Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-01-10

/ SAss 49, y ~ VI ts3{31 sS2t IN
coRRES poNpE iaeEs VA
/ 5oLicITE1SS 50
~. =
When the ru1H STRUCK the: wheatf eds
!: Of Minnesota this season the owners
made rye faces, It IL snid.
There are more silos In some Wiscon-
sin dairy counties than there are in the
whole state of Iowa. The Iowa farmer
| wastes hfs cornstalks; the Wisconsin
4 farmer doesn't.
! It has been found that hog raising
can be made very profitable along the
foothills Of the mountains Of Colorado,
where the pinon nut. the product OF
one Of. the native conifers. is found in
great abundance This nut is said to
be equal II not superior to corn in max
ing fine quality Of pork.
We notice that through the hog rails
ing section of the west the Poland
China is giving way to the Chester
White and Duroc Jersey types of hogs.
The first named breed has for many
years been the favorite, but in cases
has been bred so fine as to impair
health and prolificness.
A reader inquiries as to the value Of
millet as hay ration for horses -
whether 1t is injurious. Where millet
is allowed to grow and form seeds and
Is then cut for hay we regard 1t, as a
very poor food for the horse, the seeds
seeming to have an injurious effect,
but where it Is cut just as it comes in
to the bloom it may be fed without in
same truth applies to its use for milk
cows.
1t is easier to preserve natural for
est growth than it Is to plant the trees
There are millions of acres Of so called
brush lands, lands which have been
raided by az and fire. the soil well
planted with the beginning Of hardy
and congenial forest growth. which
given proper care would in few years
develop prime forest trees. Most
men are simply anxious to get rid Of
the brush when portion Of it at least
should be periodically saved and en-
couraged to meet future needs.
Here are two interesting items from
South Dakotn-one that farmer this
year marketed load Of red clover
seed. for. which he received $3.50; an
other that a powerful artesian well
has been drilled seventy miles west
Of the Missouri river. The first item
is Of the greatest agricultural signin-
cance,, as 1t determines the possibility
Of growing clover in country where
for twenty-five years it has been said
it could not be grown The last item
Is significant as showing the enlarged
area Of the underground water belt of
that state, which heretofore was sup
posed to be confined to that part Of the
state lying east Of the Missouri river.
The question Is asked US why the
course Of river, brook or water course
is invariably crooked-why the water,
seeking passage from higher to a
lower level, never follows straight lines.
Water Is always .obedient to natural
law and probably would run in straight
lines If it met no obstruction. Meeting
such obstruction. it Immediately forms
an eddy. which tends to eat out the
bank against which 1t revolves, thus
making its course to lower level in
variably crooked. There are great adj
vantages connected with this peculiari-
ty Of water fow-one that it tends to
hold the water back and prevents the
rapid loss of water through the coun-
try drained by the stream. thereby pre-
venting disastrous foods and waterless
seasons. Another benefit is that the
tortuous course Of the streams adds
much to the landscape beauty through
which they. = ss. A canal or a ditch
possesses no more natural beauty than
brick wall. 1t is interesting to note
that even the smallest rivulet follows
all the freaks and peculiarities Of
movement to be seen in connection
with our largest rivers.
We are asked why it is that the old
fashioned blizzard no longer visits the
northwest country. and it is assumed
that marked climatic change has TAX
EN- place incident to the occupation. set
Element and development of the coun-
try. We doubt II any climatic change
has taken place and think that as the
years go by it will be found that it is
just as cold, just as hot. Just as wet
ana just as dry, covering a period of
years. as it was fifty years ago. This
fact is true. however, so far as the
blizzard is concerned: The building of
fences and the planting Of innumerable
groves Of timber all over the surface of
the prairie country have done much to
modify the intensity of these bitter
winter storms. In an early day the
prairies were usually burned over in
the fall Of the year. and there was alb.
solutely nothing to obstruct the force