davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Western news., 1903-12-16

er pleasantly, and after few remarks
about the weather and the crops, ex-
planned his errand.
want to interview me, eh?" said
the farmer, Il never had any expert
enoe givin' interviews, but if your
heart is set on it, go ahead. What do
you want me to talk aDput?"
"WeI," said the reporter, scratching
his nose, refectively, suppose you
give me your views on reciprocity"
Couldn't have suited me better for
subject, mister. The fact is I've been
thinkin' good deal about reciprocity
lately. l believe in it. l don't mean
reciprocity with Cuba nor Canada, al
though that may be all very we'll in
it's place. What l want to see is reci-
procity right here in the United States.
l think reciprocity like charity should
begin at home. want the fellows
who have been enjoying the blessings
of protection for good many years to
reciprocate a little with the farmers"
"What do you propose?" asked the
wielder of the pencil, who began to
see that he was getting more than he
| expected
"Well," said the farmer, 81 want
some plan adopted by which part OF
the tariff collected will get back tc
| the rural districts. understand
| there's fellow down there in congress
who mas introduced a bill that will dc
the business. | mean that bill pro-
vidin' fer the government to aid in
| improvin' the roads in the rural dis
tricts. That would be a great blessing
not only to the farmers. but to every
body Talk about developing re-
sources! I'd like to know what would
do more to develop this country than
! buildin' good roads. II this plan was
adopted a few millions OF the taxes
the farmers pay would come back te
them. and there couldn't be no charge o1
special privilege, either. for the none,
would be spent for public Improvement
and would benefit all sections and al
classes. Now | want to see the city
people who have been protected sc
long turn in and help the farmers ge
that law passed. That's the kind o
reciprocity l believe in
How much more the farmer Nigh
have said the reporter will never
know, for the interview was just ther
interrupted by blast from the din
ner horn.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
LOW-WHEELED WAGONS.
Iowa Farmer Tells Why He Consid-
ers Them Better Than the Kind
In General Use.

The broad-tired and low-wheeled wag-
on has many advantages over the
high-wheeled and narrow-tired wagon.
have wagon with 3O-inch front and
36-inch rear wheels with five-inch tire.
My neighbor has a low wagon with two
and half-inch tires, but he had to ex-
change with me in order to get in his
hay from his low ground. All he could
load on his was one sling full; on mine
he put two sings, and 1t did not COM
mence to cut through. One thing is
sure; it is less work to put load on
low wagon than on high. In fact.
find no need for my common wagon un-
less | am going on the road. Just after
a big rain the broad tired wagon will
slide, but for drawing all kinds of loads
on the farm it is way ahead OF the COM
mon high-wheeled wagon. The major
ity of men in this locality cut down their
narrow-tired wagons and put three and
four-inch tires and felloes on, but I
find that mud will stick more to wood
en- spoke than to steel one The steel
wheels have no tires to come loose like
the wooden wheel, so l take the steel
wheel on a low wagon every time. A
short time ago I read an article by a
Kansas man. He says he would advise
the use of wheels of the common height
with two-inch tires. High wheels run
easier on good roads than low wheels.
| will admit; but he goes farther and
says when you come to mud they all cut
the same depth. l think differently and
will tell why. Last spring went after
a load OF rs bushels of corn with my
low wagon. The roads were soft.
went with my load and common one
seated buggy with two light people in
it followed. The buggy cut from one to
two inches deeper than my five-inch
tired wagon with that much corn and
myself on it. The wagon is heavy one:
the gearing within the box weighs IT'S
pounds. If roads were nicely rounded
25 feet wide and everybody would use
broad tires and drive promiscuously
over the grade, it would be much bet
ter.-L. K. Viland. in Prairie Farmer.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
Use of Canes for silage.

The value of ribbon-cane and sorghum
for silage is an interesting question
with which too few experiments have
been tried. Sorghum in the silo makes
very sour slage of fair feeding value.
Ribbon-cane, being sweeter than sor.
ghum. would undoubtedly make a
sourer silage, as most of the sugars are
changed into acids OF various kinds.
The bagasse, or stalks of cane. after 60
ing through the crusher still contain
considerable juice. and could probably
be used for silage with advantage. Sc
far Indian corn is the only first-class
silage plant that has been discovered
This is because it contains more starch
and soft woody fiber than most other
plants. especially il the ears are put
into the silo along with the stalks
Prairie Farmer.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
WHY SPRAYING PAYS.
Use of Insecticides and Fungtcides
Made Absolutely Necessary
Ny Modern Conditions.

