davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Western news., 1903-11-11
IMPROVED BEE SITTER.

larly in case of late swarms, buck
wheat swarms, etc., such as would not
be able to fix up for winter in good
shape, it is always best to return them.
| have come home occasionally from
the work in an outyard and found a
swarm hanging on bush, although l
practice clipping. In such case |
would at once proceed to shake the
cluster of bees into my sitter, and
shake and shake until all the beers are
in the air except the imprisoned drones
and queen or queens. OF course, the
bees would soon go back to their old
home, and could be located.
The bee-keeper, says Gleanings in
Bee Culture, will find this sitter con-
venient to use at other times. The
occasions will present themselves
sooner or later, and l need not say any
more about it,
The Western news., 1903-11-11
farmers Right to Game.

II farmer feed potato plant, hen
or a COW on his own land the proceeds
from these things should belong to him.
No stranger has a right to come on his
farm and dig the potatoes. milk the COW
or shoot the hen. Now, when farmer
feeds a flock of quail or partridge or a
rabbit on the same farm has he not, IN
justice, an equal right to these animals? :?
Why should sportsman" be glorified
for shooting my game while a prowler
goes to Jail for robbing a hen roost?-
Rural New Yorker.
The Western news., 1903-11-11
GATE AND PORTABLE FENCING.

GATE AND PORTABLE FENCING.
the same wood to prevent horses, if
any, from gnawing it. Bars are spaced
about four inches for last, SIN inches
tor second, nine for third, eleven inches
'or the upper one. Three-inch strips
ire bolted on each side of the bars at
the ends with 5-l6 bolts, two bolts in
each end Of the upper end of the bar
At the hinge end these bolts should
hold the hinge.
On one side of the bars a long tie
comes from the top of the gate at the
hinge end to the bottom Of the other
end This is also bolted through the
bars. On the other side two narrow
strips are placed so that the bolt goes
through the tie. bar and one of the
strips The gate is hung With hook
and strap hinges The upper hook goes
through the post with nut on it. The
lower one is driven into the post and
one of the strap bolts goes through
the opper end of the long tie, so pre-
venting the gate from sagGing.
In the journal mentioned is also
sEetched form of portable fence.
shown in the second figure. The panels
are l2 feet long and the lap rests in
the crotch of the N-sunrort and a
notch in the crosspiece below If fur
ther support is needed use wire to wrar
| around the lap and the X. At the ends
drive in a stake and wire to it. Make
the panels and supports of any size OF
dimensions to suit your purpose.
The Western news., 1903-11-11
POULTRY YARD POINTERS.

Market the roosters as fast as they
are large enough.
Wherever you are or whatever you
are at, keep a few hens.
Ducking broody hens merely shows
that you need a ducking, too.
Spend very little time in doctoring,
or trying to doctor, sick hens and
chickens.
A feed Of whole oats in the evening
will answer for grain for the hens dur
ing the hot weather.
There is no wild breed of fowls to
which the Cochin or Brahma can be
traced. The game cock seems to be
descended from the Cingales Jungle
fowl.
Cropbound is the result of overfeee
and undereXercise. Mild cases vii,
yield to teaspoonful doses of castor.
oil. Severe cases call for cutting open
the crop and removing the undigeste6
contents.
Diarrhea in fowls is often caused b,
the dropping being left under the roos1
until they are damp and sometimes wet
worse than damp, and the poor hens
breathe it all night long. 1t poisons
their blood and dysentery follows
Midland Farmer.
The Western news., 1903-11-11
ALL AROUND THE FARM.

The squeaEing wheel and the squealins
pig show loose spoke in the farming
rig.
One of the ways to keep cool" while
worlins uat in the sunlight is to avoid
fretting
Do Lot refuse TO make an allowance for
your wife, il you expect her to make al
lowanees fer yoa.
Cowpaas are srown in favor both for
hay and for manure. They are a sure
crop. Such a thing as failure seldom
occurs.
A farming community is Judged by its
roads. its fences and is buildings as well
as by the crops. Have some neighbor
hood pride.
When the ground is toe wet to plow
turn TO the orchard, meHd the fences, cut
wood Apshius is better than to so tc
town and do nothing.
1t is said that deep plowing in Eng.
land has doubled the Niyld OF wheat oats
and Other crops Thay pow as deep a.
20 inches. Steam piaWs are used.
The best managers on the farm are
not those who wor.. all the time, hu,
those who find some time every day fol
a little rest. man will wear longer
and better If he does. Midland Farmer
The Western news., 1903-11-11
SHEEP AND FERTILITY.
Farms Can BE Restored to High
State Of Productiveness.

