Holbrook argus., 1902-10-04
TOPICS OF INTEREST TO FARMER
 AND ORCHARDIST
Experiment to Determine the Value of Alfalfa When to Plant Pototoes, Peas, Etc.-Infor- nation on Angora Goats-LaYing Quality of Hens Improved.

mine the value of alfalfa against grain ration for dairy COWS, the former came out with flying colors, says the Stock Breeder. While the ration in which the protein was supplied by grain produced slightly more milk and butter than the alfalfa ration, still the latter produced the milk at 12.7 cents less the 100 than the grain ration. Although a COW can change grain pro- tein into fat, still it would not be wise to force her. 1T. this way.
 Of course you have planted some potatoes already, and will put in more this month. Now is the time to pre- pare for good crop of peas, and your tomatoes should soon begin to bloom and keep setting out for 2 successive crop. You have no doubt found new place for your strawberry bed, have fertilized it well, and will be ready to plant next month, and from then on to December. Plant "Saltzers" for cool weather, so plant them first. Make your cuttings from your black berries and dewberries. s.-Horticultural Commissioner Geroge P. Hall, in San Diego Union.
 Good layers are the decendants of good layers, says Farmers Voice. The laying quality has been improved and intensified by selection. It will be noticed that even under very unfavor- able circumstances few hens in the flock will lay, while all their asso- ciates, seem to live for no othre pur- pose but to eat. These hens, though subjected 10 the same hard conditions as the others, manage to produce an egg at irregular intervals. Such hens should be placed to themselves during the breeding season and made the foundation of the future flock. Some such system as this must be adopted where the aim is to breed up a flock of first-class layers.
 The Herald recently gave some in- formation relative to angora goats and the increased consumption of mohair in this country. The Oregon Agricul- turist goes into the statistics of the census reports quite elaborately on the mohair industry for ten years or more, concluding lengthy discussion by saying: "There is already too much low-erade mohair produced both in South Africa and the United States, but the conditions are not such as to warrant any fear of production of mohair of fine quality for many years to come, nor is it likely that the prices of mohair equal in quality to Turkish will average lower than they have been during the past four or five years."
 E. c. Miller, of Buckeye, Ariz. formerly of Lemon Grove, San Diego county, referring to the general impress sion that land for alfalfa should be level as floor, tells Horticultural Commissioner Hall, that "this is d serious mistake, for if it is, when the third years growth of alfalfa is made, you can hardly get the water to the farter side of an eighty acre field divided into tWenties for q nroores- sive crop. There is further danger if you do not give it all the fall you can, up to twenty-five feet to the mile or more, of the debris in the water, un- less it is very clean, clogging and scalding the alfalfa. The point is, if the land has only ten feet to the mile fall one way and forty the other, plant ! in drills the forty way '