Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-04-26

has been observing an ominous silence
OF late.
Agang Of tile ditchers have worked
practically every. day the past winter
on large contract ditch south Of Rut-
land, In Humboldt county. Not bad
recommendati for our Iowa climate.
South Carolina, which is the chief
strawberry center of the United States,
last year produced 2,T00 carloads Of
this fruit. Ten thousand men, women
and. children were required to pick the
crop.
We passed seven loads Of hogs go
ing to market the other day-five
hogs to the wagon, 800 pounds to the
hog and $500 per hundred pounds the
price. This meant an extra hug and
kiss from the good wife and large
chunk of satisfaction when the owner
got home that night.
A maximum Of utility was got out Of
the old bossy that was MIXED up to the
age OF twenty-five and then fatteped
on pumpkins and killed to furnish
the family meat supply for the winter.
We heard of case Of this kind the
other day and believe it beats anything
that has come under our notice.
The efficacy of the wide tired wagon
as an aid in the making of good roads
is finding recognition in number Of
states in the introduction Of bills look
Ing to a reduction of the road tax for
all owners Of the wide tired wagons,
This is a sensible move and one that
seems likely to produce definite results.
If the. manure has accumulated
around the barn this winter, get it out
now before the spring work COM
naences. Put it on the knobs on the
meadow pasture. It is worth more to
the ground now than at any subse-
!. quant period. If left in piles and haul
y ed out in the fall, you lose all the sub.
stance which the spring and summer
rains wash out.
An eastern farmer succeeded In
keeping his Jersey bull in a very docile
and tractable condition by using the
animal regularly in tread power
which operated his cream separator.
He was also broken to drive, and the
children rode to town more than once,
the animal being hitched to a two
wheeled cart. Bulls, like human be-
ings, need something to do or they are
likely to get into mischief.
TO prevent too early poisoning and
consequent danger from frost the
strawberry bed should not be uncov-
ered too early. When done good
way is to pull the bulk Of the straw
rom the crowl he rows into the
,paces between, allowing the plants to
.ome through thin layer of straw
rhe straw serves to keep the berries
tut Of the dirt, while the litter between
he rows serves asa mulch and makes
lean underfoot.
there an implement on the farm,
sidering the great number in use,
It is more universally sheltered in
open field than the hay loader? We
iced one recently which had been
}. in the meadow, the meadow plow-
the corn planted, plowed and final
cut with corn harvester. The hay
der still stood In the selfsame spot
will probably continue to stand
IRE until the field is reseeded, and
N how handy it will be-right on the
ound, you know.
every farmer who can do SO, should
~ a sms'l flock of sheep. They are
a wayL. liant scavengers- clean up
at the est Of the stock leaves and
ike q Lane part Of their living on
eds that,sremain untouched In the
sture and meadow and only serve
befoul the land. We have in mind