davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22

chicken house, did not average three
eggs a week and the other barely got
enough for family use. One has a
flock of five hundred Brown Leghorns
and the other two hundred and fifty
pure Barred Rocks.
In past winters eggs from nv old
hens have been few and far between.
1t was the pullets that laid the eggs.
but not only did the hens Law last
winter but want to set just as If it was
summer weather.
broke up as many as a dozen
broody hens last January. In the face
of facts like these I naturally give the
credit to alfalfa.
This was the sole addition to their
feed and the only grain they had was
corn and an occasional feed of boiled
oats for we did not SOW wheat last
year.
At the present writing I have over
six hundred thrifty growing chicks
scratching in alfalfa litter for their
grain.
/ have become an enthusiast on the
subject of alfalfa and I say to ali
breeders of chickens SOW it in the
pens and also store it as a winter egg
producer.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
POULTRY T1RlVES ON ALFALFA
Mrs Il Robertson.
BY Mrs. IL. Robertson.

hay. From the former the leaves and
dried blossoms, still green in hue, fell
in masses of fine fragrant litter, use
less to the cattle and horses which
only ate the bulkier stems.
All winter long ! used this alfalfa
chaff for litter in my houses, bedding
the floor deep every day. The hens
scratched in it for their grain and ate
every available bit they could pick
up.
By night the floor would be bare
and fresh supply was thrown in rea-
dy for the morning meal.
My hens have always done we'll as
winter layers, but last season they out
did themselves and made a record
which is the wonder and envy of all
my neighbours.
I give the credit to alfalfa, especial
ly rs some close neighbors with warm
er houses-one of them heated-who
bought patent making foods, pro-
tein and blood meal in large quantities
and who have bone mills and fed
green bone all winter. with oyster
shells, mica grit and cut clover got
next to no eggs at all.
In fact, the one who has the heated
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
KINDNESS TO ANIMALS PAYS WELL
Good Treatment Effects Disposition of F arm Animals
and Increases Their Market Value
j
BY j. NJ. Kelly.

able study for all engaged in animal
husbandry.
Animals have memory, they remem-
Der where to get food and drink,
where they were comfortable, where
they were injured and where fright
ened. They remember where their
home Is, and often, if taken from it
will travel long distances, climb high
mountains, and swim wide rivers to
return. They remember the voice of
kind master, and manifest joy at his
coming; they also remember the voice
of a cruel master, and will flee at Its
sound, or IL flight Is impossible, will
plainly manifest, their horror at his
approach.
They have curiosity. especially the
young, and will examine new object
with great care, looking at it from all
sides, and from various directions:
they will smell of it, taste of it, and
with their sensitive lips, feel of it.
They seem to. enjoy acquiring know
ledge.
They are sociable. To them there
Is pleasure in the society of others
Of their kind hence they go In herds
and fiocks, and even sometimes they
show great pleasure in the companion
ship of animals belonging to an en-
tirely different order from their own,
for example, horse and dog have
been known to be very congenial COM
panions, also cow and pig.
They are capable of forming habits,
and the great law by which their
habits are formed is the one by which
man forms his habits, repetition, and
| they, like man. are bundles of habits.
The chains of habit are strong to bind
them.
They have individuality. AS no two
people are quite alike, so no two anil
mails are exactly alike. Two horses
of a team may very closely resemble
each other in outward appearance,
and vet be quite unlike in their dis
positions. Two COWS may look very
much alike and yet the thoughtful
observer, or dairyman will know that
In minds they differ widely.
They have their likes and dislikes
Some horses on a farm do not like
certain other horses, while for GER
| tain other horses they show great
i friendship, and sometimes there Is a
horse toward which all are friendly
Some horses cannot endure certain
men, while for other men they show
a marked preference. Likewise they
seem to enjoy doing certain kinds o.
work, while for other kinds of work
they manifest so great dislike, thai
they will not do it, can neither be
coaxed or driven to it. Some COW.
like certain mixers and for them o,
course give their richest milk and IT
largest quantity, while for others they
will hold up their milk. AS rule
these are not blind and senseles!
whims, but both the likes and dislike.
had their origin in some previous ex
4 perience which formed a reasonable
basis for the manifested love or hat
red.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22