A good flock Of sheep will do any land
good and is the best of property for q
run down farm. A Michigan authority
on sheep says: Land that could not
be cropped profitably, owing to wheat
raising. is now yielding larger crops
than when 1t was virgin soil. Great
opportunities have been presented in
building up these rundown farms.
which could be purchased for half what
hey proved to be worth when restored.
Michigan soil recuperates rapidly when
given an opportunity. My land is worth
double what paid for it seven years
ago. l ripped up some clover sod and
planted 1t in corn June 27 last. The
crop yielded 100 bushels of grain. An
other field yielded 1875 bushels of ear
corn. Yet all this land was SO badly
run down few years ago that it would
not raise enough to justify planting it.
These rundown wheat lands, when built
up. grow as good corn as ever saw in
Iowa or Illinois; in fact, it is the best
corn land, owing to it's warmth in early
spring. The Michigan feeder has two
sources OF profit one from the gain of
his stock and another by the addition
OF the fertility to his farm, which, in the
course OF few years. doubles its value.
All these opportunities are not gone,
by any means. Plenty OF rundown
farms are yet to be had and the task
OF building them up is by no means
formidable. with ovine assistance In
nve to seven years values may be
doubled and feeding operations are
pound to pay during that period, adj
mlttlng the possibility of one or two
bad years."
The Western news., 1903-11-11
VARIETY OF MORALS.
man Who Thought He Was |,
Wiser Than Providence.

once upon time a farmer had q
men that laid golden egg every day.
The farmer chuckled as he witnessed
the daily increase in the visible supply
or gold. But he was not satisfied.
That durn hen works only ten min
utes day. II she cackled less, spen.
less time scratching for worms ant
Kept to a continual performance OF
laying down gold, would soon be the
whole thing in the millionaire line and
would make the United States Steel
company's income look like a deficit
I'll fix her.
So he bought barrels Of the kind oi
patent food which is guaranteed ia
make hens lay" anchored the hen ia
the nest, and put the food within easy
reach. "Now, get busy" he said, as he
went away to dream of automobiles
and luxuries.
But the hen grew fat and lazy and
with much groaning and travail man
aged to accomplish just one egg a
week. Her emborp point increased, she
suffered from gout and double chin;
finally she gave up the ghost. The
farmers dream was ended.
Moral: When you have a good thing.
don't try to gooder It, An egg in the
nest is worth two in the hen. A live
worm is better for hen Cor human)
than a peck Of prepared food, if the
worm has to be scratched for AND
don't dream.-Keystone.
The Western news., 1903-11-11
RAfA In Poultry HnuSex

If the poultry house is in such condi-
tion as to allow rats to run under the
floor. the farmer may as well give up the
poultry business. They are worse than
any disease the fowls may have When
the house is built it is very easy to put
wire netting, such as is used for the
small chicks. under the floors. If you
have not done this, another easy way to
keep out rats is to put in cement floor.
1t may cost little more than fixing up
the wooden floor, but it is safe against
rats. and wooden floor is not If wire
mesh is put in with the cement when the
floor is laid it will be all the better,
The Western news., 1903-11-11

has been little complaint from the ex-
treme eastern or western parts of the
state. These poison zones are charac-
terized by the abundance of the lark
spurs, lupines, death ca1nas and wild
parsnip, which are far less frequent or
entirely absent further east or west.
The loco zone is a we'll defined section
near the central part of the state, while
the water hemlock is frequent along
streams from the foothills westward,
being rare or entirely absent in the
eastern plains.
''The white loco weed is small pea
like plant, six inches to foot high,
with conspicuous white or cream-col.
ored flowers from thick woody per.
sistent root. 1t is distributed over
the whole plains region of the United
south into Mexico. and from Minnesots
and Kansas westward to the Rockies.
Extensive losses Of stock, attributed te
this species, are reported in New Mex
leo, Colorado and Montana. and to a
less extent in most of the other states
in the region mentioned.
"In Montana the white loco is found
throughout all the eastern plains, and
is not infrequent in the mountain
meadows up to 5000 feet altitude. 1t
is very unevenly distributed, and ap-
pears not to be found in sufficient
abundance to be dangerous except in
the district from Livingston to Billings
and from the mountains on the so,lt
northward to the Musselshell, and
around the Little Belt and Highwood
mountains.
I'm some parts of the loco zone the
losses sometimes average as high as SO
per cent. of the lambs produced and in
several localities the sheepmen have
been compelled to dispose of their
sheep and stock up with cattle. The
loco is found mainly along dry rocky
ridges or gravel plains, but exhibits
great capacity for growing in nearly
every kind Of soil. 1t is relatively
recent introduction into the state and
is spreading from the infected centers.
There is considerable evidence to
show that the buffalo were the original
agents of its introduction, either
through having eaten the mature seeds
and then scattered them, or from their
habit of wallowing."
AS to exterminating the loco plant,
the bulletin states that experiments in
digging it at certain seasons of the
year have been most effective, and this
seems to be the only remedy.
The Western news., 1903-11-11

