davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
GUARD AGAINST LIGHTNING.

1t is a mistake to believe that light.
ming rods do not protect buildings
They do when properly put up and
no farmer can afford to go withou,
them unless he chooses to carry his
own insurance. In any case the
cost of lightning rods is so small com.
pared to the protection they give that
1t is doubtful whether 1t Is good pol
Icy to take any risks without them.
OF course we cannot 6put lightning
rods on hay and grain stacks but we
can put the hay and grain in our
barns and protect the buildings with
lightning rods.
Speaking of lightning, all danger
Of death to farm animals coming in
contact with fence wires heavily
charged may be avoided by attach
Ing a wire to the strands Of the fence
for two or three hundred feet, run
ming one end of it into the ground
about four feet deep. This will az
ford an outlet for the electricity and
render the wire fences as safe as any
other.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
! ADVANTAGES OF THE sILo.

Missouri State Experiment station
summarizes the value Of the silo az
follows:
!. silage keeps young stock thrifty
and growing all winter.
2. 1t produces fat beef more cheap
~ than does dry feed.
8. 1t enables cows to produce milk
and butter more economically.
4. Silage is more conveniently ham
died than dry fodder.
s. The silo prevents waste Of corn
ssta iks=ain-sthesIH manure when sllaSe Is
fed.
Il 6. The silo will make palatable food
Sof stuff that would not otherwise be
eaten.
Z. 1t enables the farmer to preserve
food which natures at q rainy time OF
the year. when drying would be next
Ito Impossible.
4 sit is the most economical method
of supplying food for the stock during
the hot. dry periods in summer, when
sthe pasture Is short.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
SHED FOR The FARM TOOLS

Every farmer should have shed
for his tools and the tools should be
cleaned and placed in the shed az
soon as one is through using them.
Often this saves time and delay when
the tool is wanted later on.
The paint brush should be used
freely on the woodwork and other
parts that become worn or scraped
by use. This costs but little and adds
years to the life Of the tools. In fact
it is best to give all machinery new
coat of paint every two years.
know farmer who follows this
method of caring for his farm ma
chinery. He Is now using binder
ho has owned for ten years and 1t Is
still doing good work and the repair
bill for the ten years, has been only
5000.
In the winter he goes over all his
tools, and repairs. repaints. and gets
them in shape for tn next summer.
The cost of his shed was $50, and his
time while building 1t.
The Toulouse need not be cost
ly building good roof .th cheap
siding will do, and any man should
be able to put it up at odd times.
Some farmers use shade-trees for
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
CHARCOAL FOR ( POULTRY

Charcoal Is one Of the best stomach
correctives that can be given to man
or beast and is necessity for health
ful chicken raising. When soft feed
in the way Of mashes are fed to the
fowls, charcoal Is very essential. for 1T
corrects any tendency of the food to
sour and greatly assists the process OF
digestion. It has been proven that all
poultry will grow and fatten faster and
the meat will be more delicious IN fla
vor when charcoal IL fed to them res
ularly; In fact. in all the large fatten-
ing plants charcoal is regularly fed to
all the fowls in the fattening coops.
Charcoal can be purchased at any
poultry supply house, but can easily be
manufactured at home. If you burn
wood in your stove. there Will be
plenty Of charcoal in the ashes to feed
a large flock Of fowls, If you don't burn
wood. take some corn cobs and put in
the oven till they are thoroughly char
red. Corn and cobs may also be
partly eharred at times and fed to the
hens with profit.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
WORK in THE ORCHARD

