to wean while there
is still plenty of grass in the pasture, and
before doing so to teach the colt the use of
grain and dry feed If this is not done the
colt is certain to fall off IN flesh when sud-
denly deprived of its mothers milk, and
before necessity has compelled 1t to seek
other nourishment. Many colt gets a
check at weaving which it never gets over
The old plan of separating the colt from
the mare is now beiog last replaced by the
spiked muzzle, more humane if less ele
giant method. When mare and colt are
suddenly separated they both fret and lose
condition much more than when the colt
is muzzled ana allowed to run with the
dam.
In the latter case there is 10 tretting, the
mare is happy with her colt always in
sight, and if the colt longs for lac
teal nourishment its longing is as
suaged by the fond endearments
of its parent. The ever ready spike Causes
irritation when applied to the maternal
flank and the fond mother ceases to secrete
milk for her offspring, and the danger of
fever is rendered nil. When the dam is
very fine sucker it may be necessary to
hand milk for day or two.
HARD TIMES IN NEBRASKA.
According to latest reports the yield of
corn in Nebraska is much less than was an
ticipated, and the average for the state will
be under ten busAels to the acre. As their
small grain crop was failure, the condl-
ton of the average farmer must be, to say
the least, critical. In the western counties
it is said much restitution already prevails.
How different with the Texas farmer. He
has raised an aVerape crOD all ,un6 on1