Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-09-26
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mixing 1t with bran or linseed meal, Of
both, the waste Is greatly reduced and
fewer hogs are required, but the higher
cost of these feeds partially Offsets
the saving effected. With the ordinary
margin Of from to cents per pound
between cost OF feeders and well-fni
ished beeves, the owner can make no
net profit II any waste or slipshod
methods are tolerated.
Cost and Results OF Arsenate Spray.
As a result Of spraying experiments
at the Illinois experiment station, ID
was found that four times spraying
with arsenate Of lead Mt cost Of sew!
enteen cents tree, increased the yield
of the apple orchard about one-half,
and the average size of the fruit about
one-fifth, and SO improved the quality,
Of the apples that they were worth two
and one-half to three times as much
Orchards in the section Indicated are
much infested with the apple curculu :
and the spraying was successful In de-
stroylng these Experiments at the
same station with various washes for
destroying the San Jose scale included
all the common mixtures and various
patented preparations, but 1t was con-
Guided that the best and cheapest mix
ture is the common lime and sulphur;
wash prepared by boiling. The mixture
applied In March was much more effec-
tive than when applied in midwinter.
Picking Geese. II
1t all right to pluck old geese when
their feathers are ripe and begin to
mott which will occur about this time,
and IL only the feathers that come easy
are plucked 1t is beneficial and not In
furious to them. 1t is poor policy to
pick geese more than once year, and
not advisable to pick the goslings at all.
In plucking a goose, draw stocking
over Its head to avoid being bitten.
Do not pick the feathers that cover the
wing butts, as it will cause the wings
to drop, and means lots of trouble for
the goose. Do not pick feathers grow
ling in the back, or the down on any
part of the body. 1t would make nice
pillows, but let 1t be. 1t is enough to
pick the down from those killed for
market. 4. +
| Seeding Alfalfa.
The success of alfalfa depends so
| largely on the condition of land when
seed are planted that very intelligent
care should now be given to prospective
alfalfa fields that are to be seeded this
fall. If the land has been in small
| spring grain and is hard and compact,
the first summer blowing given It
should not be over deep, or clods will
be turned up which no summer rains
will pulyerize. Turn blowing to depth
Of three to five inches, followed by
second blowing Of greater depth when
a good season is found in the upper or
| surface soil, will be found thoroughly
| practical and will do much to guaran-
tee the rapid growth and strong deyel-
opment of the young plants this fall. i
We would much rather have as seed
bed for alfalfa four-inch soil well
moistened and thoroughly fined by har-
rowing, than a six-inch freshly ploweds
mass of half moist, loose soil particles
through which the hot September air
circulates with destructive effect. On
unplOwed alfalfa land at this date give
only normal blowing, with thorough
narrowing, and If later seasons are
good pillow deeper and SO ''cinch" the
season for the use of the crop-Farm
i and Ranch.
Bottle-Fed Trees.
Science has recently learned good
deal that was previously unknown
about the anatomy of tree, and espe-
cially about the circulatory system OF
the great plant, says the Technical
/ World Magazine In order that 1t shall
be healthy, 1t is as necessary for a
tree to have good circulation as for
a man. But hitherto nobody has real
lied the activity of this function in the
tree-an activity sufficiently evidenced
by the fact that chemical substances in
4 jected into cottonwoods were detected
in the sap Of the topmost twigs, 80 to
40 feet above the bottle, within 10
hours.
4 Some recent experiments at the
North Dakota experiment station have
had for their object merely the feeding
Of poorly-nourlshed young trees, which,
when supplied with bottle filed at
frequent intervals, appeared to suck
in sustenanee at a rapid rate So far,
indeed, Is this the case that 1t has been
found possible to regulate to some ex-
tent the growth of young trees by such
means, retardlng their development or
making 1t more rapid as might be de-
sired. 1t is all matter of food sup
ply, the "patlent" under treatment
showing ready willingness to absorb
extra provender and to utilize 1t In
!, the building of plant tissues.
The Old Cow.
There Is no rule by which the age Of
: a COW will determine the end of her pe-
riod of usefulness. Some cows remain
strong and vigorous up to is years old.
while others indicate age and evident
decline at 10.
) 1t is well-established fact among
breeders that after a COW has raised
two or three calves her value as
/ breeder may be pretty accurately de-
!, termined, and she has also arrived at
the age of best service as a calf pro-
Queer. The heifer is not the best moth
err. usually, but improves maternal
qualities as she approaches maturity.
i It ls, therefore, very uncertain in re-
suits to turn the helfer off because she
{ does not with her first calf equal the