The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-11-17
KEEPING NESTS IN GOOD CoNDi-
TjON,

The writer is somewhat cranky on the
subject of nests in the poultry houses and
especially during the winter for expert
ence has shown that they are good breed
ing places for vermin; indeed, sixty per
cent. OF the lice in the poultry house can
DO traced to the nests, about thirty per
cent. to the roosts with the other ten per
cent. distributed throughout the house.
Not only should the nests be thoroughly
LEANED at least once a week but care
should be taken In placing them III the
house. If possible they should be placed
in dark sides of the house and If this cam
not be done then arranged so that the hen
can enter from the back or side and thus
have ii as dark as possible. The laying
hens will feel more secluded, other hens
will not be tempted by seeing egg In the
nest and there will be no d%raughts of cold
air from doors and windows to disturb the
laying hen. We should give more thought
to the process of egg laying and cater 10
the instinct of the bird to whom mother
hood is at the bottom of the eggs she pro-
duces and instinct teaches her to find q
dark corner for the purpose. She is not
yet so far from the wild state that she has
lost this instinct and we will be the gain
ers il we humur her as much as possible.
BUYING CHEAP TREES.
There is an almost universal complaint
among fruit growers that the trees OBJ
tanned from nurseries nowadays do not
possess the vitality nor bear the quality Of
fruit that did trees years ago. This is UNI
doubtedly due TO the fact that the demand
for trees at low prices has induced nur-
serymcn TO OBTAIN their Scions for propa-
eating purposes from trees in the nursery
rather than from selected bearing trees.
In other words. ihc Individual merit of the
tree from which TO perpctuate Is no longer
considered. We appreciate the value of
proper breeding with our stock but can
see only the cost of the tree when 1T comes
to tina part of the investment. 1t is eX-
pcnsive for nurseryment TO obtain proper
material for first class trees and such
trees cannot be cold for a few cents each.
Ir% rtunately there is likely to be q decided
change in this condition for somesof the
larger nurseries are preparing to offer
trees al different prices, strictly in accord
aEcc with the excellence Ct the tree in al
ways. As these men are reputable there
will be no doubt about honest dealings
Twenty years ago. when our first orchard
was set, we paid % cents each for apple
trees in hundred lots. Last year W.
| bought better looking trees for eight conts
each but we do not believe they will bean
fruit TO compare with that given by tht
trees of the old orchard for many Years
back. Don't forget there is such q thing
as false economy.
SELECT SEED CORN NOW.
Undoubtedly the corn to be used for seet
which is allowed to mature on the standing
! plant is much TO be pteterred but II thu
corn is harvested when this is read ther
the next best thing is to make the selection
for seed before the crop is placed in the
crib or In bins. Every corn grower know:
just what he requires in seed corn ant
should select cars which will give him re
suits accordingly. After selecting the de
sired ears protect them properly durint
the Writer. There is no better way o
doing this than the old fashioned one o
tying the ears to the rafterr of the hous'
in the dry attic. Any suitable place will d.
but it must be comparatively cool ant
thoroughly dry and the corn must b.
placed SO that vermin carnet get at 1t; 70
this reason IT ought never to be put il