Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1904-03-22

not the only leaky thing on the farm.
Every bushel of grain, every pound
of butter, beef, pork, mutton, poultry,
every dozen of eggs raised in the coun-
try this year, will be wanted at good
prices.
More farmers get their fingers burn
ed on steel range bought of peddlers
than on anything else, for they can
usually purchase the same range for
$40 less from their home merchant.
One way to secure good neighLors is
to have line fences. Another way is
to observe the Golden Rule. If you
cannot or will not observe the latter
you want to make the line fence extra
good.
AS the patrons Of the rural route are
becoming better acquainted with the
work and difficulties confronting the
rural carriers they will not begrudge
them the increase in pay which seems
to be within their reach.
Ss.AA
If you plan to send away for seed
corn insist on having it shipped in the
ear. The scotsman may offer some
plausible excuse for not doing so, but
If you refuse it in any other shape he
will come to time. If it is shipped in
the ear and you find it unsatisfactory
you can send it back.
We see no reason why the farm in
stitute should be limited to the winter
months. Bad weather and the many
chores which have to be done in the
winter prevent more farmers from at
tending the meetings in winter than
would the work on the farm if the
meetings were held later in the season.
The average horse gets ten whacks
with the whip on his back to crafty
the anger or the whim of his driver
for every lash given where it is de-
served and needed. OF all the cruel
blows given horse for which there is
absolutely no justification those given
when he stumbles are the most unjus-
tifiable.
AS between the man who has fat
farm, from which the water cannot
run off, and the one with hilly farm,
from which the water escapes in too
much of hurry, taking seed and fer
tility with it, there is not much to
choose The man with the gently roll
ing farm is the one who can laugh at
wet seasons.
1t is gratifying to know that the bar
barous plan of compelling stock on the
western ranges to shift for themselves
in the winter, no matter how inclem-
ent the weather may be, is largely be-
ing abandoned by range cattlemen.
Provision is now largely made both for
shelter and food for the stock during
the worst storms Of winter. This meth
cd is not only more humane, but far
more profitable, to the owner
The question of securing suitable
seed oats is of more than ordinary i'm
portance this spring owing to the light
weight Of the majority raised last sea
son. 1t will pay well to put oats in
tended for seed through tanning
mill under a heavy blast of air and
blow out about three-fourths of them.
Twenty-Five pound oats are not fit for
seed. Send north for seed if you can
not get what you want in your own
locality.
The monthly wage of farm hands is
likely to be lower this season through
out the west than last year. Contracts
are being made at from $1S to 500 per
month for. eight months work as
against $21 to, SIG last year. Every ef-
fort is being made by farmers to dis
pense as much as possible with hired
help by changes in farm methods.
There will also be a lessened demand
by railways for men to engage in con-
struction work.
Communities which milk many cows
are invariably prosperous commune
ties. 1t is not that the profits associ.
ated with dairying are very large, for
they are not, but they are always uni
form and reliable. Added to this is the
fact that dairy farms always grow
richer year by year instead of poorer
The dairy sections of the western
states can be easily identified by the
greater air of thrift and prosperity
and by the better houses and barns
which may be found connected with
them, affording marked contrast to
the purely grain raising sections.
A friend, the owner of a rather wet
and fat farm, writes asking whether
it will pay to tile drain it when no per-
manent outlet can as yet be secured
for the water. 1t will be practically
throwing money away to tile drain
land under these conditions, for an
outlet for the water is absolutely in
dispensable. AS he wishes to cultivate
this land, we would suggest that he
adopt the plan followed by hundreds
of farmers located on the level fats in
the vicinity Of Chicago, plow the land
into ridges twenty to twenty four feet
wide. This makes an uneven field tol
work, and the crop in the dead fnx