Rocky Ford enterprise., 1896-02-20
WESTERN FARM NOTES.
(From Field and Farm.)

1t Is good plan to go over the
strawberry plat at this time and sec
that the winter mulch Is all in place.
The next sixty days are going to be
tough ones.
The butter fat that is lost by care
less setting of milk In private dairies
is enormous. Paying ten per cent. in
terest on borrowed capital Is nothing
to 1t. This Is one of the leaks In
dairying that cuts down the net pro-
fits.
A number Of sheep feeders Mt Doug
las. Wyoming, are now sending their
sheep to market. chiefly because their
supplies are running out. They do not
expect to receive so good prices rs
those who can hold until March or Int
er Hereafter the feeders there will
make an effort to put In more feed
stuff rs crops.
! The bee men Of Mesa county are very
active these days and are laying out
good deal OF ground work for future
operations in the field. The temporary
organization has been made permanent
with ]. U. Harris. president. NJ. A.
Gill, n very practical apiculturist, has
been appointed county bee inspector
and will look carefully after the sani-
tary condition of the colonies where
disease is suspected.
Over 100000 head OF sheep have been
registered for shcaring at the various
shearing pens near Casper, Wyoming.
during the coming season. The indica-
tions point to larger wool clip this
year than at any previous period. The
Burlington rHilroad company. II is re-
ported. will gut up shcaring pens on
Powder river this year In order to Sc
cure some Of the wool shipments. The
Denver and Gulf will also put up pens
at Orrin Junction.
Some men buy nursery trees AZ
some Cinnamon buy boots. They get
the largest size possible for the money
paid. But others. and probably the
better orchar,i!sts. do not care - buy
cordwood from nurserymen and hence
take younger trees that have more
hbrous roots. The smaller trees gcner-
ally cost less. are more easily handled
In Transporting. and planting. and In n
few years Time will be likely to out
strip those which We're much larger
At time OF planting. Many good or
chardists maintain that ut five or six
years from planting the smaller trees
will show the best results. both In
fruitlge and hcalthfulncss Of the or
orchards during the coming season
may well consider the subject OF size
and age of the trees they select. In
any event. II Is always well to make
selections early In the season and take
plenty Of time to prepare the ground
and plant.
Every truck farmer should provide
himself during the winter months
with n number Of bushel and half
bushcl boxes FOR use during the mar.
keting season. These boxes are easily
made and II takes but little time To
nail them together. The former are
more convenient. 4 standard bushel
contains 2.lJ0 % cubic inches. hence
q box eleven and onc-hnlf inches wide.
eight inches high and twenty inches
long, inside measurement. contains one
bushel. The bottom should he on the
inside ani firmly nailed In place.
Cleats. one Inch square. should be
nailed across each end two inches from
the top. The sides should he OF half
Inch clear stun. the bottom Of the same
and the ends OF inch stun. All the
boards should he planed upon both
sides. The box will cost about fifteen
cents. and the materials for several are
obtained at one time. They will be
found almost ms convenient to handle
as n basket. and II there are several
they will prove convenient to hold ap-
pies or other fruit or vegetables. and
to set away full In the cellar until the
contents are needed. A half-bushel
measure should OF course he one-half
the length. Smaller measures are ns
readily made. but would not need the
end cleats.
The way u establish u creamery Is
not through agents, ms II costs too
much by that plan. But let the people
organize themselves. pay In the capital
stock, saw $1,000 or $1,000 let the con
tract OF building and fitting to lowest
responsible bidder. paying some COM
petcnt and disintcrested creamery man
OF experience 10 plan and supervise
the work OF construction. There should
be nt least 400 cows pledged to the
concern and the people themselves
must be the Judges as to whether sur
ticient dairy enthusiasm 'xists In the
community to guarantee success. even
though they may have twice 100 cows.
Not SO much depends on the breeds OF
stock as the make up and practical
common sense OF the dnirymen. The
stock should he as nearly equally dis
tributed individually as possible. The
directory should he composed of not
should be placed in the hands of some
one man. and he should be the very
best business man In the community.
A I.arimer county sheep feeder has
a rough and tumble idea about the
care of lambs when he says: "Our
western sheep are naturally vigorous
and healthy. and the quicker we get
out of the notion that they have to be
babied and fooled with the more sue
ress we will have in feeding and the
more money there is In 1t for us. do
not say they should not have care, but
Il IL impossible to follow eastern ways
In handling western hocks. The whole
secret is In keeping them cullcd out
closely. let them rustic, and when put
In the yard to feed they will take hold
81 grain and rough feed as hog
would corn. Start them gradually and
when on full feed give them all they
will eat up clean. and that Is all there
Is to II. except perhaps little larger
bank account OH the right side of the
ledger when you sell your Sheep
The farmers Of the Fairnount dis
trict near La Juntn. Oterp county, are
planning to establish n creamery.
1t Is said that where there are 100
acres of alfalfa there Is pasturage for
- p,.n n