davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Western news., 1903-10-14
FIG
PECULIAR SOIL CONDITIONS.

PECULIAR SOIL CONDITIONS
pores Of the soil to some natural outlet
without causing any undue accumula-
tion at any point. Another condition
requiring the application of an artificial
outlet is where a fine clay soil is over
laid by more porous one as in Fig. l..
The water passing mere readily through
the upper soil will, in seeking its level,
be carried into the finer soil much fast
er than it can get away. To produce
this condition there need not be a very
greet difference in the porosity of the
two soils, neither is it essential that
the lower soil be an extremely fine
grained one. It is simply a problem
of trying to force the stream from a
large pipe into a smaller one. Such a
condition may occur where the slope is
steep, or where it is very gradual The
result may vary from a slight interfer-
ence with cultivation in very wet times
to constant boegy condition of por-
tion of the more i'm m"or"ious soil area.
Still another cOrditiCn that can be
relieved only by artificial means is where
stratum of sand crops out at some
place on slope as in Fig. g The char
acter Of the soil overlyinc the layer of
sand is immaterial Whether closed
or onen, II will drain into the sand.
which, being so very open. allows the
water to flow readily to the nearest out
ct. If the sand is coarse enough, the
volume Of water carried large enough.
and the outlet is confined to one point.
flowing spring is the result Other
wise more or less wet condition ex-
lists or the slope below the outcrop, as at
a. This condition is likely to extend
for lor" distance in horizontal line
around the stope. This water NAV be
concentrated into running sprjre and
the wet condition of the hillside rem
edled by running line of tile along the
outcron OF the same stratum. very
common error in attemrtirg to drain
such wet place on hillside is to place
the tile too far down the slope, as at a.
where here is perhaps the most water in
the surface soil It will be readily seen
from tho f@nre that with such an ar
rangem'Nt the soil between the tile and
the sand LAYERS would still he wet as the
water would hp -~~-. thtrouob If to
reach the tile The proper place for the
line of tile is along the bottom Of tho
sand stratum Cat b) to catch the water
before it enters the surface soil of the
lower slOpe.--Prairie Farmer.
The Western news., 1903-10-14
PRETTY FARM HOMES.
Ihey Suggest Happy Birds Nest and
Speaks of Contentment and
Refinement.

l wish | could more forcibly i'm.
press on the mind of the farmer the
value OF attractive surroundings. Ey.
cry farm home should be attractive.
1t is not necessary to have a fine
mouse or fancy cottage, or expensive
lawn fence To make the farm home pret-
tv. 10 be sure. a neat fence. a few or.
namentS on the house and the freq
use OF paint help nightly, but the
chleI attractions can be made of trees
ana SHRUBS. A shady lawn and a
shady driveway are always attractive
groups oi tees shrubs or flowers ney.
er fail to charm. The lawn NAV not be
kept perfectly smooth, all the trees
may not be cleanly pruned, vet the
home place ornamented with them
does not fail to convey the impression
that peace and contentment dwell
there. As lady from the city said
"A pretty farm house suggests a hap-
py birds nest. We do not notice tho
dwelling SO much as we do the sur.
roundings. If the surroundings are
pretty we know the interior of the
house is all right and that it is the
ABODE OF love and contentment and all
tnat makes life worth living We look
10 the city for fine mansions, but to
the country for pretty homes. Home
and Fireside.
The Western news., 1903-10-14
GRINDING MADE EASY.
Alta hments Which Rob the Work of
Sharpening Tools of Its Old
Time TerrOrs.

The kind-hearted mother who stipu-
lated that her fond son should be in
h&ying season be allowed to daily
turn the Srindstone an hour to rest"
has passed from this worlds troubous
scenes and | now provide for her great
grandson.
1t is much more comfortable and a
much better edge can be given to an
implement if one can sit on the grind
stone frame and see the edge as it be-
gins to turn.
In the cut. b, is seat, the upright
board enabling one to get very near
to his work without becoming wet. The
height of the frame should be sufficient
for the tallest person. The foot treadle
can be adjusted to suit short per-
son by changing the bolt on leg and
The Western news., 1903-10-14
HOW TO HANDLE Hogs.
Much of the Farmers Success IL Duo
to Proper Driving and Load
dng in Summer.