Cover crops should be sown early
in August. Glover is one of the very
best cover crops that can be utilized
as its roots penetrate deep into the
soil to conserve moisture and to store
UP nitrogen.
The best orchardists SOW from
twelve to fifteen pounds Of red clover
to the acre as soon after haying as
convenient. If the soil is so rich that
a very rank growth of clover is Sc
cured, NOW the clover just before
apple picking and allow it to remain
on the ground and be plowed under
early the following year.
Buckwheat Is recommended by
many apple growers for cover crop.
This should be sown In July. When
rye is used do not SOW until later;
last Of August or the first week Of
September.
Cover crops serve as a mulch for
the ground, to retain moisture, arrest
plant food that would be wasted by
soil erosion and teaching and as a
source of nitrogen supply as in the
case Of clover and the other legumes.
Another essential to good crops Of
fruit is mulching the trees. Straw,
swale grass or refuse fodder are ex-
cellent for mulching trees. Use d
liberal quantity.-M. ]. K.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13

established It is difficult to cultivate
them. therefore, do all you can be-
fore planting them./ When they be-
sin to "spin," they must have sup
ports, otherwise they will be stunt
ed IN growth and unsatisfactory.
There are so many beautiful vines
among ANIMALS. perennials and hardy
VINES that 1t is hard to decide, IL the
chotc.' Is at all restricted. IT you
wish to blot out an old building, COW
or it with vines. II you dislike the
necessary fence. turn 1t into q thing
OF beauty by planting vines along its
length.
!. A dead tree renews its youth II
vines are allowed to clothe it's branch
e.. Let vines shade the porch and
thus make it cool and leafy retreat
from the summers SUM- Curtain the
shutterless south window with vines
and Let them grow about the home
wherever possible.
The back fence may be hidden by
vines and the sides OF a steep terrace
or bank may be transformed into a
thing Of beauty by planting trailers
along the top.-Josephine DeMarr.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
the Secret Of Success

Of the market on which they expect
to place their produce. The market
ing of all kinds Of farm stuff Is one
of the most important if not the most
important part Of the business.
II one is unable to visit the big
markets one should write to commits
sion merchants and ask for all the
information possible regarding what
Is wanted in the way of selec ON and
packing Of fruit and vegetables Com
mission dealers would rather handle
good, salable stuff than poorly packed
and unsightly produce, and are al
ways ready to help Towers to pre-
sent their products in the most at
tractiJe manner.
1t is also a good plan for amateur
growers, who have not shipped to
the general markets, to first visit the
farms Of successful growers and learn
by observation how produce should
be picked, graded, and packed in or
der to bring the best prices.
Uniformity Is the chief requiren1 emf
to be considered and vegeta bles
shou. !. always be sent to market uni
form in condition. quality and gener-
al appearance.
Markets are seldom over-stocked
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
SECOND GROWTH OF
CLOVER Feeding

There Is an excellent profit In
pasturing lambs on second growth
clover for two months in the fall be.
fore putting them on grain ration,
for fattening.
Gains can be made on good pasture
az low as one cent pound in this
way and that is cheap feeding.
Wether lambs can be had at reason
very good profit on all Of the farms
II put on second growth clover alone
In late August or September for two
months and then fed alfalfa and corn
or alfalfa alone they should put on
from 40 to SO pounds before going to
the Christmas market.
Many farmers sell their lambs half
fat because they cut second crop
clover for seed or leave 1t for other
stock during late fall and early winter
months. There is certainly more
money In pasturing lambs than in
selling clover seed and IT the second
crop is kept for winter pasture about
half its value Is lost.
A good plan Is to turn the lambs
into this corn field after tho corn is
mature-they will find lot Of grass
and tender weeds that have sprung up
during the last cultivation and they
will also eat all the leaves Of the corn
- high as they can reach.
y 6oppose they do break down an
lis1*s lk-ard eat rtas.ear2. i Is
going ia4o mutton y
Rape sowed in the corn at the last
cultivation Is another source Of cheap
forage for sheep. Rape in small grain
makes wonderful growth after tho
Grain is harvested and Ia second only
to clover as q pasture crop for sheep.
It also makes good growth after
potatoes or buckwheat have been
harvested. In states where these two
crops are grown extensively this point
Is worth considering.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13

too ripe before picking. and rs re-
suit the produce. which looks frcoh
enough in the garden reaches the
market overripe and often decayed.
Overripe vegetables should always
be sold in a market which can be
reached within a very short time af-
ter leaving the farm and very ripe
vegetables should be consumed at
hor- or canned.
All vegetables should be thorough
ly cool and dry before being packed.
Heat and moisture promote decay and
this of course means ISIS This Is OF
the greatest Importance and must not
be neglected IL the grower would get
tho best prices for his produce
A loosely packed barrel or box. al
ter having been transferred by wag-
on to railroad and from the city sta
ton to the market-place again by q
wagon. will reach the buyer in very
unattractive condition. The contents
will settle and shrink as a result of
the EARRING, and the package will be
only partially full.
Loose packing invariably causes
bruises and general defacem emit of
each specimen. Fruit or vegetables
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
USE OF THE ROAD DRAG

