davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
MiddIInos and sbor,.

hiddlings and shorts are terms used
INTERCHANGEABLE to some extent II
has become common to find shorts
consisting simply Of ground-over bran.
almost free from ioury particles. with
the sweepings and dirt of the mill
edded. Such material is very unsatis-
factory for stock feeding and should
be avoided. Middlings are especially
useful for feeding horses, since these
animals cannot utilize much crude
fiber. They should be mixed with
corn meal, oats or other feeding
stuffs as pure middlings are a heavy
feed and liable to produce collie
Feeds and Feeding.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

enination OF the root will distin-
SsAsh 1t from wild parsnip and wild
carrot. both OF which II somewhat
resembles in its habit of growth.
= - . poisonous weed. particularly
dangerous to children in the spring
- The year. Who may chance upon the
reseA and also dangerous to live
seDch. says Farm Life. Hence 1t
aAsuld not be tolerated a minute on
- farm. Il 10 not worth while TO cut
~ weed down. 1t should be dug up
~ The roots. and the roots cared for
n sch way that there Is no danger
- either children or live stock getting
hso1 q them. A few hours work will
Ssan up any farm that is infested
vstA this weed. and 1t should be done
w11Aout delay.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
FAST wALkINk HonsEs.


Tho fast walking horse II made II
breaking the colt He usually wants
to 60 too fast and Is held down until
he comes to believe that his gait 10 to
be dragging walk. II the colt Ia
trained to walk up briskly but not
trot; II he 10 never allowed to trot
until he IL thoroughly trained to walk
as fast as he can without trotting,
there viii be no trouble about his
walking In after life.
When q colt that is being trained
begins to lag. touch him gently with
the whip to let him know that he
must move up little more briskly,
says the Agricultural Epitomist, but
do not strike him hard enough to hurt
and excite him. Make him keep on
walking as fast as he can and the
habit will soon become q fixed one
and his value will be increased rs per
cent. as far as farm work 10 concern
ed and when ready for market, will
bring q price considerably in excess
OF another animal OF the same breed
Ing that cannot be made to walk
briskly.
A slow walking team makes work
drag in spite Of every effort OF the
driver. Farm work must be done with
the horses at a walk and a slight diff
ference In the rate at which the
team gets over the ground makes q
great difference in the work accomp-
lished.
The great trouble with most teams
Is that they are allowed to get into
the habit Of dragging along at the
rate OF about two miles an hour. even
when going unloaded and this habit
becomes fixed and impossible to rem
edy. for the farm horse that gets In
the notion Of going slowly will poke
along In spite Of any urging that may
be used.
There is much farm work that is
very light on the team. Cultivating Is
not heavy work and drawing a now
ng machine does not call for more
han a small fraction OF power q
horse may exert without injury.
Hauling loads to market Is not heavy
work when the roads are good and all
hese kinds of work should be done
With the team walking at rate that
would keep a man on q comfortable
iog-trot all the time.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
WHY HE GREW SHEEP.
One Farmer Declares They Return
Largest Profit.

Recently Mr. Arbuckle In the Plant
er gave some excellent reasons why
be grows sheep. Among other things
he said that they brought him annu-
ally larger per cent. on the invest
ment In them than in anything else
on the farm. In both mutton and
wool. Here is another strong point
he makes: mo animal on earth can
reclaim wornout lands like sheep.
Sheep choose the high, dry places to
lie on at night. There they leave
their droppings, that pound for pound
are worth more tan any other plant
food on earth. These very high places
are the poorest, worst.washed, barest
places. Don't you see what a flock
Of sheep will do? They will during
the day gather the grass In the val
leys and hollows. where 1t grows luz
uriantly." was once walking over q
farm with . man who remarked that
he had never seen such a sod on hills
az he saw On this farm. Kicking over
a pile Of sheep droppings that lay In a
clump Of dark-green blue grass, 1
said, Here 10 the secret" Nothing
equals sheep for retaining land. In
England have seen 20 sheep to the
acre. grasing over a sod that would
put our best Kentucky sod to shame.
We want sheep - clean up these
weeds that are crowdins everything
else out Sheep were not made to
live on weeds, but with svsry meal
they will take up . soodly supply as q
sort Of dessert I watched q lamb
one afternoon for one hour. and in
that hour listed 16 different kinds
OF weeds that I saw her bite on. The
heads OF the oxeye. ragweed and car
rot that she ate In this hour would
certainly have run up close to 100.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
FnuIrINa o. cvcvMsERa
Why II 10 That ofssn bvs Little Psvls
Sets on the Vines.

