davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING

Warden w. McJohnston of the west.
ern Pennsylvania penitentiary is ask
ing the state to purchase farm tt
be cultivated by the prisoners. HI
asks for 100 acres and says it woule
not be necessary to build a wall around
the farm. He believes men would not
try to escape if they were allowed out
door freedom and knew that in case
they made the attempt two years woulds
be added to their sentence and thai
they would be confined indoors.
Charles Lee, a negro of HoustorE
Tex. has perfected machine which
he claims will destroy boil weevils
The machine is a simple box consistinlI
primarily of round box made of
metal and having four protrudina
tubes. Within the outer receptacle isl
pable of igniting and giving off deadly
fumes,
Anton Michelschmidt of Cato, wis
is said to have raised 1900 bushels q
corn on the ear on a little six-aa
patch of ground last year. This wig
shelled yielded $50 bushels, or equiva.
lent to 125 bushels per acre.
Richard r. Smith of Stockton, Cal.
has been experimenting with rice grow
ing. He believes that rice can be sue!
cessfully grown in that section Of tn,
state.
A company has been formed in Me-
braska which proposes 60 make water
mains of reinforced. cornstalks- Elk.
periments have been conducted which
the company claims We're successful
The pipes can be put on the market IA
one-tenth of the cost of cast iron piIW
exhaustible.
In tests made at the Indiana stati@
it was concluded that imported vari.}
tory as homegrown varieties. Mani
farmers are growing strains or varid
| ties not of the highest producing pow&
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
FERTILIziNG CORN LAND

NO fixed rule can be laid down for
fertilizing corn land because of the diff
ference in the quality of the soils. /. S
Long, Pennsylvania farmer who has
raised 1873 bushels per acre, says he
uses no commercial fertilizer, but a
large amount of plant food is provided
through other crops previously grown
Soil in his section requires lime in
large quantities and corn is grown in
rotation with clover every third year
to supply nitrogen. Mr.. Long turns
under all vegetable matter possible in
the fall. which is worked up into the
soil the next spring.
On some Indiana lands phosphorus
and tankage are used to good advan-
tage the mixture consisting of one
part of phosphorus to two of tankage.
In the south fertilizer is applied
through an alta chment to the planter
or with wheat drill.
On heavy muck soils muriatic pot
ash and phosphorus are used often at
a cost of from SIS to So per acre.
In the corn-belt states, however, the
principal fertilizer is stable manure,
and on the corn soils of these states
perhaps no better fertilizer could be
applied. "a
OF course the elements necessary to
grow corn are nitrogen, potash and
phosphorus, and some soils are often
short in one of these elements, which
must be supplied in some form or other
There are thousands of acres Of swamp
land in the cornbelt states which con-
tain all the elements for plant growth
except potash, and when this is APP
piled good crops are obtained
+ One of the cheapest and best ways
Of enrichingy the soil is to. plow under
leguminous plants, and many thou.
sand acres of land in the older corr
states that have been cropped to corr
for thirty to forty years in succession
and whose vitality has been exhausted
is now being restored and made tt
produce good crops by simple method
Of rotation and blowing under legu-
minous crops.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
BERkSHlRES A GOOD BREED
For improving the Condition o.
the Common Swine TT
Are Excellent.
BY WILLIAM M. KELLEY.

The Berkshire hog has been bred for
longer time. with view to improve.
ment, than any. other known breed OF
swine. The breed is to-day acknowl.
edged to be the best general purpose
hog
They are well adapted to the need,
OF the eastern farmer who makes pork.
growing a valuable appendage to hi,
dairy; they are adapted to the corr
belt, where an easy maturing animal il
desired; they are adapted to the south.
ern farmer who makes forage play an
important part in his rations of food
There is no brand that will breed 50
true to the marking characteristic OF
the breed as the Berkshire. and they
are rightly named the aristocrats al
the show ring.
The improved Berkshires of the pres.
ent day are well-established breed
possessing many definite and valuable
qualities, among which are the follow.
ing:
Body black, with smooth plum.
colored skin, soft fine hair, feet and til
or tail white, with dash of white il
the face and many times white nose
and also some white jowl; forehead and
race broad; face dished with large
clear eyes and short snout; ears Of
medium size, thin, soft, and carried i.
an upright position; neck short and
broad on top. with jowl large and full;
shoulders broad on top and deel
through the chest; back broad; sidt
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
PARALYSIS IN HORSES