In hot weather fat hog cannot make
vantage of the cool evenings and morn
ings for driving. The one who has a
drove of such to drive say four or five
miles to load will find it to his interest
to drive them nearly half the distance
the evening before, even if he is put to
the trouble of hauling their feed. The
killing of one hog will lose you more
money than the worth of several days
work, and it is the fattest ones, usually,
that die in this way. Then there is q
great advantage in getting to the pens
in time to let the hogs rest and cool be-
fore loading. 1t is dangerous to dash
water on very hot hog, better pour it
on the ground around and under it. AL
low access to pool or pond often, SO
that they can wallow and cool them
selves. A fat hog cannot live long in
the boiling sun without water or shade
even where it has had no exercise. An
acquaintance penned his hogs at $50
In the morning to prevent roofing. At
II o'clock, when he went back, six were
dead and the rest were painting SO loud
they were almost barking. A man can
not be too careful about fat hogs, for
they are very easily killed by overhead
and eXertiOn. Do not oyerGo the busi-
ness by starting them off too brisk.
thereby breaking them down on the
start. like to load when the hogs are
at their usual temperature. The car
ShnnlH hn g
company has not done this it will pay
you to do it. Sawdust makes the best
bedding. Where this cannot be had
handy, dirt and sod makes a good SUBJ
stltute. 1t would be we'll to thoroughly
soak this bedding with water. for with
this to keep them cool they oughts to
ride comfortably. When my hogs have
long distance to ride in hot weather I
nave the railroad company water them
by running the car back and forth un-
der water tank. This not only cools
the hogs but the car and bedding. They
then have cool bedding to lie on the
rest of the way. learned from an ex-
perienced shipper how to load proper
ly. Most people load by packing the
hogs in by piece meal, which takes
much more time and causes more worry
to the hogs than is necessary. But this
man loaded by driving the whole drove
IN one continuous stream and with a
grand rush. In this way the shy ones
are forced along whether or no. Sim
ply one straight drive, little worry lit
tie time The same principle applies
equally well to mules. cattle or sheep.
The Western news., 1903-10-14
BAD FLAVORS IN EGGS.
They Are Caused by the Food the
Hens Eat and Change of Ra-
tiOn Cures the Evil,

Farmers have known for years that
when onions were fed to hens they i'm
parted their flavor to the eggs. Now, an
experiment station has very carefully
proved it by thorough trial, but they
claim that it required some Is GAYS be-
.0re they cOald detect the flavor. Their
onions or garlic must have been very
mild llaS OrtG, or the hens were not very
hungry for them. When we learned it
by experience, throwing some parely de-
cayed onions into the henyaro, it took
but day or two to detect the flavor in
the egg, and in a week the egg had a
stronger flavor than raw onion, SAYS
the American CultiEator. But then we
lad not learned to sive the hens green
iocd during the winter, only as we had
1t from the table waste, which was not
large amount, just cabbage leaves, par
ings Of roots and such material from a
small family. 1t does not take week
to give tishy flavor to eggs if hens are
fed freely on fish when hungry for ami
NAL food, and it is manifest all the
sooner if the fish is little stale, and de-
>'SE iAS i-iNe', lAoL D CCl SIOuSu IOI IdUlG
use, will flavor eggs just as quickly as
1t does milk when fed to COWS, and we
only wonder that the experiment sta
tion should have thought it was neces-
sary to prove it. Now, they only need
another experiment to prove what 9TH
ers have proved long ago, that decay
ing meat or fish, if fed to hens in suffl-
clent quantity, will cause rapid decay
Of eggs, or of the flesh Of the fowl if
they are slaughtered within from one
to three days after it has been fed. And
yet the fowl while alive may seem none
the worse for it, and perhaps be none
the worse for it a week later if its use
is discontinued, as the bacteria that
cause rapid decay cannot work in the
living body, and will perish there in
about a week in healthy animal. This
is our reason for objecting to the raw
cut bone and meat, so much advocated
now. If fresh it is all right except in the
point of cost. but decay has usually be-
gun in it before the poultry keeper can
buy it, or he will buy enough to last
several days, and it has had time to
acquire bad odor and flavor and the
germs of decay,
The Western news., 1903-10-14
BREAK UP THE CRUST.
In Working the Soil Most Farmers
Too Often Forget the Great
Law of CapiIlarity.

