The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-08-25

men who are supplying the honest article.
II the department Of agriculture will give
the results of it's investigation VIDE pub
licity and specify by name and address
those who are supplying the spurious ar
ticle and those the reliable then the ex-
pose will not have beeh in vain and farm
ers will be placed in possession. at a small
cost. of something of great benefit to them
in growing certain crops.
THE VALUE OF TRAP NESTS.
While there are many things used on the
farm in the way Of conveniences which
may be made by any handy man after a
description we do not consider the trap
nest one of them. 1t is not within the
province of this department to call atten-
ton to any commodity by name which Is
made by only one or two concerns for the
advertising department of the paper is
open to such people. Trap nests are man
ufactured by many concerns, can be found
on sale by dealers in agricultural and
poultry supplies and plans for home man.
ufacture may also be bought, hence the
subject may be fairly discussed here. BY
use of the trap nest one is able to ascer-
tain beyond a doubt which fowls are lay
ing with profit to their owner and which
not. 1t requires some time to look after
these nests to be sure. but it is time we'll
spent and after having them one season
one will be surprised to find how many
or MS fowls belong in the carcass market
rather than at home in the egg factory.
1T may be fairly said that the trap nest Is
quite as valuable to the poultryman as is
the weighing machine and the Babcock
test to the dairyman.
PLANTING LOW HEADED TREES
There is always more or less controversy
going on over the value of the low headed
tree over that which is headed high, but
when one narrows the thing down to q
logical conclusion it may be readily seen
that there can be no possible advantage
in the growth OF trunk to the tree or to
the fruit while there are many advantages
in the tree headed low. Probably nursery
men are responsible for the tall tree by
reason of the fact that they must grow
the tree planters demand which are those
usually three and four years old. Natur-
ally, at the prices trees are sold, they
cannot afford to head back the trees in
the nursery row, hence when they are
ready to put on the market they have
grown to a considerable height. The rem
edy is to plant year old trees so that the
heading back process can be introduced
at the time the tree is set and continued
until the head is formed and to the height
desired. All the trunk needed is that which
shall be sufficient to sustain the top. The
low headed tree is a joy to the fruit picker
and orchardists are more and more lean
ing in this direction so that after a time
the only trees over a year old which will
be sold will be those planted on town lots.
Orchardists will save money by the year
tree and can raise the tree as they please.
INCREASING FARM VALUES.
AS the editor of this department is
aware the writer is a little bit cranky or
the subject of improving the farm home
grounds and the country streets by the
use Of trees along the road and trees,
shrubs, and plants on the home grounds.
1t has always seemed strange that farmers
could not fully realize the Importance OF
this line of Improvement along monetary
lines If he cannot see the sentimental part
if it. Just witness the settling of a town
anywhere in this country. First the roads
are laid out and almost invariably trees
are set along the road side. Then the IT,
dividual lot owners start in at grading.
then seeding, and then the planting of
shrubs, trees and Towering plants. In
five years one sees a beautiful lot of trees
and plants where was only a mass OF
fields. Less han fifteen years ago tho
writer was offered a strip Of ground on
which corn was growing for $500 an acre.
True, this was within four miles of a
thriving summer resort but the price
seemed very high and the offer was de-
clined. Soon a town was started, streets
laid out, trees planted and all the other
things done which go to make a town and
today lots 5Ox150 sell readily at 50, 800.
Roughly figured this is at the rate of
$12.0 900 an acre. Don't I wish I'd bought
that three-acre plat at $500 an acre. This
example is an exception but there is not
a farming community in the country
where the valuation cannot be greatly in
creased by the simple making Of good
roads and the setting of shade trees and
caring for them and such valuation still
greater enhanced if individual farm own
ers will beautify their own home grounds.
The plan is worth the careful considera-
ton of any community.
THE SWITCHING TAIL.
One Of the troubles of the mike is the
frequency with which the COW switches
her tail into ones face or knock ones hat
off. There are a number Of simple devices
to overcome this and one of the best Of
them is made by arranging a length of
wire about three feet back of the amino
stretching it from one post to another.
Before fastening the one end take a lath
and after boring a hole in it run the wire
through it. On the other end of the lath
y