Not . few people are pushed BY thu
behavior OF cucumber vines In the
gardens and complain that although
the vines are blossoming full. little OF
no fruit sets. A number OF inquirer
or this nature have already been re-
ceived at the Colorado Agricultural
college experiment station this year.
The reason for this, writes w. Pad
dock. Is as follows: There are two
kinds of blossoms upon the cucum'
Der vines. as well as upon q number
OF other plants Of similar nature. The
first blossom TO set. and by far the
most numerous throughout the life of
the plant. are what are known as
male flowers. These are imperfect
In their makeup. for the reason that
they lack the pistil, or that part from
which the fruit and seed are formed.
but II bears an abundance OF pollen
which is necessary to the develop
ment OF the pistil OF the pistillate
flowers.
The other. or pistillate flowers.
sometimes called the female blossoms.
- y PhOautCQ lnAti tnC bCdSOn ah0
are also imperfect. for the reason that
they usually lack stamens, but are
provided with a pistil. The pistillate
flowers can readily be told. because
there is q miniature cucumber at its
base. even before the bud has opened.
Now. In order to produce fruit. II
Is necessary for pollen from the stami-
nate blossoms to be transferred to the
pistil OF the other class of flowers,
When grown in the green house, the
work of pollination must be done by
hand, but out OF doors. there are al
ways insect visitors enough to per-
form this important work. In fact.
this Is one OF natures provisions by
which crossfertilIxation OF plants Is
effected. Insects OF many and various
kinds visit from blossom to blossom,
and as they go to the staminate now-
ers their bodies become busted with
the pollen; then as they chance to
visit a pistillate flower. some OF the
pollen Is bound to be left upon the
receptive surface Of tho pistil. This
In plants Is known as pollination.
The pollen grains have the power
OF termination much like a grain OF
corn. The end OF the pistil Is moist
so that the grains soon terminate and
the germ tube fnds its way
down through the pistil to the imma-
ture seed which IL enters and gives
up portion OF its protoplasm. This
process IL known as fertilization.
AS rule IL may be stated that no
fruit OF any kind can be produced
without this process of pollination
and fertilization. Fertilization incites
he immature seeds into growth. and
his. OF course, causes the parts
which surround them. as in the case
II cucumbers. to grow, and the result
s what we recognize as the matured
ruit. which in this case 10 not strictly
correct.
Certain conditions which are not
veil understood seem to keep the
'alnt producing staminate blossoms
It the expense OF early fruit produc-
ion. But in a general way, we cannot
Materially hasten the formation of
'istillate blossoms. We should see to
I. therefore, that the plants are kept
vigorous growing condition by
'lanting them. first OF all, In GOOD
arden soil. and seeing that they are
upplied with an abundance of moist
re at all times.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

A pedigree is worth something. but
not SO much as some people seem to
imagine. 1t indicates that the animal
belongs to one of the established
breeds. 1t is merely a guarantee OF
pure breeding but II is not a guaran-
tee of any particular performance as
to the production OF milk or butter.
rat Its real value lies In the fact
that 1t insures a good foundation on
which to build in the development of
herd. There are poor animals among
the pure bred animals, but the good
animals among the pure breds do not
have In them strains OF blood that are
constantly pulling them of In some
direction opposite to the one in which
the cow owner Is wishing to go. When
man buys a dairy COW with a pedi.
gree he knows he Is buying an AMI
nal with tendencies in the right direc-
ton 80 far as her ancestry Is con-
cerned.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

back which is of wood. Around the
bottom used board strips three inch.
es wide to make a box 6xs inches
square.
Small hooks with screw ends were
fastened In the corners on which to
hang the sack. A piece of three-inch
stun three feet long was bolted to the
back OF the hopper with several inch
holes In the top.
The hopper was then hung upon a
spike driven into post beside the bin.
With this continuance, writes a CORE
spondent In Prairie Farmer, I can I'LL
sacks as fast as one man can tie them
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
THE SPARROW PEST.
Fhe Farm Journal Tells Of Peter Tum.
bse-pown's Way Of Dealing With IL.