DEVICE FOR TAKING LEVELS.
where the plumb line then hangs; that
will show a grade of one inch to the
rod where the points of triangle are
eight feet and three inches apart. For
grade of two inches to rod raise one
end one inch A spirit level glass i'm
bedded in the top edge of cross-bar
at the center will be handy to have
when the wind blows too much for the
plumb line.
To ascertain the fall or average
grade of a drain. place the triangle on
the surface Of the ground at the outlet
of proposed drain, sight lengthWise on
cross-bar to an object two and a half
feet from ground at upper end of drain
Where the plumb line hangs on the
cross-har will show the grade rerard-
less OF distance After the ditch is dug
place The triangle in the bottom. Nov
ing It along will show by the hanging
of the plumb across the bar the uneven
places and grade.
More than 40 years ago near Nevada
City Cal. | used a triangle of this
klDu LOT al open water ulltH. lie
points of the triangle We're lGh feet
apart | found the center on the cross
bar, then raised one end two inches
The plumb line on the crossbar gave
me a grade mark started on the up
per side of intended reservoir and out
flow of ditch. I moved the front end
up or down hill until the plumb line
hung with the grade mark: drove a
small stake. then moved the back end
where The front end was and SO con-
tinued around the side hill and ravines
for more than a mile, which was done
in one day The ground was thrown
out from upper side Of stakes to lower
side The water ran freely the entire
distance The same thing can be done
on many farms for irrica" "g. nd ]
often see places as | pass through the
country where water from SPRINGS and
small streams cnuld be conveyed with
a small EXPENSE to higher Ground than
it's present channel and Ft@r1d in res
ervoirs for irrigatire. and not lost IS
it now is by running off in the creek
beds. In sand 'N~nns soils, pudding
the water NirN II form a coat
ing to PROV Mt the water from soaking
away SO fast.-J. ]. Shearer, in Ohio
Farmer.
The Western news., 1903-11-11
GATHERING THE CORN.
Hints on How to Make the Labor a.
Light az Possible and Best Way
Of Saving Seed.

The time for gathering corn is upon
us, and we must prepare to meet the
work and have it done in due season.
While the crop in most states will not be-
as large as last year, we should be thank
ful for what we have, take more interest
in the work, as this job comes to us but
once In year, although it seems that
some farmers try to make it extend as
long through the year as possible.
l always like to begin just as soon as
the corn will do to crib without danger
of spelling, and make the job come to an
end as soon as possible. like to have 1t
out Of the field before the bad weather.
want the stalk field for cattle, and DO
not like the job of shucking corn in cold.
wet and snowy weather. always try to
finish by Christmas; we do not have
much bad weather before that time. Last
year we had the worst time for gathering
corn that suppose we ever saw--nothing
but rain and mud, and in order to get the
corn out in season we were required to
wade In this mud, and great many times
the wheels would sink to the axle. Be-
sides that, the corn was blown down very
badly, and it is down some this year.
AS in all other work, there is some
danger in gathering corn if we do not
provide means to prevent it. In this part
OF the country (and l suppose it is the
same in other parts) during corn gather
ing time, it is nearly every day that we
hear of some neighbor losing his best
horse. A common expression: "Mr.
A lost his best horse last night"
We ask what was the matter, ard get the
reply: well, he was gathering corn
all day. and''-we know the rest A To-
cent muzzle will often save $3.50 horse.
l have lost $3.50 horse by just such care
lessness.
| always examine every ear of corn
when feeding a horse. l shake off the
worm dust on all ears that contain any.
Prevention is cheaper than taking the
chances of a cure.
If it is convenient to use low wheel
wagon, we do so. Such a wagon is all
right when the ground is solid, but al
ways keep it out of the mud. A wide box
has several advantages over narrow.
IL ID edoiti " oAoNSi ouI VI IL "iut DoA
than from q narrow one. and we are not
SO apt 70 throw ears over as IS sC-GC times
the case when gathering on both sides !;
but very little of that is done, and, of
course, every man who gathers alone has
a high bump" board on the opposite side
of the box.
find that while shoveling off the load
is the best time to pick seed corn. have
a barrel handy and throw in the choice
ears. and later, when run these through
the sheller, discard the worst This is
double selection. We cannot select
seed corn too closely More of this work
and better work are what the farmers OF
this country need.-E. ]. Waterstorpe
in N. Y. Tribune-Farmer.
The Western news., 1903-11-11
Icurn to Know Your Farm.

