davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25
SaunbN for PrOHf.

Squad raising has recently come to
the front as a most profitable branch
of the poultry industry, suited especial
ly to the conditions of people in the
suburbs of cities, in villages, or in any
place where but a limited amount of
space is available, says the Practical
Farmer We have kept pigeons on
the farm for many years, always Civ
ing them perfect freedom, and we en-
Joyed many meal of tender, juicy
squads, sometimes quite regularly for
our Sunday dinner. But kept in this
way, they are of questionable useful
ness and profit, and often a decided
nuisance. They get into the barns, be-
foulng the hay, or grain in sheaves.
They do damage in the fields. They are.
subject to many dangers and pitfalls,
and often fall an easy prey to the gun
of the pot hunter, to the cunning of
cats, to the stealth of owls, or the
swiftness of hawks. If SQUAD raising
is to be made a business for profit,
the parent pigeons must be kept In
entire confinement and in such situa-
ton they Will do just as well as when
having free range, and are not sub
ject to the dangers mentioned Re-
Gently the Department of Agriculture
has issued a bulletin on raising squads
for market The spot selected as a
home for such birds. says the bulletin,
should be we'll drained, should face the
south or east being free from OBJ
structions which shut out the rays of
the morning sun and be sheltered,
either by trees or buildings. from the
north and west winds. Care must be
exercised in the selection of stock. The
best breed for squad raising is straight
Homers or cross between them and
Dragons. Homers are the best work
ers and feeders, and raise larger
squads in four weeks time than any
| other variety. A pair of Dragons re-
quires five weeks to bring squads to
market size. but the cross will re-
| suit in a larger SQUAD which can be
put on the market in four weeks
| Squads sell readily. One large pig
con house is better and more econom-
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25
Selecting Seed.


Seed planting time will soon be here
and the Importance of using only seed
that is certain to be of good vitality,
and will produce desirable varieties of
plants, says the Indiana Farmer. The
first cost of the seed is but small
item when the results are thought of;
consider the work, time, worry and
expense of cultivating a crop, then
think that the selection of seed will
determine 20 quite an extent, what the
harvest will be, and seed presents quite
a new aspect.
We are too hasty, generally, think
only of the present, consider only the
immediate outlay, if it were other
wise, nothing but selected seed would
be planted. Yet we have all been IA
miliar since childhood with the verse
from the Book of Books, to not expect
figs from the thistles, so how can rea-
sonable persons expect a good crop Of
select quality from inferior seed.
In the garden and flower yard, a
careful selection of seed is as neces-
sary as in field crops. While home
saved seed, if carefully saved only
from the best specimens, will result in
satisfactory results, it is necessary to
procure new seed every few years in
OIQ6T " get d SlidAC VI IAAC liz" 6OON
things that are being introduced.
Send for catalogues from several of
the best seedsmen, carefully examine
them, then select the desired sorts,
sending for a few of the new things
that test. 1t is best to allow some one
with more leisure than the farmer
has, to make a very extended trial of
novelties; perhaps two-thirds of much
lauded new sorts prove to be of no ac-
count.
Seed by the ounce cost but little
more than when ordered by the pack
ct, yet the amount of seed in an
ounce of tomato, lettuce, onion, cucum-
Der, radish or cabbage, is enough for
the average garden all through the
season, enough for several sowings,
and of tomatoes, enough plants to sup
ply the neighborhood. 1t is really
economy to purchase above sorts by
the ounce, and of corn, beans and
peas, by the spint or quart.
ANY reliable scotsman will supply
you with good tested seed; almost all
of the old seed houses are reliable, and
many of the new ones. not the most
extravagant descriptions, nor the most
profuse ink spreaders have the best
seed; one can soon learn which is the
honest dealer, and while it is safe to
deal with firms one has had satisfac-
ton with, it is not best to be too con-
sentative.
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25
FARM, GARDEN
AND HOUSEHOLD
BY S. A. COOK.

