Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-04-18

%Ss5asI;;:;s:::::: ::s III: CORRESPONDENCE SOLICITED
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A gallon of milk weighs Sc pounds.
A lot of old hens scratching on the
cover OF the strawberry bed in March
can do more harm than they are worth.
During 1900 25,643,073 tons of freigh:
passed through the 500 canal and this
amount will be doubled inside of 10
years.
1t will pay to cut out lot of the old
wood from the currant bushes. The
best fruit is borne on the growth of
the previous year.
FL Sheaf oats cut when just in the
dough are the best food which can be
raised on the farm for calves, milk
cows, sheep and colts.
Fine cattle are bringing big prices, a
recent sale Of 143 head Of registered
Polled Angus averaging $4S1 head.
This was an Iowa herd.
The finest cinnerarias, jonquils, mar
cissuses and hyacinths we have ever
seen were grown wholly without sun
shine in north window
Country school directors are finding
out that they must increase the wages
of the teachers Of the country schools
If they are able to secure good ones.
Oklahoma possesses a soil and eli
mate specially fitted for the production
of broom corn, and this crop is likely
to receive much attention in that terri
tory.
The United States department of
agriculture is to have new building,
of this branch Of our country's indus
tries.
Nothing will start an old z per cent
mortgage off the farm any quicker than
hogs at So. Under these conditions the
Poland China can make any mortgage
look sick.
The pansy bed should be located
where it will be shaded from the after
noon sun, while the Gamma bed and the
geraniums should be given all the sun
shine possible.
Wages for farmhands are about So a
month higher this year than they have
been for many years. The farmland
can now wear a red necktie and creas-
ed pants and smoke ''twofers."
There were 5000 carloads Of grapes
marketed from the grape growing ter
ritory on the shores of Lake Erie last
season. These grapes were mostly
COncords, Isabellas and Delawares.
The colored man in the south will not
be able to make much Roadway as a
farmer until he gets out of the notion
of running into debt for lightning rods,
buggies. organs and fancy ten day
clocks.
The silo is making prodigious head
way on all up to date eastern farms
oil p1l1tn ccit q
under the conditions which exist there
1t will make its way in the west before
many years.
When a Hun or a Finn or a son OF
Italy can drop down in this country
and command the sum Of S1.75 for ter
hours unskilled labor. as he can, it il
no wonder that he thinks America is 8
great country.
1t is said that the chances Of the
country schoolma'am for getting hus,
band are nearly three times as good
as those Of her sister, the city teacher
fact which should comfort some Of
these nice girls who teach in country
schools.
II pair of orioles seem inclined tt
build a nest in the elm or cottonwood
tree in the dooryard, throw out few
pieces of cotton cord and strips of req
cloth on the lawn and watch then
gather them up for the swaying mes
on the pendent limb.
There should be more mulching done
in the garden and orchard than Their,
is. Mulch serves twofold purpose
effeetually keeps down the weeds ant
conserves the moisture in the soil dur
ing the summer droughts. Marsh hay
straw or even cornstalks make goot
mulch.
Every man should experiment with
little patch of alfalfa. Maybe it viii
grow with him and maybe it won't.
porous subsoil and permanent moistur
within ten feet are essentials to it
success. If it can be made to grow,
is the most valuable forage plant O