The surface Of the average coun-
try road should be covered in one
round with the drag. One horse
should be driven on the inside of the
wheel track and the other on the
outside, the drag being set, by means
of the chain, SO that it is running at
an angle Of about As degrees with
the wheel track, and working toward
the center of the road. In the spring
when the roads are more likely to
be rutty and soft 1t is generally better
to go over the road twice or more.
The drag should be foored with
boards which are separated by open
spaces Of sufficient width so that the
dirt which falls over will rattle
through.
On roads with heavy traffic the
drag should be used much oftener
and with more care than on roads
with light traffic.
The distance from the drag at
which the team is hitched affects the
cutting. A long hitch permits the
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
PLANTING EVERGREENS

A new Jersey farmer writes to
know whether 1t will be safe to p,ant
Evergreens in August.
The best time to plant Evergreens
Is early in the spring just when the
new seasons growth is starting. II
Is q mistake to plant too early and
II the planting Is delayed until June
the trees are not apt to do we'll I'M
less frequently watered and mulched
during the summer months.
Some planting is done in August
but we do not believe the inexper-
fenced can make their trees grow
when planted so late.
Nurseries frequently put out their
Evergreens in July and August hut
more from necessity than choice be-
cause they are too busy during the
spring months to do the work.
When Evergreens are planted late
they should be thoroughly watered
ana a dust mulch maintained around
the roots until winter sets in.
1t is difficult to tell by the looks
of the trees whether they survive
during the late summer months or
not as very often they retain their
verdure some time after they are
dead.
In the spring trees that die turn
brown within two or three weeks.
The time to plant Evergreens is, in
our opinion. in the spring and we
see no reason why fall planting
should be restorted to unless through
necessity.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
GIVE THE BOY A CHANCE.

A son of my neighbor left the
farm when he was 1S years old and
came back from the city on a visit
the other day He has not succeeded
very well in the city and has an in
tense love for farm Ifs but lacks the
capital to buy farm and start right.
| asked why he left the old home
stead and he replied, because it is
all work and no profit My broth
ers and led hard life. Father did
not mean to be an unkind man but
he seemed to have forgotten that he
had ever been a boy llirc7elf. We
were never allowed to go to circus
nor even to the County seat, except
on rare occasions and then only for
business reasons. We were not even
allo.:ed to play base ball because
father thought 1t was time wasted.
-ae few little. pitiful pleasures we
had were all stolen and II time we
began to hate the farm and every
thing connected with 1t. I am sorry
that father did not see things in a
different light, becaur if he had Civ
en- us boys chance we would all
have been with him yet
c. S. NJ.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
SOIL SICKNESS in THE
GARDEN

