davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23

land, due to the growth Of COW peas,
the better it will Withstand drought.
The COW peas add humus to the soil,
which enhances it's water-holding ca
pacity The fact that the soil becomes
more porous also makes it possible to
form better dust mulch by cultiva-
ton, which also increases the posi-
bility of checking evaporation of the
soil moisture The rains of winter and
early spring mostly flow off over a
hard, crusty soil, while they sink into
a mellow COW pea soil and are stored
for the dry, hot months of summer.
Where COW peas are grown on steep
land which has a tendency to wash, the
stubble, If allowed to stand unplowed
until spring, will check the washing to
a considerable extent, though not to
the extent that some other crops do
Even after blowing under the peas
the soil will not wash SO much as 1t
would IL the COW peas were not there
The fact that the soil is mellow and
loose allows the water to soak in in
stead Of washing off, thus holding the
soil in place.
If the cow peas are to be pastured
to hogs Ca profitable disposition tc
make of them in orchards that are Of
bearing age, SO that the hogs will no,
injure the trees), varieties which pro.
/ duce many seeds are desirable. Fortu.
nately the early varieties are good SEED
bearers and make a large quantity O.
hog feed. Some also Of the later varie.
ties make many seeds. 1t is we'll to as
certain what sorts seed best in you
particular soil and select these, IL the.
are to be used as feed.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
SCAB VERY DESTRUCTIVE

Every year hundreds of thousands of
sheep are destroyed by scab. This is
a contagious skin disease caused by a
tiny mite. 1t is rather difficult to
eradicate when it has once gotten into
a flock, but If sheep owners would dip
their sheep regularly and do the work
well the disease would in time be to-
tally wiped out.
The ticks which cause the trouble
multiply in large numbers and spread
all over the animal. The sheep are
restless; they scratch and bite them
selves and rub against posts, fences or
each other. In a little while the wool
begins to fall off in tags; and in time,
If the animal is not treated, will en-
tirely disappear and the sheep must be
destroyed.
Sheep scab may be transmitted to
man and great care should be used in
handling animals affected by 1t. In
cases Of scab where the disease Is light
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
NOTES FROM THE SHEEP FOLD

Cold, wet rains and young lambs
do not go well together. Keep them
separate, with good roof and q wind
break.
Angora goats are profitable. When
the mohair is of good length and clean
it commands a ready sale Mt good
prices, but short, dirty mohair is never
readily salable. This fact has led
many to become discouraged In |eep-
ing goats. since they believe it to b.
Impossible to keep them clean. This
is not true. as the experience of many
good goat raisers has proven.
Keep the eve very quiet with the
young lamb. Do not have any excite
rnent in the way of dogs to disturb
her.
Don't grumble IL it is necessary for
you to get up In the night a few times
during lambing season. 1t won't hur.
you and it will help long way in
bringing the flock through success
fully.
In many cases ewes are not able to
properly nourish twin or triplet lambs
ard the extra one must be removed
and put upon other feed, it having been
found in many instances very profita-
| BILE to raise lambs upon cows milk
The mutton produced from such sheep
is said to be very high grade.
Do not under any circumstances al
low the ram to be leased or tormented
Those who have handled them have
learned that 1t is very easy to develop
a playful or tricky disposition in these
animals.
1t may be stated as general rul,
that when a sheep gets sick and 20,
don't know how to doctor 1t, 1t is
good plan to allow nature to take 1T
. course. Proper care, light feeding an,
, protection against exposure will worl
wonders
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
SUGAR BETS FOR HORSES

Sugar beets fed in moderate quanti-
ties to horses at ordinary work will
have beneficial effect. The quantity
to feed will depend upon the animal,
the character of the hay and grain and
the amount and kind Of work that is
being done.
Some horses scour very easily on
heets, while others make good use of
them.
Horses that are at hard work and
being fed loosening foods like bran
and alfalfa hay, and horses doing q
good deal of road work, should not be
fed many beets. The condition of the
bowels will help serve as a guide in
the number to feed.
A feed of beets given on Saturday
night when the horses are to be idle
on Sunday will be helpful in every in
stance.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
PROPER SOIL TREATMENT
Study the Needs of the Differ
ent Soils and Supply the
Deficient Plant Food.
BY FRANK I. MANN.

