Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-30

pOnSneu TOOLS with winch to work the
soil. The polished tool not only does
better work, but is SO much easier to
operate that one is well repaid for all
trouble expended in this line.
The tendency of graft is to grow
much faster than We're the shoot part
of the original tree. This is doubtless
caused by the cutting back of the tree
in order to permit of the grating to be
done. Such free growing CRAFTS need
watching and pinching back; otherwise
they are liable to be broken off by the
wind.
The township road district plan is
meeting with much favor wherever
tried. 1t puts the highway administra-
ton Of the township under the control
of one supervisor, and more and better
work is done. The change to this sys-
tenn is the one sensible and practical
improvement which is within the reach
of all communities.
If the old SOW does her part and
raises you ten good pigs this spring
and you do your part in properly car
ing for them till Christmas, you will
realize a hundred dollars in money out
of her. besides litter of fall pigs. if
you want them. The old sow thus
beats any other money maker on the
farm as things now are. "
We are top grating so apple trees
this spring. 2-year-old Duchess. as an
We are using scions of less
hardy varieties-varieties which are
not hardy with us root grated or upon
their own roots. From what we have
noted during the past 20 years we are
led to believe that we shall meet with a
fair measure of success in the expert
ment.
The best time of the year for the COW
TO freshen is from the middle of Sep
temher TO the middle of October. The
average COW is we'll fed and cared for
during the fall and winter and may be
more cheaply fed than during the sum-
mer months. Her product also brings
better prices. and her calf goes on to
grass the next spring strong and lusty
animal.
We have laid out one flower bed
Us follows: The bed is circular. In
the center is Golden Glow. which will
grow to the height OF five or six feet.
this is row of Dwarf
Cannas: outside these row of coleus,
or foliage plants: then circle of gera-
NUNS. 1t is a new plan. but we think
that the bed will make a pretty appear
ance in August.
We are inclined to think that the best
way In which to protect tender plants
and vines from the rigors of our north
ern winters is to lay them down and
cover With Y shaped trough made of
inch boards. then covering the trough
with coarse manure or earth. We find
stuff so protected during the past Win
ter to be in the finest possible condi-
ton this spring.
A Nebraska friend wants us to tell
him where he can get some balm of
Gilead trees. We do not believe that
he wants them. This tree is just as
dirty as the cottonwood in the matter
of distributing its seed and never makes
as handsome tree. Why plant this
worthless sort of timber, anyway?
Why not plant white ash, catalpa, black
walnut, maple or elm?
TIE seemingly small difference be-
tween 10 below zero in the winter sea-
son and 30 below MS maximum de-
gree of cold means more to the man
who raises fruit than many people
think. A large number of our very
choicest varieties of fruit will endure
the 10 below zero temperature with
out harm. but utterly fail when expos
ed to the 80 degrees below.
Have you had talk with your neigh
Dor about that farm telephone? If
not. have one. A little cooperative
work will easily secure for you one of
the greatest conveniences of the day.
Then the phone pays it's way. When
you have stuff to sell. it is worth some
thing in money to know just how the
markets are in the two or three differ
ent market towns to which you have
access.
We have tried the experiment of NOV
ing a water elm tree six inches in diam
eter this spring. 1t is trimmed down to
a bare trunk - feet high and wrapped
with newspapers to check the evapora-
ton. VIII 1t live? Well. that remains
to be seen. 1t will be well watered
and we expect to see it grow. We have
moved them four inches in
diameter and rarely failed to make
them grow.
The agricultural department last year
imported $50 new varieties of seeds,
plants and trees. OF course not all,
perhaps not many, may prove to be of
value in this country, but 1t will be
strange if some do not. There Is such
an Infinite variety of climatic and ther-
NAL conditions in United States terri
tory that some place may be found
Vhpra tho rrod,1nts of oly,,ost ~, .+,,,..