Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-21

no worse than the weather prophet who
presumes to forecast the weather a
year ahead. Two of kind!
The more automobiles there are put
into use the better the demand for good
horses. We are pleased to note this
fact, though we cannot tell why it is.
Where one wants clover for land rem
ovating purposes specially it is best to
sow the Mammoth variety, but the Me-
dunn will give better results where 1t is
wanted for fodder purposes.
We saw the daisy in full bloom down
on the Pennsylvania pastures not long
since and wish to caution the farmers
of the west not to let this pestiferous
weed get foothold on western farms.
We have raised the bush lima bean
for some years with much satisfaction.
The bush variety of this delicious bean
is equally as good and prolific as the
pole variety and not one-half the both
er to care for.
The tomato is much more easily
cared for and will produce a better
quality of fruit If tied to good, stout
stake four or five feet high. 1t cen then
be readily thinned and pruned, some
thing almost indispensable in the pro-
duction Of fine tomatoes.
the writer lives cleaned out seventy
windmills along Its path Of few
miles. Here is where the bull at the
head Of the herd on a tread power or a
gasoline engine has the advantage Of
the wind wheel.
With view to doing away with the
prejudice against white oleomargarine
the manufacturers of the stuff are now
putting out circulars to the effect that
the yellow color in butter or cleo is the
cause of the sallow complexion in so
many women. What next?
A. strike was in progress in a manu-
featuring town, and 500 operatives
were out of4work. About the first man
to realize the economic effect of the
strike was the town milkman, whose
patrons nearly all reduced their milk
orders from two quarts to one pint.
Bermuda grass is to the south what
blue grass is to the north, the natural
all round dependable grass which
creeps and covers the waste places and
affords "a most nutritious ration for
stock! On good land one acre will sup
port one steer and add 200 pounds in
weight to the animal in six months.
We are inclined to the opinion that
stupidity and ignorance have little
better chance on the farm than they do
in any other business or profession
not that these qualities are any help
to the farmer, but instead ever draw
back and hindrance, but that nature
deals more kindly with incompetents
than do employers of such men.
We have two inquiries about the adj
visibility Of fall planting of strawber-
ries. In the north country, where the
winters are long and severe, it is all
wrong to plant this fruit in the fall
There they should be planted in the
spring as soon as the ground is in good
condition. Farther south, where there
Is little or no frost during the winter,
fall planting is all right.
When there is an excessive rainfall
the water finds three ways out-by
running off, by evaporation and by fl
tration through the soil. The first meth
cd Is almost always destructive to soil
and 'crep; the second is slow, and, SO
far as growing crops are concerned, a
ruinous process; the third is the natu-
raj and best way, as the surplus water
is thus stored for future plant use, but
it is often prevented by lack of proper
subsoil drainage. y
A reader of these notes writes us
that he has dead sure cure for hog
cholera. If he has he can wear a plug
hat, own an automobile and a yacht,
endow a college and take summer trips
to Europe just as soon as the farmers
get on to the fact. But, then, he is like
hundred others-hasu't got any sure
cure; only thinks he has. His theory
may seem all right and work in some
cases, but the first thing he knows he
will find it knocked into smithereens,
just as all the rest of the so called cures
have been. Hog cholera is like original
sin-can't be cured.
There is this season a volunteer crop
of winter wheat up in Minnesota which
is a curiosity. A. field Of spring wheat
last year for some reason or other was
NOT 1,arvostad opH tho Foil bojno yar,,