When ten tons per acre of manure,
shipped at SIS cents per ton, were ap-
Piled to land, increasing the yield 10
bushels of corn, which sold at SO cents
per bushel, the result was not very
profitable. So little science was ap-
piled.
An analysis Of the soil showed de-
ficiency of phosphorus, an ample sup
ply of nitrogen, a large amount OF
potassium, with no acidity of the soil
Test plots on which different ele-
ments of plant food were applied gave
no. material increase in the yield from
ally treatment except where phosphor-
us was applied.
The increase from SIS worth Of
nitrogen was one bushel per acre
while 81 worth of phosphorus increased
the yield " bushels, worth $3.50, while
there was left in the soil available fol
future use enough phosphorus from
this treatment for $50 bushels of corn
Nothing was left from the nitrogen
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
SHEEP ON ABANDONED FARMS
They Can BE Raised Probably
on Amy Land Where There
Is Grazing.

New York man writes asking
whether or not it would be profitable
to raise sheep on abandoned farms. of
which there are many In the east
There Is no reason why sheep can
not be raised probably on any land
where there Is grazing. While the
consumption OF mutton Is constantly
Increasing, and particularly the con-
sumption of lambs, the number Of
sheep in the country Is decreasing.
We believe that higher prices will be
the rule for lambs and first class NUT
ton from now on.
On any hilly land or land that has
been cleared of timber which will at
ford good browsing sheep can be
raised at small expense.
II the farmer has to buy feed Of
course his profits will be much smaller
than If he could raise it on his own
land. But there are many abandoned
farms in the east that can soon be
brought up to a state of fertility that
viii raise sufficient crops. such as al
falfa, roots and some of the harder
grasses, and these will, under good
management, return good profits from
sheep raising
For such land the Southdown and
Shropshire are good breeds. They are
good fogagers, but it must be UNDER
stood that sheep, while they may be
able to subsist on land that will not
support larger animals, cannot be
properly fattened for market on poor
grazing alone.
Every man must study the condi-
tions surrounding his land, its near
ness to market the price Of feed In
case he is obliged to buy a portion
of 1t, and must judge for himself
whether his venture Is likely to prove
:, profitable or not.
We think it Is better to buy old ewes,
:, because young eve lambs are very high
in price, From the old ewes start
can quickly be made and the old ones
be disposed of the second year.
The ewes should be dipped before
being brought to the farm and every
precaution taken to prevent disease
They must have dry, warm quarters
for winter, because sheep will moi
9 thrive in the mud. They should never
be allowed to stand out during heavy
L rains or SHOWS, because a. wet fleece
y Is a bad thing
n The flock should be carefully culled
9 every spring, the old ewes should be
sold and the best ewes retained fol
breeding purposes.
The most important matter in start
ing flock is tho selection of a ram
If Buy a f1rst-class animal even If TIN
is price seems high
a The ram should be of the type de
o sired. Do not make mistake of buy
o ing ram Of the wool breed to pro
p duce mutton. Do not dispose of TIL,
k ram ais long as he produces strong
: healthy lambs. He should have small
pasture by himself and should not b,
e allowed to run with tho ewes excep
d during the breeding season.
@ A good mixture to supplement graz
+ ing is 100 pounds of bran mixed will
IT 100 pounds Of cornmeal, to whicl
d ought to be added from 10 to 20 pound
G, Of oilmeal.
"A Corn will lay on fat quickly. Alfalf
re is excellent and many sheepmen pas
ture it, but it will cause bloat IL pas
% tured very green and sheep will as
IN rule do alfalfa more harm than goo
n when allowed to run on the fields.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
IOWA BOYS WIN PRIZE CUP