This Is disease which comes on
suddenly and is due to an acid in the
blood. 1t sometimes affects the front
parts as we'll as the hind parts, and
the animal may come out Of the barn
feeling fine, ambitious, willing to &c
and often goes faster than usual, but
before it has gone very far it begins
to lose its speed, hangs back, sweats
profusely, breathes hard and begins to
knuckle over behind, gets lame in one
or both hind legs, and in a short time
is unable to go any further, and often
falls helpless on the road in para
lyzed condition.
The proper thing to do is to place
him on a stone boat and haul him tc
the nearest barn, place him in a large
we'll bedded box stall or on a barr
floor, where he can be turned over often
until he is able to get up.
Medicines should be given of a laxa-
tive nature and that will allay pam
and counteract the acid condition o.
the blood.
An injection of warm water should
be given to unload the rectum of its
faces, so that the animal can, if pos
sible, urinate. If unable to do so the
urine should be drawn
A stimulating liniment or mus
tard plaster should be placed over the
hips and the body should be kept com
| fortably warm
The animal should be given plenty
of drinking water with the chill taker
from it; very little, il any, feed should
be given before he gets up, and he
should be fed on bran mashes and 8
very little hay after he is up until full
recovery has been brought about.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
GROWING GOOD BUCKWHEAT
Soil Should Be PIowed Early and
Cultivated Often Before Plant
ing to Give Best Results.
BY A, ]. LEGG.

Buckwheat is very rapid growing
crop and needs plenty of moisture and
available plant food, hence the import
ance of preparing the soil early by
blowing and frequent narrowing, so as
to keep the ground free from weeds
to conserve moisture and properly
aerate the SOIL
The crop may be sown at any Tune
from the middle of May until the last
of June with fair prospects for a crop
as it takes only about sixty days to
mature crop after it is sown.
The main points to consider in Sc
lecting the season for sowing are first
to have a rather cool season for the
formation of the grain and maturing
the crop, and second to give plenty OF
time to mature the crop before frost
The West Virginia experiment sta
ton got best results from plots sown
June 26. have sown buckwheat as
late as August 9 and grown a fair
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
MANAGING The YOUNG COLT
Begin the Training Early, Using
Firm but Gentle Methods
Don't Brighten Him.
BY R. B. RUSHING.

When the colt is few days old put
a strong, pliable halter on it's head,
but never try to lead it at first, sim
ply put the halter on every day until
it does not care for it.
After the colt is thoroughly accus-
toned to the halter put rope on the
halter and pull just little and he
will soon learn to come when you pull
on the rope
When leading him around out of
doors hold to the chin piece of the
halter so as to keep him from rearing
up, as he will likely do.
l believe in teaching colts to wear
harness very young. OF course it
should be very light harness.
At weaving time put strong halter
con the colt; tie him to the manger and
watch him so as to teach him not to
break loose. If he pulls back speak
kindly to him and pat him and he will
soon quit and stand quietly.
When he is broken to stand hitched
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

put lines on him, but walk at his
shoulders at first so as to keep him
from getting frightened. Every time
YOU take him out walk further back
until YOU can walk behind him and
teach him to turn back at your voice.
Drive the colt around the house and
barn. showing him papers; drive him
through water, show him umbrellas,
and. in fact, most everything that he
is likely to see when travelling around
so he will not be afraid of them when
he becomes grown.
When about one year old the regular
single harness may be put on the colt.
Leave it on him for few hours so
as to get him used to the crupper, and
when you come into the stable again
speak to him gently and take the har-
ness off. pulling the backband all the
way down to the tail gently and then
he will not be afraid OF it.
When the colt is quite young teach
him to stop and start at your COM
mand and then when he is first put
il, harness to work he will know what
van mean when you want him to stop
or start.
When he is first hitched up teach
him to back UP before going down hill,
so he will know what the breeching is
for.
When the colt is properly handled
in its young days it is never half as
much trouble as when let go until il
is old enough to- work before being
handled any Horses SO handled will
always be more gentle than they would
be otherwise.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
PRop.sR DEPTH OF SOIL

PRof-R DEPTH OF SOIL. plant, whereas
bringing them to the light before the
root growth is well established means
that much of the top growth must be
made from the stored-up vitality
NOT all bulbs give as good results
when grown in water as when the soil
is used, but the Chinese sacred lilies
do If rightly treated. What is meant
by rightly treated? In the first place
examine the bulb and if there is a
hard crust or scale over the base re-
move it.
Then peel off the outer layers of
brown skin and with sharp knife
cut gashes from the top of the bulb
almost to the base and half way to
the heart.
Those who have never tried this will
feel sure they have ruined the bulb
but they have simply put it in such
condition that the buds can spread the
layers and get out. When the bulb is
not gashed the buds that form fail to
get up through the neck and die from
compression.
Hyacinths, some varieties of tulips,
erocus and various other bulbs give
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
L0W.HEADED TREES NOT LIKED


