The Democratic advocate., 1909-07-02


more rapid growth if they dig and
scratch for the chick food, it being an
easy matter to scatter it in a Snort
light litter. They get on to the scratch
inc idea in mighty short time and
seem to enjoy the sport.
One farmer who was commencing
the excellencies of silage at m1dwln-
ter institute said that the ration was
not only eaten with evident relish by
all the farm animals but that the
ducks and chickens were red hot Tor
it, while every now and then ne
caught the hired mar nibbling it.
Meat, fish, fruit or vegetables pre-
served in tin cans should on opening
be removed at once to some earthen-
ware dish for the reason that very
soon after being exposed to the air, II
left in the tin receptacle, ptomaine pol
sons are likely to develop, resulting in
the serious illness or death of those
who eat the canned stuff.
Keeping the onion patch free from
weeds will not only be the best. possl-
BILE thing for the growth Of the onions,
but will simplify immensely the job
of pulling or raking them out when
ripe. The writer has helped harvest
crop of onions in a field badly overrun
with the late growing crab grass, and
the force of the above suggestion was
painfully apparent at the time.
The Pan-American and Autumn are
two varieties of ever bearing straw
berries that are raised by number Of
plant fanciers. These varieties come
into bearing at about the usual berry
season and from then until freezeup
produce blossoms and berries. While
this bearing habit is an interesting
one, it is questionable if it is of par
ticular advantage from the commercial
point of view.
1t is little less than blasphemy to
have God Bless Our Home" worked
with colored yarns in perforated card
uP AL LAO PAAAOA Va
dining room when system of agri-
culture is being followed on the farm
stead which can ultimately mean only
soil destitution and bankruptcy. It
would be well to get into the cow and
clover business and take this motto
down and put it up in the attic.
Many farmers in portions Of some
southwestern states would do well to
take an inventory Of the dilapidated
condition of the soil in states farther
east, the result of a continual crop
crops, and before that soil prostration
has been reached in their own case
work into a system Of crop rotation.
including the soil renovator, alfalfa,
which will make such catastrophe i'm
possible.
1t is questionable If there is any pet
which will give family Of boys and
girls more solid satisfaction than a
Shetland pony. They are usually do
cile and entirely safe for children to
handle and besides giving them many
hours Of solid enjoyment will be found
a great aid in the hauling Of small
loads and the running of great vari-
ETY. of errands. AS soon as they are
old enough the children should have
the care of the pony, which will give
them something to do as well as in
crease their sense of responsibility.
Among sheep raisers there is inclin-
ed to be some debating of the question
whether it is better to market early
lambs wool off or wool on. To settle
this point to his own satisfaction one
feeder near Chicago who was fitting a
bunch of western lambs for market
sheared one-half the number and at
the end of a week sold them all.
Sheared and unsheared averaged sew
enty-five pounds, the sheared gaining
within the week enough to make up
for the loss of six pounds of wool.
The shorn bunch brought $500 and
the wooled $3.50. AS the wool sold for
% cents. the feeder figured out a
profit of about 80 cents a head more
on the sheared than on the unsheared
lambs
If the strawberry bed is in it's Sec
ond year this season it will be well to
renovate it after the crop is removed
This can be easily done by cutting the
vines off close with a scythe, or mower
if bed is large, letting the leaves dry
and raking them off and then going
through between the rows Of vines
with an adjustable five, eight or ten
tooth cultivator. gradually spreading
the shovels as the soil is mellowed up.
This should be continued until strip
Of but six or eight inches wide is left
Of the original berry row. The roots
will be undisturbed here and will send
out runners enough to give all the
plants needed for next season. If the
bed is in its third season and foul
with weeds it would be well to plow
the whole thing up and SOW it to any
crop which will mature in the time re-
naming before frost, such as turnips,
string beans or late celery.
While there are several species Of
useful birds whose diet consists in
good part Of weed seeds, the tiller Of
the soil who banks to any extent on
the service of such birds in Kidding
his fields of weed pests may properly
be charged with trusting entirely too