Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-06-07

SOLICITED - - :
The mother hen is just as much Il
fraid of crow as a hawk and has 7
God reason to be.
At a late public sale of farm stuff {
! Minnesota young calves sold for ~ I
ents each and old hens for Sc cents. j
The two men who introduced the
parrow from England and the carp
rom Germany should follow the ex-
mple of Judas Of old.
California forestry Is meeting with
much success in planting the .eucalyp-
us, fast growing and valuable tim
yer specially suited to that country.
it seems shame to cut down a
rec which was growing in this coun-
nv when Moses was fussing with the !
children of Israel ip the wilderness. but
It is being done in California and done
to make money out of the lumber made
from it.
No matter how fertile soil may be.
if it is not in the right mechanical con-
dition so that the plant food which 1t /
contains is available poor crops w i
result. If the soil is waterlogged or !
baked and crusted or deficient in hui
mus, all fertile qualities are neutral
lied.
One reason why good crops of small
grain will usually follow crop of corn
is that the cultivation of the corn crop
has put the soil in good mechanical
condition, while the corn has made but
light draft upon soil fertility. The
same thing is true with regard to po-
tato crop.
A very successful method Of destroy /
ing gophers is to take water tank
such as is used with thrashing engines
and a length of hose. lind the gopher
holes and turn in the hose, when out
springs the gopher, and the dog gets
him. A Minnesota farmer destroyed
200 of these rodents in one forenoon by
this method.
1t would seem as though there are
two things vitality affecting the eco
nomic welfare of the American people
which they are altogether too indif-
fcrent about, one the destruction OF
our forests and the other the work of
the birds as insect destroyers. Costly
bills will be paid in the future for
present ignorance and Indifference to
. these two things.
Unless agriculture is scientifically
taught and scientifically followed the
land always grows poorer and less
productive as population increases. NO
/ ton i'll any country having a.hundred
million people or likely to have them
in brief time as how to maintain the
| fertility of the soil The famine record
of the world is most frightful story
Of tragedy.
Most of the rape seed is grown il
! Holland and England. The seed can
not be produced in the northern half OF
the United States, as the plant, like {
cabbage, does not produce seed unit
the second year Of its life, and the colo
winters destroy the roots. In HOLLAND
and England the roots live over ant
so produce seed. The producing o
COLA, or rape seed, is one of the bes
paving industries on the farms Oft
Netherlands reclaimed from the Mort
sea.
The courtship of the English sparrow
is n very rough and tumble affair, vas
ly different from the dainty and poeti
wooing of most other birds, but sti
wholly in keeping with the generf
character Of this imported pest. Whe
| the lovemaking fit is on. half doze
male birds will seize female bird an
fight her to u finish, apparently for til
purpose of compelling her to acceI
: some one of their number as Il mat
and the row goes noisily Oh until the
, accomplish their purpose.
' Germany lacks about % per cent
;. producing her own food supply, and
y does look queer that great countl
S so situated must needs bar out by ia
if and harsh inspection regulations II
S cheap and abundant food supplies
this country in order that her ON
! farmers may obtain eXorbitant pric
for their products, while the CONNIE
: people have to exist on beer, bla'
bread and horse sausage. Such wol
far better justities a revolution thi
technical differences in religious |
= lief.
~ Most of the beefsteak has the goo
s, ness all fried out of it and is toug
leathery wad unfit for food Try tt
4. plan: Trim off the fat, maccrate I'm
a. the steak is even and tender, slip in
broiler and scar both sides about tN
V. minutes for each side. turning f
quently; put OH a hot plate. squeeze
: few drops of lemon juice over 1t al