When rain falls on heavy soils, the
water penetrates it only slowly, as
the spaces between the soil particles
sun and the wind begin their work,
and the evaporation from the soil
causes it to form a crust. This crust,
Whie preventing the air from reaching
the roots of the plants, serves as a
medium through which the water in
the soil may the more readily pass
OF, without going through the plants.
standstill in their growth. The wa
ter must not be permitted to pass out
OF the soil except through the plants,
ii we are able to prevent it, and we can
to large extent prevent this by break
ing up the crusts as soon as they form.
This generally occurs after heavy rain.
The heavier the rain the firmer the crust
is likely to be.
We too often forget the great law
Of capiliarity that is working in our
soils. Those who have not given at
tention to this matter imagine that
plants drink water in bulk This is
not true, at least for any length Of
time. When there is a Cown-Eour a
plant may take up water, if it be
thirsty for it. but it is probable that it
ta'es up water only in certain pro-
DGrtiOn to its food 1t cannot gorge
It's cells with water minus food Most
OF the water it takes is drawn uD from
the lower portinrs of the soil by
capillary attraction, and the film
of water is surrounded by q laroer bulk
of air and by these two the plant
food in the soil is made Available for
the plant. Now, the hard-packed soil
is soil with great power of drawing
up water. Some one has described
the sun ard the wind as the pun2os of
the Lord to draw moisture ont of the
"7rth. The saying is largely true.
But these pumps should be made by
man to draw moisture out of the
leaves of our plants, that growth may
be accelerated.-Far Review.
The Western news., 1903-10-14
How Stock HELMS Iand

An instance was related to me the
other day OF the value Of stock RAISING
and its incidental clover rotation in
building up the productive CAPACITY of
the land. Before the perfection Of the
Chicago cold storage beef industry large
herds OF cattle were driven to the Wash
ington market from northern Virginia
farms. These farms were then models
OF fertility. The rotation was wheat
corn and clover. and little If any com.
mercial fertilizer was used. The beef
produced was of the finest. When Chi
cago beef began to be shipped every.
where these farmers did not find It so
profitable to raise steers and drive them
to Washington. They dropped off their
live stock growing, and In a few years
had to begin the use of commercial fer
tilizer. These farm lands have since
steadily decreased in productive ca
pacity. until now most Of them are
worn out and will not produce u BUSH
els OF wheat to the observation-disclosures
Correspondence : --ican Cultivation
The Western news., 1903-10-14
POULTRY YARD NOTES.

A day of neglect in the poultry
yard often leads to month of care.
Remember that filth and lice cause
about all the diseases poultry is afflicted
with.
Get ready for the show season and
let the other fellows see what kind of a
breeder you are.
Early maturity is what makes winter
laying pullets. Force the pullets along
as rapidly as possible.
Lawn clippings stored where thew
will dry in the shade are an excellent
substitute for vegetables in the winter
If you have milk do not be afraid of
giving the hens too much of it. Butter
milk or sour milk are as good as sweet
Hens like to scratch for their feed
but ii they must scratch for all they get
they will not have much time for law
ing
Some people prefer to keep flocks OF
mixed blood. They talk nicely about
their flocks, but they will learn better
later.
The time to Cure disease is lust be.
fore it appears. This can be done nv
using plenty of that best of medicine
prevention.-Commer Poultry
The Western news., 1903-10-14

piston rod. A strip of bent iron will
keep the treadle in position.
An old lead keg, with a faucet, hung
over the stone, will regulate the water
supply better than trough placed un-
der the stone. GrinGstones, too, be-
come soft and uneven by standing in
water. The gum or dirt adhering to a
stone can be removed by grinding a
soft brick or placing fine sand on the
wet stone A ten-inch board should be
suspended by wire so as to prevent the
operators pants and shoes from becom-
ing wet. It the grindstone has become
small. raise it by putting piece of joist
between the frame and the mounting
G. r. Drake, in Farm and Home.
The Western news., 1903-10-14
SYSTEMATIC SELECTION.
The Only Way in Which the Useful
ness of Poultry Can he Increased
with Certainty.