The students judging contest for the
$500 prize cup offered by the National
Dairy Show association at Chicago,
in which nine of the most prominent
agricultural colleges of the United
States entered teams of three each, was
won by the Iowa State Agricultural col
lege.
The team from the University of Me-
braska was second and the Minnesota
team. was third.
r. d. Hawk of Iowa State college
won the individual prize
In the Judging contest the merits OF
four herds, representing as many
breeds, with regard to conformation
and availability for dairy use, were
passed upon.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
VALUE OF STABLE MANURE

The man who wastes or fails to put
to good use the manure that is made
upon his farm, or fails to take advan-
tage of any manure that Is produced
in his vicinity and is available to his
use, is doing incalculable injury to his
own interests and to society. IL we
consider the question from the view
point of the cash value Of the fer
tilizer only we shall see how serious
is the mistake of the man who neg
lects the great advantages contained in
the manure from his live stock.
Professor K. B. Voorhees, of the New
Jersey experiment station has put this
matter in a concrete form by showing
exactly what the cash value of the ma
nure Is that so frequently is permitted
to go to waste. He declares that a
Well-fed dairy cow WILL on the aver
age, produce 12% tons of manure pei
year, and that this product will con-
tain on the average III pounds OF
nitrogen. n pounds of phosphoric acid
50 pounds of peterborough, If all the
constituents in it were used, to grow
nearly 70 bushels of wheat with thu
accompanying straw.
These have come from the farm
somewhere; if they are not returned
the power of the soil is lessened. /
the farmer wishes to return these II
the form of commercial fertilizers h
would have to pay out $50 at presen
prices-2O cents per pound for tn
nitrogen and Az cents each for tn
phosphoric acid and potash.
Another authority quite as distin
guished as the one just quoted place
the value Of sheep manure, produce
under cover and carefully preserve
from the action Of the weather. at NOR
than SIS per ton. That the hoof of tn
sheep is golden is matter of traditio
from time immemorial. Poultry drop
pings and the product of the hors
stable also are immensely valuable
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
GET A GOOD HoRsEsHoER

1t is absolutely essential for the
horseshoer to thoroughly understand
the anatomy and physical laws. as well
as the mechanical rules, of the horses
foot, for most all ailments to which
horses feet are subject come under his
direct supervision.
He is often called upon to treat foot
disorders, and should equip himself
with sufficient knowledge of the sub
ject before attempting to remedy such
ailments.
Corns seem to be one of the most OBJ
stinate cases that come under the OBJ
servation of the horseshoer.
Some authorities claim that these
corns resemble the corns on the hui
man foot, but they are misled on ac-
count of the cause and location being
generally the same.
1t is misapplied term when con-
nected with the foot of the horse.
The discoloration which appears be-
tween the bar and wall is a deposit OF
blood after rupture of the blood YES
sells, which form such a complex net
work around the foot. This part of the
foot has to do more than it's share OF
work. .Corns are Chiefly found on the
inside of the foot because of the habit
of fitting the shoes closer to the cen.
ter of the frog than the outside, thus
throwing the work on the inside heel.
Another error is making shoes right
and left. Why should this be done
when there is no distinction In the
anatomy? The foot has as many points
of observation as a marine compass:
and each point must be rigidly observed
If we wish to be successful in manipu.
lating the ailments of the foot
The shoe must be an equal distance
from the center of the frog in ordel
to balance the foot If this cannot b,
done by nature mechanical rules mus
be followed.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
COW PEAS IN THE ORCHARD
They Supply Nitrogen to the Soil,
Making 1t Porous and lmprov-
ing Its General Condition.
BY j. G. WRITTEN.

