The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-04-07

illustration will indicate. Tt has compare
lively few seeds and, when properly
grown, is crisp and of good flavor. The
vines seem strong and are fairly pro-
ductive. AS yet it Is not known how the
variety will do under field culture in diff
ferent sections, but 1t is we'll worth a
trial everywhere that c~ucunbers can be
grown.
Commercial Fertilizers Without Manure
The annual controversy is going on over
the relative values of commercial fertil-
iZers and stable manures but the farmer
who uses both feels that there is no need
for him to argue the matter, having
learned that when he has filled his soil
with humus by the use of stable manure
and with nitrogen by growing some Of the
legumes, then he Is able to use CONNER
cial fertilizers proftably. Years ago when
there was more protests than now against
commercial fertilizers. farmers generally
considered 1t eNtrayagant to use such
fertilizers and stable manures as well. AS
a result the constant and exclusive use
of the commercial fertilizers used up the
vegetable matter in the soil and crops be-
gan to fall off. To those who are skeptical
regarding this manner OF using commercial
fertilizers, In connection with stable ma
nures, the best advice that can be given
is to select a small field and try the plan.
Use any crop desired and give the field
the best possible culture. The results viii
show If the combination was profitable.
All farmers know that at times some one
plant food becomes exhausted IN a GER
tain soil while 1t remains fairly rich in
the other two essential plant foods; in
such cases the remedy Is obviously to use
q fertilizer containing the desired food in
the greatest proportion Of the mixture or
apply it by itself II necessary. 1t is the
old story. of ascertaining what the soil
needs and then supplying 1t.
Once More the Cow Pea.
Those who are familiar with the cow
pea rightly insist that 1t is not a crop that
should be put on fairly rich soil, but that
it should be used for its legitimate pur-
pose, that Is, as a soil %renovator. Neither
is 1t intended hat the crop should be
continued as a part Of the rotation after
1t has lone its work. After several crops
IF cow peas have supplied the needed nj
frogen to the soil, or partly so, then try
and grow clover, particularly If you are
north Of the ii degree of latitude. The
clover Is g. much better crop for rotation
than the COW pea Is a southern plant and
that warm weather is needed to grow 1t
properly, hence not only must the planting
be deferred until the ground is warm but
the variety used should be the one which
will mature In your climate. Consult
seedsmen's catalogues ana note this pre-
caution. Try COW peas on that worn out
piece of ground, for it will pay in re-
suits for the labor you expend on it. But,
nd this Is important. 10 not expect a sin
lie crop Of cow peas plowed under to
bring up a plot Of ground that has been
practically worthless for years.
Selection Of Seed Corn.
It is only within recent years that eve
expert corn growers AVE fully realized
that there exists a vast difference in the
productiyeness Of different ears of the
same variety, even when their outward
! appearance is almost Identical. 1t was
formerly considered that the selection for
| seed should be based on the best and most
| perfectly formed ears from the crop or the
! previous year. This was god as far as
it went, but 1t did not go far enough. Elk
perIments have proved that frequently
there was q difference in the crop of more
| than one-half between the kernels Sc
lected from two ears that were, apparent
Nv. Identical. This being the case no one
will fail to see the Importance of making
the selection and closely watching the re-
suits. In other words, IL one mas several
ears of corn that seem to the eye to be
I'll that Is desirable plant the seed from
each ear in q row by itself, mark these
rows for Identification and harvest the
crop from each row by Itself. and then
compare the results. In many cases the
results will be so surprising as to be al
most startling. The plan Is worth trying
notonly this year but every year, then,
nv the careful reselection each year one
nav have. at the end OF a few years, q
type which Will yield enormously and rid
one Of the idea that the size of the corn
crop depends wholly upon tho condition 81
the soil,
Runa for Early Lambs.
More thar a little of h trouble sheep