The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-02-05

r. sharp knife so that they will fit the
wooden box. Boxes made to hold one
dozen eggs and others to hold two dozens
will be large enough. These boxes ought
to have covers with a hasp coming down
over the staple SO that the box may be
locked if need be. These boxes will cost
but little if made at home as suggested
and If one has strictly fresh eggs of good
size as well as uniform in size they can
! be marketed in these boxes at a higher
prices than if marketed in a basket. Try
1t and see if it is not SO. AS an extra
inducement to the customer wrap each
egg in white tissue paper and twist the
ends of the paper as they are twisted
around oranges in lemons. Have the eggs
strictly fresh, of good size and clean and
Sou'n find the tissue paper conceit will
sell them readily and at good prices.
Nitrogen in Farm Operations.
An observant correspondent writes that
little is said in this department. concern
Ing the purchase of commercial fertilizers
containing considerable per cent. of nitro
gen and calls the attention of the editor
to the large quantities of nitrogen used
by market gardeners. OF course all who
are familiar with tie work of market
gardeners are familiar with their use of
nitrogen, but it should be remembered
that such men have comparatively small
areas and from them get several crops
in a season. The farmer on the other
hand works a large area and, at most, as
J. rule, gets but one crop. The conclusion
is that he cannot afford to buy the com
mercial nitrogen, which is correct. Nor is
there need for his doing so if he will grow
the legumes which will obtain the nitro
gent for him from the air. Simply a mat
ter Of economy after all and the money
put in heterogeneous fertilizers may be put
In fertilizers containing larger percent
ages Of potash and phosporic acid if the
legumes are used to obtain the costly nj
trogen. The question is a simple one and
the soil worker should tax it home to
himself and apply it according to condi-
lions and circumstances.
The Small Poultry House.
1t is generally considered that ten
square feet of floor space should be al
lowed for each fowl in planning a poul-
try house and one this basis a house for
twenty hens would be about 10 by 20 feet
inside. Usually this is a safe measurement
where no space is provided for a scratch
Ing shed; in the latter event much less
space in the house proper will suffice, as
the hens use it almost entirely for roost-
ing purposes. Prominent poultry1nen
claim that six square feet for each hen is
sufficient, but for the novice we advise
the ten square feet. Whatever the dimen-
sions If no scratching shed is provided
care must be used that the house is free
from draughts and comfortable. In the
colder sections every poultry house
should be lined inside with tarred paper
at the back and sides. The front may be
arranged so that during the warmer peri
DDS of confinement it can be covered with
wire netting through which the suns rays
may come and thus provide a pleasant
place for scratching. If no place is
planned for a scratching shed it will be
necessary that the food be given at least
twice daily, scattered among the chaff on
the floor, else the hens will not take
enough exercise, in the limited space, to
keep them in good condition. Whatever
the plan of house it is necessary to pro-
vide a fair amount Of light and ventila-
ton as we'll as to keep it fairly warm in
winter.
Misleading Figures for Poultrymen.
! There has recently been published re-
ports from experiment stations relative
to the cost of producing eggs which were
either misprinted or, if correct, mislead-
Ing, for they place the cost of producing
eggs at a figure which will discourage
any one desiring to take up the work.
From the figures given it is evident that
the food was based on buying it at the
highest market price; then, the figures
Indicate results from combinations of ra-
tons (many of them not at all desirable)t
and an average struck which Is, of course,
high. Explanations should nave been
made SO that the reader would ave un-
derstood that the table was for the pur-
pose of comparison, the cost of different
combinations Of food sud that the cost of
the aggregate should not be averaged.
Farmers who raise poultry would need
to buy but little food for them, hence the
tables referred to are misleading to the
farmer particularly. Any mar or woman
of intelligence and a little patience can
work the poultry problem out for himself
or herself and if done, properly it will
show that a fair average, the country
over, is that a laying hen will make a
dollar a year profit for her owners. Many
hens will make more, but the amount
named is a fair average and is a profit
able figure when the money and time in
vested is considered.
The Advantages of Sections.
There can be no objection to one BOOM
ing their w section provided it has any
merits at all, but it is not a good plan to
attempt to induce people to leave certain
sections for others without good reason.
Certain agricultural journals are lauding
certain sections of the country, telling of
advantages in that section owe others
and are melting farmers to changes which
many OF them ought not to take. AS a
matter of fact, and of good ommon
sense, there are advantages in each de-
cent section that may not be found in
others. The farmer of the south truthful-
~ tells OF the advantages gained in his
warm climate with the long growing sea-
son. The farmer of the far north and