Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-08-29

I .a5AD ~Na
s'e sSiis'fsS i - .
Tramps and lightning and, we might
hdd, green clover are the barn burners
of the west.
Hollow horn, milk sickness and
moon signs are relics of a past rural
ignorance and superstition which one
but seldom comes across these days.
4 II you milk ten cows it will certainly
pay we'll to get farm separator, and
If you keep twenty head of stock
horses, cattle and the like-it will pay
to get manure spreader.
The horned owl is one of the natu-
raj enemies Of the rabbit and does more
to keep this pest in check than any
bird we have. Still nearly every man
one meets will run for his gun and
shoot this bird on sight.
We know of a very successful dairy
man who will not allow profane man
to have anything to do with his cows.
We suppose he has made some ar
rangement to relieve the situation
when the COW sets her foot in the pail
So many wolves We're captured in
10 hat fo,,o l,;l +
hard to tell whether the farmer with
basket on his arm on the town streets
had basket of fresh eggs or a litter
Of young wolves which he had brought
to town to secure the bounty on.
There have been several cases of
toadstool poisoning reported of late,
this deadly fungus being taken for
the delectable mushroom. 1t is good
plan for those not familiar with the
difference between these two similar
plants to make sure Of what they are
eating.
We note in an Australian paper an
item stating that nine tons Of rabbits
were shipped in one consignment from
one country railway station in that
country. America is to be congratu-
lated that it harbors no farm pests so
utterly impossible Of control as that
Of the rabbit plague Of Australia.
Now is the time when reports are
numerous of accidents attendant on the
use of farm machinery. Much of this
Is due to carelessness and a lack of
familiarity with improved agricultural
Implements The farmer nowadays
must combine no small amount of me-
ehAnical skill with the rest of his &C.
eomplishments.
It is not so much the variety Of po-
sato as the soil in which it is grown
that determines it's desirable edible
qualities. Some Of the best potatoes
Ire raised in the Wisconsin sandy re-
gions. Heavily fortified soils rarely
produce mealy, choice potato, while
drought and intense heat always in
lure the quality Of the tuber.
An investigation by the government
Df the cabbage hair worm discloses the
TACT that it is useful parasite and
not poisonous reptile, as hitherto
believed by many. 1t is said to make
war on the codling moth and locust.
The senseless scare over this matter
cost cabbage growers no small sum,
TO say nothing Of destroying many
peoples appetite for sauerkraut.
The average 100 acre farm in the
sorn belt could produce and sell each |
year three 1,400 pound steers in addi- |
lion to what is now being turned off |
rom the farm if the food saved by the
use Of the silo was only so utilized.
The want of the silo on the corn and
The stock farm marks a distinct fnan-
sial loss each year which on land worth |
BOO per acre should no longer be al |
owed.
We have two inquiries as to whether
he rooster is a necessity in the poul- |
ry yard so far as egg production is
heir allotted number of eggs anyway, |
md, what is more, their eggs are more
preferred when the head Of the harem
Is wanting, as they have better keep
ng qualities. Of courze, the situation
Is different when the eggs are wanted
Tor Matching.
There are two things which always
ieem a bit wrong to us; yes three.
Dne is to trade off the faithful old
family horse to a horse trader; an
sther, to get all the eggs possible out
IF an old hen and then eat her up in
l July potpie, and the other to sell the
Did family COW for beef OF course,
I'VE do all these things on the plea of
necessity and economy. Still, in SEN
fmental way it is unadulterated bar
barism.
The farmer of the near future will
be making his own draintile, fence