Everyone would like to have the ideal
hen that begins laying in November,
keeps it up all winter. and raises a flock
OF nice plump cockerels and good laying
pullets in the summer when eggs are
cheap. To secure such class of poul-
try, we would say get some pure-bred
foundation stock and then select for the
desired end. Selection is the ground
work Of Improvement, not only in poul-
try, but also in all farm stock. Decern-
Der laying strains do not come by
chance. To get this trait, the pullets
are Matched early, fed well, and when
there is marked tendency shown by
a few individuals to get down to earn
est work, the eggs of these few are used
the following year for Matching, and so
the work for improvement goes on. The
same course is followed in producing
table fowl. Everyone can practice this
Improvement if the trouble is taken.
and when the work is undertaken intel
ligently and with determination the
trouble is considerably decreased. The
lean, long-legged hen, and the over-fat,
idle individual, should go to the kitchen
early in their eXistence; then when
spring comes and the time for hatch
ing begins, the eggs from the most c.
sirable types need only be used. This
systematic selection is the only way in
which we can increase the usefulness
OF our poultry and the profits of poul-
try-raising.-Commercial Poultry.
The Western news., 1903-10-14
burning Straw Is n Waste.

1t would almost seem impossible
that there are still to be found farm.
srs in the central west who adopt the
practice of burning the straw. 1t is
not surprising that this plan of get
ting rid of the straw was practiced in
the early days, for the reason that
soils in this belt were highly charged
with vegetable matter. and indeed
were In no sense improved by the ap-
plication of humus. But the cropping
of soils for period of thirty or forty
years works decided change in the
methods that are to be employed in
their cultivation. The time has cer-
tainly arrived in the central west
when it will not pay to burn straw
Midland Farmer.
The Western news., 1903-10-14


seeming resemblance is not so appar-
ent.
The black-neclled Valaisan of of me-
dium size, her height at the withers
being 70 or 80 centimeters. She attains
her full maturity only at the age of
four or five years. The weight of male
at that age, however, is then consider
ably above the average. Both the male
and female animal carry a dense cover
ing of hair. which enables them to re-
slst the cold admirably. The hair on the
back OF full-srown buck grows to the
length OF G6 centimeters, and a large
tuft falls down over forehead and eyes.
The beard is exceptionally long and
strong, reaching often down to the
claws. The goat is compact and well
built; her head is short, forehead and
mouth are broad, her ears light, her eyes
lively and intelligent. In the buck they
even seem to suggest certain degree of
pride.
The loins are broad, back straight.
the Group gently sloping and we'll de-
veloped, while the thighs are very mus
cular and the position of the legs good.
The neck is short and we'll coupled with
the shoulders. The udders are of me-
dunn size, but we'll built and provided
with even teats.
Created for life in the high Alps, this
breed is indisputably one of the strong
est and healthiest, on which account it's
great power of endurance has won it the
name of glacier goat" They will go
a distance of several leagues to seek
heir food and return in the evening to
their stables, but ordinarily they spend
their nights in the free air.
The Western news., 1903-10-14
Whole or Ground Corn.

At the West Virginia station hogs fed
four weeks on ground corn gained about
2S per cent. more than similar hogs fed
on whole corn. 1t is explained that the
hogs had been previously getting ground
corn, and the change to whole corn was
not relished. The results of l2 exper-
tments at eight different stations along
this line show an average of sos pounds
OF whole corn. or 472s pounds of ground
corn for 100 pounds Of gain-that is. it re-
quired about six per cent. less ground
corn to make pound of gain than whole
corn. 1t is generally concluded from
these experiments that Unless a farmer
Is located near mill it will not pay
to have the corn ground. the extra cost
OF grinding more than counterbalancine
the extra feed value Of the corn.
The Western news., 1903-10-14
Alfalfa as Honey Plant.

Alfalfa is the greatest honey plant
known to modern agriculture. says F.
d. Coburn. 1t is superior to any white
clover, sweet clover or buckwheat, and
under favorable conditions gives a
honey flow from June till October. The
farmers in the alfalfa growing dis
tricts are only beginning to appreciate
their opportunities for honey produc-
tion. There were 57,722 stands of bees
in Kansas in 1903. The average honey
product per stand was given as a little
over 13 pounds for the whole state.
Eighteen eastern counties, where al
falfa is scarcely known, produces only
76 pounds of honey per stand. These 1S
counties contained about 80 per cent.
of the bees of the state, 21 ,9OS stands.
and produced only % per cent. of the
honey,
The Western news., 1903-10-14
FARMkE:,n,;;;;I,!&lld
E::;:=: Ez.- AND u
OZggkR2gSiEH{iDEM
NOTES ON DRAINAGE.
What Must BE Done in Places Where
Artificial Underdrafnage IL
+. Necessary.