The writer used to advocate low
headed fruit trees. Just why we do
not know. About the only excuse was
to protect the tree from hard winds.
But study and investigation have
shown that it has many failings.
In this country resides a man who
has been for many years an orchardist
He plants and trains the trees till they
are we'll established and then turns the
orchard over to the owner.
A visit to some of his orchards forces
us to the conclusion that low-headed
trees are not the thing after all.
There is not fruit tree of any kind
in his orchard that you cannot pass
under in wagon without limb mo-
Testing you.
The advantages offered by the head.
ing high are many
The soil is warmer because not
shaded. 1t is not soured nor COM
pacted because of light and fresh air
always in contact. You can cultivate
both ways right up to the tree and
mulch and fertilize easily. The fruit is
a better color-of better quality and
larger.
Insects have not the same chance to
do mischief as they have in the shade
of the low-headed tree. Fallen fruit
can be easily gathered and destroyed.
Trees planted the proper distance
apart and trained high, properly thinned
of their overplus growth will not suf
fer from the wind We have proof of
this in our own orchard.
If in setting trees care is taken to
give the windward side the advantage
of all the best roots and d stake placed
to steady the tree for few years till
it's roots acquire sufficient strength,
that tree will not lean over.
Look at the forests. How many
crooked, leaning trees do you see?
Notice the majestic oak towering
high in the air and as straight as a
die. Within 1000 feet of where 1 am
writing stand three trees in beautiful
contrast-one stately wild cherry,
one a fine oak and the other a seeding
apple; all unframed save by nature, all
as straight as could be made Around
these trees fierce winds have ragged in
tornado force, but they have withstood
their power to harm. In dealing with
your orchard study nature more and
experiment less-J. H. Haynes Carroll
county, Indiana.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

ack OF moisture in the atmosphere
Ihe usual method Of warer-forctng
IS to set the bulb in water just deep
ipough to keep the base of the bulb
immersed and keep in the dark until
growth is we'll started, but as I have
had such fine success with a method
Df treatment that differs somewhat
from the foregoing it may be worth
describing
Instead of placing the bulbs in water
1t the start I put them in soil and
treat them exactly as l do those that
will grow entirely in the soil, but when
they reach the stage where they would
be brought to the light I take them
from the soil, wash the roots (by gently
ihaking in water) and then arrange in
glass or fancy dishes with whatever
they are to have as support--shells,
pebbles, moss or whatever it may be.
When all is in position fill the dish
with water to a depth to a little more
lhan cover the base of the bulbs and
Feplenish as it is taken up.
AS ordinarily treated, water-forccd
bulbs get no nourishment worth mem
lioning and must supply all that is
needed for the making, of roots and
foliage; but, treated as described, the
nourishment stored in the bulb is
saved for the production OF the flowers,
which are enough finer to we'll repay
one for the little extra trouble taken
1t is good plan to give bulbs grown
In either way little boosting after
the flower buds are we'll formed, and
the most effective booster I have ever
found is nitrate of soda.
Put a lump the size of pea into
The water about. once week-or
pftener if several bulbs are growing
together. Put the soda into the water
poured onto the soil if the bulbs are
growing in SOIL
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
SPRING BERRY NOTES

Don't turn the chickens upon the
strawberry bed to get what they can
of green food, exercise and larva. 1t
is much cheaper to buy them proper
food than to let, them damage the
strawberry plants.
Don't uncover the crowns too soon.
Wait for settled weather.
Don't rake off the winter mulch.
Work it into the soil.
Don't put the new bed on sod land.
The white grub is death to strawberry
plants
Don't think you can put the new
strawberry bed in a poorly drained
place. Better not try to raise fruit
unless you are willing to give it a
fighting chance.
Don't stint the manure when making
new bed. If you have none use some
of the commercial fertilizers, as the
strawberry is a great feeder.
Don't wait until May or June to set
your plants. Do it just as soon as you
can get the ground in good filth.
Don't plant only one kind. Remem-
Der strawberries are either staminates
or pstillates, and it is always best to
plant two rows of one variety, and then
two rows of another.
Don't plant any old sort but get
sorts suitable to your soil and climate
Don't expose the roots to the hot
sun and drying wind. Keep them in q
puddle" until the moment you are
ready to plant them.
Don't think the crown of the plant
must be underground. 1t will rot
there instead of growing
The Vermont state forestry depart
ment recently distributed $4,000 young
trees for forest CHANTING. They con.
sisted largely of white pine.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
A ScRAPER FOR THE STABLE.
a BARN CONVENIENCE.

