The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-09-27

the country Jan. |. 1909 are placed at
100000. with value of S437, OS2. 600.
or an average of Sl07 IS. This makes
the average mule worth just about So
more than the average horse. indicat-
ing that as a phase of animal hus-
bandry it is q long way from being
oyerdone and will give handsome re-
turns to the fellow who will go into it.
Wisconsin fruit growers in the yicin-
ity of Sturgeon Bay are much con-
cerned over the appearance of the San
Jose scale in that vicinity. and those
about Milwaukee over the European
scale on shrubs in the cemeteries and
parks of that place. the infected stock
being portion Of an Importation from
France. The state inspector has the
cases under consideration and is doing
all he can to prevent a spread of the
pests.
During the year 1907 3.5o799s poles
were required to meet the demands of
steam and electric roads and electric
lighting and power companies. These
cost at the point of purchase s1O.229,-
642, or an average of $2.92. Cedar
poles constituted 63 per cent of the
total number and chestnut 10 per cent.
the remaining % per cent being di-
vided among several varieties. The
price paid for cypress was S517, while
tamarack was the cheapest costing "A
cents pole.
A careful inspection should be given
the orchard trees during the late sum
mer months in order to locate any
little borers which have Matched from
eggs during the month of June. as the
sooner they are put out of commission
after they have started their dirty
work the better. Then, too. there may
be some of last years hatch which
were not discovered when the rounds
! were made the latter part of May and
early June. Big or little, they should
be exterminated.
The residents of Zoar, O.. have de-
cided on novel method of supply.
ing the people of the community with
cider next fall. a 100 barrel cement
cistern. built years ago by the Zoar
| Communistic society, Is to be cleaned
out and when apples are ripe will be
1 filled with fresh cider. a pump Is to
be installed, and any one who has the
will to work the handle may have a
| swig. IL this fact is generally adver-
( tised it is safe to assume that the
/ thirsty tourists from the four winds of
heaven will light down on Zoar next
( October when the frost is on the
! bunkin'."
A German corporation which has
! been exploring Mesopota mia the mid
! river country between the Tigris and
/ Euphrates rivers in southwestern Asia.
/ believes that the country can be re-
! juvenated agriculturally by restora-
ton of the irrigation systems whose
! waters used to quench the thirsty and
marvelously productive valley In the
olden days when Nebuchadnezzar was
/ inundated and turned out to grass
While desert sands have drifted in and
7 covered the fertile soil. it is thought
this can be stripped off and the sec
( ton In large measure restored to its
former productiveness. 1t is said
that some of the canals will need but
little repairing to make them disable.
The rat poison which is most highly
recommended by the agricultural de.
partment after making a trial of sew
eral is barytes or barium sulphate
The poison may be mixed with corn.
meal in the proportion of one to four
or 1t may be mixed with eight time,
IFS bulk Of oatmeal. enough water be
Ing added TO make stiff dough. or ;,
little of the powdered barytes may BIZ
| sprinkled on buttered bread or moist
toast. Small quantities of the bait
should be placed IN the rnnways un
/ der barn. granary or other outbuilG
4 ings. An advantage In the use OF
barytes over other poisons is that /,
is more slow acting and the rats usu-
| ally have time TO leave their haunts
! and die In the open air and where they
| go for water. and not In cracks and
crannies where they will make a bad
smt