davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
FARM NEWS THE WORLD OVER

France possesses 50,000,000 head of
cattle worth sSOo,O00,000 and the indus
try of raising them and their products,
such as milk, cheese and butter, main
tains about half the population of
France
The total production of cocoa in the
world at large is generally placed at
340000,oo0 pounds, of which the United
States consumes about one-fifth. Brazil
is the largest producer and move
nent for a world cocoa trust has start
ed there
Daniel Hill of Pennsylvania last fall
cut ITS shocks of corn in ten hours and
35 minutes.
President Hill of the Great Northern
estimates that $4,000 will build" an
agricultural college and that the cost of
one battleship will maintain 1000 such
schools.
A lightning stroke will kill stock at
a distance of quarter of mile from
the point of it's discharge if there is
a handy barbed-wire fence to conduct
the fluid and the stock are near the
fence Better fix a few ground wires
on such fences before the spring storms
come and prevent this trouble.
This is the time of year when we
who are growing about the bad condi-
tions of the roads, but we will prob
ably be too busy to use a road drag
when the opportunity comes.
In 1907 F. H. Hopkins, who lives in
the Rogue valley, Oregon, made a
profit of $4,000 from sixteen acres 81
winter Nelio pears-$1,1SI50 an acre
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
VALUE OF STABLE MANURE

The value of manure is not to he
wholly measured by its chemical con-
tent. One of the most valuable fea-
lures Of barnyard manure, a value
which no commercial fertilizer contains
to any appreciable degree, is it's salu-
tary effect upon the physical condition
of the soil. The fact that this may not
be expressed in dollars and cents in no
degree detracts from it's Importance.
Every tiller of the soil knows decaying
vegetable matter In the soil gives to it
quality, power of production, ca
pacity to retain moisture, and adds t.
its friability as does nothing else.
Organic matter in barnyard manure
performs another important function
it sets free some of the locked-up plaut
food that already resides in the soil
All soils contain great quantities of
fertility that is in such forms as 70
be useless to plants. The dissolution
and decay of the organic matter tends
to free and make available these stores
of plant food. And the decay of the
vegetable matter also generates ma.
terials which decompose the soil par
ticles and promote various soil activi.
ties which result in increased produc.
tivity.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
A DIVISION OF CROPS

To the Editor: 1 have bought
farm of 100 acres and would like TO
know how to divide my crops. also
want to raise some cattle and hogs
and sheep. Can you give me some al
vice?-J. G., Pennsylvania,
The division of your crops depends
upon the nature of the farm, the kind
of crop rotation that is followed and
the kind and number of live stock kept
on the farm. The amount of land set
aside for each crop should be consist
ent with the needs for that particular
crop and the amount of cash or mar
ket crops grown should be measured
by the fertility and the amount OF fer-
tilizer which is brought on to the farm
through the feeding of live stock or by
direct purchase.
Another matter worthy of consldera-
ton is that of selecting the crops which
may be grown and handled with the
same farming machinery required 10
conduct the regular farm work.
In planning cropping system and
a. branch of live stock feeding 1T should
he for not less than ten years and the
fields and equipment should be pre-
pared with that intention In view
There may be some wise men who can
forecast the condition of the markets
and make a success of changing their
line of Farming to meet the market
conditions, but as a general rule the
man who adapts rational crop rota-
ton and sticks close to his line OF
production for ten years can show more
profit and better state of fertility than
the man who is making changes every
season.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
DAIRYlNG IN HOLLAND

In Holland, the most remarkable of
all the dairy countries of Europe, the
farmers support an astonishing num-
Der of cows on a very small area.
In some eases the land is made to
carry two or three COWS to the acre.
For the entire country the land will
support a half to whole COW to the
acre.
The ordinary twenty-acr farm has
ten to twenty cows, with the horses
necessary to do the farm work, and
three sheep to each COW.
On the best soil the twenty-acre farm
will carry twenty cows, three to four
horses and sixty sheep and the usual
fiocks of poultry. This means pastur-
age for the animals in the summer and
grain, roots, hay and roughage for the
winter.
The cows are the gigantic black and
known there as Friesian and here as
Holstein- Friesian cows, and their aver
age production for the country is over
5000 pounds of fine milk per head
Land in Holland sells for $500 IL
$4,000 per acre. Tenants pay a rental
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
A SUCCESS WITH PIGEONS
Girl Uses Trap Nests in Mating and in a Great
Measure Attributes Her Success to This

