Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-10

1t is n compliment to American agri-
culture that the province of Western
Australia is seeking American experts
to show it how best to open up new
tracts of agricultural land in that
country.
The burning of a straw pile on u
farm is a pretty good sign that there is
a mortgage on the land. If there was
less straw produced or more stock kept
to convert it into fertilizer, there would
be fewer mortgages.
The value of a good name in business
is moderated by too many men. 1t is
worth. from a financial point alone. a
good deal to be known as a thoroughly
honest and dependable man-one who
always keeps his word, who puts good
apples inrthe middle of the barrel, me
who will always try to give value re-
ceived and honest, liberal measure.
Parasitic insects are the bane of the
poultry raiser, especially the red mites.
These pests are the product of dirt and
filth. No better preventive can be found
than scrupulous cleanliness and the fire.
quent busting of floors. walls. perches
and nests with a mixture of three parts
of air slakedI lime and n part of pow
dered sulphur. One of these d~ustSspray-
ing machines is the best tool to do it
with.
a flock of tame pigeons is in a way
a pretty sight around a farm home
stead, but we thin. they are more of a
nuisance than anything else. Recently
it has been pretty clearly demonstrated
that they may not only be a nuisance
in befouling the buildings. but a dan
gerous medium for the transmission Of
animal disease from one farm to an
other, a recent outbreak Of hog cholera
being almost certainly traced to the
passing Of these birds from one feed
yard to another.
The courts have decided that if you
listen to a conversation between your
neighbors on a party telephone line
and overhear n Of them say that you
are an old fool or a dishonest man you
have no redress in law, because you
have no right to play ea~vesdropper. In
order to insure peace and good feeling
in a community using q telephone line
in common there are a good many
things which may be true and which
one may think which it is not best to
send over the wire.
Every improvement made upon the
railroads Of thescountry, whether in the
shape of Strengthening the line, lower
ing the grades, using heavier engines.
cars and rails. in the end reacts to the
benefit Of the producer whose COM
modities are shipped over the roads.
That road which can most cheaply haul
a ton Of freight invariably fixes in the
long run the rate at which such prod
uee shaM be hauled. perhaps not all at
once. but the ability to do the work for
the least money as surely determines
this question of freights as the ability
to sell a given commodity for the least
money Axes its value in the markets.
Time was, when the country was new
that when a man found a bee tree he
was allowed to claim it. cut the tree
down and take the honey. 1t is not SO
now. Recently two men who entered
into a neighbours timber lot and cut
down a bee tree, carrying off 125
pounds of honey, were arrested for
trespass and also sued for the value of
the tree and the honey. On the trial
OF the case they set up the defense that
the honey was theirs by right of dis,
covery. The court did not see it that
way, and they had to pay 81 for com
hitting the trespass. S. for cutting
down the tree, $50 for the honey and
the costs in the case.
Men very naturally seek the smooth
prairie out of which to make a farm in
preference to land covered with brush
and trees, for the reason that prairie
land can be more readily subdued.. But
the brush farm has something in lis
favor. In the first place, such land
can usually be obtained at a low price
Then much Of the timber land is a bet
ter and stronger soil than any prairie
The use of the ak, the brush scythe and
grass seed, stocking the land with al
the animals it will carry. preferably
sheep rather than neat cattle, and in
side of six years the land is practically
free to plow. Young men with small
means should look after these brush
farms.
We have a friend who has filled s
$50 ton silo this fall, the contents OF
which will form an important part OF
the winter ration for his stock. Il
required the product Of about twelve
acres of corn. which were good for for
fy-five bushels an acre, to fill the siio
This silo contains 1900 rations of forty
pounds each, forty pounds being abou'
the limit for a days ration for a ma
tured animal. None of the silage will
be wasted. al will be eaten up clean
The cows. calves. sheep and steers vii
have 1t for a daily ration, while th'
brood sews, the horses and the chick
! ems will all relish II occasionally I,