The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-09-07
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers

At the last annual meeting of tho Kansas
Swine Breeders Association, p A. Pearson, Of
kinsley, gave brief paper on the advantages
and disadvantages of exhibiting swine at the
fairs:
Among the advantages of exhibiting at
fairs is. that in seeing other swine and compar-
ing them with our own we are enabled to form
more correct estimate of our own than we
could do If we did not have the opportunity to
compare them. Perhaps almost every man
thinks when he shapes an animal for exhibi-
ton that he has a world-bester. for he perhaps
fails to see the weak points in his own animal,
being blinded by his admiration of some OF the
better points in his animal in which he really
does excel. But when we place them on exhi-
bition at fairs. and compare them with others
IN their class we enabled to see where ours
lack in filling the standard of perfection. Now,
we have by this comparison learned our first
lesson. Knowing where our animal is want
ing, we at once seek one Of the opposite sex
that excels in those points where ours arsweak.
We secure that animal, mate them, and find
that their offspring are great improvement
over their ancestors; in other words, that their
progeny will have the better points of both
parents
By this exhibition and comparison follow
ed by purchasing and mating, the exhibitor
has gained an advantage that he perhaps never
would have done had he not been an exhibitor,
both in improving his herd and in financial
way for the better hogs we send out the higher
prices we will be able to get for them, and q
man that makes business of exhibiting at
fairs and pursues the course that / have sug-
gested will soon be known as q breeder that
has superior stock
" have spoken of the selfish side. There is q
general side to this question, and that is from the
fact that our fairs are largely attended by farm
ers and breeders who raise more or less swine,
and being able to see improved stock, are stimu-
lated to try their hand. They purchase good
animals and breed them. They By this means
help to improve the stock of the entire country.
Hence general benefit accrues by reason of
our stock being on exhibition at fairs, where
all can learn lesson and see the advantages Of
having improved stock
The Disadvantages very few. There ID
one disadvantage that the breeder has to con-
tend with in exhibiting at fairs, and that is in
having to meet men who exhibit but few of
their own breeding. but buy up the better ones
and place them on exhibition at the leading
fairs, thereby gaining an undue advantage
over those of less means but perhaps far better
breeders. This should be corrected by Undue
ing our fair associations to offer their largest
premiums for stock bred and owned by ex-
hibltOr. second disad vantage comes from the
fact that fair associations do not offer sufficient
premiums to pay the expense of exhibiting,
and don't pay what they do offer"
In bulletin from the Mississippi Station the
three insects most injurious to grain in the
Angumis grain moth, the black weeyil, and the
red grain beetle. The transformation and
habits of these insects about the same.
The eggs are laid within the grain, both before
and alter it is gathered, and the mature insects
come forth in three to six weeks after the eggs
are laid. TheiE depredations are not confined
to any one cereal, and by their work they
cause marked decrease in weight Sulphur
salt sprinkled in husked corn will tend to
drive the insects away.
The best remedy for grain insects is bisul-
phide of carbon. For this Quarantine
bin should be built and the grain treated in il
as gathered. The amount of bisuiphide needed
varies with the tightness of the bin but as arule.
one ounce of bisulphide to 100 pounds of grain is
sufficient. As the bisul phde is explosive all
lights from matches, cigars and the like should
be kept away until all the odor from the fumes
has passed off. Insects in mills should be
treated with bisulphide beginning in the base
ment and going upward. To destroy all in
sects in the Spring with bisulphide in near
the empty granary will tend to decrease any
damage done the next Fall and Winter
The Oklahoma Experiment Station has been
making number of interesting experiments
during the past season with reference to the
best method of seeding the various lands on
the station grounds to clover and other grasses,
brief report of which may be found in their
press bulletin, No. 5, for August. They have
made special experiments with Japan clover
(botanically known as Lespedzs Striatal and
cow peas. Where the Japan clover has been
sown pasture lands it has partially failed,
bat where the ground was nicely broken and
disced it is reported as taking nicely, even
though cattle have been allowed to tramp over
the land. The plat that was we'll narrowed
after breaking shows well, and where the sod
was first broken and then well diseed it ia
making good stand