Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-05
FARMING THAT Pays
Not Too Much Theory and Plen-
ty of Hard Work Brings the
Best Results
PUMPKIN PIE FOR THE PIGS
One Farmer Near AckIey Cooks Pump
kins and Shorts for His Hogs and
Finds It First Class for Fattening-
Another Grain Saving Device-WiI-
sons Rural Letter.
Special to Times-Republlcan.

Special to Times Republican.
Ackley, Dec. 5.-Anyone wishing to
observe the kind of farming operations
that II suits in imposing farm buildings
to pay visit to almost any one of the
numerous German communities that
are to be found in many parts of nor
thern Iowa. There is nothing very
theoretical about the way the ordi
nary German farms but it seems
to produce the desired effects. He
just learns what is necessary to the
successful growing Of farm products,
il the knowledge is not intuitive, as
sometimes appears to those who see
him at work, and then the necessary
physical exertion is applied in full
measure and if results are not forth
coming it's no use to look for good
crops in that section of the country.
Travellers sometimes complain of this
class of people being inhospitable. sus-
picious and selfish, but the man who
can give a good reason for his pres
ence among them, and who returns oc-
casionally to neighborhoods previous
~ visited, has himself to blame II he
fails to make friends. As a rule they
take no chances with strangers, In
business deals, however. and he who
does not measure up to their idea of
fairness need never return with the
purpose Of again doing business with
them.
Mr. H. A Hembd, farmer living
near here, is employing a novel meth
cd of feeding hogs with results that
are gratifying AS l entered his yard
the other day l noticed a small out
building thru a wall Of which pro-
truded point of stove pipe. The guam
tity of smoke that was issuing from the
pipe made it evident that vigorous
operations were being conducted with
in. inquired the nature OF the pro-
replied: Il am making pumpkin pie
for my hogs" Then he explained that
on a ten-acre tract, all the land he
farmed this year, he planted corn and
pumpkins The resultant harvest was
in the proportion of one load OF the
former to two OF the latter. He cooks
the pumpkins and shorts together,
serves the mixture hot and declares
that when fed in connection with corn
it can't be beat for crowding pigs to
marketable condition. He recently
marketed some porkers that averaged
1870 pounds at the age Of five months.
Another drove seven months old tipped
the beam at 233.
There are several others In this 10
cality using feed cookers and they all
claim the same advantage in their
use-that the animals drink three or
four times as much water as they
would If fed in the usual manner and
that willow wood burned in the cooker
is a cheaper fuel than the quantity OF
grain required to keep up animal heat
during the season Of cold weather.
Another grain saving device that
farmer told me about is that OF plow-
ing up the ground on which he stacks
his oats Just before stacking them.
He claims this prevents the
bottom of his stack from rotting and
saws that the sheaves laid next the
ground contain grain almost as bright
aus any in the stack, when threshing
time comes.
Instances of this kind are
calculated to cause one to wonder If
the average farmer would not do well
to spare little more time for this
kind of work and not attempt to Gull
tivate so much land. In conversation
with man one day this fall he said,
"My neighbor down the road settled
on the place where he now lives about
the same time did here. He has
ever since been raising and feeding
stock and have confined my opera
tions principally to raising grain,
large part of which have sold to him.
Close economy has enabled me to pay
for my place. He has added to his
original farm several others ] am
rushed to death from spring till fall
and idle from then till spring. He
works moderately during the whole
year. When you get down there you
will see 2O3 head of cattle that / am
helping to feed. If my life were to live
over I would not wear myself out try
ing to raise the greatest possible
OF nd