Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-03-13
CASH IN THE APPLE
ORCHARD
Mrs. S. L. Wilson. Iowa.

II Viz apple OTcnaru as an investment and
i as healthful, congenial occupation
possesses great opportunities. 1t will
pay more in cash returns on the money
invested and the labor that is necessary
] think that the south central section
offers as many or more advantages for
such an orchard than any other section
of the United States. In the first place,
can be found anywhere. There. is profit
able market right at home. and farmers
can grow the Jonathan and Ben Davis
apples Just as easy and with as much GER
Z tainty as they can grow a crop OF corn.
All they have to do is to give them as
much attention.
Any man can succeed who is in love
with the work, and has steadfastness OF
purpose enough to not lose all his enthu-
siasm as soon as he has planted his trees,
or after the first off year, providing he has
his crops that they are worth. He must
spray his fruit for fungus diseases and
insects and give 1t good care A small.
commercial orchard should be planted u
only two varieties. the Jonathan and Ben
Davis, equal number of each. About the
right area to plant would be twenty acres.
The Ben Davis will be the first to bear
will bear fairly well while young. and the
older they get the more freely they will
bear. They generally live logger than
ten to thirty years old is a sure money
maker.
The orchard should be planted on high.
rich land that is well drained and not
rolling enough to wash and should be self
supporting for the first ten years and from
the age Of ten to thirty years should net
its owner $1,000 on an average such
an orchard will return as much profit to
the farmer as the ordinary quarter section
of land, as it is generally farmed with the
different grains and stock.
DRY PICKING is BEST
Dry picking is always to be preferred
when preparing turkeys for market. When
in fine condition. nicely picked. and sent
to market without havir$ been packed In
ice. turkey Is at its best, and conse-
quently commands the highest price. AS
soon as the fowl is stuck and the blood
is still flowing. pluck the feathers dry from
tear the skin or break the flesh. Nothing
detracts so much from dressed poultry al
torn places upon the carcass or shank
picking must pc. clean and nicely done
down in a cool place until all animal heat
is gone from the body, being. careful not
to hang it where 1t will be exposed to cold
move the head. feet, or entrails. but have
the whole carcass, including head and feet,
perfectly clean.
FLED EACH COW BY HERSELF
To feed most economically each cow must
be individually fed, and the quantity OF
feed she is given governed by her size
Four pounds of grain daily may be as
much as some cows can proftably be given,
while Others will make most profitable re-
turns from ten to twelve pounds. Other
things being equal. a large COW requires
more feed than small one. and a cow
giving large quantity of milk more than
one giving a smaller quantity.
Crows have become such nuisance in
some parts of Illinois that farmers are
organizing crow hunts. In Elgin and Cain
counties 1.131 crows were killed by 81
hunters in one week.
For many years we have been told that
snow is poor mans manure. We know
that there is nitrogen in snow and that
the soil is more or less benefited by il, but
when one has to dig through snow to a
gate four times week. taking away six
feet at time. he becomes skepticar about
the chemical analysis Of this particular
Kind of fertilizer.