Her houses, lofts and flies are models
of neatness.
The house is lined throughout with
tarred paper. 1t is subdivided into
compartments large enough to accom-
modate fifty pairs of birds.
Each compartment is supplied with
self-feeding boxes and running water
from cement fountains These nesting
rooms are by 10 feet and feet high
boxes for nests are arranged on both
the longer sides.
The flies are 10 by is feet high and
are constructed of wire netting
Each loft Is provided with it's own
fly so that there is peace among ths
birds.
Every three weeks the rooms are all
disinfected by spraying thoroughly.
She feeds regularly and by means OF
self-feeding boxes in every loft
In winter the feed consists OF one
part wheat and two parts cracked corn,
In summer the quantities are reversed.
Twice a week millet Kaffir corn OF
Canada peas are substituted.
Cost of keeping is so to 20 cents per
pair per year.
Each pair of breeders will average
nine pairs of squads each season and
sometimes as high as ten or eleven.
The greater number are sold rs
squads, as only the very best are re-
served for breeders
A visit to her lofts is interesting, in
deed. When a stranger enters all Isl
comnotion and the birds fly to their
quarters in seeming fear.
When the owner enters all Is changed.
They leave their lofts and pathrr
around her in perfect confidence.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
SMALL FRUIT AND BIG

From one Missouri peach orchard Of
10 acres there was shipped thirty five.
carloads which netted $4,000.
On the great truck farms around
Norfolk, Va, Strawberries are planted
in February and harvested in June.
H. Rockwell, an Iowa enthusiast. has
after twelve years Of experimenting
claimed to have produced an ever.
bearing strawberry.
Get the trees into the ground as Soon
as possible after they come from tn.
nursery; the tender roots die quickly.
An Ohio orchardist writes us: "Lass
year we planted musk melon in on
peach orchard and treated each trac4
the same as a hill of melon. Tns
growth of the trees was remarkabi.
We shall try the same plan this year IN
a young apple orchard"
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
STOP LEAKS ON The FARM
BY Not Permitting Waste Places.
to Exist, a Considerable
Percentage May Be
Added to the Years
Revenue.
BY B. E. 1AHA-

One of the greatest losses that can
be avoided is due to thoughtlessiy Civ
ing over small pieces of land to con-
stitute thickets and waste places.
AT first thought most farmers will
say 1t doesn't amount to much, but if
you will figure up the amount of non
producing land you are paying taxes on
you will soon ascertain the fact that
you are losing the use of considerable
per cent of your land investment.
All other business men take into con-
sideration such items; why should not
the farmers do as well? An Illinois
farmer writes as follows: 81 keep tab
on a piece of land purchased three
years ago. 1t was a somewhat broken
2O-acre tract, with several strips and
corners turned out to noncultivation.
Having acquired it late in the winter
and being overcrowded with work, I
couldn't get to it then, so I decided n
make an experiment with it, The first
year II was cropped according to my
instructions and the amount and value
of the produce carefully determined.
The second year had all neglected
portions brought into cultivation and
cropped similar to the previous year.
When the crop was harvested and the
amount and value calculated I found I
had an increase of IA per cent over the
previous crop. According to other plots
OF mine had to attribute per cent
of the increase to better season, thus
leaving IL per cent in favor of cleaned
up waste places, besides the appear
ance OF the land wonderfully improved
and the selling price greatly enhanced =
OF course the only value of such an
experiment is to serve as an object les
son and an experiment that few viii
undertake, but hope it may stimulate
some farmer to grasp the Importance
of utilizing all of his land.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
PRACTICE OF IRRIGATION

