Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-05-11
Small Farms.

l have always been an advocate OF
comparatively small farms, believing
them 10 be the ideal farms. says writ
er in the New England Farmer. and /
have found that great deal OF pro-
duce can be grown on a small farm
when managed right. To illustrate: I
have grown the past season on four
teen square rods of land, twelve bush
els OF Strawberries, selling to the
amount Of twenty-nine dollars anu sew
enty-iye cents: besides using all we
wanted in the family of four persons;
some were also given away. From five
rcwS of cabbages, fifteen rods long, we
had all we wanted TO use, stored SONS
for winter, sold to the amount of ter
dollars and forty-siy cents, besides
some waste and small heads fed out
Nine rows OF onions, fifteen rods long
produced twcnty-three bushels OF fine
onions. Oats yielded iifty-siX bushels
to the acre. In 1895 they did a little
hctter-sixty-one and one-h2if to the
acre. Onions also did better that year
From piece of ground 27xGi feet,
harvested forty-three bushels. Now
who will say. ia the face OF such facts
that a small farm cannot be made tc
support family in good shape. IN
deed, ! am certain that IL properly
managed very few acres will support
n family Well; and ii | was q young
man again, | would purchase piece
OF land somewhere, even IL it were but
two acres, and build up home there
on: then If more land was needed, add
to it afterwards rs opportunity offered.
| have a great deal of faith in well en-
riched and properly managed soil. l
like the term intensive farming" and
the more we apply IL TO our farming
operations, the better it will be for US.
Starting Tomato Seeds.-Take q cigar
box, pry the bottom loose little to
let out the water. fill with nice soft
dirt, place the seed just where you
want them, and cover one half inch.
| generally push them into the dirt
with match. Soak 1t with hot water
not hot enough to scald the seed but
warm enough TO warm up the dirt, box
and ALL Now, to keep the surface wet
and to keep them warm fold news
paper and tie over the top OF the box.
Place the box on an iron mantel shelf
in the family room, kitchen or some
place 20 keep the heat up pretty regu-
lar. and don't forget to take Il look
ut them the fourth day after planting.
II you wait many hours longer you will
be apt to find your plants long and
lcggy. Set the box in sunny win
dow or where they will get good strong
plants and in transplanting be careful
not TO break the small fibcous roots
Elk.
Glover Hay.-Cloyer hay is much
better appreciated than 1t used TO be.
While most horsemen in cities are still
shy OF it. the farmers know, rs they
always have done, that in nutritious
value it far surpasses timothy or other
grasses. IL contains more nitrogen
Gus nutrition than the grasses. This
Is what makes it hard to cure without
turning dark colored, but the late clo-
yer crop, which Is always nearly black
when got into the barn, is for sheep.
COWS and calves the best hay OF all
Tx.
For thousands OF years the farmer
has been working with his hands and
others have TO 4 too great extent
reaped the reward for his toll. Now. he
Is beginning to work with his brain,
with the result Of reapipg the reward
himself.
A fresh egg has limelihe surface
to its she'll.