humus that had been almost com
pletely exhausted from them.
The suggestion of nature was left
unheeded. and what was sent as a
blessing was received as a curse-and
woful has been the penalty therefor.
OF those who destroyed Bermuda
grass persistently to grow corn and
cotton how many thousands have gone
to the wall?"
How little prosperity is TO be OBJ
served amongst that class to-day?
How many more thousands are tread
ing the broad road TO poverty by still
continuing this same policy? The man
who says the corn and cotton raiser
and grass annihilator is prospecting to-
day is not a judge of what prosperity
is. There are exceptional cases in
every direction, but what does the
careful observer say Of the masses
They are not prospecting and never will
so long as they cling to that fatal
policy that curses and destroys every
blade of grass possible.
once entered upon and pursued
with that regard for details that is
observed in older countries or in older
sections of this country, stock raising
could be carried on in Georgia to a
degree of profit that no other section
of country could possibly equal. a
temperate climate where the expense
of protection in winter is less than
any where in the United States eli
mate where there is as little disease
as in any country in the world where
1t is possible to have pasture uninter-
ruptedly almost the year round by
using the various plants adopted To
the purpose with shipping ports
advantages we are at a loss to
know why stock raising has not de-
veloped more rapidly than it has done.
1t is true in some localities a very
great advance has been made in the
past ten years, but in others there has
been little or no advance at all.
Northern Georgia is raising a great
many mules and horses now compared
to what was raised twenty years ago,
been considerable progress made, but
certainly the attention given this de-
partment of stock raising is nothing
compared to what it should be. The
raising of cattle and hogs is yet in its
infancy in this section. We say moth
ing of sheep, for the people still pre-
fer worthless ours to sheep.
We firmly believe and we have Just
cause to believe, that before another
nifty years pass by the Southern States
contiguous to the Atlantic will be one
Of the greatest stock growing sections
in the world.
The foundation will be Bermuda
grass, or it will stand as chief corner
stone, with Lucerne, Bur Clover John
son Grass, Texas Blue Grass. Orchard
Grass, Hubs Grass. Rye Grass,
Meadow Dat Grass (oil-cake), African
wheat and a few others we might
name as auxiliary stones.
The sooner the Southern farmers
give this matter their serious atten-
ton the better for them. Good pas
lures and plenty of hay must of neces-
sity continue to be a prime factor in
the maintenance of farming on a
prosperous basis and there never was
a farmer who had just cause for re-
great that he had plenty of either. A
system of farming that relies abso-
lutely on hoed crops must sooner OF
later be found disappointing, as many
in the South must be able to testify
by this time.
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25
The Profitable Hog.

The hog that will grow with
smotth, symmetrical form of $50
pounds in the shortest time I regard
as the most profitable hog for pork,
says the Swineherd. He should be
of that smooth conformation that with
good farmers care will grow to that
size at months of age. That which
is termed the easy grower and feeder
must inherit from his ancestors this
character 1t is the sire and dam be-
hind the pig that we must judge from,
to secure the growthiness and quick
maturing qualities that enable him
with ease to reach $50 pounds and up
wards at 9 months. We know that
it is possible to make a much heavier
weight, but we are fixing an average,
such as good farmers treatment will
insure. And every farmer who is
looking for profit should give this kind
of treatment. He should be growthy,
so that If fed to a finish in the man
ner of a show hog at our great fairs
he will weigh $50 pounds at IS months
of age. And If fed out for the 2-year-
old show, should weigh some 200
pounds or upwards.
/ do not think 1t profitable to feed
hogs out to this great weight for pork
purposes. The markets at the present
time have to be consulted and the ESQ
pound hog Is a popular and profitable
weight. He will bring about the top
of the market year in and year out.
Nobody knows any better what kind
of a boar to buy to raise such hogs
than the level-headed Iowa farmer.
He looks over your lot of pigs and
picks out the heavy boned, broad
backed. good length and deep bodies.
When he gets this kind of a hog he
knows he has an animal that will
range the farm over, gathering large
portion of his living from the pasture
and scattered grain of the farm and
feed lots, and will quickly grow to
a good market hog, without sitting
up nights and feeding him with mush
and milk and other condiments.
The Poland-China breeder that does
not keep in mind this demand of the
farmers of this type of a hog will
wake up some morning and find HIM
self out of the business, for the rea-
son that the Red hog breeder and the
White hog breeder that are pushing
the improvements ot their hogs OF this
line Cor size and growlk.-ess WI! be
supplying tire farmers who E-ow what
they want from experience. Their
pocketbooks tel then; when they mar
ket their hogs wA!oh are TIE most
profitable.
We must breed the hog ana tn
prove the hog for the farmers bene-
fit and profit and not for sentiment
or beauty alone
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25