Where fruit trees are making poor
wood and leaf growth, due to poor soil.
it is usually safe to assume that nitro
gen is one of the plant food elements
that are lacking. This may be Sc
cured by growing COW peas in the or
chard. In many old, worn-out soils
which have long been titled the soil
may also lack the other two essen
tial plant foods. In many of our COM
paratively new soils there is enough
phosphorus and potash so that the nj
trogen supplied by the COW pea will
be sufficient to bring the orchard up to
good, thrifty condition.
| Aside from enriching the soil in nj
trogen the COW pea improves its gen
eral physical condition, rendering 1t
more porous. A hard, lumpy, crusty
orchard soil does not respond well to
cultivation; it is difficult to get the
land in good shape. A single crop OF
cow peas will mellow it to a great ex-
tent. The more porous and spongy the
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
HEN OR TURKEY MOTHER :?

On large farms where black head has
not gained a footing no single branch
in the poultry department offers great
er possibilities than turkey raising.
Though tender during the frs: few
weeks, they require little care save
regular feeding twice a day as an in
ducement to them to come h )nle at
night.
While many prefer the hen mother
whose brood are less liable to develop
into rarblers, it cannot be denied that
the turkey best understands the needs
of her poults.
Turkeys chafe under confinement
Their wild ancestry is not SO remote
that they do not love the woods and
fields, thriving best on see Is and in
sect diet.
The old turkey always proceeds leis.
urely with her flock, intuitively know
ing when one is tired and as speedily
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
A NEW WORLDS RECORD

Pedro's Estella 1926, Jersey COW
bred and owned by the Missouri Agrl.
cultural college, has made a new rec.
ord for the breed as o 3-year- old.
Her record for twelve months is a.
follows: Milk 11,06s pounds; fat ir
milk, COS pounds.
The average per cent of fat for tn,
entire year was 5.476 pounds. Com.
putting the yield of butter on basis OF
85 per cent, according to the rule Of
the Jersey Cattle club, this COW pro.
duced 1922 pounds of butter in thu
twelve months.
Her weight was $50 pounds at th,s
beginning of the test and increased K
$50 pounds at the end of the year. The
best previous authenticated years rec.
ord for an animal Of this age Is 81!
pounds fat, Which Is exceeded by ST.:
pounds by the record Of Pedro's Els.
tella.
The average amount Of grain fed pei
day was about IA pounds, or total OF
! 5110 pounds during the year. which
consisted mostly OF corn, oats. bran and
oilmeal.
During the winter months the ration
consisted Of corn silage and alfalfa hay
with mixture. of corn, bran, oilneal
and oats for grain.
The total cost Of feed was approx
imately $50 for the year. A compar-
atively high cost of feed naturally re-
suits from the high level of prices dur
ing the year and partly, of course from
the fact that such COW has to be fed
literally to produce literally.
1t is mistake, however, to assume
as Is often done. that the large records
of production are necessarily made G,
the expense of economy. While the
cost of feed looks high for this COW
the value Of the production also shows
UP we'll
The 712 pounds produced by this COW
gives an income Of s234.S6 for butter
in addition to which we sold approx
imately 1850 pounds of skim milk pro
duced by this cow at % cents per TO-
pounds for hog feeding, which brough
s22.10, or total income for the yea
of $257.06.
Had we sold at retail the 5,52
quarts produced, at the current loca
price of z cents, 1t would have brough
, $3S1.l0, in either case leaving larg
. margin above the cost of production
lie. III. Eckles, Professor of Dairy Illus
e bandry. University Of Missouri. Column
a bia.
@ There are 1,137,sS4 almond trees an
n 689,475 walnut trees bearing nuts
ICalifornia. --,...--~ :
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
EXERCISING A BULL

The accompanying cut furnishes an
excellent plan for exercising a bull. A
large, strong post is sunk into the
ground and securely set.
On top of this post is placed an
iron plate somewhat similar to that
used on the bolster of a sleigh or
wagon through which the king bolt
passes A long sweep, evenly balanced
is placed upon the top Of this post and
pinned by means of a long rod, or, as
we might say, king bolt The sweep
is necessarily large at one end and
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
TO HOLD THE GATE OPEN

