The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-12-18

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should be of strong material and be nine
or ten feet long. A hole is bored in this
lever a foot from the large end and a hook
(see A in drawing) bolted on the top end
but projecting so that 1t will easily catch
the links OF the chain, which is a log
chain, with a hook on one end. For the
fulcrum select a piece of wood sufficient
ly thick SO that when the side pieces are
nailed on as shown the lever will work
easily between them. This center piece
should be about two feet and a half long
and the side pieces six inches longer, as
shown in the cut. A hole should be bored
through these outside pieces to match the
hole in the lever and so placed that there
will not be a strain on them or the side
pieces will split; the strain should come
entirely on the center piece. In using, slip
a long bolt through the holes after setting
the lever in place between the side sticks,
place chain around post, hook on lever
under the chain and you will pull the post
without a great deal of effort.
How to Winter Ducks.
Many who can raise ducks successfully
have difficulty in wintering them, due, In
the opinion of the writer, almost entirely
to lack Of ventilation and permitting the
houses to become damp. The duck can
stand more cold than chickens, provided
the cold Is of the dry kind; dampness
makes trouble for them every time. In
wintering ducks always provide a board
floor, or, if the floor must be of earth,
cover it to the depth of several inches with
chaff and arrange the drinking fountains
In a part of the house so that it will be
practically impossible for the ducks to
soil the chaff and wet IL with water from
the troughs. An excellent plan of ventla-
ton Is to divide the quarters into two
rooms, each room having two opposite
Eindows; then, each day drive the ducks
into one room, closing the door between
Ind thoroughly air the room they left. al
lowing the wind to blow through it for an
hour or more; ventilate the other room on
the same plan. Ducks treated In this
manner as to their quarters will go
through the winter in good shape and be
strong, healthy breeders at the proper sea-
son.
Large or Small Areas.
1t Is generally admitted that one acre
we'll titled will bring better returns than
five acres poorly hanGied and this idea Is
evidently in the minds of the writer's who
are advising farmers to cut. down the
size of their farms to a very few acres.
Such advice is wrong for it gives some
people an Idea that they can make more
money In raising special crops on a few
acres than it Is possible to do with many
acres under cultivation. If one is located
where there is a good market for small
fruits and vegetables and one understands
growing them then serious consideration
should be given to the plan of cultivating
fewer acres. On the other hand If grain
or potatoes raised on a large scale bring
good returns 1t would be foolish to change
one's whole method Of farming unless the
advantage of a market for the smaller
crops were very great. 1t must be re-
membered, however, that whatever branch
Of farming is followed the scattering OF
energy, labor and fertilizer sufficient to
give ten acres good handling over twenty
= acres or more is far from good business
and on this point there Is certainly oppor-
tunity for decided reform.
Coming Substitutes for Barrels.
In some of the apple sections the prices
for barrels range from 60 TO Is cents each
and not enough can be made even at thai
price to any where near supply the de,
mand. The scarcity of lumber suitable
for the purpose is given as the reason fol
the high price. A number of men who
. handle large quantities Of apples for ex
port are looking into the question Of
boxes made Of paper or rather OF paper
pulp placed under an immense pressure
so that they are, practically. as hard a:
wood. 1t will be noticed that the wore
+DO6cS IS uSSO LIN i1NCSAlSulAoA - III
writer showed that these men considered
the day of the apple barrel about over
1t was said that while undoubtedly man!
heavy shipments of. apples in barrels
would be made for years to come, the de
mand for carriers containing smallel
quantities was SO great that II the pape'
box plan was found feasible the manu-
facture would be confined to boxes. Men
ton Of this interesting subject is mad
here as a solace to those growers WHIT
have become discouraged on the barre
question and as an advance hint to grow
ers as to what they may expect in tn
way of future demand by the consumer
Consider we'll this additional hint. Whel
you begin to put up fruit in boxes bea
IN mind that in the majority Of cases !
will go direct to the consumer in tn
original package; 1t will not be assorte
by the middle man as barreled apples are
so If the mistake Is made of putting smal
apples In the middle just so much will b
done to discourage a trade that, if homes
packing Is done, will become enormous be
yond all present expectations.
Poultry House Window Curtains.
Unless one is located in the far mort
where even during the seasons of rain.
Is warm there is no section where
would not be a good plan to provide som
sort of an arrangement to go over tn
windows of the poultry house when tn
night promises to be cold or UNUSUAL
damp. An excellent plan is to have
sliding window of closely fitted board
which may be put in some place at nigh.
another is to have a curtain of heav
cloth which can be buttoned over tn
window of glass just as one buttons on
curtain to a carriage. If these protection
are not possible then take a strip of water
proof paper and tack to a rough fran
made of laths. At night put these owe
Tho .r;,5owS on tho inside and hold thpr
in place with a wire driven through tn
side pieces into the side al the house. Th1