The canker worm, the tent caterpillar,
leaf rollers and other native leaf eating
insects find instead of an occasional wild
cherry tree. wild crabapple or wild plum,
whole acres OF improved varieties of
these, acres upon acres of raspberry,
blackberry, strawberry and grape. Grass
feeding insects find hundreds and thou
sands Of acres Of grassy plants more
tender and juicy than the natural
grasses Is it any wonder that native in
sects, before confined to less number
of less fruitful trees, with an occasional
year that permitted almost no fruit at
all to grow, thus almost exterminating
them, should under such favorable con-
ditions as are offered by our present
system of fruit, vegetable and grain cul-
ture. thrive and increase in numbers,
far beyond what they would under less
artificial and less favorable surround
ings? We first create an environment
unnatural and vastly more favorable
than the original for the development
of insect enemies of our crops, and bring
about the very conditions that in a state
OF nature these insects prevent, and then
wonder why it is that they do the most
natural things in the world for them to
of plants with insecticides and fungi
cldes becomes imperative, to counteract
so far as possible the adverse effects of
the present ons.-Agricultural
Epitomist
The Western news., 1903-12-16
PIECE ROOT GRATING.
Best System of Propa cation to Use for
Apple Trees In the Northwest
ern States.

A few years ago there was much noise
made by some nurserymen regarding
the superiority of budded and whole
root grated trees over those propagat-
ed by the piece-root graft. 1t is now
generally conceded that the piece-root
graft gives the better results, as rule.
Wesley Greene, of the Iowa Hortlcul-
tural society, says:
THE whole-root grated and budded
trees may be considered of about equal
hardness in this state. The root sys-
TEN of the budded and whole-root graft
ed tree is entirely that of the stoch on
which the variety is worked. Ihere
may be a few instances Wnere roots are
formed above the pG:nt Of union when
trees are transplanted deep whlle
young, but such would be an exception
and not the general expel lence OF the
growers planting them. If the stock
used was as hardy as the variety
worked on it there would be no obJec-
ton to such trees when the otner re-
quiremants of the roots = equal to
the demands of the Eari - WC~ cd on
H. lI.bl W'itttiN. l.oN '-t-'''J Va
the seeding stocks arc rrt h@"l and
that is tie reason VIII E't' =" Z AOle-
root grated trees arc no 81 ts FE2"!e to
plant in this state as t,ces grown on
their own roots or roots Of equal hardl-
ness
THE superiority claimed for trees
grown from the piece-rcot gratis Is
that the SCION when planted deep,
forms roots and in time the tree is on
its own roots. The piece Of root sim
ply serves to keep the scion alive until
it can form roots of its own. All sclons
do not form roots readily and the length
of scion and roo, used varies as well as
the depth at which they are planted, SO
there is considerable variability as to
the extent to which piece-roOt grated
trees are on their own roots. However
the consensus of opinion is that the
piece-root system of propagation is the
best to use for apple trees to plant IN
the northwest"
The Western news., 1903-12-16
DIFFERENCE IN MILK.
Method of Selling by Measure Alone
Regardless of Value, Is Radi-
cally Wrong.

