Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-24

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A big crop Of corn, means cheaper
meats, the product of corn, and thus six
dollar hogs will not be SO common as
for the past two years.
Come New Years. If a farmer had a
hundred good. fat capons or turkeys
to sell they would bring him as much
money as the best horse on his farm
and to be easily raised entirely out
side of his other farm work.
The bur oak tree holds its own about
the best of any of our native forest
trees when subjected to the unfavora-
bic conditions Of the average city.
Where the elms make but scunt and
unhealthy growth the bur oaks retain
all their native vigor and thrift.
wood lot containing a number of
red or slippery elm trees was fenced
In for a hog pasture, and about the
first thing those hogs did was to peel
those red elm trees up just as high as
they could reach standing on their
hind legs. The trees all were dead
next spring.
The corn crop Is large enough this
year so that there will be many men
who will leave it in piles on the
ground or else crib it up without any
cover, both of which methods are
wasteful in the extreme. If it pays to
raise corn it pays to take care of it
when harvested.
We were shown samples Of wheat
recently which was raised on prairie
sod broken up last May in western
Canada which it was claimed yielded
twenty-five bushels per acre, or more
than enough when sold to pay for the
land. But, then, those fellows with land
to sell in that farof region are all pref
ty smooth takers.
On the basis of hay at SIS on the
farm it is the general opinion that
shredded corn fodder is too expensive
as forage. There is good deal Of
waste with the shredded fodder. The
only way in which to insure the use of
all the fodder in the cornfield is to put
1t, In the silo. Then there is no waste
save the little which may be spoiled in
the silo.
A writer on poultry matters says
that more attention should be paid to
developing breed Of fowls which
would combine greater meat producing
qualities; ne need to develop other
breeds than those which we now have.
Any of the larger breeds If caponized
will improve both in weight, quality
and selling price at least 100 per cent.
1t seems strange that a treatment
which all recognize as absolutely in
dispensable with the males of all other
of our domestic animals should be SO
adopted with reference to
our domestic fowls.
The pleasantest feeling which comes
to the UP to date farmer in the north
country is to feel as winter comes on
that he has everything in good shape
for the long siege. It is pleasant to
feel that the fall blowing was all done
early in August, that the big barn is
full Of well cured hay, that the corn
was all gathered before the SHOWS
came. that the cellar Is well stored
with the best things Of garden and or
chard, that there is good big pile of
dry wood in the shed and plenty Of
warm shelter for all domestic animals.
When things are this way he does not
dread, but rather welcomes, the winter
season.
We are asked what 1t was that de-
termined the growth Of trees along
the margins Of all streams in the
prairie regions Of the country, why
there and not elsewhere. We think the
reasons will be found ais follows: The
alluvial soils of the river bottoms are
more congenial to tree growth than the
upland prairie soils. Then such soils
command a more dependable supply of
moisture, something Indispensable to
tree growth. Then the periodical
foods kept the banks Of such streams
constantly well supplied with tree
seeds brought down by the water,
while the river offered a permanent
and effective barrier to the prairie fires.
which of themselves made tree growth
on the uplands next to impossible.
A farmer paid lightning rod firm
$50 to properly rod his large barn. The
work was well done and represented
the most scientific protection against
damage by lightning to be obtained. A
hired man one day caught the rod with
a harrow tooth just where it entered
H.