Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-05-21

plays.
The biggest joke Of the season on the
United States has been that we have
been dependent on old Ireland for our
potatoes since the middle Of winter
that is, the people Of eastern cities
have.
Talk about reproduction! The cod
fish, which deposits 100000 eggs, is not
in the game with the common house
fly, which, if unhindered, would be
the progenitor of 100000 pesky flies
during the summer season.
If the small boys in your neighbor-
hood do not like you it is not best for
you to plant melon patch very far
from your house, for there is no way
to the small boy which seems so proper
to get even with the cross old man as
to take it out in melons.
The banana trade Of this country is
becoming very large, though just why
people have such hankering for such
q tasteless fruit we could never I'M
derstand. OF the 21,000,0O0 punches
of bananas raised in Costa RIGA and
neighboring territory the United States
takes 2O,O00,000.
Where man is able and knows
enough to work old bossy, old biddy
and good garden in happy conjunc-
ton, he is assured of more than half
the living for himself and family.
More good men should know how to dc
this, for it would pay better than strik.
ing for higher wages or joining union.
Scientists tell us that our lumber
supply will be exhausted in twenty-five
years, our supply of iron ore in fifty
years and our stock of hard coal in 12s
years, but there is no need to worry
over this prospect. for American inge
nuity will find substitute for oil these
things when the time comes that it is
necessary.
There are some of our insectivorous
birds which eat their weights in in
sects every day during the nesting
season. A pair Of wrens engaged ir
caring for brood of seven young ones
have been known to make $50 trips tt
the nest between sunup and sundowr
and each trip carried good fat bug
or grub to the little family. The fac
Is when the birds are gone the agri
cultural and horticultural interests o.
the country will be at the mercy Of in
sect pests.
We ate some strip recently whicl
was made from the sap of the sof
maple tree, and more delicious sirul
was never produced from any source
The sap from this tree is not quite s.
rich in sugar as that from the hare
maple, but it flows just as profusely
and the product when boiled down i
of lighter color. There are plenty o
soft maple groves all over the north
west which might well be utilized II
the manner indicated. The tapping o
the trees and the making Of the sirul
will greatly interest the boys on tn
farm.
Here is one thing worth considering
Every good farmer wants and SHOULD
have a suitable place to take care o
the products of his farm, a granar.
i for his grain, crib for his corn and
barn for his hay. Now, there is II
way in which so large an amount o
fodder can be so cheaply stored an
safely, too, as to put the corn crop int
a silo, and this for the reason that n
kind of fodder is put in such a cor
densed form as silage Thus it TO
lows that if one wants shelter an
protection for forage crops $500 pu
into silo will store more food tina
the same money put into barn.
A western pastor who found it neeG
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