The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-09-14

irolt TO WITHIN u inches Of the WaiStl1ne
being careful not to get this slit too high
or 1t will not protect the front Of the trous-
ers. Bind the edges neatly all around with
cotton braid or a bias strip Of the goods.
Make two straps to hold the apron snugly
around the trousers leg making the straps
of ample size to slip over the foot and leg
or else arrange SO that 1t can be buttoned
at one side. Button the back edges to
hold apron around hips and fasten sus-
penders at front and back. For a large
man two full lengths Of goods, each one
and one-half yards long by SO inches wide
will be required. In the Illustration the
side view shows exactly one-half Of the
apron and from the Illustration any house
wife can cut and make this apron.
ORCHARD COVER CROPS AND
MICE.
Several readers of this department have
protested against the cover crop for young
orchards, because, they claim, the heavy
growth in vegetation is a hiding place for
mice who injure the trees greatly. To a
certain extent this is so but there are
ways Of avoiding it with a little care. If
the orchard is a small one the trees are
readily and inexpensively protected by
wrapping a wire netting around each tree
placing the lower end several inches in the
ground and letting it run UP a foot or
more. The same effect can be accomplish
ed with tarred paper which would be less
expensive and more quickly applied. Then
there is the third plan of keeping the
growth away from about the tree for a
distance Of three feet all around it and
banking the soil up quite high. ANY Of
these plans are effective; they take time,
OF course, but the cover crop will be of
sufficient value to the trees when plowed
under in the spring to warrant all the time
spent on the trees protecting them from
mice.
TESTING GRASS SEEDS.
More or less ~renovating Of the meadow is
done in the fall and hence we make it a
business Of late years to test the grass
seed before it is sown. We get a small
quantity Of the mixture that is to be used,
early, and with a magnifying glass take
q portion and examine 1t. If it contains
seeds with which we are not familiar but
which are evidently grass seeds and not
weeds, the lot Is tested for the per cent.
of grass seeds. If the magnifer shows too
large a percent Of weed seeds no more is
bought Of the dealer but another man is
tried. AS a result we have saved our
selves much trouble and annoyance with
noxious seeds. This same plan is carried
out with all seeds, whether sowrl in the
spring or fall, solely for the termination
test. The weeds will be discovered If they
are there. Unfortunately much of the
grass seed of late years Is more or less
foul with weed seeds and the only way to
really ascertain what one has is to fol-
low out the plans suggested. 1t costs little
except time.
HELPS FOR LAYING HENS.
People are not wont to give the hen
credit for having much sense but there is
nothing In the way of bird or animal on
the farm that will respond moro quickly
to proper treatment or resent improper
treatment than the laying pullet or hen.
In the first flush of egg production the
pullet Is likely to be content with reason
able, care, food and shelter, but later in
the year she seems to realize that her eggs
are valuable and makes certain demands.
1t is not a good plan to.make pets of the
laying hens, but 1t certainly pays to. pay
considerable attention to their wants. See
that the food is furnished in variety&that
there Is more or less green stuff especially
In the fall after they have come from the
range, that there is the sunny and sandy
spot in which the hens may feather'them-
selves, that there Is grit for them to pick
at and that the nest boxes are clean and
well placed. All these things really come
under the heading Of proper care. bu.
some people look upon most of them as
luxuries that 1t is foolish to think OF. Try
the plans suggested, keeping an accurate
account of their cost and you will find
1T Is profitable to continue the plan.
WORK AND PLAY FOR HORSES.
What the horses of the farm have to 90
depends upon the nature Of the work and
how we'll used they are to it, consequent
ly the horse. should be treated accordingly.
If the horses have heavy spring blowing
to do with more or less road work in the
ummer then harvesting and more plow-
ing in the fall and it is Intended to use
them for heavy d~raughting~in the winter,
1t will pay to divide the work in some way
so that they will lave a little chance for
rest. TIL argument that rainy lays and
Sundays are sufficient for the animals
does not hold good in all cases. In our ex-
perience we find it pays to lave reason
ably short hours for the horses and not
to give them driving every day there hap
pens to be a little lull in the work Of the
farm. We feed strictly in accordance
with the work to be done and contrive in
some way SO hat every horse will have a
turn at the pasture even though 1t be only
an hour or two at night. It is not q good
plan to attempt to carry horses through