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

The Warfield Is an all around good
strawberry-a safe variety for almost
any one to plant.
Shocked corH. clover hay and sheaf
oats is pretty cheap and well bal
anced ration for any kind of stock, and
it may be all grown on the farm.
The growing of pumpkins and squash
near melons, while not affecting the
appearance of the melons, does materi-
ally affect them to the detriment of
their flavor.
Fewer acres and bigger crops, fewer
cattle and better ones, lessening of
farm wastes and the selling of finished
farm products is the code of the up to
date farmer.
Sleep in warm bed in winter-if
you can. This getting into cold bed
and trying to warm it with the heat of
the body is folly and heavy drain on
ones vitality.
The cotton crop of the south aggre-
gates 100000 bales of 400 pounds to
the bale, or 5,390,0O0,OO pounds, worth
about 8 cents per pound, or S4S5, OOO,-
600. No wonder the south is prospecting.
On the 100 acre farm there should al
| yTyo Vyeh no M tho
clover, this clover patch to be moved
about from year to year so as to cover
all the arabic portions Of the farm
every five or six years.
With all the many improved appli-
ances in use in the abattoirs of the
country all animals are still killed by
hand, knock in the head or slit in
the throat still being the most effective
and humane method to be employed.
The big state fairs have just about
exterminated the smaller county fairs,
the average farmer preferring to put
his time and money in an outing at the
big show. We regard this as a posi-
tive misfortune to the best interests Of
agriculture.
If we were going to experiment with
alfalfa, we would SOW it on tract up.
on which clover had been the previous
crop, II we could do so. the probability
being that the bacterial life left there
by the clover would also be favorable
to the alfalfa.
Wherever the catalpa will grow and
do well there it should be planted ex-
tensively as forest tree 1t does not
seem to do well north of latitude 40,
growing slowly, crooked and gnarly.
North of this line the larch and white
ash should be substituted for it.
The year 1902 brought some record
breaking sales of fine cattle in price
obtained, the Hereford bull Perfection
going at $4,000 to an Illinois breeder
and the Angus bull Prince Ito going to
another Illinois man at 5000, while
the Angus heifer Black Cap Judy went
at $1,000.
a reduction Of the size Of the farms
compels study of intensive agricul-
ture, the production of two crops where
one grew before. This in turn compels
a study of the scientific side of agricuI-
ture and elevates it from mere hap
hazard business to the level of the pro-
fessions.
The material for some very tooth
some pies and sauce can be procured
early in the season by removing one or
two pieplant roots to the cellar in the
fall and covering with earth. The
shoots will soon show up tender and
white. The root should be well frozen
before removal.
Hundreds of farmers wives have
each sold from 5000 to $500 worth OF
poultry and eggs which they have
raised on the farm the past year. This
makes the hens which may be kept in
an ordinary way upon the average farm
as good money makers as dairy of
from six to ten average cows, and not
as much trouble to care for.
Professor Koch of Berlin, the emf,
nent bacteriologist, is given $3.50 day,
his expenses and the assistance of two
high priced aids by the British South
African company to go to South Africa
to study the cattle plague which has SO
nearly wiped out the live stock of that
country. There are hundreds of other
German professors who are glad to get
$500 year.
! With absolutely inexhaustible sup
plies OF both anthracite and bituminous
coal, with the best mining methods and
machinery in the world and the most
complete system Of transportation, the
American people are today importing
coal from foreign countries and being