According to bulletin of the United
States department of agriculture, near.
~ al milk used for direct consumption
Is solo by measure alone, regardless OF
value. This method is unjust to both
consumer and prCGucer. The majority
Oh people seem to think that milk IL
milk, and that one quart is worth az
much as another, SO long as it is sweet
milk. The reason for this is partly a
lack of knowledge Us to what consti.
tutes good mill, and partly because
milk is an opaque liquid, and 1t is diff.
ncult to judge its composition or food
value by appearance. Milk containing
high per cent. of fat is not only worth
mere for food, bit it ccs+s more tc
produce than milk containing a low
per cent. Of fat, and its price should
be governed by food values Frequent
~ one quart of milk contains twice as
much Tat as another, yet both sell for
the same price.
No other commodity is bought or
solo With such disregard of food value.
All milk should be sold according tc
Its composition, and not only should
its exact composition be known, but
definite grades should be established
with corresponding value. Milk for
direct consumption should not only
have standard of values. but of clean
Illness as well, and should be produced
under inspection.
1t would be as reasonable to expect
to purchase three pounds of round
ste2E for the price of one as to buy
milk With eight per cent. fat and that
with two per cent. fat at the same
price q quart. Most of the states and
some of the cities have passed laws
which make it unlawful to sell milk
below certain standard. This makes
the sale of milk coming direct from
individual cows, that give milk low in
fat, unlawful. while it is good, whole
some milk and perfectly legitimate
product when sold at it's proper price
But what is even worse, this system,
prevents the man who produces rich
milk from getting the price he should
according to its food value and cost of
production. Milk containing a high
per cent. of fat is not only worth more
for food, but costs more to produc
than milk containing low per cent
of fat, and the price should be gov
erned by its composition and food
valve, and not by its bulk
One hundred pounds of good milk
contains 81 pounds of water, four
pounds of fat, five pouds of milk sugar
3.3 pounds Of casein and albumen and
or pound Of mineral matter or salts
Most of the states and many cities re-
quire 3 or 80 FER cent. of fat and
9 or 9.5 per cent. of "solids not fat -
The total solids" required thus vary
from IL to 13 per cent, according tC
different laws.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
PURIFYING THE CREAM.
To Remove the OdOr of wild
Onions and Hitter Weed
Is a Hard Job.

During the last three years consid-
cradle effort has been made to find a
means by which the odor and taste Of
wild onion and bitter weed may be
removed from milk and cream, says
the Alabama experiment station. In
the spring of 1901 the writer was re-
quested to try a patent compound
claimed to remove all kinds OF weedy
taste from milk. but it proved to be
an absolute failure. Cooking soda
(saleratus) was also given a like
trial, but failed of the purpose claimed
for it by some people. Having failed
so far to find anything that when fed
to the COWS would remove weedy taste
in the milk, the next step was treat
ing the milk and cream. Bitter weed
taste was removed entirely from cream
by thoroughly mixing it with two or
more parts of water at any tempera-
ture above 20 degrees Fahrenheit. and
then running the whole through the
separator Saltpeter dissolved in wa
ter was tried as an aid in removing
the bitterness. but as good results were
secured without it as with it. Rapidly
and slowly heating milk and cream to
various high temperatures did not re-
move bitterness but often impaired a
cooked taste. Butter made from
washed cream (as above) was pro-
nounced free of all bitterness by the
station customers. No means were
found to remove the bitter weed taste
from whole milk In the spring Of 1870.
milk and cream were treated for the
wild onion flavor the same as in The
previous year for the bitter wee1
taste.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
Pointers ON Keeping Fruit,

Fruit which is to be kept beyond the
natural period of ripening must be gath
cred before fully ripe. All sudden
changes in temperature, and moisture,
are productive Of decay and should be
avoided. A dry, cool place. where the
temperature is even, is best calculated to
retard decay and improve the keeping
qualities. Dry sand is one Of the best
articles In which to pack fruit; packed
in this 1t will keep the year round. The
fruit must be sound when stored. and
the sand must be absolutely dry. 1t can
be packed In boxes or barrels. that are
perfectly dry. and after packing must be
kept In . dry place. The chief advan-
tages Of packing In sand are the exclu-
sion. Of air currents. the preservation
from changes Of temperature, and the
absorption Of moiatpre.-E. l. Norris.
IN Blitomist. .iasc:s., ,,,,
The Western news., 1903-12-16
LESSON FROM FORESTS.
Why the Farmer Should Embrace
Every Opportunity to Add HUI.
mus to His Soil.

1t the forest fails to coax a greater
amount Of rain from the clouds, it does
not fail to make good use of what does
fall. The water which reaches the
ground may follow two distinct courses.
Part of it may run away upon the SUR
face, to quickly swell the streams and
produce the spring or autumn freshet
Another part percolates into the SOIL
being held there to be used again by
plants, or, passing downward, supplies
the underground now of springs and
streams. he n, nate amount of
these two factors is OF the highest i'm
portance to the welfare of the farmer
and of the adjacent communities This
proportion is determined by the to-
Biography of the region, the nature of
the underlying rock, the character of
the soil and of its surface covering.
OF these only the surface conditions
are within the control of man. No
better surface conditions for inducing
underground flow are to be found any
where than those which the forest floor
presents. Its regularity, its hollows
and hillocks, its mulch of leaves and
its coating of moss, the loose, granu-
lar condition of the soil beneath. and
the large admiXture of humus near the
surface, all tend to hold back the rain
and afford it an easy entrance into the
soil. 1t may be said in passing that
this large admixtura of humus is one
OF the most important factors in rem
dering virgin soil SO productive 1t not
only permits water to penetrate the soil
more readily, but it also enables more
water to be held. 1t furnishes the
mechanical condition best adapted to
plant growth and least favorable to
hardening or baking. The farmer NAV
well take lesson from the forest. and
embrace every opportunity to add hum
US to his soil.-Rhode Island Station Re-
port
The Western news., 1903-12-16
ALL-AROUND LOG SHED.
1t IL of the SnapdraEOn Pattern
Which Has Been Long in Use
in Lumber Camps.

