The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-04-27

weather, and yet is very nutritious when
young so that cattle fatten on it early
in the season, when on a clover or a
timothy pasture of equal growth they
could hardly make living. 1t gives a
full months pasture before the other
grasses should be grazed.
Grain from fields where smut has
shown development should not be used
as seed, as it will contain smut spores
and another crop of smutty corn will
result. Such land should be put to
some other crop the following year.
This is about the only practical and eff
ficient way of killing the germ.
Senator PETER estimates that in Da-
kota, where the best methods are EN-.
ployed and large areas worked, it costs
35 cents to raise bushel of wheat, in
California, % cents; in India the low
wages reduce this to ID cents, while
official advices from Argentine show that
it can there be grown for about the
same figures. The difference in silver
prices give them further advantage.
All parts of the corn plant contain
valuable food material, the dry matter
having nearly the same composition as
the rest. There are many things in
which the farmer can economic when
he once uses properly all his fodder. He
could sell all his hay, or could feed twice
the number of cattle that he did for
merly.
Four and half million acres we're, in
1898. under cereal cultivation in Argen-
tine, while the entire area fit for grow
ing grains approximates 240 million
acres throughout the Republic. Their
methods of tillage and handling grain
are crude and wasteful, and it does not
seem possible that they can continue to
raise and ship wheat while present low
prices continue.
Give the crops the best of intelligent
care from start to finish, and there are
nine chances out of ten that we shall
get good crop for our pains. That man
has the best prospect for successful
season on the farm who has his work
we'll in hand, and has no inclination to
over reach himself in his desire to cover
too much ground.
One great trouble the country over is
that pasture fields are eaten down so
close that it is hard for the grass to get
start. They need rest. Better results
can be obtained by dividing the field so
that one part will have rest while the
other is being fed off. Stable manure is
an excellent mulch for such fields; it
helps protect the plant, and holds mois-
ture later in the season.
1t is said that when plows are put in
the shed at the end of the seasons work,
and while they are still bright, if given
a coat of whitewash they will need no
securing when again taken out. Do the
same with cultivators. shovels and all
other bright tools, and you will be we'll
repaid for your pains.
In the towns and cities from one-half
to three fourths Of the people live in
hired homes, the percentage increasing
as the city ranks in size. In the rural
districts "a out of every hundred are
renters, and of the GA who live on their
own property At own them without any
mortgaged encumbrance. This is hope
full state of affairs.
Ieouopoa Of Govarnuont hullatina hoe
added interest to the question Of feeding
wheat to live stock. This says that
when wheat and corn are at the same
price it is the part of wisdom to feed
wheat and sell corn. This innovation in
grain growing business is interesting in
more ways than one; the shipping and
speculative markets are wondering to
what extent this feeding will go.
The yearly per capita requirement of
wheat for food is So bushels, but if the
new element of feeding live stock is to
be introduced as factor, new estimates
must be made as to the time required to
cut down the visible supplies of wheat.
and this may prove an important factor
in shaping prices throughout the world.
1t is time all deferred repairs were
made upon machinery; much of this the
farmer can do himself, but it will not
pay 10 botch it. Perhaps a mechanic
can be hired for few days cheaper than
carting all to the repair shops. Then
give good coat of paint, for beauty and
for preserving purposes; ready mixed
paints of any color can be had very
cheaply.