There are various ways of dealina
with the sparrow pest, some good
some bad, but Peters way is at leas,
very unique and quite effective. Las,
fAh he dilly-dallied with corn huskins
sntil caught by big snow storm. This
Vas soon followed by a thaw and then
|reeze up, SO that half OF the cron
was, left out all winter for crow halt
The crows took advantage OF the sit.
nation and spent the winter in the or
cnards and woods nearby, taking
breakfast, dinner and supper at
Peters expense and inviting all Their
relations to the feast. Thus com,ng
70 feel at home in the neighborhood
- the spring many of them set nm
housekeeping and began to raise fam.
HES. So after the new spring corn
had sprouted and showed above the
surface. each mother and father crow
got busy and became a nuisance IN the
neighborhood. Peter had To reniant
twice and some of the neighbors four
times. That's not all: the little bahv
crows seemed to need meat diet. and
70 supply this want, all the nests of
other birds, including sparrows. were
rihed by the parent crows: and thus
the sparrow pest was conquered for
once. or course the plan was hard
ON the song birds, for the crows did
not discriminate in favor of meat
Peter will not take out a patent on
this plan, and all his neighbors hone
fs will not try IL again.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
improved wIr.Ies. reieor.ohv.

German engineer named Hon
icke has invented a system OF wire
less telegraphy for short-distancs
service which can be TRANSPORTED
from point to point with remarkaA,e
ease and rapidly. 1t 10 expected that
the system win come into ssneral NJ.
In connection with military rsconnot.
tering operations. naval landing par
ties and other similar purposes. The
transmitting and receiving apparatus
are both fitted In one small case. with
weight OF approximately 40 pounds.
which can thus be carried on a raan's
back. The weight OF the pole lor the
wires and other accessories Is ap-
proximately hundred pounds, so that
an entire station weighs approximate
ly lao pounds. A station can be
moved from place to place by three
men, and Ave men are able to erect
II ready for use in eight minutes. The
cost of station is 81 500, and the
range of communication about 2F
miles.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
PoIiteness In Japsn.

Japan Is the country in which hab-
its of politeness begin to be formed
with the first training of the child
Should the children. when emerging
from school, see stranger on the
opposite side of the street, they cour
tesy. and, having made an exceeding
ly respectful bow. pass on. This civ.
ility is repeated by all the pupils. II
makes a very pretty picture, and H.
lustrates the polite bearing OF the
Japanese. who are thus trained to
civility from childhood. Before a
baby can speak. almost before 1t can
toddle along, IL is taught 10 lift the
hand to the forehead on receiving a
gift Every child will make this sig.
nal OF respect and gratitude without
from parents.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
Beauty Of Inequality.

The beauty as well as the happiness
OF the universe requires inequality.
Equal lines. smooth surfaces. and
eternal plains have no beauty. We
must have hill and dale, mountain and
valley. sea and land. suns Of all mag
nitudes, worlds OF all sizes, minds OF
all dimensions. and persons and faces
OF divers casts and colors, to consti-
tute a beautiful and happy world. We
must have sexes. conditions and cir
cumstances-empires. nations and
families-diversities In person. mind.
manners. In order to the communica-
ton and reception of happiness.
Hence. our numerous and various
wants are not only incentives to ac-
ton. but sources of pleasure. both sim
pie and complex-physical. intellectu.
al and moral.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
Keeping Sheep In Pasture.

In keeping our sheep In pasture
we use woven wire fencing. Our sheen
have always been easily controlled.
never having learned to be unruly. A
woven wire fence with wires close TO.
gether. with wire 30 inches high and
with one barbed wire on top and six
inches above top wire, with posts 20
feet apart, makes a good fence. II
other stock besides sheep run in the
pasture have another barbed wire on
top. Never have slack wires. Have
the end posts anchored soundly and
have the wires drawn tight. F1ocks
differ greatly in regard TO fences. n
the farmer never has poor fences ne
will find his sheep the easiest stock
TO control on the farm.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
RIGHT

mind. In lower part OF right ear, /,
2. 3. 4. In upper part of right ear
one cut means 8; in upper part OF left
ear one cut means 10; In lower part
of left ear one cut tells the number
20 Is on the animal; cuts on lower
and upper ear left will call 80; lower
and upper right ear will be 3. so the
animal marked that way with z
cuts will be numbered 80.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
CORN FODDER AS FEED.
Il Has q High Value N II 10 Properly
Cared For.