I have been getting out some lumber.
and as there was little snow l have
used the sled shown herewith. 1t is
called a snapdragon and is such as is
used in the lumber camp. 1t can be
used with or without snow. l took
two yellow birch stumps about six inches
through and three feet long for run
ners. The two hunks were about the
same size and two feet eight inches
long. The forward bunk is put on with
one bolt in each end, SO it can have q
good chance to work.
For the middle bunk put two two
The Western news., 1903-12-16
FARMER WAS NO FOOL.
He Preached q New Kind of Recl-
procity to the Reporter Who
Came to Interview Him,

A Washington correspondent of one
OF the great dailies, feeling "all run
down" as result of vain attempts to
manufacture news about Prof. Lang
ley's "buzzard" recently concluded to
go back into the rural districts of
Maryland to recuperate. After few
days of rest, his journalistic instinct
reasserted itself. and he decided it
would be an amusing experience to go
out and interview some of the farmers.
Securing pad he started up the road
sharpening his pencil and whistling
one of Sousa's latest marches. Before
long ne saw a farmer cutting corn in
a field alongside of the road. Climb
ing the rail fence. he hailed the farm
The Western news., 1903-12-16
Ground Feed for Cows.

While there is considerable differ
ence of opinion as to the advisability
of grinding grain for some farm ami
mails. it is generally conceded that it
pays to grind for the dairy herd. A
COW giving large flow of milk needs
all her energy to secrete the milk and
to digest the large amount of feed
which must be used for that purpose
1t is for this reason important to make
the process of digestion as easy and
rapid as possible. A good grinder
with suitable power to run it, should
be part of the equipment of every well
conducted dairy farm.-C. H. Eekles,
Missouri Experiment Station.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
ROAD MAKING HINT.
How to Use Rough Material, Such a.
Large Field stones, to Reason
able Advantage.

The only way to use rough material,
as large as field stone, in road grading is
to make long, continuous causeways in
the bottom of the grade. bringing or fill
ing the stone foundation up to a uni
form level on top by placing the large
stone on the outside in straight line
for protection to hold the stone grade,
then the next size in the bottom of
holes and low places, using all of the
small ones on top. leveling up to an
average depth of about one foot thick
and ten feet wide. writes A. ]. Sager, in
the Climax tMieh.) Cereal. The OBJ
ject in asserting and placing the stone
with the small ones on top is to give
the grade a uniform, even surface to
drive over with stone and dirt while
building
When the grade is new the earth
cover will cut through to the small
stone on top. causing a uniform, even
rut to be formed, carrying the load
until repairs are made the next year.
whereas. if the stone is dumped into
the bottom and top of the grade hap
hazard the surface will be uneven. the
sides irregular and the road impossible
while new for heavy loads during the
wet season. Again. if the small stones
are placed on top of the stone grade
they will keep the earth cover from
settling into the voids between the
large stones in the bottom, thus form
ing good. practical drainage for the
earth cover before any bitches are made
| for the new road grade.
The earth cover for the stone grade
should be hauled from the banks of
high land, using gravel mixed with a
little clay or clay hardpan not using
the black loan, sods or other rough sur
face material at hand. because it is more
convenient. The same care should be
used In selecting the material to cover
the center Of a permanent stone cause
way. as in permanent earth road con-
struction.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
Rings Tell q Rams Are.

