Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-31

81 M 2aY NV
until the last year, Its enzootlc charac-
ter, already manifest In come localities,
calls for the active interest Of all low
ers of bird life.
The experts In the Bureau of AMI.
NAL Industry have Investigated the dis
ease and find 1t Is to be due to yiru-
lent bacillus Of intestinal origin. Sci
entif1cally speaking, 1t is colibacillo-
sis. Post-mortem examination general.
ly reveals congestion of the lungs, vel.
lowing white areas of dead tissues on,
the liver, and an Inflammation of-ths
intestiRes usually characterized by the
formation of very small ulcers. The
intestines are often for their whole
length studded with these ulcers.
Quail disease has many points of re.
semblance to the so-called grouse dis.
ease (Which so often devastates the
moors of England and Scotland. With
the history of grouse disease before us
there should be an earnest endeavor
to prevent quail disease from estab.
fishing Itself in the United States. The
bureau has issued Circular No. 100, a
preliminary report on the disease. In.
terested persons should secure copies
and assist as far as possible by furnish
ing Information which may lead to a
better understanding of the cause of
the disease and measures for combat.
ing 1t.
Nestlinss' Appetite.
The Unsuitable appetite of young
birds, and. indirectly, the benefits which
community receives from the pres.
ence Of lnsect-eattng birds, is admira.
bly, brought out in study made by
the students of the University of Indi-
ana. at the biological station at Winona
Lake.
Relays of students, according to the
Nature Study Review, placed them
selves in position to observe contln.
uously from daylight to dark the move
ments In the nests of an orchard ORR
ole, pewee, phoebe and wren, all
of which belong to the insect-consum-
ing class of birds.
The little wren's nest, in which there
We're five birds about days old, was
scene of great activity, and In the
nine hours and twenty-six minutes the
little bird family was under observa-
ton the nestlings were fed 113 times,
most of the food being foraged by the
male bird, but distributed by the
mother bird.
The food consisted Of cutworms,
cabbage worms and sun
dry smaller Insects which were not
identified.
The nest of the phoebe, which con.
tanned two young birds 4 days old,
gave evidence of the first activity at
4:2O a. m., and between that time and
z p. M, when 1t began to rain, the
young birds had received 26O install.
ments of dinner. The voracity Of the
orioles and pewees were equally re-
markable
Alfalfa as a Good Feed.
In the year 1903 1 read a great deal
about alfalfa, and so bought 100 pounds
OF seed and as soon as my oat crop
was sown prepared my land for al
falfa. Il chose very rich piece of
laud which 1 plowed about eight inches
deep, pulyerized, 1t very fine and then
sowed the seed broadcast. sowed a
nurse crop In connection with the al
falfa-25 pounds of alfalfa and one
bushel Of oats, covered with a drag.
About the first of June 1 cut and cured
ard put in the barn the alfalfa and
oats. I fed this to my horses and they
did well. Twice after this cut the
alfalfa and let it lie on the land for
mulch. The second year cut the al.
falfa three times, making about six
tons to the acre In all for the second
year. The third year cut 1t four
times, making ten tons to the acre for
the season of 1906. My hogs eat the
dry alfalfa with relish, in fact, every
animal on the place seems to be crazy
to eat alfalfa hay. 1 feed a few cat.
tie every year and give them shelled
earn, eal corn and shock corn with all
the alfalfa hay they will eat. Thew
have good barn to stay in nights and
stormy weather. and never in all
my feeding saw cattle gain In three
months az these did from the time
put them in the feed yard until they
were shipped to market. 1 think al
fnlfa is one Of the most paying crops
farmer can raise, and I have been
80 well pleased with my experience
that l am mulchlng the alfalfa with
manure and think it will help 1t to
winter. I think there IL danger Of
freezing, although the land faces tn
the south and is well drained-G. r..
calkins. Ottawa. Ill.
Forest Planting in Nebraska.
A study was made by the United
States Department Of Agriculture o.
the forest plantations In Eastern Ne
braska to ascertain the species of trees
best suited for planting throughout
the region. The plantations already
In existence were studied with ref.
erence to their silvicultural REQUIRE.
ments, the amount and value of wood
products grown, and the effect of DIFF
ferent methods Of planting.
The planting of forests has decreased
in Eastern Nebraska in recent years.
and some of the earlier planted forests
are being cut off. Tables are given.
showing the height and diameter
growth of the principal species Of trees
planted in Eastern Nebraska over a
period of fifty years, the amount Of
heart wood in trees of various dame
tiers, and the yield of cottonwood on
bottom land and on upland, Usage or
ange. white willow, silver maple. box
elder, Russian mulberry, white elm.
Lombardy poplar, black locust and va
rfOuS other snecfeS of hroodIaoe +,..s