Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

Fewer acres and better seed and cub
ture should be the motto for the farm
work for the year 1906.
The acre reclaimed Is always like the
lost sheep, an acre which always gives
us more pleasure to cultivate than the
ninety and nine which We're always
good.
The summer supply of fuel should be
got together right now and put where
the good wife can always have dry
wood. If we were woman and our
man should make us hunt fuel to cook
his meals with, we would feed him on
raw oatmeal and soggy biscuits until
he came to.
Those 100 young ROSTERS which you
will raise this spring should be prop
erly operated upon at the right time and
converted into 100 eight pound capons
to bring you over a dollar apiece next
winter. Just as well have it done as
not. The old way they are not worth
over % cents each.
A practical and profitable system Of
crop rotation is more needed all through
the corn belt than any other one thing.
Where corn will grow neither oats nor
wheat will do very well, and the temp
tation is ever present to follow corn
with corn. to the manifest injury Of
the crop and the soil.
One trouble Is that men are apt to
regard the whole cornfeld as the unit,
when the real unit should be each in
dividual hill. If the field as whole
looks well and thrifty they think they
have good field of corn, when close
examination will show that some hills
are missing some with single kernel
In, some with altogether too many. 1t
is this way Of doing which reduces the
yield Of corn per acre.
AhN 1dl SNCA WhSl0 ohoOAN 6Sl
up on both hind feet and insist that the
telephone poles which now are found
along almost all public highways stuck
out about four feet from the fences
shall be removed back on to the fence
line. AS now set 1t is impossible to
NOW the highways with any ease. We
often wonder what lunatic started this
,,1o oP a%j olr} 1y,% {r+ No
They would be moved If on our farm
mighty quick.
The habit and growth of trees are
very excellent indications Of the fertili-
ty of the soil where they grow, this
supposing that the rainfall Of any CIV
en- locality Is sufficient for vigorous
tree growth. Where trees grow tall and
thrifty there is a strong soil. Where
they grow gnarly and scrubby there is
a poor soil. The vigorous and thrifty
timber growth will always be associat.
ed with an equally vigorous and
healthy growth Of the lesser things-the
shrubs, bushes and vines. Large trees
will be found where hazel brush and
blackberry vines grow to a height Of
eight feet.
The common gray rabbit, which Il
generally supposed to be timber an
imal. has with the settlement Of the
pratries become a very common at
tache Of all prairie farms. He finds the
cornf1eds fine place in which tc
breed and hide and takes naturally t.
road culverts and the bits Of grove
scattered all over. He has to dodge
the hen hawk and the big barn ow
during the summer and the farmers
boys during the winter. We have
known as many as 10C Of these rabbits
to be killed in single day out on the
prairie the past winter. The principa
harm which they do is to the young
fruit trees, and in this connection they
must be closely watched.
A man city born and bred and now
resident of one of our largest cities
told us recently that because he had
become interested in reading these
notes he had further become interested
in trying to grow some fruit, flowers
and shrubs on hts city lot and that las
year he had turned his attention tt
roses, asters, strawberry bed and
some other things which he had room
to grow, and he added that he haG
come to take most intense pleasure
In this sort Of work, being only too
| willing tn oet lJn earlv in the morning
to care for his pets, as he called them
and finding in doing this work mos
welcome and healthful change and re
Taxation from his combining Office work
The love Of nature and nature study
Is latent in almost all men, and its de
velopment is always refining, healthfu
and inspiring, a cure for many hu