The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-03-04

. E>2a2H'
who have tried it and is decidedly against
the use of alfalfa in the orchard. Two
things about alfalfa should be remenl-
bered. First, 1t roots deeply and hence
its roots would be likely to rob the soil
Of fertility needed by the trees. Second.
as the roots would not afford any food
for the tree until plowed under. the deep
blowing would of necessity injure the tree
roots. Try alfalfa by all means, but try
1t in the open field. preparing the seed
bed early and thoroughly and sowing
eight quarts of seed per acre. Sometimes
a nurse crop Is grown with 1t, usually
timothy, and when this is done the seed
ing of timothy should be light. not more
than one and one-half or two quarts to
the acre. The growth may be light the
first year, but it will improve.
Feeding Swine for Flavor.
Swine growers admit that there is " de-
mand on the part of consumers for hogs
of the best flavor and one of these farm
ers writes to this department asking IL
there is anything In It." There is some
thing In it In more ways than one. 1t is
presumed that our correspondent wishes
to know If consumers nave made such IA
demand and, If they have, he doubtless
wonders why. Simply because the con-
sumer is becoming educated to tastes. He
has found that certain growers have
learned how to feed for quality just an
they have learned how to set the best
varieties Of apple trees that will produce
quality. More and more each year is
quality becoming the demand on the part
Of the consumer. Civ him the choice OF
quality or quantity and he will take quail
ity nine times out of ten. The rations,
which consist of milk, sweet skim milk,
good corn and cornmeal, bran, oil meal
and enough root crops to keep the digest
i've organs in good shape will impart a
flavor to the meat which will cause 1t to
be In constant demand by those who,
have tasted it once. 1t is worth trying
even though one confines the experiment
to a single pig for use on his own table fns
order to test the theory.
Growing Potatoes With Profit.
1t would be folly for one to attempt tt
set down a hard and fast method for po-
tato culture, so much depends upon local
conditions. However, the following re-
suits have come from an experience of
many years on a soil inclined to be sandy
"a sandy loan would be the proper de-
scription perhaps. A rotation Of crops
was carried on, said rotation being "a
three-year one and the crops being po-
tatoes. oats and clover. In some. locali-
ties, where the potatoes were of the mid
season sorts or where the season was
longer, wheat could be substituted in the
rotation for oats. Commercial fertilizers
were largely used for the potato growing
and drilled In the row so as to be thor
oughly incorporated with the soil. A fer
tilizer containing 10 per cent. of potash.
4 per cent. Of nitrogen and s per cent. of
p~hosphoric acid was used with the best
results. For the oats or wheat stable
manure was used exclusively, the COM
mercial fertilizer being used only for the
potato crop. 1t is believed that this plan
would do to start with in any location
modifying 1t as experiments proved other
| ~, ~ ! n,o re part(ly.nrp ,rapa 1,act
Cough Not Always Dangerous.
Naturally the dairyman Is ever on the
look out for trouble with his COWS and
one of them with a cough excites him
very much because his first thought Is of
tuberculosis. 1t Is quite natural for cows
to cough more or less during cold wealth
er, but 1t does not follow that their ungs.
are affected. If the cows are properly fed
and stabbed, kept out of draughts Of cold
air yet furnished with good ventilated
quarters any cough they. may have does
not, as a rule, proceed from the lungs
If the animal eats well and is in good
general health she is probably all right.
If, on the other hand, the cough con-
tlnues and she gets off in her feed then.
lose no time in consulting a veterinarian.
for the chances are something serious is
troubling her.
Cleaning Horses in Winter.
While it is not advised that horses be
given the cleanings with water that they
should have during the summer, more
good work with the brush and currycomb-
9 ould be done during the winter than is
usually done. Horses that occupy the
barn most Of the time, as farm horses do
during the winter, need more than ordi-
nary care. Such horses are likely to be
on rather short rations hence their vi
tality is more or less low and will be low
er il proper care is not given their coats
as well as the proper amount of exercise
furnished. Try this plan of caring for
the horse in winter. If 1t occupies the
barn most of the day, see that it has an
hour or more out of doors even though you
walk him up and down the road. Clean
him every morning with brush and curry:
see that his bed is clean and abundant
and his stable well ventilated. Handled
in this way even the rather short ration
will keep him in good form.
Two Handy Tools.
The illustration shows two tools which,
will be found useful on any farm where
fruit and vegetables are grown. The rake
like tool is an onion row marker and will
save an immense amount of time In set