Be able to read your farm. Learn
it's different soils, its subterranear
water levels, veins and storages, its too
wet spots, its too-dry spots and its chem.
ical makeup. Learn every tree, shrub
vine. weed and seed found upon it
Learn its peculiarities. Having learned
this much you will be in position te
plow, plant. till. mulch. rotate and fer.
tilize with sure touch, and to draw
with profit on your resources stored ir
your soil. You already know these
things. eh? Then s. mon should nc
longer hold the tkron as 1.-The wises
man." You should sue eed him.-Mid.
land Farm, ar
The Western news., 1903-11-11

pute, for she burst her shell on the
same day that baby girl arrived in
the browne family. Priscilla was
matched when geese were good proper
ty. She was one of brood of three.
the others being a goose and a gander,
brought into the world beneath the
warm feathers of hen. The three be-
came known as Aunt Sarah's cade
geese the adjective indicating that
they were raised by hand.
Priscilla grew up into a handsome
England type, shorter of neck and leg
than the geese of to-day, when goose
culture has produced many varieties,
but sturdy and ,amiable. When she
reached maturity she was plucked for
her down, and this operation was re-
peated for As years.
She learned by experience just what
to do when picking time came and
would settle down in the picker's lap
without movement or stFlggle while
the feathers were being removed A
few years ago Mr.. browne ceased to
pluck Priscila's feathers, preferring
that she retain all her strength and
live as long as possible. She now pos
sesses as elegant a covering as any
goose in the country, her feathering
being pure white and very smooth
and even.
She has witnessed the decline of the
goose industry unmoved, attending all
the time her own duties, bringing up
flock Eow and then and laying eggs
until within about five years ago. Her
brother and sister passed into the
goose hereafter a few years ago, and
Mr.. browne got another goose and
gander to keep Priscilla from feeling
lonesome. The three may be seen any
day on the Foster farm
Unlike some geese, Priscilla is amia-
BILE and of equable temper. How long
she will live it is impossible to say.
but to all appearances she is as strong,
active and healthy now as in her salad
days. two score years ago-N. Y. Her.
aid
The Western news., 1903-11-11
Permanent Sheep Pasture.

The value of permanent pasture
for sheep has frequently been overes-
timated. While it is undoubtedly true
that pasture of this kind will support
more sheep than a temporary field of
grass. it is also true that sheep should
be utilized largely in cleaning up stub
BILE fields. eating rape sown in oats in
the spring. and running in cornfields
after the husking. By this means fer
tility is much more evenly and profita-
bly, distributed than II the sheep were
kent In one field all the time.
The Western news., 1903-11-11
HANDY ROPE HALTER.
t Cons1sts OF Half-Inch Cotton Rope.
10 or 12 Feet Long, with
Ring in Both Ends,

We use It for a bride, a halter, and
to ring hogs with. In using it for
bride or halter. we approach the horse
on the left hand and take the ring in
our right hand; throw it up over the
horses neck by putting it under and
over the neck from the right side, as
at a, in Fig. 2, draw the ring down
under the jaw at c, double the rope
and put it through the ring as shown
at b in Fig. l, turn the loop one-half
over so the rope crosses where it goes
through the ring and put the loop in
The Western news., 1903-11-11
HALF A CENTURY OLD.
Pet Of . Rhode Island Farm
for 81 Years.

