Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-02

Many instances of second or fall
crop of strawberries are noted all over
the country. AS freak in vegetation
1t is of interest perhaps out it would
be no advantage to have such second
crop become general thing. for one
Is simply getting next years crop in adj
vance.
The government has SOLD no less than
l9,4SS,53o acres of the public lands the
past year. more than in any year since
the present laws went into effect The
man who wants to take up home
stead has got to get q move on him
self, and he will find it pretty poor
picking even now.
| We are asked about the fall planting
of trees. If the ground is thoroughly
moist, trees may be successfully plant
ed In the fall, but we do not regard it
as any advantage, save as it may save
valuable time in the spring. If the
earth is dry, however, we would Oh no
account plant in the fall.
There is one thing which has left the
farms of the country for good. and that
is the 10 per cent farm mortgage. 1t
was gripper and slayer in it's day,
a remorseless sucker of blood and more
| nearly represented one of the beasts
described by the prophet Daniel than
anything else we ever saw.
This electrical age is directing atten-
/ ton to every waterfall, and the noun
talns and canyons are being searched
for available sites for electric plants.
1t Is possible now to transmit electric
power distance of over 200 miles. and
this greatly widens the possibilities of
all heretofore unused water power.
The turkey buzzards in the state of
Florida are protected by law, with the
result that they have so increased in
number us to become q menace to the
live stock interests. They follow the
herds and seize on the young and weak
lings of the herd, pick their eyes out
first and soon make away with them.
There was a spread of $4.T5 OH the
4th day of November in the Chicago
market between the poorest and the
best beef cattle, the quotations being
$3.75 and $3.50. Blood had much to do
with this, and intelligent feeding al
most as much. These figures open a
big field for study and experimentation.
III you run an account with a store
keeper, as SO many do don't be mean
enough to send off for your goods when
you happen 20 have the cash. The man
who accommodates you is certainly en-
titled to the benefit of your cash trade.
Some folks are mighty mean about this
thing and deserve more Of a roast than
would BIZ proper for us to administer.
Agriculture is developing wonderful
ly in Mexico. The old fashioned farm
ing implements which have been in use
since the days Of the Aztecs are giving
way to modern American machines
and tools. The soil and climate are
very congenial, and three crops may
be- raised on the land in one year. The
poems make good laborers when under
proper direction.
The science Of butter making now
lies almost wholly in the ability to de-
velop and fix in the butter that deli
cate aroma which makes the difference
between butter which sells for 20 cents
and that which sells for 80 cents This
aroma is an Elusive and fugitive es-
sence born Of blue grass clover and
corn and exquisite cleanliness and is
always unable to hold it's own with
the malodorous in the barn or cream
cry.
Will small potato produce large
ones? Yes, for the first crop or so, but
If the small ones are continuously plant
ed the breed will run out, just as 1t is
with all other forms of vegetable and
animal life 1t is always best to select
the very best Of anything for the pur-
pose of reproduction Nature in a
Thousand different ways compels this
with all her wild life, and man should
at least have sense enough to follow
her example.
The sum of $3.50 will put up small
building in which to do the work. pro-
cure reliable gasoline engine with
shafting and CO.. nections, and then YOU
can do the pumping, the Smelling, the
grinding, the churning, the woodsaw-
ing at any and all times at mere trifle
of expense and be independent of the
wind, which either will not blow at all
or blow SO hard that it rips things to
pieces. But if you get gasoline en-
CINE, get good one, for there are some
which will tempt man to break all of
the commandments while trying to get
them to run.
The feeders of the country have got
on to the ill effects of Jersey blood in