AS regards the frequency of irriga-
ton and the amount required for one
irrigation or for the season the soil
conditions and the climate must deter
mine the proper treatment. The deep
er the soil and the more retentive of
moisture it is, the more economically
may irrigation water be used and the
less frequent the irrigations. The shall
lower the soil and the more impervious
it.is the more frequent must the irri-
cation be and the less economically is
the water used
Irrigation in spring should not begin
until warm weather has arrived and
then not until the moisture condition
of the soil is such as to require it. If
irrigated when cold weather is yet
prevalent injury may be done to the
crop, which is indicated by a yellow
foliage. Especially at the higher al
titudes is this likely to occur.
AS regards the amount of Of water
to apply that should be gagged by our
knowledge of the requirements of the
crop. To apply any more than is ben
eficial and can be put to use is waste
The alfalfa plant as we know roots
deeply and can draw moisture from a
considerable depth and thus will not
suffer so quickly as other crops as it
can draw upon the reserve in the
deeper soil. We know that alfalfa roots
penetrate no deeper than the water
table, which should teach us that, a
saturated soil is uncongenial and some
thing which alfalfa cannot withstand.
We should therefore avoid such exces.
sive irrigation as will keep the soil
saturated. In a general way we may
say that the desirable condition is that
of half air and half water in the soil
The closer we can approach to this the
better. Irrigation therefore means re-
plenishing the moisture contents Of the
soil to such depth Of subsoil as is
permeable and stopping the irrigation
SO as not to saturate the soil through
and through.
Where the water table is liable to be
affected by irrigation care should be
taken not to apply so much that it IS
raised and the feeding area of the
roots in that way restricted. Over
irrigation will aggravate or cause wa.
terlogging of the soil and the attending
accumulations Of alkal. Where ground
water is within two feet of the surface
as on some river bottoms alfalfa does
not thrive and generally dies in from
three to four years.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
Potatoes Bring the Money

Potatoes will do their best on we'll
MANFRED, we'll prepared clover sod The
ground should be plowed about two
weeks before planting.
One of the best tools for getting the
ground into a fine filth is the disk
narrow. Double disk the ground once
or twice and after that use the spring
and spike tooth harrow.
After you have soil in proper shape
look to your seed potato. These should
be kept in a cool dark place so that
they will send out strong, healthy
shoots.
They should have been selected the
previous year from the hill, using only
the best potatoes from the best hills.
In digging potatoes we often find hills
that only contain three or four small
potatoes.
If we do not select from the hill seed
will tell in potatoes as well as in stock,
but if you have to plant small and
scabby potatoes be sure and treat them
for scab. This is easily done. Put the
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
TOOL FOR MAKING SMALL DITCHEs
NOTES OF THE SHEEP FOLD

1t does not pay to keep ewes more
than years old unless they have
proven wonderfully prolific.
Don't forget that the pregnant eve
needs good deal of gentle exercise
In selecting a ram part the fleece
and examine the skin. A bright, clear
skin with the vigorous blood showing
through is an indication of health and
vigor. A chalky skin is almost a sure
sign of internal parasites.
Don't let the children tease the young
ram. The boys think it great fun 20
see him back off little or get ready
to butt. but it may make the animal
vicious.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
THE WELL.BRED MULE

In order to get an ideal and valuable
mule great care should be taken in Sc
lecting a sire and dam. The jack must
be short-legged, with good quarters and
fine head.
The mare selected should be smooth,
with good, straight legs and a good
disposition. Percheron mares raise the
finest mules.
A dash of thoroughbred makes a
snappy, fleet mule. Any old, crooked
blemished mare will not do to raise
mules unless you want to breed dis
appointment and waste your time and
money.
The mule possesses keener instinct
than the horse does, and for that rea-
son he is easily trained, but the train
ing should begin early.
Begin to handle him from the first
week of his life.
Put little halter on him and catch
him and hold him and pet him every
day and he will never forget it.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
BY c. A. ococK,
Agricultural Engineer, Wisconsin.