The value OF corn fodder when
properly cared for can hardly be over
estimated. In my several years Of ex
perience In feeding stock have not
found anything that equals 1t as an
all purpose feed. A great deal OF
complaint has been heard to the ef
feet that II is difficult to persuade
stock to eat corn fodder, but / be-
lieve that II we could go to the feed
lots OF the people who make these
complaints we could find that the fod-
der they were giving to their stock
was half decayed and scattered here
and there through the mud and ma
nure: perhaps there may be q few
hogs running through it, trampling
II into the mud before the cattle
reach It. From observation, contin-
ues the writer In Farm Life, I would
say that almost three-fourths of the
farmers feed their fodder in just this
way.
The cost Of farm labor has necessi-
tated greater care in the saving of
feed and getting 1t to the stock In
such a condition as to obtain the
greatest benefits from 1t. so 1t is well
worth considering this matter.
AS TO the fodder itself, II is evil
dent that the best can be produced
from our earliest corn. II can then
be cut before there is any danger of
frost. for frost bitten fodder is utterly
worthless.
There seems to be a great differ
ence Of opinion as to Just when corn
should be cut for fodder. I prefer 1t
little green to being overripe. 1
pat II in small stacks to cure. and
when well cured, husk the corn and
bind the fodder into large bundles.
which can be easily handled and
stored away TO be used as wanted.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
FARMERS IN CLOVER
PASSING YEAR A PROSPEROUS
ONE FOR THEM
Earnings Promise to be More Than
$1,000, ooo,oo over tso6-con.
sumption More Than Keeps
Pace With Production.

Upward OF $1,000. 600. 900 more sAan
last year will be the American farm
ers' earnings In 1907. Farm produc-
tons this year will be about 10 per
cent less In quantity than In 1906,
which was the bumper season, but
the crops Of 1907 will fully equal the
average yield for FIVE years prior TO
last season.
The preliminary review OF the crops
OF the year published by the Ameri-
can Agricultural, also emphasizes
that, because OF the decreased guam
tity and increased price, the leading
staples this season will net over $780,
100000 more 10 the farmers than last
year. while their total gains may be
almost twice as great.
AS the vast Industrial prosperity OF
the last fifteen years has been based
upon the agricultural revival which
characterized 18s3-97, the American
Agriculturist predicts an even better
era OF good times now than in the re-
cent past because OF these marvellous
gains in agriculture. II says:
The farmer was never in so heal
thy position as he is today-fnan-
cially. socially. politically. mentally.
spiritually. The increase in the value
OF his real estate has been prodigious.
lie owes less money than ever before
He has greater assets than ever.
Again. the farmers wants are great
err He is Ia the market for more
L..
plements. household goods and other
merchandise. He recognizes the ex-
ira profit that accrues from the use
or better equipment and better meth
DDS in his business and In his home"
The wheat crop this year will ap-
proximate sz5,000.0 900 bushels, $780,
O0O, 900 less than last year. Corn prom
ises to be within per cent of as msch
as last year, and with but two or
three exceptions the biggest yield in
our history.
The yield OF oats will be about IL
per cent less than last year, but there
will be nearly the usual quantity OF
rye, barley, buckwheat, faxseed and
potatoes. The hay crop will exceed
$3.50 JON 6icot ucdA ne American
Agricultural says the cotton crop will
be we'll under $4,000. 900 bales. Apples
viii be much more plentiful than last
year. The increase In the value of
these crops per unit OF measurement
makes the total value Of each crop
his year considerably larger than last
Consumption of farm products more
han keeps pace with production. The
supply OF grain and cotton is less per
'apita for the two years than for the
period ten years back.
export demand promises to absorb at
air prices every pound OF surplus
neat. grain, cotton, ETC., that the
american people can spare The grain
importing nations of Europe have only
Moderate crops, and must import
aore food products than usual. II Is
to note that the farmers
re getting good prices direct from
he harvest fields this year, whereas
rdinarily prices are low In autumn.
nd advance after the apple crops are
irgely. out OF the farmers hands.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
Soft Hair.