raiser should prepare q pasture for his
hogs. and a good one, not just one or
two acres for fifty or more hogs to
run on all the season. Get a good,
large pasture and plenty of range, as
1t is a great profit with little cost, and
it will not pay to keep hogs in dry
lots the year round. They will not
make you much money after you count
up the cost of your feed. Brood sows
should be on grass alone in the sum-
mer after their pigs are weaned. This
is the way treat my sows, and IL ac-
the spring. The feed that we use we
raise on our farm. and il is mostly
corn and oats. This is what we give
to our pigs and hogs. and to our sows
we give bran and shorts while they
are sucking pigs, and they do we'll on
this kind of feed. With this feed you
can develop bone muscle and growth.
After the pig is weaned we give him
corn and oats ground together, one
third oats and two-thirds corn, with a
mixture of shorts and bran in about
equal parts, with plenty of grass
This causes the best Development and
growth. l do not believe 1t necessary
to buy carloads of linseed meal, hom-
my hearts or so much prepared foods
of different kinds to make ones pigs
grow II you are onto your business as
feeder. AS a successful raiser of
hogs you must use judgment in rails
ing your own feed and preparing it so
that you will get the best results
This gives the greatest profit, and that
is what we are looking for.
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25
Bermuda Grass Southern stock
Raising.

While Bermuda grass may be utiliz-
ed on rich bottoms as a meadow plant,
yet it's main use in the South will be
for pasture. For summer and autumn
pasturage it is an unequalled grass,
and being so thoroughly adapted 40
our climate and so intrusive in its ma
ture upon our Southern soils. IL must
of necessity be one of the chief reli-
anees Of Southern stock and growers
and dairymen.
So much has been written about
Bermuda there is nothing new left
to be said, and the Southern farmer
who does not know what it is, and how
valuable it is in its place. and what a
nuisance when out OF place, is GER
tainly very uniformed man.
How thousands of our farmers have
fought against splendid destiny, for
twenty-five years in their attempts TO
ar2!h:.ete It or Ae!ds that made Gar
more u-p-o6t3bie returns /. corn aid
cotton than they would Lave yielded
Il they ha3 bee-. allowed from. the
start to grow Up - this splendid
grass. which is rot suitable FOR the
purpose Q. moving, would have made
splendid pasture yielding splendid
profits in beef or pork or mutton and
wool perhaps. There are doubtless
hundreds and hundreds of farmers to-
day throughout the South whose
greatest regret is that they failed a
score of years ago to recognize the
value of Bermuda, and received it as
the blessing that it was. Poverty dire
has come to thousands of farmers
along during the past twenty years
whose policy was to utterly destroy
grass now on land that was incapable
Of making fifteen bushels of corn, yea.
ten, or $50 pounds of lint cotton.
The hand of Providence we have al
ways felt was never so clearly, indi-
Gated as acting in behalf of mans in
terest as in the sudden appearance
and rapid spread Of Bermuda grass
over fields that by virture of long Gull
tivation in hoed crops, now stand in
need of rotation of permanent grass
In order to restore the necessary
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25
Asnnrngus CnIture.