The King system of ventilation con-
sists of two sets of fiues, one set pro-
vides fresh air, while the other fur
nishes an escape for the vitiated air.
The fresh air flues should be placed
not more than 10 feet apart and located
in the exterior walls of the barn.
No fear of putting in too many in
lets, since the greater the number the
more effective the ventilation. The
outlook may include one or more flucs,
but should be so located as to provide
the quickest means of removing the
foul air.
All stable walls and ceilings should
be nonconductors of heat and cold,
otherwise moisture will collect as frost
moderate weather.
In a station barn the f1ues for taking
out the foul air are two in number. one
midway in each side wall. These flues
pass upward to the left, where they
meet a central chimney.
There is also a ventilator fue open
ing from the ceiling into the bottom
of the chimney for more rapid move
ment Of air in hot weather to keep the
stable cooler.
In winter this ventilator would sacri-
flee a large amount of warm air and
the opening should be kept closed until
the stable becomes too warm.
The central fiue is 40 inches in d.
ameter and rises SO feet above the floor.
The lateral f1ues which join the main
chimney are Is by "a inches.
There are two objects in bringing the
ventilator shaft near the floor. First,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
DEMAND FOR MUTTON INCREASING

Scientific sheep breeding and grading
is gradually supplanting the old "hit Or
miss" method on the vast western
ranges, and America will in time evolve
a distinct type embodying the two COM
mercial demands, mutton and wool
production.
Fifteen or eighteen years ago nearly
all the sheep bred on the great west
ern ranges were for wool bearing pur-
poses, the sheep composing the herds
being Merinos, the fine wool-bearing
type. They were small of carcass and
and had no market value to speak If
and little if any attempt was made IN
the way of selection, grading and up
breeding.
But all this has changed and to-day
different grade of sheep is being
raised, change brought about by the
necessity of producing sheep of greater
unitarian value.
Interbreeding Of the distinctive wool
and mutton breeds was adopted. Types
and breeds were carefully studied, al
ways with distinct object in view
which will produce a type of far great
err commercial value than the old cross
grades.
There has also been a great change
in the way Of preparing sheep for mar
ket and the change has resulted in an
increased demand for mutton and a
greater profit to the sheep raiser. Now
instead Of keeping the sheep on the
ranges until sent to market they are
sent to some great central feeding yard
and fed upon screenings or alfalfa for
sixty or ninety days before they are
ready for the market. Thus a much
better grade of meat is produced
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
KING VENTILATING SYSTEM
It's Adoption Is Recommended, as Its Use Insures
an Abundance of Pure Air at All Times.

remove the waste products of the lungs
produced by breathing as this foul air
always settles near the floor and ami
mails are compelled to breathe it with
the impurities Second, to dispose of
the cold air in the winter rather than the
warm. The coolest air in a room is
always on the floor and the warmest at
the ceiling.
The walls of the barn are made of
studding, sheeted up both inside and
out with matched lumber and building
paper Several of the spaces between
the studding are used for fresh air
flues.
We have used this system for eleven
years and have found it to be entirely
satisfactory
Wrong construction of foul air fues
has sometimes led to the failure of the
system. Some farmers make them like
any ordinary boxed openings and then
condemn the system because of their
mistake.
To construct the f1ue of this kind the
lumber should be nailed closely, COW
cred with paper, and after the paper d
second thickness of lumber. This will
insure proper air capacity, as it in
creases the friction Of the moving air
in the flue.
A good ventilating flue must have
the same qualities as good chimney.
1t should rise above the highest part
of the roof SO as to receive the full
force of the air and wind.
The best location of the foul air flue,
when only one is used, would be IN
the center of the barn. If two f1ues are
used place one on each side of the mid
die of the stable.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
BY /. HAYNES, INDIANA.

