The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1907-12-05
period draws to a close? That his cat.

period draws to a close? That his cat
tie have. perhaps, fattened to about
the same proportion as when he used
his W. materials, grown on his farm
and possibly supplemented by ground
iced from the local mill or feed store.
These balanced rations are often
found, by analysis, to consist of the
"tallings" of mills, elevators and brew
cries mixed with molasses and salt to
make the compound palatable to the
cattle. And one of the largest stock
food companies is said to use fine
sawdust finely ground to cheaply bring
up the weight of his product. Instead
or buying a superior and expensive
balanced ration" containing high fat
tening qualities and acting as a tonic,
he has paid a high price for a feed
containing, along with ordinary grains,
finely ground alfalfa hay, and other
common food stuff worth SIS to $25 per
ton, a high percentage of refuse and
non-nutritious matter, some of which
may be positively dangerous to the
health of his stock.
Naturally the question is asked by
the farmer: How may I detect any or
all of these fakes when they are Of
fered to me? In the first place bear in
mind that the department of agricult-
ure and experiment stations are very
chary of giving endorsements which
may in any manner be used to the
commercial advantage of any person,
firm or corporation. These depart
ments are conducted for the benefit
OF the people as a whole and great
care is taken to prevent their author
ity or influence from being %subverted
to the special advantage of any per-
son or individual enterprise. There
fore, when the seller of selected or
"~pedigreed" seed grains, of a remedy
for hog cholera or Of a "balanced ra-
ton" for the quick fattening of cattle
claims that his wares have the en-
dorsement of a department of agri-
culture or a state station it is safe to
assume that he is a swindler. At any
rate, there Is only n safe rule to
follow: Do not buy until you have
written to the department or station
from which it is claimed that the
endorsement comes. You will get a
prompt answer-and I believe that
your inquiry will generally save you
from being swindled. In the matter
of buying choice seed grains I would
add this suggestions: Your safest
course is to buy only of those firms
that you know to have large tracts
of lands specially devoted to the sci
entiic cultivation Of grains for seed
ing-grains which have made a rec
ord for strong vitality and large de-
pendable productiveness. There are
plenty Of these great seed farms
which are scientifically and honestly
conducted by men of capability and
established reputation. Still another
suggestion, which applies to all the
cardinal interests of the farmer, is to
read the bulletins and reports of the
agriculture departments and state sta
lions systematically and carefully.
This will do much to protect you from
imposition on the part Of swindlers
who base their hopes Of success on
the enlightened sentiment for progress
sive farming awakened by the nation
al and state departments, for it will
give you actual knowledge as to what
is and what is not commended by
those authorities.
Copyright, by Joseph B. Bowles.)