Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-12-06
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Sheep return more fertility to the
soil than any other farm animal.
Try to count the sheep and lambs
every day. Keep an eye out for dogs.
Burn all dead stalks and other mat
ter not used for mulching, in order to
kill weed seeds and disease germs.
The number of sheep has decreased
500 per cent in ten years in some sec
lions of the Central and Southern
States.
II you are afraid that your black
berries are not hardy, lay the plants
down and cover the tips lightly with
soil.
Go among the calves every day and
handle them, using gentle, pet words;
and Just notice how they will watch
for you. and grow!
Turn that old hog yard upside down.
Get the filthy -dlsease-impregnated-
germ-infested dirt under, and fresh
dirt on top. A hog delights in clean
dirt.
Cut of asparagus tops ana burn
those with berries on them, as the
seeds may sprout where they are not
wanted. Mulch with two or three
inches of rough manure.
Small and lately planted trees must
be staked and tied with broad band.
Cut out all dead limbs of fruit trees,
suckers" and limbs that rub together.
You will have no time next spring.
A thermometer should be used to en-
able every dairyman to know the DIFF
ference between the temperature of
the atmosphere and available water,
also the temperature of his dairy, milk
and cream.
1t is a very common practice for
some to wish for certain results with
cut making much effort to help pro-
duce the desired result. Many man
has failed because his wishbone has
been where his backbone ought to
have been.
Hog breeders who have strong rea-
sons to keep up growth and vlgor In
their young stock should not fail to
keep young boars penned well
away by themselves. If allowed to be
near the sows they are sure to fret and
worry enough to prevent the greatest
thrift and growth.
If the cows suddenly drop off in the
quantity of milk given, do you look
into the matter and see what is the
reason? Short water supply may do
1t. So may the flies. Or dry, hot
weather. Some of these things we
may control. 1t is our own fault IL
We do not. Let's not blame the cows.
Experiments show that ground Gull
tivated to the depth of an inch and a
half evaporated 1900 pounds less wa
ter per acre daily than ground having
no cultivation. On heavy clay soil the
difference in some cases was as much
as 1900 pounds per day on an acre.
Cultivation, therefore, means saving
the moisture In the soil.
Do you milk the cows In the same
bucket, and pay no attention as to
which gives much milk or little, and
as to which ones milk makes the most
cream and the best butter? That is
neither progressive nor methodical. A
COW Is COW when it comes to feeding,
but there is great difference when
1t comes to milking and making but
ter. You are entitled to the best and
you ought to have 1t.
In the greenhouse at the Maine ex-
pertinent station 1t has been found that
one good man with occasional help
could do all the work in houses cover
Ing four thousand square feet Of
ground surface, which would equal a
house two hundred feet long by TWEEN
ty feet wide. Solid beds were pre-
ferred for plants requiring not bottom
heat like caulifiower, lettuce, while
for plants requiring much heat, like
melons, beans and tomatoes. benches
were preferred. Steam heat Is recon-
mended for large houses and hot water
for small ones Some contend that
steam can be used for small houses
also II a suitable regulating apparatus
Is used on the boilers.
PediRrecd Plants.
Nurserymen are at odds over the
value of so-called pedigreed plants,
some of the most outspoken claiming
that it is only scheme to sell the
plants for higher prices. On the other
hand. growers of pedigreed plants
state that common sense is at the bot
tom of their claim and should receive
recognition. The main idea In the se-
lection of pedigreed plants is that only
the first or at most the second plant
which forms on the runner from the
parent plant, in the case of strawber-
ries, is used. Naturally these plants
may form further down the runner,
particularly If the runner is kept cut
back SO that all Of the strength goes
into the one plant. Here is just where
the trouble is likely to be, for un-
scrupulous growers will claim their
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