Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1897-07-17

ever, that It's yalue varies uaits-
A crop OF green clover contains
1000 pounds OF water per Ton,
and when a ton Of dry clover
hay is hauled to market zoe pounds OF
the load consists Of water. Every nun
dred pounds of milk sold contains %
pounds OF water. and the mixed stable
manure which Is spread on the heios
Is more than one-half water NO mat
ter how dry Oh well cured the hay ana
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 ato
pounds Of water, and even salt nay.
which is usually apparently as dry as u
passed through kiln. contains over
loo pounds Of water per ton. The far
mer sells this water. and the more va
ter he can sell the larger his pront, as
all heterogeneous and mineral matter
taken from the soil by the plants y
direct loss unless the price at which
the crop is sold is sufficiently large 70
reimburse the farmer for his loss OF
plant food, as well as afford him
profit. The greatest profit from the use
Of water as an ingredient Of farm pro-
ducts is when the farmer grows sncn
crops as beets, carrots. potatoes ana
turnips. as they can be utilized on the
farm instead OF entaiiing cost OF trans
portation to market. While these crops
contain large amount OF solid matter
in proportion 10 the yield PER acre,
their chief value is in the water. as the
water IS a valuable aid TO digestion and
. contains the nutritious matter in soiu-
. ton to a large extent; hence the water
, Is not a useless substance which adds
|, weight only, but is as desirable in the
. torn in which il 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 inn
{ portant consideration which must mol
! be overlooked. The water in plants
cannot be supplied artificially. Every
I ,ne knows that there is a difference be-
] tween green apples and apples thai
i have been dried and cooked in water
{ It Is the same with vegetables anc
{ roots. We can dry them and render
L them juicy again by cooking them II
j water. but we cannot regain the condi
Z ton in which the water existed in tbs
q plant before drying or evaporating II
|. II Is more valuable than that which Il
q applied Beets and carrots contain
{ 1900 pounds Of water per ton. A crol
n Of twenty tons of beets per acre de
notes that the farmer has taken from
y that acre as a crop $4,000 pounds o
water. and such yield of beets is no
a large one compared with results FIRE
uuently obtained. Turnips, one of tn
= staple crops of the farm, contain bu
. little less water than beets or carrots
and potatoes are sold at good price
u some years, although there is about /,
y 500 pounds of water in every ton. Tn
proportion OF water in fruits is mucl
81 greater, especially with grapes, straw
berries and cherries; in fact, water y
I fruits brings higher price than is OBJ
@ tanned for any material. as box Q
81 strawberries selling at 10 cents woul
lie allow less than one cent for the soil
4 matter contained. leaving nine cent
ST for the water. To secure this crop G
te water however. the farmer will
d. compelled to use care and Judgment
IN comes from the clouds, It Is true. bu
L there are periods when the plant cannc
In store It: hence the fruit and vegetable
A. do not grow to perfection and the far
al mer will lose portion of his crop
&c water. while his land will have alread
IS, given up more than the proportional
r. supply of mineral matter.