Complaints are common from COM
paratively small and constantly crop
ped gardens anent the poorness OF the
produce. Even such thing an cab
bage 10 30 faint-hearted Al to run
away on lanl1y legs as no well-hehaved
cabbage should.
All this Is very annoying to those
who take infinite pains with their gar
dens and go to some expense in get
ting reliable seedA All this may
occur. and does occur, where ample
manure OF tho barnyard ID ap.
piled to keep the soil In fertile condi.
ton. 1t Is in fact kind of soil sick-
ness which ordinary manure cannot
overcome. but actually agGravates.
One sees far less OF this in large
gardens for the simple reason that tho
larger area gives much wider range
and rotation of cropping, yet even here
comparisons may often be drawn be-
tween the produce OF the large areas
and vegetables under field cultivation
to tho distinct advantage OF the latter.
There Is fortunately an antidote for
freshly ground or freshly slaked lime
Is an antitode for this. In liberal dress
ings 1t will prove quick and lasting
should this be administered whea
spring opens. but az far % possible
dressed through crops OF cabbage and
similar things during dry day and
lightly hoed In.
When lime can be readily obtained
In the best condition there is really no
excuse for the bad state of things de-
picted and even II an extra price has
- NJ to- y OI,c
cause the only satisfactory thing for
the purpose and whatever may be
spent In ordinary manure, II expended
on time for several seasons . would
work wonders. lssd
Doctors differ oyer the value OF
freshly ground lime. and the virtue OF
the newly slaked article, the ultra
caustic properties Of the former being
by many considered an advantages.
With that agree, but consider the adj
vantage is only temporary an with ex-
posture to the air the shaking is thor
oughly in evidence,
Well burned lime, not too long from
the kiln, will be found to answer all
purposes in this direction and 1t can
be slaked In barre! or In heaps by
giving it a good sprinkling with waite.
and covering with old sacks or soue-
! thing similar, when It should be I'm.
mediately distributed. - $500 = .----.1
Positive effects will be noticed the
first season in the improved appear
ance Of vegetation and negatively In
the disappearance OF. much OF the low
or forms Of insect and fungoid life In
the garden.
OF the value to the fruit bushes d.
rectly by reducing their enemies and
indirectly by stimulating healthtul
growth. cannot speak too highly.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
CURE FOR COLO IN HORSES.

Procure some gunpowder contain
ing saltpetre. which acts on the kid
neys; also some charcoal and soda.
which act upon the stomach and in
testines, and drench the horse with
this. Another way is to take saltpetre,
alum, charcoal, and laudnum. equal
parts, and drench the horse with the
mixture. They are all perfectly safe
except the laudnum, so be careful not
to give over an ounce Of the laudnum.
Keep the horse we'll blanketed and in
q warm place. Also see that he has
plenty of water, but not too much. and
feed. Driving the horse too hard or
getting him overheated will cause
colic.-H. A. Cooley. Georgia,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13

pertaining to the great benefits fr, n
tho use of the road Grag that many
people beginning the use Of 1t become
discouraged before they are we'll
started. They should not feel thus
as it often takes a whole season for
the road to become properly pud-
died and baked to Withstand the rains
and traffic. After O road has been
worked with drag only a short time
1t is not well to expect 1t to stand
up to heavy traffic during continued
damp spell without being affected.
However, it will take far heavier
traffic than most earth roads receive
to more than scuff up the surface
It is not we'll to consider the bene-
fits from good road as solely con-
fined to heavy traffic. for there Is no
doubt but that the time saved to
light vehicles and the greater pleasure
derived from their uss over good
roads far surpasses the economy in
heavy hauling.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
WEIGHING AND TESTING MILK.

This is the only sure way to deter
mine the difference in value between
the good and inferior COW. Weighing
and testing daily Is only a business
proposition. It is the only safe way
Of determining what price to ask for
a cow in selling her, or of what to pay
for her when buying. No Intelligent
farmer will sell cow for thirty dol
lars that will make him a net profit of
$40 or $50 year. Neither will he
keep a cow that doesn't pay him a
profit If he knows 1t. Test and weigh
the milk is the way to know.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13

roofing their tools. The shade II but
little protection. as the more mois-
ture the more rust. and the shade
will hold the moisture for days.
Tho cost Of one new binder will
pay for good building. large enough
to store the full equipment of q fair-
sized farm.
In this shed may be placed tho
forge and work bench, where small
repairs to machinery and many q
new and useful thing may be made
during the winter months.
Put in plenty OF windows on the
sides and ends. particularly on tn,
workshop side.-Thomas NJ Cisel
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
TO GET GOOD FRUIT.
A Good Tool Shed.

Go over the blackberry and rasp.
berry vines for signs OF rust and In.
sect disease Cut out and burn every
doubtful vine.
valuable tree out OF poor one by
top-grafting.
Always plant small fruits on deep.
rich aluvial soil. one which carries
plenty OF humus.
You must not forget that all berries
are forest fruits and generally grow
in the shade and are great lovers Of
moisture.
Young trees will grow later in the
fall than older ones and the sap-run
should be checked as early as possible.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
A GREAT CONVENIENCE.

