Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-02-02


equally good fruit sold by the barrel. Be-
ing an honest man he wrote to one OF the
best growers telling him of the good mar
ket for apples in boxes and advising him
to pack ms next shipment, in that way.
| The grower refused, saying he was salts
fled with the price he was receiving and
| that If he. the commission man, had any
way of manipulating the fruit SO as to
get higher price for it he was welcome
to do it and keep the difference for his
trouble My friend now seriously thinks
of making a business of buying apples
in barrels at stated price and repacking
! them in boxes to sell at fancy price. 1t
| seems too bad that growers are SO slow
| to take TO the box idea when they might
| readily add from quarter to a third to
their profit by adopting it.
BUYING CHEAP STOCK FOODS.
Naturally enough the high prices asked
for pure stock foods. oats and the like.
leads the feeder to make his money 80 as
far as possible by buying some of the
cheaper mixtures offered on the market.
If one could be certain what such mixtures
contained it would be perhaps satisfactory
to work on these lines, but II we may
judge from the results in feeding. some of
them might as we'll be sawdust as far as
any good they do 1t Is hard to get any
one to admit that the first grade of oats
is the cheapest possible grain for horses.
yet an analysis of any substitute mix
lures in comparison with the clean oats
would prove the truth Of the statement.
Rather than feed questionable mixtures
of grain it would be better to reduce the
grain ration and increase the ration OF
roughage, giving the finest grains and the
finest hay. The results. as far as the AMI
mails were concerned, would be more sat-
isfactory.
VALUE OF soILING CROPS.
While in one section one soiling crop Is
better than another there is no doubt but
what some more of them can DO
grown on every dairy farm in the country.
Since experience in growing alfalfa has
been gained this corp Is likely to take u
front rank among soiling crops. In other
sections sorghum ranks first while in still
other localities corn ensilage is consid-
cred first. The value of soiling crops Is
greatly underest mated by those who have
not experimental sufficiently with them.
but there is no doubt but that they mate
rally reduce the cost of milk production
and are as satisfactory to the animal as
the concentrated grain foods Every
dairyman should look into the question
this winter and learn what can best be
grown on his SOL in the way of soling
crop. Especially is 1t advised that alfalfa
be studied and test made of 1t the COM
ing season.
AVOIDING MILK FEvERs.
One of the fertile sources of milk fever
is exposure during the last months of
pregnancy, especially. While abundant ex-
ercse for cows IS advised, indeed, Is es-
sental. this is a different matter from al
lowing them to remain where they will
catch cold. Ii the exercise Is taken out OF
doors the cows should be watched so that
any of them who wish can return to the
stable after fifteen minutes in the open
air. The COW with calf needs more or less
in the way Of laxative foods and all of the
grain gwen her should be if the easily di-
gcsted sort. Then, too 1t is a good plan to
give her u,lder and teats some care by see
ing that they are kept clean and kept
pliable. This may be doneby gently knead-
ing them with the hand once day. AS
a laxative root crops will assist with an
occasional feed of oil meal
i WARM WATER FOR STOCK.
Readers of this department are familiar
with my cranky (?) ideas of feeding hot
corn and hot water to fowls. / have the
same cranky ideas about giving horses.
cows. swine and all other farm animals
warm water during the winter. have
repeatedly tested my cows with water al
most as hot as they could bear 1t, water
with the chill taken off and cold water
from the well and every time they would
drink the water that was hot. OF course
this is done only on cold winter mornings
and the water given at other times dur
ing the day was warmed just enough te
remove the cold chill. have not figured
out that we get any more milk by this
way of Watering but know the cows like
it and that they are in good health. This
ougt to be enough to pay for any trouble
it is to heat the water.
ARE cAPoNs PROFITABLE?
= If the demands for nearby city market
are strong enough for capons 1t pays to
! treat the cockeres in that way provided
one can perform the operation with
minimum Of loss. If the market is a small
town or is considerable distance away 1t
will be just as profitable to fattcn the sur
plus cockercls in the usual way and, after
dressing them attractively, sell them at
usual rates for such stock. 1t will not pay
to put much grain into the surplus stock
that must be sold after they have passed
the roasting age so it will be wise to bear
in mind that all such stock should be
given the benefit of a good range during
the summer where they can get all pos
! sible of their living and then. by a liberal
ration be quickly fattened in the fall and
turned onto the market. 1t VII be a good
! plan to try the summer IndTket LOT carry
Matched cockerels. Oftentimes a cockerel
Matched in April or May and on good
range will bring as much in August before
he mas had much grain as he will month
or two later.
ADDITION TO POULTRY HOUSE.
! Oftentimes It is advisable to increase the
area of the poultry house, but not to ado
any large or expensive buildings. One car
obtain added room readily by bu.lding low
structure say three or four feet high IN
front, against one side of the poultry
house proper. Admittance to this addition
is through a small opening from the house
and nothing is placed in the house the
idea being to use it only during the day
and somewhat as scratching she'd The
front may be covered with wire netting
and over this curtains placed to droI
down in windy weather. Or the front maj
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