There are different conditions Of soil
where insufficient natural underdrain-
age is likely to result on land having a
god slope to its surface. One is where
the soil is very fine clay with pores so
small that water can pass through them
but slowly. In removing the surplus wa
ter from such soils the natural pores are
capable only of acting as laterals for a
short distance. Artificial outlets or chan
rels must be supplied at frequent inter-
walls, into which they may empty. On
similar slopes where the soil is more
porous, the same amount of surplus wa
ter might be able to pass on through the
The Western news., 1903-10-14
CAUSE OF LUMPY law.
Disease Always IL Due to a Pofsonous
Fungus That Occurs Upon
Pasture Vegetation.

Lumpy jaw more often affects cattle
than other animals It is due to a fun.
gus sometimes called the ray fungus
OF actlnomycosis The fungus occurs
upon grass and other vegetation and
1t is only when it becomes introduced
into the tissues that it causes trouble.
The disease comes from eating outsids
sources and is not contagious in the
usual sense of the word. Several ami.
mails may become affected while on
the same pasture, but this is due to
all pelng exposed alike. Some years
the number of cases is greater than
others, owing to the greater develop
ment of this fungus. The disease af
1ects the jaw more than other parts
due to the fact that the tissues arc
sometimes broken in the act of chew.
ing, and thus permitting infection.
Any part of the body may be attacked
The disease is comparatively easy to
treat. A drachm of iodide of potash
Is given twice day for two weeks or
~ days. For cattle weighing 1900
pounds or more the dose is somewhat
increased and lessened for calves. If
pus be present in the lump it should
be let out by incision. In few re.
Iractory cases a second period of
treatment may be required after rest
Ing for ten days. About 80 per cent.
OF recoveries may be expected. Affect.
cd animals should be kept away from
the healthy and off the pasture and
field. In the case of milch cows the
milk should not be used. The state
does not pay for such when it is found
necessary to destroy them.-Midland
Farmer.
The Western news., 1903-10-14
Essentials in Hen Food,.

There is no single food which is per-
feet, or which contains all the desirable
elements necessary for production, for
which reason corn as an exclusive diet
will not give satisfactory results. There
is but little lime in wheat and corn, and
as lime is essential in the production of
bone 1t is evident that young chicks will
make but little growth when the larger
portion of their food consists Of corn
and corn meal. If clover, either green
or cured. or skim milk is fed with corn,
more benefit will be derived from the
combination than from the grain only.
Animal food should also be allowed
Farm and Fireside. ..,..s..;u
The Western news., 1903-10-14
The sheep as a Ciyilixer.

speaker at recent local grow.
ers' meeting eulogized the little ami.
NAL with the ge.den hoof in the fol.
lowing interesting strain: "Sheep are
always the advance Guard to attack
new and undevelopci territory. Tho
first sheep and the fist negro slaves
that placed foot on vat is now the
United States of Ame-lca were landed
from the same fleet ST, Augustine
September s. 1865, 80 years ago
From that day to the sheen haa
been the most univ i live agent OF
the settlers In sub the country
and maintaining il 1roductiyeness:
and whenever the ave neglected
them sterility exist IS a monument
to their folly"
The Western news., 1903-10-14
CARE OF Cobb HONEY.
AZ must BE Handled Carefully to In
sure . Profit and Establish
Reputation.

AS soon as the comb honey is sealed,
remove it from the hive, scrape all
sections clean of propolis then put it
directly into shipping cases and close
tlsht. Keep it in a warm room till
tlme TO sell, never allowing it to freeze,
as freezing it cracks the comb, says The
Farmer, and when warmed again it be-
gins to leak out, making a nasty, dauby
mess
Be sure your shipping case is tight so
that ants, millers, or flies cannot get
IN. do not put honey in a cellar, as
the dampness busts the cappings, the
honey grows thin, loses it's flavor and
leaks out, while If stored in dry room
it will improve and thicken.
Never pack two colors of honey to-
gether or mix it in the shipping cases.
Keep the white honey by itself for a
better price.
Be very careful not to pack any Sec
tion of honey having a single cell of
pollen in it, for it surely will have an
egg from moth miller in it, which will
hatch out big ugly worm to spoil the
honey.
If you haven't shipping c~scs ready to
pack the honey in as sccn as ta,;cn off
the hives then store it il tie suycrs in
dry, warm room, tierirg them up as
high as you can reach. After two
weeks fumigate with sulphur to kill
any moth worms that may be Matching.
Also repeat the fuE,t once in two
weeks till cold weather.
Ship all honey to market before
freezing weather il nQSsihle