A cistern on the farm Is one Of the
practical conveniences that should be
furnished the women. Cisterns can
be made by plastering against the
sides of hole in the ground with
cement mortar made Of one part
Portland cement and three parts good
sharp sand. One coat can be put on
in the morning and the second to-
wards night. In digging give enough
slant to the sides so there is no danger
of cavfng. Bricks may be used to
arch over the top.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13

blade to cut deeper than short hitch,
likewise heavy doubletree will
cause the cutting edge to settle deep
err than light one.
There are very few periods of tho
year when the use Of the drag does
not benefit the road, but it does the
best work when the coil is moist and
yet not too sticky. This is frequently
within a half-d days time after a rain.
When the earth Is in this state 1t
works the best, and the effects of
working 1t are fully as beneficial as
at any other time.
So much has been written and said
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13

with good fruit and vegetables, BIT It
is the poorly developed. unevenl,' rip
ened and badly selected products
that iniure the sale Of the better ar
ticles.
Produce of all kinds should be sort
ed so that In each package the speci-
mems are as nearly aliko as possible.
The efficient grader has in mind the
appearance Of the whole package
and not the individual specimen.
Many growers make the mistake of
allowing their vegeta bles to become
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
Trimmed OUT THE TREES.

A farmer writes from Salina county,
Nebraska: "Cur apple orchard is on
thin land and was badly neglected
when we bought, the place. After two
years Of heavy applications Of stable
manure we made that old orchard
yield at the rate Of 1900 bushels of ap-
pies per acre in one year" The trees
were so close together. however, and
tho yield so large that they were
greatly weakened. We then took the
bull by the horns and cut out every
other tree and are going to have splen-
did results this year"
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
sPRINKLING,

CULTIVATION VS.. sPRINKLING.
Don't waste much time trying to
water garden with sprinkling pot.
Keep the soil fne and free from
weeds and let the watering 80.
II you think watering does much
good, give bed in tho garden a good
watering and then dig down to find
how deep the water went. You will
be surprised to find how much water
ID required to dampenN the top inch Of
soil, and water never goes down in
the soil until the point Of saturation
Is reached.
You can do more good in an hour
with hoe than you can in a day with
= sprinkling pot
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
HAVE PLENTY OF AIR

Do not plant shade trees too near
the house. Give the air a chance to
circulate around and through the
house. Set the trees so as to shade
windows during the hottest hours. IL
you want them shaded, but never
close enough to prevent the air from
entering - windows freely.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
THE BEAUTY Of VINES

& When in doubt a. to what to plant,
plant vines, IL sound advice. Vines
$beautify, they are useful, they are easy
Fto grow. They shade from the hot
sun; they hide old. or obnoxious fea-
lures; they encourage the birds to
nest about the house; they are the
drapery nature throws over and about
with a lavish hand to soften and en-
bellish.
When preparing to plant vines. be
sure to spade deeply, manure heav-
lily, and prepare tho soil carefully.
After perennial or hardy vines are
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13
THE MIDSUMMER GARDEN.

Use the hoe more; the hose less.
A dust mulch is a better aid in dry
weather than the artificial shower.
II you must use the watering can,
do It with will. Give enough water
that the moisture will penetrate to
the roots instead Of coaxing them to
the surface, there to be the more sus-
ceptible to q protracted drought.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13

must not be packed too tightly or It
will also be bruised and crowded out
OF shape. Every grower can spend
little money for lrands or labels
to excellent advantage. Labels are
very cheap and SO are stencils, and
the man who puts up first-class
package of honest fruits or vegeta bles
IN uniform well-constructed packag-
es need not fear that the money spent
for attractive labels will be wasted.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-13

Did you ever think what beautiful
and long Towering garden one might
have with just the P's? Sweet peas.
peoples. pansies, petunias. phlox. por-
tulaca: With no more howeringsplant
than these one may have howSrS every
day from June 'till frost, all OF them
being easy to grow and continuous
producers OF brilliant flowers.