A young lady of Delphi, Ind has a
pigeon loft to hold nearly 5000 birds.
She is very successful in breeding and
raising birds.
She mates the birds by using trap
nests and is an expert in the line of
matingi claiming that In the proper
mating is the basis for success in
breeding.
leg is banded with a number and rec
ord kept of 1t.
When 4 feeks old they are examined
and il not suitable they are sold as
squads. tx
No SQUAD is allowed a greater age
than weeks, for at that age they leave
the nest and lose weight rapidly
If the bird is wanted for breeding
at weeks of age it is put in
the mating room, where there are q
number of trap nests, large and roomy,
and In these she gets the mate-soul
affinity. I suppose.
After mating is established they are
assigned to the lofts
She ships about 500 pairs Of breeding
birds every year at from 81 to S2.50 per
pair and supplies private families and
restaurants in nearby cities with
squads.
They are neatly dressed and packed
for shipment.
Her beginning was in a small way
and in that fact lies the key to her sue
cess--she moved cautiously until she
acquired thorough knowledge of the
business.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
POULTRY RAISING SUGGESTIONS

If the ground is damp it is best to
put the hen and her brood in some
building. During most of the season
the best thing is an outdoor coop.
The first consideration in making a
chicken coop is to see that it is rain
proof and rat-tight.
The next thing to look for is that the
coop is not air-tight. Let the front he
of rat-tight netting or heavy screen.
The same general plan may be used
for small coops for hens or for larger
coops to be used as colony houses for
growing chickens.
The essentials are movable floor
raised ON cleats, a sliding front COW
cred with rat-tight netting and hood
ever the front to keep the rain from
beating in.
1f the coops are used for large
chickens roosts may be fitted in them
If used late in the fall or early spring
piece of cloth should be tackled on
the sliding front
The chicken coops should not be
punched up, but scattered out over as
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23

potatoes in clean sacks and soak for
two hours In a solution of Is gallons
of water and one-half pound of forma-
lin. 1t is important that the sacks
and barrel containing the mixture be
thoroughly clean, because disinfected
seed will be reinfected If put into dirty
sacks or boxes from which it was
taken.
After you have your soil in shape
mark off your rows from 21s to 8 feet
apart, depending on the fertility of
your soil.
Harrow the ground two or three times
before the plants come UP so as to kill
the weeds and maintain dust mulch,
thus retaining moisture.
This method saves a lot of cultivaS
ton and it is cheaper, as you can get
over large area in a day.
After the potatoes are up set the
cultivator deep and close to the plant.
prefer level cultivation. as there is
no danger of root pruning.
Go shallower each time after this.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23
THE BEGINNER With SHEEP
Should Study Carefully the
Methods and Practices OF
Men Who Have Made a
Success in Sheep
Raising.
BY R. B. RUSHING,

When you start with sheep or pre-
pare to start you can approach some
sheepman with such questions as you
desire information upon.
There are a lot of good sheepmen
in the country. They are willing to tell
you If you ask them what are the
"rocks" you would wreck upon. Then
is it not good Judgment to consult such
men?
The first question about environment
and condition will be largely settled by
the circumstances, financial and other
WISE of the beginner.
We suppose he is an average farmer
with perhaps 10 or so acres of land
and wishes to keep sheep-a small
flock-in addition to his other stock.
He has very little knowledge of sheep
and consequently knows little about
breeds and has little idea of which he
would like best.
Would it be wise for him to he
tempted to foolishly select some breed
that his neighbors, who are making
success of sheep, do not have, or per-
haps know nothing about, and for that
sole reason?
We are safe in following the prac-
tice of men who have made a success
OF the business, with slight changes Us
conditions would demand I should
buy from one of the neighbors if his
sheep were healthy and suited me. If
had very little money would buy
few at first.
A beginner once bought five ewes
and culls at that-paying $40. They
had been bred to a pure bred ram. He
put them in field adjacent to box
stall where he fed them some oats DUR
ing the winter
They brought eight lambs. ,yhe best
lamb he sold to neighbor for SIS, half
the cost of the flock. Four buch lambs
sold to the butcher for SIS. The three
eve lambs were kept to increase the
flock.
The next season the eight ewes with
thirteen lambs following were sold i'm
mediately after shearing for s55 A
clear profit of course, counting wool
and manure to balance keep Of the
flock.
The great secret of this success was
care. This is only one of the many ex-
amples of just such kind OF business
that can be done when the man is de-
termined to do the business.