Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-02-08
stems for 81 ton / would buy all
could lay hands on,
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

spinach, lettuce, tomatoes and some
other vegetables, but cabbage gets the
club root every time Celery also
grows, but the stalks are hollow What
could be done to improve the ground !?
OF what benefit is an experimental
station to a farmer? Please explain
this in detail, giving the charges for
assaying soil, and if they advise what
crops are best raised on certain kinds
of ground. What is the address of II
nearest one of western Pennsylvania?
M. j. Fl. Kaylor, Pennsylvania.
lClub root, in your cabbage is doubt
less caused by lack of lime in the
soil. This disease is seldom found on
limestone SOIL Apply muriate of pot
ash, kainit, and any good phosphate
fertilizers. 1t would be good plan to
give your cabbage ground rest for a
year and then start with entirely new
plants from another section.
Pithiness in celery is generally due
70 too rank growth in the seed bed II
II is allowed to remain too long upon
The ground after having been blanched
it is likely to become pithy The only
remedy is a change in your cultivation
and in plants. Celery diseases arc
discovered it is best to discard tie
seeds entirely and replace them will
those that are known to be healthy
The French grow better seed than any
other country and nearly all the self
blanching celery in this country is pro-
duced from French seed.
Experiment stations are of the great
est benefit to the farmer if he would
only make use of them. They are sup
ported by the government and the state
tor the purpose of Investigations OF
ellis, best methods of growing crops,
raising live stock and every other thing
produced on the farm. The investi-
gators are almost without exception
men of scrupulous honor and enthusi-
astic in their work, and with the means
provided by the government and the
state are enabled to carry on their in
vestigations often over periods of many
wears and ascertain the exact reasons
o" success or failure in farm practice
Write to the director of your agrcul-
tural college for analysis of your soil
NO charge is made for work of this
kind provided it is of general benefit
to the farmers Of the state. You will
do well also to write to your expert
ment station whenever you want infor-
nation of any kind relating to the work
on your farm.l
To the Editor: VIII you advise me
where l can get works on spaying
heifers?-W. NJ, Lincoln county, Ore
1.-THE American Cattle Doctor" by
George H. Dadd, 81; Bovine Obstet-
RIGS" by M. G. DeBruin. IS; Animal
Castration" A. Laiutard, 81. Any of
these books will be sent by the Amer
lean Farm World on receipt of price. I
TO the Editor: Last year, my first in
the poultry business, I gave all the
manure to neighbors, but having re-
Gently purchased a piece of fallow
meadow land l am now saving it.. NV
plan is: I procured some goods boxes
4X4X3 feet and placed about six inches
of moist turf in the bottom, then al
ternate layers of droppings and turf
tramping and packing it tightly. In
spring when l get the sod plowed off I
intend mixing quantity of sand with
the compost and narrowing it in. Cab
bage and potatoes are the intended
crops.
4. DO you agree with my method Of
saving the droppings? g. To have good
soil, how much sand will it be neces-
sary to add to each box of compost?
3. Are any other substances-e e., wood
ashes or lime-necessary to be added /?
4. VIII narrowing it in (the soil Is not
deep as the garden is made-by this
mean the place is all beach stones and
quantity of sawdust or seaweed is
spread over these to a depth Of two
or three inches; over this is placed
sand or turf to a depth of eight, ten or
twelve inches; the crops generally
grown are potatoes, cabbage, celery and
occasionally turnips, carrots and par
snips) be better than to spread it even
ly over the surface? 5. Which will be
more suitable for this, potatoes or cab
bage?-J. G. X, New Jersey.
4. Your method is excellent.
g. Use only sufficient sand to make
the compost easily worked. Good, rich
soil is better.
3. Never use wood ashes or lime with
hen manure. Hen manure is especially
rich in nitrogen and contains more
than twice as much when fresh than
is contained in a ton of common stable
manure. Coal ashes can be used with
manure to advantage.
4. Apply as top dressing, raking in
well after your ground is prepared for
planting. 1t should never be applied
directly in contact with plants or seed.
5. This compost will be very valua-
BILE for any vegetable you may plant.
ALFALFA-FATTENED STEERS