When a rams constitution has been
undermined by the rutting season, the
horns cease to grow. nor do they be-
gin again until the spring of the year.
when its green vegetation brings nour-
ishing food, and this is the cause of
the rings. which. therefore. indicate
the number of winters old q sheep is.
This was my head mans theory. and
is. believe. a correct one. for in the
smaller heads which have examined
these rings coincide with the age Of
the sheep. as told BY the teeth. Up
to five years the age Of q sheep can Al
ways be determined by the teeth: 4
yearling has but two teeth. two-year-
old four teeth. three-year-old six
teeth, and . four-year-old or over
eight teeth, or full set-N. 7. Trib-
01os .sS.,.
The Western news., 1903-12-16

Attach trouahs, A; foot below trouehs
make shelf, D, on which place lis or
jars h0idiao milk. Let cloths that read
lily absoio W..ter be wrapped aEc,lt the
vessel contat~ing the milk Tha enc of
the cloths carried up and placed in The
trouohs If the troughs are lepl full OF
water the evaporation Of water from
the cloths will keep the milk cool. This
should be protected from sun.-Will
Johnson, in Epitomist.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
FOR DRAWING LOGS IN WOODS.

inch holes through each runner, then
took small. round birch of the size
wanted, heated it hot in fire, and
bent it in the shape needed to put over
the middle bunk and the two ends down
through the runner, then wedged them
solidly, but so there would be plenty of
play. The nose of the runners must be
made SO they will not catch on every
rock or stump. This can be done by
putting the forward bunk at the very
end of the runner. The chain is put
on the log with half hitch and drawn
through hole through both hunks.
Birch is the best wood, as it wears the
smoothest on frozen ground.-Farm
and Home.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
when Horses Are Eootsore,

When the feet of horses become sore
from travelling on rough, dry roads. the
quickest way to relieve and cure them
is to place layer Of soft leather or felt
between the sole of the foot and the
shoe. Soft. strong calfskin is prefer.
able. Place it fiat upon the floor, then
put the shoe upon It upside down and
cut with q sharp knife a piece as large
as the shoe. Put this between the shoe
and the hoof before mailing on shoe. II
will protect the frog and sole of foot un.
til soreness is gone.-Lewis O. Folio, in
Orange Judd Farmer.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
TO KEEP MILK COOL.
An Idea from Texas That Can BE Used
to Good Advantage in Other
Sections.

This is a plan whereby milk may be
kept cool. Make two troughs A, feet
long. Place two foot posts, B. in the
ground or on floor ! foot apart, and op-
posite and on a parallel line ~ feet
away let two other posts, c, be placed.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
HANDY BARREL CARRIER.
Simple Device Which Can BE Mad>
in n Few Minutes and at
No Expense.

Y. la visiting in city, noticed the
ash D lactors use simple device,
which we farmers might make and often
l.. .ardy. as, from the inclemencies OF
Me5,. = barrels become dried, weak and
viii ,J. stand rough handling. The
made of six pieces of wood;
- .a,es are about two feet long. and
To-. .HG.:ss in thickness and width.
I.s~a IS may be whitfield on one end OF
c. About ten inches from the other
end, boards about two feet long and
The Western news., 1903-12-16
Calves in Stalk Fields.

Every autumn brings fresh round
of complaint from farmers losing
calves which are allowed to run in the
stalk fields. Really. such young stock
as calves but recently weaned should
not be compelled to make their living
in this way, for they must eat so much
of such low-grade feed that their weak
digestion is unequal to the task: The
large amount Of stuff then dries in
the stomach, produces Inflammation
and murrain. However. plenty Of salt
and fresh water will 60 long way
toward remedying this evil.-D. B.
Thomas, in Farm and Home. r>>
The Western news., 1903-12-16
best Temperature for Apples.

Ue~e TUT ApQIeDs
Experiments have proved that lower
temperature than at first used by COM
mercial houses Is the more desirable for
apples. The temperature most satisfac-
tory is SO degrees and In our experiment
was the temperature we tried to keep.
Lowering the temperature does not
stop all changes going on in the apple.
but simply delays them. Fruit cannon
be kept indefinitely at 80 degrees freez.
ing. without any changes. There are
chemical changes going on which result
in what We call oyerripeness. mealiness.
and loss Of favor. This change is inde-
pendent Of decay and is hindered by low
temperature and hastened by high
Iowa Experiment Station.
The Western news., 1903-12-16
WAGON BOX CRATE.

set upon the wagon bed in an instant.
and will be found most useful in NOV
ing calves, sheep, pigs or other stock.
1t will fit onto a sled in the same way,
for winter use. 1t is also convenient
when hauling loose material. II this is
long the rear gate can be hinged to let
down, as shown. 1t can also be hinged
to open at the side The stats should be
OF hard wood. three-quarters of an insh
thick.-Farm Journal.