The record-union., 1894-07-20


do not thrive we'll. i prefer to make the
floor slant toward the trough. Twice
the profit can be made when the
animals lie dry all the while, and, be-
sides that their health is much better.
Then, the feeding trough should have its
holding capacity in length and not IN
depth. 1t pays to have them fed with good,
clean food, which means the difference
between profit and loss. They will take
the waste from the table. 1t does not dc.
as is usually the case, to have it put into
tub or barrel which is never emptied or
cleaned. That becomes poison. 1t fer-
ments and sours and makes bad blood.
With the sow and young pigs taking Il
the consequence is they die before they
are ten days DID, and even little pigs have
the right to be we'll born. Hogs led on
clean food should gain at least one pound
for every four and one-thrd pounds OF
grain USED. a man can tell whether it is
paying to keep them or put his labor to
other sources of profit. If any man feeds
his hogs too long it costs more than he
can make out OF them.
BEET CULTURE,
Moderately light sandy loan is the soil
generally considered best for beets
Heavy clay does not permit the tap root
to penetrate the subsoil. Muck lands
give badly formed beets, with impure
juices, owing to the excess of nitrogen
compounds and poor drainage. Good
results are most likely to be obtained on
lands that have been under cultivation
for ten years or more, and which give
good crops OF corn and wheat. The black
prairie soils, which have not yet been re-
duced to good condition for wheat, are
not desirable for beets, since they contain
too much soluble mineral matter and
nitrogenous material and produce rank
growth OF beets with impure juice.
A deep soil that can be put into mel
low condition by deep plowiug and sub
sOiling is most likely TO give good re-
turns. If the land is thought to be in
need of manure it Will be best 10 apply
heavy dressing OF barnyard manure TO
the previous crop. rather than apply it to
the beet crop. But when this is imDrac-
ticable the manure should be applied in
the fall and pIowed under. If CONNER
cial fertilizers are TO be used. phosphates
seem To claim the first place. and for nj
trogen compounds nitrate OF soda is most
desirable, but the amount per acre should
not exceed 500 pounds. Both should be
applied before seeding. Later appiica-
tons of nitrate or soda prolong the
growth of the plant and delay ripening.
There is no doubt that there are extensive
areas OF land well adapted to sugar-beet
culture to be found in all sections of the
State.
HALF POTATOES FOR SEED.
By the experiments conducted at the
Michigan experiment station during 1898,
and corroborated by twelve other sta
tions, it was shown that potato-growers
do not plant enough seed. The following
conclusions were reached:
!. That an increase ia seed within ordi-
nary limits produces marked increase
both in total yield and marketable yield.
2. That an increase in seed from one eye
up to a half potato produces an increase
in the net value OF the crop. But the in
creased yield from the whole potato over
the half potato is not sufficient 10 cover
the cost of the greater amount of seed.
A comparison OF the half potato with
the Two eyes shows:
l. That Tor the total yield Qarge or
small) of ninty-tive experiments, seven
ty-five are in favor OF the half potato and
ten In favor OF two eyes.
2. That for marketable yield Total less
small of seventy-three experiments,
fifty eight are in favor of the half potato
and fifteen in favor of the two eyes.
3. That for net mark etable yield mar
ketable less amount OF Seed) of thirty eX-
periments, twenty-three are in favor Of
the half potato and seven are in favor of
the two eyes.
4. That for net value of crop value of
meuts, twenty-five are in favor of the half
potato and eight in favor of two eyes.
LIME AS y TIMBER PREsERvATIvE.
Our attention was called to the present
condition of two dirL-covered caves put
up on the college grounds several years
ago. Both had brick walls at the side on
" hich rafters were erected, covered with
inch pine boards doubled, over which
was piled eighteen inches of earth. One
of these caved in at the top two years ago,
and the other is sound and perfect. The
boards covering the sound roof were
soaked in lime water for twenty-four
hours before laying. and in laying the
second tier of inch boards asheayy wash
OF lime was given between them as laid.
In Europe this soaking OF soft wood lum-
Der in lime has long been practiced, but
in this country few are aware OF It's effi-
cacy as q preServative. Our experience
warrants the belief that ordinary pine
shingles soaked in lime for twenty-four
hours before laying will last fully as long
as the best redwood shingles untreated.-
Iowa State Register.
WRAPPING, SIZING AND PRINTING.
A resident of st. Louis, Mo-, has in
vented one of the greatest labor-saving
machines of the age. 1t is said To print
the paper, wrap and size the fruit in one
operation, and has the enormous capacity
OF over 800 boxes per day. 1t is said to
use only ream paper such as used in
wrapping by hand, wraps lemons equally
as well as oranges. and puts the stem in
the twist if so desired. Can be run by
hand or by power applied from any
source. II this machine accomplshes all
that is claimed for it. we will certainly
be able to save from live TO ten cents per
box in the expense of putting up our
fruit. 1t is Just what the country needs
and we hope the inventor viii give the
Florida and California people chance to
see this machine in operation at an early