Soft hair on animals means that
their skins are abundantly supplied
with the oils and fats that induce to a
thrifty growth. The buyer OF a horse
or OF a COW or steer wishes 10 have
hair that is soft. as 1t indicates that
the digestive organs of the animal are
In good working order and are supply
Ing his needs in this regard. Some
animals inherit unthriftiness, and
this IL indicated by the hard, harsh
hair that seems to be growing out of
a stffr, hard hide.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

enfertilizing value OF nitrogen in
en- manure mixture (peas, beans
setches), In beet leaves, and In
ate OF soda was compared with
g followed by mustard in pot ex-
sriments with two different soils.
taking the effect of the nitrate of
soda In increasing yield as 100, the
efRecf of the other forms OF nitrogen
was green manure 1913 and beet
leaves 36.5. The relative utility util.
ixation OF nitrogen by the oat crop and
the Following mustard crop was an
follows; Nitrate of soda 100. green
manure SIS and beet leaves a..
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
Don't Crowd.

The poultry house is better to have
too few birds than too many in II dur.
ing the winter. CrowdIng means dis.
ease. imperfect ventilation, lack OF
exercise. uneven distribution of feed.
feather eating. broken eggs and other
lossea-
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

Along the sloughs and in wet places
= many farms In the west may be
fssnd a weed from two to ave feet
Agh. with an umbrella-like blossom
aA1 with the stems streaked with pur-
- This is the spotted cowbane or
water hemlock. sometimes mistakenly
called wild psrsnip. On examining
- roots there will be found number
- tubers close together, some OF them
senilar In shape to a cows horn. An
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
Fumioate.

II you have q scratching room IN
which to drive the flock. fumigate
with sulphur their lodging room. n
you have no suitable place for them
TO 60 burn oil of tar or resin In their
preeence
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
She Wasn't

Young De Style always had such
an eye for beauty that suppose his
hancee is something unusual. Is she
very handsomeg"
NO. but her allowance is."--Pitts-
burg Press.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
GRAIN or CORN sAckrR.


The hopper shown in the illustration
was made with pieces OF tin from an
old sslf-binder. rivsted together for
the sides and front. and nailed . TIE
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

In the accompanying sketch. In the
end or piece OF fork handle q hole is
bored In which is inserted a i've
eighths-inch rope. The rope is twist
ed over the horses nose by turning
the handle. 1t should be over the nos,
trils or In the mouth.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
EARMARkiNo ANIMALS.
System Recommended by Hog
Drsedsr Who Has Tried Il.

Here 10 a system of marking hogs
used by correspondent of the Breed.
ers' Gazette. that Is easy to keep in
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
HOLDING A WILD HoRsE.
Device Which VIII Make the Animal
TractsbIe.

A convenient method OF holding a
Wild horse when administering medi-
cine. taking OF shoes. ETC., 10 shown
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
COW BAN {.

o.scrIptIon Of q Plant That Grows In
Wet Places and 10 Poisonous.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

Careless picking and packing loses
many q dollar to the fruit grower.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

In mating team not only color
and size. but strength. endurance and
gait must be considered.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

The half holiday Saturday is almost
universal In the industrial and bust
ness life Of our big cities. Why not
introduce the idea in a modified form
on the farms? 1t would make one
feel more like getting out to church
Sunday morning.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

Prof. Stewart. Of the Geneva station,
New York, is authority for the state
ment that more progress in the actual
control OF fungus diseases had been
achieved during the past % years
than during all previous time.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

The day when the spectators run
the agricultural fairs has passed. Now
In almost every case these shows are
OF the farmers. and by the farmers
and for the farmers. and as a result
they are serving valuable mission
In the agricultural industry.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

While the hen and the garden do
not make a good combination, they
both ought to have a place on every
farm. Fence the garden plot and
let the chickens run, and both will
repay you for care you give them.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

Accustom the heller calves early to
being handled. II will make their
handling when calving much easier.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09

The blackened wood and leaves on
the pear tree caused by blight should
be cut out without delay and the cut
tngs and leaves burned. Dip the
knife used frequently In a bottle of
alcohol to disinfect and prevent
spreading the disease.