The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-07-08
Renewing tho Strawberry Beds.

Without doubt the digging of new plants
and setting them regularly in the place
they are to grow is the best way of OBJ
tanning the new strawberry bed. True
this requires considerable labor and the
selection of the best runners from the old
bed. If this plan is to be followed the
best plants will be obtained by going over
the old bed as the runners are forming
and keeping the tips e"u off to one or
more new plants SC as to obtain strong
plants for resetting. Another advantage
II this plan is that just the number OF
plants that may be set in a given period
IRE dug so that none are left to dry out
| with plants bought. The other plan of
making the new bearing plantation is a
good one and quite generally followed
especially where the berries are grown on
the matter row plan. The mower Is run
over the field after the crop is gathered
and after raking off the cut plants a
light plow is run through the field and
about one-half or more of the old plants
cut out. leaving the new rows which Will
be about a foot apart composed of the
new plants. Care is required in this work.
but the results will be profitable provided
the new plants formed are strong.
What About the Manure?
Space has been given in this depart
ment on a number of occasions in the eff
fort to point out to farmers how greatly
they are cutting down the possible. profits
Of the farm by carelessness in the nam
ding OF the manure supply. Many farm
ers have learned the lesson, but so many
more are still working along old lines that
the subject is worth discussing as often as
space will permit. There Is more or less
controversy over the value of spreading
manure on the fields as rapidly as made
and while there are conditions under
which this might not be the better plan.
there is absolutely no question of its value
II the alternative is to permit the manure
to lie IN heaps In the barn yard and heat.
II one has a proper pit in which to store
manure. a pit with a cement or other bot
torn that will hold the liquid portion and
Will keep the manure properly turned so
that 1t will not fire-fang. then 1t may be
Kept In such a place until fall. otherwise
the sooner it is spread over the fields the
quicker the soil will get Its virtue and
be in condition to take care of the crop
which Is put on in the fall.
Pasture for Lambs.
After the lambs are weaned and sepa-
rated entirely from the ewes the pasture
for. them should be carefully selected and
should be young pasture. preferably one
of rape or clover. The grain allowance
should be but slightly more than they
had before they were weaned, say about
a pound of oats daily: % mot give them
corn. To complete the ration see that
they are we'll fed on turnips or other sue
culent food. The grain allowance as spec
iaed may seem small to feeders, but ex-
perience Of sheepmen has shown that ex-
cessive granting seriously reduces the ca
pacity OF the lambs stomach for all time.
I am a great believer in root for lambs
and sheep. as we'll as for all other farm
stock not excepting the horses. and do not
think I could properly raise stock unless
Al RraW a p0nd G1rn1v Nf tyrrnfru r,,t1-
bagas and mangle wurzels as well as cab
bage and carrots for this purpose. An
other feature In the summer care Of lambs
which should not be neglected is the pro-
vtding Of some shelter where they may be
quickly taken in case of q storm. The
barn is the best place and I am careful
to have q section Of 1t kept clean n we'll
filled with clean. dry straw so that the
lambs may be perfectly comfortable no
matter what the weather.
Agricultural Lime.
1t is not within the province OF this de-
partment to advertise gratis any article
used by farmers except in a general way,
but part of our work consists Of advising
farmers of any good thing on the market
which will be valuable to them. During
the past three years the several state ex-
pertinent Stations. and individual work
ers as we'll, nave experimental with the
commercial product known as agricultural
lime and found 1t more or less valuable.
While the writer believes that the old
time methods of lining are best where
lime can be mad at a fair price, it is adj
vised that those who are way from lime
kilns try the agricultural lime, but doing
30 only in a small way and watching re-
suits. on some soils under some condi-
tons this agricultural lime gives splendid
results. On other soils 1T is not of suffl-
cient value to warrant its use. hence the
advice to experiment for yourself and as
certain Its value on your own farm.
Poultry and Small Fruits.
The writer has been much interested in
q fruit and poultry farm which he has
visited yearly for the past five years and
the results obtained on this farm have
been such that they are worth attention
here. The owner was over 60 years old
when he took up this work. He had been
a farmer all his life and had raised both
fruit and poultry to q limited extent. AS
he grew older the sons left the farm and
1t BECAME too much Of a burden. He sold
1t and bought ten acres on the outskirts OF
a city of 5000 people. At the end Of the
first year from chicks raised and owls
h0,1u1,t ha had ,ira{,.- fo,,r Il ,,i~- lo,e