lath, and flooring up and down in
roosting room. The frame Is of stud
ding 2x4 inches, weather-boarded
with worked barn boards, also lined
with same, with smooth side out, hav-
ing building paper Cor tar paper)
tackled up to the studding under it,
Roosts. hang from ceiling on iron rods
to within IA or 16 inches from floor;
board set in grooves in the walk d.
vides floor space under roosts to keep
droppings from mixing with litter on
balance Of floor. Feed troughs are
placed around walls as shown in plan.
Ladders lead up from scratching
floor to each roosting room. This
roosting department is sealed I'D on
under sides Of rafters, which permits
of window in each gable above tho
square of the building, giving SPLEEN
did ventilation without any patent ar
rangements. The wings are feet
high in front and Z feet where they
Join roost rooms. The space under
floor of main building is a part of
scratching floor with a lathe partition
extending through. 1t is calculated
as an all year poultry house. 1t can
be used for one flock by emitting the
partition in the center OF the house
and scratching floors. The approx
mate cost is $4,000.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22

out of the soil, most of them are car
ried away by the air and waste.
The litter In ordinary stable manure
has absorbed much liquid products
and this litter we'll mixed with the
soil Will give up these fertilizina
compounds, and the litter itself will
enhance the chemical and physical
condition of the soil.
The improving of the physical con.
dition of the soil is of as much value
as adding chemical fertilizers for soil
in good physical state gives up II,
plant foods readily and makes a com.
Portable home for the roots of plants
1t is held by many that fresh ma
nure of any kind or quantity in this
soil during a dry season Is detri.
ment. We have not found by repeat
ed experiments that this is true.
For several seasons we have ap.
piled fresh manure to the surface soil
of the garden crops and corn till late
in the summer. working the manure
into the surface soil with each cul.
tivation.
| With corn the manure wagon was
driven down rows in the same man.
ner as the two-horse cultvator goes
and the manure applied heavily be.
tween rows.
| The good effects were apparent
after each rain when the soluble por.
lions We're carried into the soil and
taken up by the roots of the, growing
crop.
When this manure was cultivated Into
and with the surface soil 1t acted as
n mulch, increasing the moisture
holding capacity of the soil, and dur
Ing very wet periods 1t retarded wash.
ing, decomposed rapidly without detri-
mental heating results. and promoted
rapid plant growth.
We should use all we'll rotted ma
nure that can be secured for the gar.
den, but the garden should not be
without manure when only fresh ma
nure is available. OF course when
fresh manure Is used on the garden or
truck patch the cultivation should be
done with horse tools so that the soil
may be worked and mixed deeply to
thoroughly incorporate all fertilizers
with the soil.
When the hoe only Is used nothing
but shallow surface stirring results
! and portions of unmixed manure in
, the soil may cause burning of the
plant roots.
The horse tool which stirs the soil
several inches deep especially during
the early period OF growth, is the only
cultivator to use in gardening. both
for the saving of valuable labor and
ture of the soil.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22

1 have demonstrated to my salts
faction during the past year, that al
falfa excels clover both as a green
food for growing chicks, and winter
relish for adult fowls
We have a field of ten acres sown
to alfalfa stretching just below the
colony coops and pens where I raise
my chicks.
year ago last summer / noticed
that as soon as l gave the chicks free
range they would seek this field and
spend hours in the growing alfalfa,
particularly when it blossomed ready
for cutting.
BY close observation I found that
they ate the tender tops and purple
buds ravenously and certainly seemed
to thrive on the food.
I tried sowing some seed in my
nursery pen, and it was wonderful to
see how the chicks enjoyed it-wee,
fluffy fellows just from the incuba-
tor. This set me to thinking.
When last winter came on I housed
one hundred pure Buff Cochin pullets
in a fairly roomy and comfortable
house. The large hay barn was stored
to the roof with alfalfa and millet
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
HOME LITE. ON THE FARM.