For years past we have been urging
on gardeners the uselessness of waiting
two or three years to get asparagus, BY
instead of growing the asparagus from
seed sown right where it is to remain.
says Prof. Massey in Practical Farmer
over thirty years ago we practiced the
method of sowing the seed in the per-
manent rows and cut good asparagus
the next spring following the sowing of
the seed in April. Hence we are glad to
notice that others are beginning to find
out that this is the best way. Mr.. G. 5.
Allen writes in the American Agricul-
turist of his experience in the sowing
of the seed in a permanent location. He
prepared a bed and sowed the seed as
late as May 20. He dug deep trenches
three feet deep and a foot and half
wide, and packed in them a foot of well
rotted manure, mainly COW manure.
This was packed down and the trench
further filled with rotted manure mixed
one-half with soil, to within six inches
of the surface. The seed was sown on
this and covered half an inch deep and
we'll firmed, and the plants were
thinned to a foot apart, though he says
that it would have been better to have
made it two feet. The result was that
he cut asparagus shoots three-quarlers
of an inch in diameter eleven months
after sowing the seed. We did the
same thing, but did not go to the great
expense of making the S-foot trenches,
which we consider needless and waste
of manure. for the plants will never
use that manure three feet under
ground. For home use we prefer aspar-
agus near the surface and cut at the
ground all tender. and with the new
Columbian asparagus that remains
white above ground there is no need
for getting in deep under ground. We
would prepare the land by deep break
ing and turning under as heavy an ap-
plication of manure as possible in the
fall Then in spring prepare the land
perfectly level and SOW the seed in
rows four feet apart and thin to two
feet. AS the plants grow give them a
dressing of 100 pounds of nitrate OF
soda and repeat the application in two
weeks. keeping the rows perfectly
clean. The young plants thinned out
can be transplanted to similar soil as
easily as onions, and good asparagus
can be cut the next spring. and II the
soil is kept heavily MANFRED annually
the production will increase yearly.
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25
ArtIchOkes Valuable and Easily
Raised.

A correspondent asks several ques-
tions in reference to the culture and
value of artichokes.
On any farm where there are cat
tie and hogs TO be wintered over, and
especially where there is much atten-
ton given to the latter and to milk
COWS, there is no question of the value
of artichokes, and it will not be amiss
to commence with an acre now and in
crease the area another year if 1t is
found satisfactory, which no doubt
it will be, If the land is at all adapted
10 the crop.
1t is a very easy crop to grow, the
culture being the same as for Irish
potatoes. Any good soil adapted to
corn or potatoes should produce at
least 200 bushels of tubers.
Pillow the land we'll and lay off rows
three feet apart and drop a cut of
tuber twenty or twentyfour inches
apart in the row. tuber the size
OF a small hen egg will make four
cuts. Where seed tubers are scarce
and high, as in first starting, they are
likely to be, it is desirable to make
three or foEr bushels plant the acre
Tread the cuts firmly into the loose
soil. This is all the covering needed
when planted in the spring.
As soon as the plants are up culti-
vate thoroughly and repeat shallow
cul:ivatings three or four times dur
ing the season.
The crop will continue to grow and
increase until the first heavy frost
along in November.
The tubers can be plowed or dug
cut from time to time during the
fcl.owing three or four months as
needed. Fed raw to hogs, a small
quantity daily will keep them in good
health. Boiled with cotton seeds they
keep up the flow of milk in the cows
equal TO good pasture. few quarts
daily TO the horses or mules will have
a good effect also upon them
The tubers are Away saleable for
making pickles and for seed, and al
together 1t is a very valuable side
crop.
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25

was neglected last fall, plow in the
spring, just as deep as the soil was
broken the previous season. Follow
with harrow. so as to break up all the
clods. before they become hard and
create a dust mulch for the purpose
Of preventing evaporation. Mark of
the land in rows six feet apart each
way and at the cross marks plant ten
to twelve seeds, covering with loose,
moist soil, about one inch deep. See
that the hill is slightly higher than
the surrounding soil. In a few days
go over the ground and rake the sur
face lightly with a garden rake. AS
soon as the plants are well above the
ground hoe lightly around the hills
and draw the moist soil up TO the
plants, taking care not to loosen the
tender roots. Replant any hills that
are missing.
Start the cultivator and cultivate
deep away from the plants, but shall
low close to them. Repeat this cul-
tivation at least once week. When
the plants have five or six leaves each
go over the field with a NOV and thin
to two plants to a hill, leaving, of
course, the strongest and best.
If the striped melon pest appears
dust the plant with wood ashes or
very little air Stacked lime. If ground
feas appear mix one pound of paris
green with twenty pounds of flour
and dust early in the morning, while
the plants are moist with dew. AS
the season progresses go over the field
at least twice a week and look after
the melon louise. If this is found,
cover up all infested hills with straw
and burn at once. This is exceed
ingly important and must not be
overlooked.
Continue hoeing until the crop is well
matured. My plan is to hoe early,
hoe late and not cease this work.
This not only kills the weeds, which
should not be allowed to develop to any
considerable size, but keeps the ground
in the very best condition. 1 find no
particular advantage in pinching off
the vines, as this tends to weaken the
plants, Injuries the quality of the fruit
and shortens the harvest season. Good
seed, good soil, and good cultivation
are the important items in raising
Rocky Ford melons.
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25

