The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-08-07

/JlJANN WRITER IN Fnllduel-
WON phia Record says.
Water is sold in so
many forms, how
ever, that it's value varies daily.
A crop OF green clover contains
1000 pounds of water per ton,
and when a ton of dry clover
hay is hauled to market 200 pounds of
the load consists of water Every hun
dred pounds of milk sold contains 81
pounds of water, and the mixed stable
manure which is spread on the fields
is more than one-half water. No mat
ter how dry Oh we'll cured the hay and
fodder crops may be, from the farm
er's point Of view, there will be water
to haul that is contained in the plant.
a ton of cured fodder contains 575
pounds OF water, and even salt hay,
which is usually apparently as dry as II
passed through kiln, contains over
100 pounds of water per ton. The far
mer sells this water, and the more wa
ter he can sell the larger his profit, as
all heterogeneous and mineral matter
taken from the soil by the plants is
direct loss unless the price at which
she crop is sold is sufficiently large to
reimburse the farmer for his loss OF
plant food, as well as afford him a
profit. The greatest profit from the use
of water as an ingredient Of farm pro-
ducts Is when the farmer grows such
crops as beets, carrots, potatoes and
turnips, as they can be utilized on the
farm instead OF entatting cost OF trans
pOrtation to market. While these crops
contain a large amount Of solid matter
in proportion to the yield per acre,
their chief value is in the water, SIS the
water is q valuable aid to digestion and
contains the nutritious matter in solu-
ton to a large extent; hence the water
Is not a useless substance which adds
weight only, but is as desirable in the
form in which it exists in the plant
as the solid portions, but while the sol
Id portions cost the farmer sometimes
the water does not, and that is an i'm
portant consideration which must not
be overlooked. The water in plants
cannot be supplied artiticially. Every
one knows that there is a difference be-
have been dried and cooked in water,
It is the same with vegetables and
roots. We can dry them and render
them juicy again by cooking them in
water, but we cannot regain the condi-
ton in which the water existed in the
plant before drying or evaporating it..
1t is more valuable than that which is
supplied. Beets and carrots contain
1900 pounds of water per ton. A crop
of twenty tons of beets per acre de-
notes that the farmer has taken from
that acre as a crop $4,000 pounds of
water, and such yield of beets is not
q large one compared with results ire
quently obtained. Turnips, one of the
staple crops of the farm, contain but
little less water than beets or carrots,
and potatoes are sold at good prices
some years, although there is about l.
500 pounds of water in every ton. The
proportion Of water in fruits is much
greater, especially with grapes, straw
berries and cherries; in fact, water in
fruits brings higher price than is OBJ
tanned for any material, as box Of
Strawberries selling at 10 cents would
allow less than one cent for the solid
matter contained, leaving nine cents
for the water. To secure this crop of
water, however, the farmer will be
compelled to use care and judgment. 1t
comes from the clouds, it is true, but
there are periods when the plant cannot
store it; hence the fruit and vegetables
do not grow to perfection and the far
mer will lose portion of his crop of
water, while his land will have already
given up more than the proportionate
supply of mineral matter.