The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-09-28

been given a fair trial the receipts In
fares on most roads have shown an
increase over those from the old rates,
times The railroads will hardly ask
for return to the old rates. as 1t can
only result in loss IL passenger re-
ceipts.
In spite of the increase in the mum.
Der Of automobiles and the develop. /
ment Of the flying machine the aver. I
age prices of horses has increased /
$275 in the past year and about $50 /
in the past ten years. Horses are not
on the run yet except to get out of the
clutches Of fellows who are anxious
to get them.
Experiments which have been con-
Quoted by several experiment stations
show that the value of fresh manure
per ton as shown in increased crop
yields is about S2.25. When it has
leeched two or three months it loses /
one-thind of its value. or IS cents. |
These figures should contain very
direct suggestion TO the thoughtful
farmer as to the best way to handle
his farm fertilizers.
Some of the most entertaining and
Illuminating reading which agricui-
tural papers have contained of late has
been the very spirited gabfest OF
charges and counter charges which
has been going on between the cream
separator fellows. Whatever the out
come of this mess of verbal pyrotech-
MICS. the buyers are getting their eyes
opened touching good many points.
and this is really an advantage.
1t is expensive business -this feed
ing thirty-fve cent butterfat to cal
when some grain ration with the SIX Ii
milk will answer the same purpose.
and it is right here where the repu
table hand separator comes in with
its perfectly clean skimming. The
use of it also means that less storage
cans will be required and that the
milk can be given to the calves warm
anu SMCCI ll1SlGuu VI, 81 OltGU, WdIIu
and sour
Some one has found the following
to be an excellent method for poison
ing cutworIns: Stir one pound of paris
green thoroughly in ten gallons of
water; soak punches of clover or al
falfa in the solution during the day
nd tn l,n Not
rows of vegetables in the garden on
clean cultivated places. The cutworms
will swarm to these punches and get
fixed during the night. This method
is especially effective If the grass and
weeds on which they usually feed are
not allowed to grow.
The controversy between Secretary
Wilson Of the departn 1T Of agricul-
ture and Spectator Patten as to who
was responsible for the high prices Of
May wheat. an actual crop shortage
as claimed by Patten. or an artificial
and temporary cornering of the supply
in sight by Patten. rs claimed by Mr..
Wilson. does :sot seem to have been
settled to the satisfaction cf the large
body of consumers who are now pay
| ing excessive prices for their -four. IL
the crop reporting department over
estimated the 1908 crop 100000
bushels this should be looked into, and
If Patten was able TO boost prices and
thus levy Il tax on the poor mans 10:
| when there was not wheat shorta:
spectators of his type should be SUI
pressed The eaters Of bread won
like to have the colored man locate.
The cost of making good roads Is
subject often discussed. One tt
| needs Just as much attention. the =
eerse of the same proposition. is the
cost of poor roads. the policy of just
letting things jingle. The office Of pub
| lie roads of the department of agricu-
ture has been collecting some facts
along this line, and they are not only
interesting. but should be suggestive
and profitable. Figures compiled show
that the cost of hauling produce in this
country is % cents a mile per ton, as
compared with cost of II cents Il
mile per ton in France. During the
crop year 1906 the weight Of the more
important farm products which We're
hauled from the place of origin to ship
ping point was S5.4S7 100000 pounds.
The average length Of haul of farm
products in the United States is "a
miles Had our hauling expense been
as low as in France there would have
been saving OF 10 cents ton per
mile or S122 per ton on the average
haul. Multiplying the number of tons
hauled by this figure gives $50 .232 50.
as the tax which was unwittingly
paid by American farmers for the
privilege of hauling their stuff to
market over poor roads. There ought
TO be something in these figures to set
farmers to thinking.
1T NJ