Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-01-08
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Variations in soil often have almost
as much effect upon trees as a varia-
ton in climate.
The cold storage method for the cur
ing and maturing Of cheese seems to
be growing in favor.
And now comes q farm economist
and AYERS that it costs as much to feed
a dozen rats as it does to feed two
hundred pound shote.
It is worth noting that when Italian
dairy interests recently wanted first
class cheesemaker a call was sent to
Wisconsin to furnish the man, and
they got him.
The beef men clamor for protection
from shoddy as substitute for wool
while they are at the same time eager
for free trade in oleomargarine, using
their steers as dairy animals in place
of old bossy. There is no end of self
ish morality in this old world.
Stock Of all kinds will eat corn fod-
der more readily in cold weather than
when the weather is mild. They will
also eat it up much cleaner. This fact
suggests that the hay be reserved for
late winter and spring, disposing of the
corn fodder during the cold weather.
In one western state there are this
winter no less than 800 different lee
ture courses provided for, the cost of
each Of which will run from 5000 to
$1,000, and it is a fact that these en-
tertainments are not by any means
solely supported by townspeople. but
very largely by the people who live on
the farms of the several communities.
Every field Of cornstalks whipping
about in the winter winds all through
the middle west represents dead loss
to the owner this year of easily So per
acre. Cut at the proper time and
shredded or thrashed the stalks on
each acre would have readily sold for
50 or SO, and, what is more, will be
badly needed before grass grows again.
The men who get the positions of
rural mail route carriers in the north
should be paid better wages than their
fellows In the south. In the north for
five months in the year it costs them
more to dress and more to keep their
teams because of the cold weather.
Some congressman should introduce a
bill this winter In congress to remedy
this.
1t is said that the apple tree borer
can be surely annihilated by first To-
eating it and cleaning out its burrow
and then inserting the head of COM
mon lucifer match and plugging the
hole with clay. The decomposition of
the phosphorus and birthstone by con-
tact with the moisture in the tree gen.
crates a gas which makes short work
Of the borer.
We mentioned lately that sheep
might be allowed to run for a short
period each day in the orchard with
out injury to the trees. We believe
this statement is correct, but wish to
emphasize the fact that they must not
be left there, for they will soon learn
to peel the bark from the trees and
will stand up on their hind legs like
goat to do Ii.
In planting a grove Of native timber
It is well to remember that some vari-
cites Of trees may be planted much
closer together than others. The soft
maple will bear thick planting, as will
the larch. catalpa and many Of the
conlfers. The cottonwood, on the con-
trary. will not stand thick planting.
but will nearly all die by the time they
are twenty years old.
I'VE are asked which is the best of
our native plums. Like sewing ma
chimes and typewriters, there is no
best For the general market the
Hawkeye ranks high. its large size and
uniformity making it first class sell
err The Wyant. the Rockford the Sur
prise. the De Soto. the Hammer and the
Blackhawk are all good. while the boys
will let them alone until the last StOd-
dard plum is gone.
A man who married fine looking
lady was accorded divorce soon after
when he proved to the court that she
was not what she seemed-that when
she removed her false hair her false
teeth. her false bust and washed the
paint from her face she was another
lady altogether. Oleomargarine. like
this lady. masks under false pretenses
lis not what it pretends to be-and so
should be divorced by law from the
dairy interests.
A new settler. an apple crank. open
ed up a new farm on the wild prairies
of northwestern Iowa twenty years
AGO There was NOT a patiye tree with