Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-01-05

we have a number of hens of different for
nation. all of them equally good layers,
and we nave one hen with the hiShest
record in the lot for eggs produced each
year for three years that is decidedly not
of the form poultrymen claim is the rec
ognized egg producer. We believe there Is
moro in the question Of proper size, proper
vitality and proper ancestry than there is
IN shape.
USE THE EXPERIMENT STATIONS
There is not a state experiment station
in the country whose staff of experts will
not welcome knotty problems from the
farmers of the state. This would be the
case especially this winter when they are
not rushed with work. Go over the oper-
ations of the past season and jot down.,
in considerable detail, each operation
which gave you trouble and unload these
troubles on the experiment station Of your
state. The staff may be book farmers
as you think. but all of them are trained
men and sincerely anxious to help you.
IL asking about any particular crop de-
scribe your soil in detail, your method OF
culture, and give any other
which will enable the station people TO
give you an intelligent answer. If any
particular crop was unusually short and
you cannot account for it on natural rea-
sons, describe yer method of culture, OF
fertilizing, the seed, etc, and, more than
all, describe wherein any treatment diff
fered from that given in any previous
year when the same crop was satisfactory.
Dc not be bashful about asking for help
from the stations for you help support
them and they are in existence to assist
you, which they will do If you will give
them any sort Of an opportunity.
BUILDING UP THE SOIL.
Professor Roberts, who for many years
was at the head of the Cornell ithaca,
N. W Experiment Station, In a recent ad-
dress made this remark: IF l were TWEEN
ty years younger / should go up and down
: our country emphasizing the work OF
plants in producing soil productivity. In
stead of using a mallet, as / once did, to
put a piece Of land in productice state,
l should use plants. Blessed be weeds.
Some are minute, but all are soil buildA
ers. They give their bodies back to the
soil and add to the supply of highly availN
able plant food. Tillage and plants !
would emphasize in soil building Far
mers are indebted to DR.. Roberts for so
persistently advocating, and proving, too,
the value of cultivation TO make available
the immense amount of potash stored in
the soil. At first the statement was r1dl-
! culed, but the doctor was known to be a
cautious as well as a learned man and
not given to making rash statements, so
others investigated and found, to their,
surprise, that he was right Then ne and
Others took up the question of the raising
of leguminous plants and the blowing OF
them under to add nitrogen to the soil,N
which had been gathered by the plants
from that boundless reservoir, the alrA
Thus the two most expensive plant foods
became the least expensive. Then cameI
his stlvocacy, renewed persistently, of the
cove7 crop so that the plantless soil dur
ing she winter is only to be found on
- - 80 aNnIhArn fn
learn. These incidents are mentioned TO
point out anew the value to the soil of
green manuring and of cultivation so that
he who runs may read.
ODD SCRAPS FOR POULTRY.
Bearing in mind the excellent plan of
trying to feed the poultry during the win
ter so as to make them feel ii is summer,
one should be liberal in the matter of va
riety, not in the main food, for this is
limited TO three or four grains, but in
the odd and ends which can be picked
up on the farm. In sections where COW
peas are grown it is a good plan to save
enough of the seed SO that the fowls may
have a small portion two or three times
a week; grind them rather fine and mix
with other grains. Then root crops may
be fed in the same way; two or three po-
tatoes chopped up one day, a few turnips
another day and a few carrots a third
DAY, all nelD 10 IurUlSn Il ldlF dHlouHl VI
food of value, but, more than all, furnish
a variety which will be OF great benefit
to the fowls in the way of IN appetizer.
There Is no reason why any scrap Of fruit,
vegetable or meat from the table should
go TO waste If one will go to some trouble
to prepare them for the poultry in an APP
petizing manner. Always try to feed
these tid-bits in the middle of the fore
noon or afternoon when the fowls haven't
much to do and win welcome them most.
Try the plan and you will find that the
full meal following these daintics will be
eaten with greater zest.
FARM BUTcHERlNG APPLIANCE
Much of the disagreeable work of BUTCH
ering on the farm might be avoided If
one would take the trouble TO have the
necessary conveniences. AS a rule make
shifts are used and the work is made
much more difficult i'm consequence. Try
the following plan and build the structure
described. First build a low and strong
platform, having 1t large enough so that
there will be no danger of those at work
on il stepping off. 1t should be made OF
lumber faced on the top side and made
extra strong by cross pieces underneath.
The legs are short but stout and well
braced. At one end cut out a piece SO
that the barrel described may rest in this
opening properly. In order that the bar
rel may not be overturned accidentally q
strong brace Is made In the form Of a
frame in which the barrel rests and this
is well braced. The barrel is used for
| 7 t