Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1893-10-12
FARM AND GARDEN.
Necessity for Planting Timber
for Present Use.
WOMEN MAKE BEST MIXERS.
Sell Every Foot of Idle Land-Prae.
tical Suggestions for Pro-
gressive Farmers.

We often hear farmers urged to plant
timber for future use and profit, but
nave never heard a word said about
planting any for the present time, savsa
writer in Farm, Field and Fireside
There is great deal said of what timber
will amount to in fifty years, but nothing
about what will be profitable in five or
ten years. Would it not be very conye.
nient if farmer could in five years raise
all the fence posts he needed? 1t canbe
very easily done by simply planting one
or two acres to an Osage-orange grove.
l have cut them at four years old that
we're from one to two inches in diameter
at the top OF six-foot post, and although
cut green out OF hedge and set in the
fence, they were quite sound at the end
of twelve years, while some burr-oak
posts in the same fence were entirely
rotted off. Usage orange does best on
land on which timber or hazel brush for.
merly grew. A two-inch Usage orange
post is much more satisfactory than any
iron post that l ever saw, and, believe,
will last longer unless the latter was gal
vanized. OF course, small posts will
split at the top if staples are driven too
near the end, but that is easily obviated
by tying the top wires with annealed
wire around the top of the post. In the
bluegrass region of Kentucky l saw
black locust posts sold for 40 cents apiece,
while oak posts were not worth more
than cents each. Usage orange is a
stronger and more durable post than To-
Gust, and if it were grown in groves, it
would be straighter and better than if
grown in hedges, ana no stock would
trouble an osage-orange grove after the
second year, and if we'll cultivated, not
much after the first. Hedges are too
much trouble. and exhaust too much
land to be profitable; but where durable,
strong timber is needed there is nothing
better than Usage orange. While it
makes the hottest fire of any wood ever
saw burned, never knew it to be troub-
led by insects or borers of any kind. I
think six feet apart would be about the
right distance to plant grove. This
would give about l 200. plants to the acre.
COST OF Cow-MILKING.
Jaque in Country Gentleman says:
Your correspondent asks what he can
afford to pay for having women do the
milking. We have several times had an
arrangement with wives OF our tenants
for milking morning and evening, and
have paid 10 cents for each service-that
is, 20 cents per day. This is based upon
an hours service at each milking at the
rate Of 81 for days work. In an hours
time good mixer ought to milk ten
cows. There are several reasons why
women are to be preferred for mixers
when they can be had, or when por-
tion of the force can be women. Their
natural manual dexterity is greater than
that of men, and they will milk with
more rapidity and greater ease to the
COWS, which means that they will get
more milk, and the udders of the cows
will be kept in better condition. The
presence OF women at milking time
checks rude conversation and boisterous
conduct, and the quieter the stable can
be kept the better, especially if you have
any nervous cows. The men are not apt
to neglect the thorough cleaning of the
stalls or brushing of the cows in occa-
sional absence of the proprietor if they
know that women are to aid in the milk
ing. The average man, born or long res
ident in this country, looks upon every
woman as lady, and entertains for her
q respectful courtesy which keeps him
upon his good behavior in her presence.
He will be making good move to in
produce as many women as he can among
his mixers.
| IDLE LAND.
II there is any land upon the farm
which is not earning anything, it is di-
rect menace to the prosperity of the rest
OF the farm. The taxes and the interest
on its cost 60 on just the same as if it
were earning something, and this de-
tracts from the profit of the whole. Often
these idle and waste places are but har-
Dor tor vermin and weeds, or if they do
not become so, it is because there is a
constant expenditure of labor to keep it
clean, and this labor might far better be
expended in the cultivation of some crop.
1t will pay better to clean such places up
once for all and put them to some use.
Most of them are capable of some good.
Not intrequently they would serve admi-
rably for timber tract.
| GENERAL FARM NOTES.
1t will pay to give COWS corn until
clover aftermath grows up.
Do not allow dairy COWS to fall off in
quantity OF milk from short pastures.
Take only clean eggs to market; in
order to do this have only clean nests.
Do not be tempted by extra prices for
early pullets which will soon be laying
Every hen over the number YOU can
well house and care for will be kept at a
loss.
A large quantity of the butter produced
IN this country is spoiled by too much
churning and working.
Give chickens change of food fire.
quently; they will keep in better health
and produce more eggs.
Generally fowls which feather and ma
ture early are good egg producers, good
settlers and good mothers.
First-class butter sells for a good price
almost universally. 1t is only the inie-
rior grades which bring low prices.
DO not hurry cows to and from the
pasture. Dairy cows are sensitive, and
are much disturbed by harsh treatment
get ready for winter work now. Build
poultry-houses and arrange wards; select
the breeding stock and layers, and dis
pose of all others.
Raise more poultry on the farm for
home consumption. Compared with
pork, it costs less and is much more
nourishing and healthful.
twill often pay to SOW winter rye and
not allow 1t TO mature. 1t makes good
iate-autumn and early-spring pasture,
keeps the soil covered during the winter
and furnishes growth to turn under for
green manure.