A piece of timber 4x6 two feet long,
with notch in one end 3x6 inches, a
piece 2X4 two feet long with one end
beveled and notch 214x6 inches cut
in position as shown in sketch.
The dotted lines show the position
of the holder as the gate is forced over
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23

the bevel. The post should be set to
correspond with the height of the gate
when open.
If the gate drags on the ground there
is something wrong; hang the gate a
little bit higher. The end opposite the
notch of the holder should be the
heaviest SO as to keep the notch In
nasition on the gat~
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
A cow YARD GATEWAY

A handy entrance into the cow yard
is made by cutting the wires between
posts and putting in two tall posts.
Wire them together at top. put on
fence wires and you can get through,
hut the cows cannes
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23
POULTRY WORK IN MARCH

Charcoal-a tablespoonful to quart
of mash-should be given at least
every other day during this month. 1t
will brighten up the combs and heads,
purify the blood, correct looseness of
the bowels and aid wonderfully in di-
gestion. 1t is an ingredient in the
diet that should not be omitted.
The incubator chicks that made their
appearance in February will need most
watchful care the first few weeks. Get
ting them we'll started is half the
battle.
Partition off the brooder and divide
the chicks. Avoid crowding. Some can
be put in a box by the kitchen fire
if the brooder is not large enough to
accommodate all of them.
1t is pleasure to feed the greedy
little fellows, and If we are not very
careful we will feed them too much.
You may give dozen chicks with an
old hen all the food they will eat, with
no bad results. But when you have,
say, 100 brooder chicks, they have to be
managed differently or disease will get
start and wipe them out quickly
They must be fed lightly and never all
they will eat for the first few weeks
Dry feed is the best. Regular feeding
is of the utmost Importance. Plenty
of grit must be given them for grind
ing the foods into proper form for their
assimilation.
Arrange their drinking vessels sc
they cannot step into the water. Wet
feet are bad for the little peppers, sc
is impure drinking water Give then
plenty of warmth. dryness and cleanli.
ness, and don't put the tender little
fellows out of doors on the cold GROUND
for many weeks yet, no matter how
warm the sun shines.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23

small at the other, which makes it
possible to balance with one end COM
paratively short and the other long.
The bull is tied to the rope attached to
the further end Of the long arm, and in
that way can have a large circle to
move in. The supporting post should
be above the ground high enough to
carry the sweep above the bull For
a time the bull may attempt to free
himself, but if the post and sweep are
made properly and securely there will
be no danger and he will soon settle
down to- exercising in a. much better
manner.
At the present time there have been
planted in Oregon, Idaho and washing
ton approximately 25,oo0,o00 apple trees
Ind the, growers claim that on the basis
of previous yields these new trees
alone in a short time will produce
nearly as many barrels of apples as
were grown in the remaining portions
of the United States last year.
i Hereafter the branding of winter.
wheat flour as spring wheat flour viii
cease if the North Dakota Spring
i Wheat league. recently organized. ha!
its way.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23

The President has signed executive
orders making important changes in
the boundaries of nearly all of the ma
tional forests in New Mexico. This is
another step in the comprehensive plan
of redistricting the national forests in
all of the western states
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-23

There are 1,1s7,ss4 almond trees and
sse,475 walnut trees bearing nuts In
California. 49, -.
The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-10-14
TO MILLIONS
Tolls AS LABORER
Grandson Of w. n Vanderbilt
Works for Year in Railroad
Shops at Milwaukee.

New York, Oct. 11.-James watson
webb, son of w. Seward Webb and
grandson Of the late William ii. Van
derbilt, who is looked upon as the
probable heir to many millions OF doll
lars, is spending his vacation here
after a year Of hard labor In the shops
OF the Chicago a. Northwestern at Mil
waukee.
THE men ia the shops with whom I
have been working said young Webb,
.'are princes. They didn't know who
q was and they took me right in for
my own sake and were calling me by
my first name in a week. Just as men
to men they have no superiors on
earth. Their word is their bond.
''The standard OF morality among
workingmen Is just as high as In
other classes. The life Of tho work
ingman IS sane, the kind every man
ought to lead. The laboring man is
not lacking in brains, only In an oppor.
,tunity to Develop