The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1890-01-09
FARM NOTES.

chopped straw makes excellent lite
In which to scatter the food Of poultry
as 1t induces them to scratch and exer
Il else.
The average production Of corn Il
about twenty bushels per acre. But TO,
the production of the fodder the corr
crop would not be profitable.
Dry bran is recommended as one Of the
best materials for packing apples, as IL
partially protects against sudden changes
Of temperature.
Dry apples are being exported by us
in large quantities. The drying Of extra
fruit should render 1t salable and easily
transported at a low cost.
Very dry sawdust is excellent packing
material for roots that are to be kept In
bins for convenient use during the
winter. The object is to avoid alternate
tbawing and freezing.
Stake young trees if they are liable to
be severely shaken by the winds. On
light, sandy soils where the ground is
soft and loose, it may be necessary to
stake trees from two to three years old.
Flower-pots should have good drain
age. Many winter plants die from the
soil underneath being too wet. When
watering the roots of potted plants add
a %tcaspoonful Of ammonia to each quart
of water.
From five to seven pecks of seed wheat
arc used, but it is doubtful if thick SOW
ing has any advantages. a stalk of
wheat should have room to grow and
mature, and it should have the food
within reach. Too many plants together
do not always thrive.
The value of flax as a crop is about
three times that Of hemp. Both crops
require preparation before marketing,
aud for that reason are not as extensively
cultivated as they would be but for the
extra labor required after the crops are
harvested.
In selecting breeds be governed first
by your individual fancy and then fix up
a family noted for hardy constitutions.
Don't begin with week, puny stock. The
first cost will be a triile more, but the
years work is in the balance, and that
means much to the breeder.
The Holstein- Fresian cows took the
first and second prizes at the Chicago
fat stock show for the largest amount Of
butter fat, the highest pig being 3.45 per
cent. This does not refer to the per-
centage of butter fat in q certain proper
tion Of the milk but of the whole, while
the total amount of solids was very
large.
The village butcher who buys the
farmers hogs and rc'ails them from the
block in almost every instance makes q
greater profit than the grower dare think
of. The farmer can save some of this
profit to himself by learning to make q
fancy article of meat for summer use.
Do it. and quit bowling about hard
times.
Look out for your outdoor celery in
these days. If not amply protected it
will be apt to freeze solidly, and that is
not a good thing for it, Keep 1t warmly
covered and in the dark. If you find it
necessary to furnish the roots moisture to
prevent it from willing be careful to
avoid wettinS the foliage, as it is very
apt to induce rot.
Rough land alone will not support
sheep. Sheep will find much that may
be utilized by them on such lands, but a
good feed of grain should be given at
night also. As the sheep will eat tender
heritage OF all kinds and industriously
forage l0r all that can be had, they serve
TO keep down weeds and suckers, but
such food will not answer for them cx-
clusively.
Shade treas are seldom MANFRED ard
trimmed. The use of the pruning shears
will give shape and symmetry to the trees
if they are attended to when they are
young. A dressing of manure ashes and
lime in the fall will be Of great advan-
tage. Where the trees are thick they
should be thlnncd out. Too many trees
prevent rapid growth and extend the
time when a grove is well shaded. A
single large tree is better than .wo, small
ones.
1t is better to apply the manure thick
than to attempt to make it go as far as
possible by spreading it on in thin lay
ers. lii the one case it must nourish
more plants than it possesses nutrition
for, and in the other case the plants will
have a sufliciency and produce more
than if the supply is deficient. Plants
waste a portion of the manure In the
growth Of stalks and leaves that are I'M
salable and it they can be MAIDS to yield
more at less expense of growth the ma
nure will give better results and the
profit will be greater.
Some one has said sit Is better to grow
into a specially than to go into 1t. ;"
There is n deal of wisdom in the SAYING
as applied to the farm. Almost any line
of work is all right il well conducted but
all wrong If 1t is not. First learn How,
then it will do to 60 in. A good way to
learn a specially is to try it on a small
scale and gradually increase. There are
those, though, who can comprehend tho