Priscilla is a goose, and she's proud
Of the fact and takes great delight in
her age. More than half a century old,
she is the property Of Thomas r.
browne, of Foster, r. l.. who marked
her flfty-first birthday not long ago,
with unique entertainment Fifty
one guests were present The refresh
ments were frozen pudding in the
shape of Priscilla, little candy geese
and goslings Of angel cake. Priscilla
strutted around from guest to guest
arching her neck inquisitively.
In 1852 Priscilla was born. Her
'hatchday" is established beyond dis
The Western news., 1903-11-11
aleERzNN5z3j ||leERN5z'3j
S $UOCN'
COSTS MONTANA DEAR.
Loss OF Stock from Loco Weed In Eas
timated Conservatively at
100000 Per Year,

How great a loss is caused to stock
raisers by the loco weed and other
poisonous plants is depicted in a bulle-
tin issued by the Montana agricultural
experiment station. The writer, ]. w.
Blankinship, estimates the annual loss
from stock eating these plants at
100000, and points out that with the
increase of the herds and flocks the
loss is bound to increase unless action
is taken to exterminate the plants. In
part he says:
'The chief poison zones Of the state
are nearly all confined to the foothills
of the mountain ranges of the conti-
mental divide and to the high bench
lands of the plains eastward. There
The Western news., 1903-11-11
|FARMnEEz,I;;;4!!d :;
G:::::- .r:s..-- AND VI
ggRRggaR5IDEM
A USEFUL IMPLEMENT.
Simple Device for Taking Levels foH
Tile Draining or Making Dttches
for Irrigating.

| send you drawing and description
Of nv device for tile draining or max
ing bitches for irrigating.
Take three pieces of thin board, say
two or three inches wide, two OF them
about seven feet long, one for cross
oar of triangle. near five feet long.
nailed across two and half feet from
base parallel points of triangle. Hang
4 plummet and line from top to
lust below cross-bar. Get the center
On the cross bar by reversing the tri-
angle, and make groove or fine cut
in cross bar for center, SO there will be
no mistake. Raise one end of triangle
one-half an inch, make a fine marx
The Western news., 1903-11-11
HANDY ROPE AND RINGS.


the horses mouth for a bride and
around the nose at d in Fig. 2, for hal
ter. AS bride it is one Of the incest
things to teach a colt to lead. The
operation is always to pull the colt
sideWise so as to be sure to move him..
In pulling on the rope it pulls to some
extent through the colts mouth and
cuts and hurts, and the instant the
rope is loosened it quits hurting, and
we do not have to make very many
side pulls until the colt will follow YOU
at your command. AS a halter it can
be used for horse, COW, calf sheep.
etc. 1t is very handy to carry; can be
put in the pocket. 1t comes in good
use to get the horses out of the pasture
in the morning. We can make halter
with each ring and lead two horses.
The halter will fit any kind and sized
animal.
1t is Just the thing to ring an old
SOW with. Loop it around the upper
jaw and tie her to post or fence, as
in Fig. 3, and she will just stand and
pull back her best, and squeal. and
hold perfectly still for one to put the
ring in, or fill her nose full for that
matter. It is easy to get it off of the
nose, for as soon as the rope is united
and let loose the SOW can throw it off,
for it will not stick on account of the
ring. 1t is also the same way with the
horse. AS soon as the loop is taken out
of the mouth or from over the nose.
by holding to the rope it will unfasten
itself, the loop running through the
ring 1t is the handiest cheap thing
we have on the farm.-A. S. Forsman.
in Ohio Farmer.
The Western news., 1903-11-11
New Corn for the Hogs.

In nearly all cases in commencins
to feed new corn to hogs. it is best tc
feed stalk and all for time, startins
when the milk is out of the grain anc
feeding in this way as long as the hogs
chew up the stalk with an evident rel
ish. feeding only such an amount as
they will eat up clean. gradually in.
creasing the amount as their needs
seem to reQuire.-Midland Farmer.
The Western news., 1903-11-11
TIMELY FENCE LORE,
Now IL the Time to Replace the Ole
Gate and to Put In Port
able Fencing.

The upper figure shows gate which
an Ohio Farmer correspondent thinks
the best for ordinary use on the farm,
after trying different styles. The gate
is II feet wide Qong) and five feet
high. made of five six by one inch
boards II for yard where hogs run
loose the two bottom boards should be
of oak. and the top one should be Of
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1903-12-08
FOR THE COOLIES
Chinese Labor Is to Succeed That Of the Beers
in the Transyaai.

Pekin, Dec. Sit is reported on good
authority that China is not opposing
the project for drafting coolie laborers
TO the Transvaal.
The Chinese governments S attitude is
likely 10 Be influenced largely By the
views of the viceroy from whose prov
inces the coolies would be enlisted. The
government might require guarantees re-
garding the coolies treatment, wages, etc:
WI Ting Fang, first vice president OF
the board of commerce and formerly
Chinese minister at Washington, said
II hope the government will assist the
scheme. 1t would be beneficial and re-
.lieye the pressure caused by over
population in the southern privinces
'rhe revolution in the south is not SO
much political movement as the resort
by the unemployed to brigandage and
pillage in order to live"