Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-06-24

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yellow streaks throughout the goods,
as 1t will not take any dye. A farmer
buying piece of woolen goods. either
black or colored, would hardly accept
a piece streaked with white or yellow.
A farmer who insists on tying up
his wool with binder Irvine will run the
risk Of having 1t rejected altogether or
be obliged to stand reduction Of sew
eral cents a pound. Wool should be
tied with small, hard Irvine that will
not rub of.
Controlling Cabbage Insects.
The growth Of cabbage plants for
late setting has been very uncertain
venture In parts OF New York State
for several years. Maggot-nies and
f1ea-beetles have become so plentiful in
cabbage sections that only small frac-
lions Of the seed sown give plants
worth setting; 30 that many growers
have had to import large numbers OF
plants from other States, With greatly
increased expense and liability Of In
Producing disease. A simple and, 20 far
as tested, feasible and cheap method
for controlling insects on seed beds
was tested, not originated, by the
Geneva Station last year. and the de-
tails of the experiment are given in
Bulletin No. S01. A small bed was
covered with cheesecloth screening and
the plants completely protected from
maggots. From 1900 square feet Of
bed 10000 sets were taken, while from
a check plat intended to set forty
acres only plants enough for a little
over four acres were secured. BY TAX
ing of the cover for a week before
setting, the plants were hardened" so
that there was no more whiting than
with plants grown In the open air. The
screening method is very inexpensive,
and is apparently more promising than
any spraying or soaking Of the sou
with insecticides.
"Dry Farming" Reclaims Desert.
Dry farming will eventually make
the so-called arid region Of the west
ern highlands blossom like rose In
half dozen Wyoming counties 1t Is
being adopted with complete success.
The State is encouraging 1t, and has
provided department Of dry farm
ing, with DR.. O. v. Cook at Its head.
with proper Irrigation and irrita-
ton" says Commissioner Cook, 'the
desert of the West will in time disap-
pear. The possibilities of redemption
in this arid territory are being demon
strated more and more every year.
Land that was valueless ten years ago
now produces bountiful crops"
Dry farming is the irritation part
of it. It is simply the science Of using
to Its utmost the meager rainfall of
this arid region. The secret lies in
storing up every bit of moisture pos
sible. It merely consists Of keeping
the surface Of the ground covered with
a dust mulch or blanket, which retains
the moisture.
You have noticed that after rain
the earth forms a crust. You would
think this crust would prevent the
moisture from escaping, but 1t does
not. 1t is full Of little holes through
which the sun and air. especially in
high attitudes, draws the moisture.
Here; is where dry farming comes
in. This MISUNDERSTANDING crust Ia.
pulyerized into a dust blanket by fire.
5quent narrowing or disclng. The soft
earth is made foury and close lying,
and neither the sun nor the air action
can draw the moisture through It.
No expensive equipment Is required.
A 14-inch gang pillow for four horses,
so that the blowing may be deep, the
deeper the better, is used mostly. A
boy with four good horses and three
section disc harrow can cover thirty to
thirty-fiye acres Of plowed ground
day. This narrowing must be done
several times until the ground is thor
oughly pulverixed upon the surface.
Plowed ground must be narrowed after
each RAINFALL Cheyenne, wyo., Cor.