an iron ring down to within ten inches
of the larger end, or few turns of No.
wire will answer. Split the lower
end of the handle as far as the ring
and wedge the ends firmly behind the
board. If handle is properly fitted the
scraper will be rigid.
One edge is used for pushing, the
other for pulling. If to be used in a
gutter make board at least one inch
narrower than the gutter to prevent
binding.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

with the stock and studying their hab-
its and characteristics.
The most careful man will devote
much time to the study of his sheep
and it is unwise for man without
experience TO undertake the sheep bust
ness on a large scale.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
MIXING FEED FOR HENS

A prominent poultry man of Massa-
chusetts, who breeds very high class
birds, has a method of feeding which
is simplicity itself. He has in each
pen self-feeding hoppers; these hop
pers are transversely divided into diff
ferent compartments and in each COM
partment is a different kind of feed.
I. They are kept supplied at all times
and his birds eat as much of each kind
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
GROWING BULBS EASILY
Timely Suggestions Regarding
the Forcing of Bulbs Either
in Water or Soil.
BY EVA RYMAN.GA1LoRD.

Bulbs should be potted in fairly rich
soil that has been pulverized until free
from Jumps; be given a good water
ing; have the soil we'll f1rmed around
them, but not packed hard under them,
and be kept in a cool, dark place until
root growth Is we'll established. Moth
ing is gained by bringing bulbs to the
light too soon, and often the beauty
of their flowers is sacrificed by SO do
ing.
Leave them in their cool, dark quar-
tiers until the roots show at the open
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

of feed as they like. mixing it to suit
themselves.
His stock is always healthy and
thrifty. He never feeds any wet OF
damp feed to his fowls, old or young
From the first they are fed on dry feed
and get it from the hoppers
Each hopper contains variety of
grain, bran and middlings and COM
partnent full of dry beef scraps. His
plan saves an immense amount of de-
tail work and mussing with hot mashes
and mixed feed.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
NOTES OF THE SHEEP FOLD

The man who goes. into the sheep
business has a reasonab BILE assurance
that good prices for mutton and wool
will continue for some time
Much of the business of feeding
sheep must be learned by associating
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
BY S. B. HARTMAN.

= BY S. B. HARTMAN.
The cut shows a scraper that we
have used in our stables for many
years and which is now as good as
new.
Take hardwood board, SIX 1Seinches,
Ind bevel opposite edges as shown in
The illustration. Bore two holes equal
distance from each end and edge and
liant for the insertion of the handle
Take hickory. or other tough, green
sappling, about six feet long, and drive
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

A western chicken raiser owns a
hen which he says is worth $1,000,
although he has not been swamped
with bids at this figure. This hen
has personal valet whose only duties
are to attend to her toilet. She is
washed, brushed and manicured every
day. and her food is specially pre-
pared for her. This wonderful hen
also has a, press agent, whose duties
are to send out stories of this kind
about her, with photographs SHOWING
this heightened biddy at her bath and
toilet.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

All of the experiments at the Ne
braska station have shown that pro-
tein foods can be produced upon the
farm in the form of alfalfa hay at
about half the cost of such food con-
stituents when purchased in the form
of commercial foods. The farmer who
takes advantage of this knowledge and
grows his protein upon the farm ac-
composites the double result of making
large profits upon his cattle feeding
operations and of very greatly increas-
ing the productiveness of his soil by
the same operation.
There is a difference between fat
COW and one in good yielding condition
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
A GOOD HoLsTEIN cow

This picture of Ida Marigold is an
excellent type of the dairy breed She
was champion and sweepstakes COW at
the Chicago Worlds Fair, and her only
son, Stoke Pogis of Prospect, is the
sire of As tested daughters. If YOU
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

Doves are said to be responsible to
a great extent for the spread of hog
cholera They fly from one house to
another and from one hogpen 10 an
other, picking UP the disease germs
and carrying them away to be commu-
-ioated to we'll hogs.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

ing in the bot
tom of the pot
and the foliage
is an inch or
more high.
This treat
m e n t insures
S t r o n g roots
that can take
up both food
a n d moisture
from the soil
for the susie
nance of the
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

study this COW and remember her lines
when buying dairy cattle you will
make no mistake. Note the large,
roomy frame, the small, intelligent
head. the heavy milk veins, and also
that her bag is hung exactly in the
right place.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
USED IN DRY FARMING

The double cultivator here shown is
a tool commonly used in the work of
dry farming. 1t has blade-like shovels
for surface cultivation.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01


good results
when grown
! n w q t e r,
q n d t h Q
water Fore
ing method
is very de-
sirable i n
furnace or
& a S heated
rooms where
LAAA L.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

The Vermont state forestry depart
ment recently distributed $4,000 young
trees for forest CHANTING. They con-
sisted largely of white pine.