Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-02

tree with q half inch bolt. 1t is not
best to wait until the split occurs be-
fore this precaution is taken.
The men who cut up their corn will
have their innings again this spring
when it comes to preparing the corn
field for crop of small grain. If there
Is any more unpleasant and unsatis-
factory farm work than trying to cul-
tivate field covered with old corn
stalks we should like to know what
II is.
Men will always succeed the best
with that kind of live stock which they
like the best. A man who does not like
sheep should never attempt to keep
them; just the same with horses and
cows. Men with violent tempers should
not have much to do with stock any
way. 1t is better for them to pitch
hay, chop wood and dig potatoes.
A matter of 10000 laws have been
passed by the legislatures of the sew
eral states the past winter. We are a
great people to make laws and the most
ornary set in the world about enforcing
them. If the laws made were all liter
ally and rigidly enforced without fear
or favor. the people would not let the
legislature meet oftener than once in
ten years.
We have a very excellent asparagus
bed made some years ago by getting
a dozen old roots which were as big
as half bushel measure when dug.
cutting them into quarters and plant
ing the sections in well prepared bed
three feet apart each way. The bed
so planted bore full crop the second
year from planting and could not very
well be improved upon.
Forty-four million five hundred thir-
ty-six thousand eight hundred sixty
seven gallons Of cottonseed oil were ex-
ported from this country last year. A
lot of this oil will be returned to us lat
err as pure olive oil from Italy. 1t is
only very few years ago that all the
cotton seed was returned to the fields
as manure. The value of oil exports
for last year was $15,051, 240.
In selecting trees for orchard plant
ing we would always take 2-year.
old trees in preference to older ones
Usually the 2-year-old tree will get
into bearing almost as soon as a
4-year-old and will invariably make a
handsomer and more thrifty tree. and
you can buy 2-year-old trees fol
much less money than the older and
larger ones and they are much easier
to set out.
Referring to recent article or
county fairs. lady in Michigan
wishes to add as another good subject
for premium to be offered by suct
associations the best kept flower gar
den and the most attractive home
grounds. THIS is good suggestion
The offering of substantial premium
| for such things by county societ.
would do much to stimulate the PEG
pie in these lines of improvement.
AS illustrating the benefits which
accrue to dairymen where located S,
that they can sell their milk to a con
densing factory. we mention the cas-
of one man near Waverly, Ia, wh'
has a dairy of Is grade Shorthorl
cows which during the year 800
brought him in an income of $I69
per head. Where such returns can b
obtained from COWS farm land is wei
worth 500 per acre upon which t
keep them.
The splendid orange crop of Call
fornia of this season is being largel
wasted for want of adequate transpol
tation facilities. The loss is said t
run into the millions. AS 1t is. enoug
oranges find their way to the cas-,
ern markets During the month Q
March they were cheaper in price tina
good apples. 1t would seem as thong
orange culture had about reached til
limit of profitable development upo
the Pacific coast.
We have some Northwestern Greer
ing apples. kept in common celia
without any special care through til
winter other than to keep them frol
actually freezing, which on this cot
day of April are in most perfect COZ
dition-hard. sound and evidently wit
keeping qualities good till June. Nov
this. mind. with New York Baldwin
Greetings and other standard wintt
varieties badly used up. The Nortl
western Greening Is long keept
without any doubt and if it prove
hardy is going to be most valuab
apple for a very large northwester
territory. where the great want has S
long been a good winter apple.
Blue grass is the deadly enemy I
all orchard trees. We know that
few men claim that blue grass in tt
! orchard will check the growth Of tt
; trees and make them bear more frui
, So will girdling the tree or any proce
; which will sinjure the healthy grow
. ~