zeal than several small ones, but
house should not accommodate more
than $50 pairs. A room Sx10 feet will
accommodate fifty pairs very comfort
ably Feed twice a day-in the sum-
mer at $50 a. m. and 4:30 p. m. in
the winter at : 80 a. m. and 3 p. m.
Best results are obtained by feeding
cracked corn, red wheat, Kaffir corn,
millet, peas. hemp and rice. Each
morning before feeding give the birds
fresh, pure water.
Bathing is essential to the health of
pigeons. Let them battle every other
day In summer. In winter the bath
should be given only on bright, sunny
days. Clean house once every week.
The nests should be frequently clean
ed. and disinfectants be used freely
The floor of the building may be
strewn with lime, and sand on top of
this. 1t is not an uncommon occur
renee to have one pair of pigeons pro-
duce ten pairs of squads in one years
time, and the author of the bulletin
reports 400 squads as the market
product of AIS pairs of pigeons during
one year. Plans of building and in
terror arrangements, suited to raising
squads, will be given in an article
later on.
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25
Raising CantaIOupes at Rocky Ford
Col.

The growing of muskmelons has not
refrigerated in the Rocky Ford region
says a Western Journal. The coming
season about 5000 acres will be de-
voted to this purpose, and this area
will be cultivated by at least 1000
growers. The melons are all market
ed through cooperative associations,
of which We have twenty in this val
ley Most of the melons are sold
on a straight commission basis and
few get any cash to advance at the
car. The average price last season
was above 81 a crate and the highest
sum received from five acres was $3.50.
The average returns, one year with
another, is $50 per acre, but ranges
from nothing up to $3.50. The man
with the hoe" has much to do with
the profit and loss.
It is not a difficult problem to grow
Rocky Ford cartaloupes under the
right conditions: Begin by getting
seed cs high vitality. This car be
secured oe reliable seed Arms, o. the
grower ear save It himself by select
.1g the best specimens the previous
season ard washing and drying TIE
seed.
The BEST sol! is rich loan, coz
tanning Just enough sand to make Il
work we'll. Be sure that It is rich in
plant food. II the sod is thoroughly
rotted, clover land, new timber land
or new prairie is about as good as
can be chosen. These soils are usual
~ rich in plant food. AS 1t is almost
impossible to have any soil too fertile,
there can be no harm in applying
plenty of weli-rotted barnyard manure
or other fertilizer of this kind.
Pillow the soil eight to ten inches
deep the previous fall, if possible. If this
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25
A New Breed of Poultry.

Coming from Holland by the way of
England, a new breed of fowls will
soon claim the attention Of poultry
fanciers in this country.
1t is said to be the most remarka bic
of all breeds as an egg producer. 1t is
known as the Lakenfelder-an ever
lasting layer of medium white eggs.
The body OF both male and female is
white; neck and tail feathers black
In shape and size the new breed re-
semble closely the White Leghorn
Those qualified to speak concerning the
matter anticipate a great popularity
in time for the Lakenfelder.
Nevertheless We have a dozen breeds
good enough for all practical purposes
and that should not be discarded for a
mere Whim.
The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-25
constlpatlon. lis Cause and Cure.

A person in order 20 be healthy must get no
Of the waste products Cor poisons) OF the body
Nature has provided four ways 70 get no OF
them: The Bowels. the Kidneys, the BLADDER
and the pores of the Skin
If the bowels become inactive, that portion OF
the food which should be thrown on hes IN the
intestines and decomposes causing blood. nerve,
liver and kidney trouble. and closes the pores
OF the skin. thus creating disease in the entire
system. .,-
You can Immediately relieve and permanently
cure yourself OF stubborn constipation or as
tressing stomach trouble and perfectly regulate
your kidneys and liver by taking one dose day
OF DRAKE S PALMETTO WINE. Any reader
of this paper can secure absolutely free bottle
By writing 70 Drake Formula Co.. Drake Build
ing, Chicago ,.,
A FREE trial bottle alone has brought health
and vigor TO many, so you owe 1t 70 yourseLI 70
prove what il will do in your case.
Write the company this very day.