No one thing could be more condu-
Give to comfort and happiness in the
nome life than health, for nothing, no
matter how attractive. can give unal-
loyed pleasure If the body is racked
with pain.
How is 1t with the children of the
family? Too often they are allowed to
sleep in unventilated rooms, to eat
rich foods at irregular times regard
less of the effect upon growing chill
dren.
The great value of pure air and sun
shine In living and sleeping rooms is
daily becoming more appreciated.
Even as light and air are absolutely
necessary for the growth of plant life.
or the production Of the highest grade
of marketable animals so are air and
light essential for the most perfect
physical development of child life.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
FRESH and WELL ROTTED MANURE
Careful Study of the Effects Of Both Will Determine
Which Should Be Used.
BY II. III. Shepard.

There seems to be a difference of
opinion as to the value and use of
fresh and we'll rotted manure. AL
most all authors on gardening recon-
mend the use of well rotted" manure
for all plants
That well rotted manure is the SAT-
est and best for immediate results in
general farm and garden practice is
admitted.
But large quantities of this fertilizer
are difficult to secure, while fresh
manure is plentiful and may be Sc
cured at all times. Beside, manure
which has rotted in heaps, unless pro-
perly handled, has lost large share
of it's best fertilizing properties. The
greatest objection to the use of fresh
manure for immediate plant growth
is that it burns the crop unless the
growing season Is very wet.
This, too, will be admitted is the
usual case, yet the bad effects from
the use of fresh manure arise from
improper methods of applying the
manure and the working of the soil
after the application.
Fresh manure may or may not heat
in the soil and injure plants accord
| ing to the way 1t Is worked in the
soil. Fresh manure of course under
goes decomposition and produces heat
in the process and the more of 1t
| there is in one place the more heat
| there will be given off.
Then to overcome the bad effects
Of the heat to growing plants fresh
manure should be well scattered and
we'll mixed with the soil so that no
| large amount will remain in any one
place.
The soil should be deeply narrowed
and disced or both, so that all the ma
nure is thoroughly incorporated with
the soil particles, leaving a uniform
mixture. Then the decomposition will
be slow, hence less amount of heat
evolved.
This thorough working or mix
ing of the soil will also prove bene'
fetal in many other ways, as every
farmer and gardner knows. A neigh
Dor, and successful farmer, said re-
Gently that he always aimed to do {
large share of the cultivation of {
crop before it was planted.
The soil, in good working condition
for any crop of plants cannot we'll b.
worked and mixed too much. This i
especially true when manure of an,
kind Is used
Fresh manure is strong, and 1t
strength consists of valuable com
pounds for plant growth that have no
been dissipated through decomposi
ton.
In the soil, these plant foods ar
absorbed and held for plant growth
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
SENSE AND NONSENSE.

Some people these days believe the
roll Of honor Is the roll Of bank bills.
Men sniff at the dress fashions of the
women but they would grumble loud
ly If their wives went about looking
like frumps among their stylishly
dressed neighbors
The townspeople who burn up the
country roads with their motor cars
may expect to be roasted by the farm
ers.
The farm is a great human leveller.
Men cannot succeed there on bluff
alone.
Some women who are always ready
to throw At over the abuse OF a
horse or a dog have no conjunction
about slamming their own children
around.
The girl who processes to be crazy
about children in public generally re-
fuses to have anything to do with the
haby at home
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
CARE OF HOUSE PLANTS.

Do not water plants during Sc
verely cold spell of weather. nor at
night in order to keep from chilling
them. If freezing is feared wrap
well in newspapers and draw from the
window.
Weeping lantana likes sunny place
plenty of pot room, water and good
drainage, with no severe changes of
temperature; a warm, moist atmos-
phere. Dropping in habit, a good
basket or bracket plant.
Gloxlnias may be raised from seeds
or propagated from stem leaf or cutt-
ing. Has blossoms of many colors
and is easily cared for
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
EARLY CORN PAYS WELL.

If you have good market early
sweet corn is paying crop. 1t can be
planted thick and an enormous num-
Der of ears grown to the acre. have
had as high as 1000 dozen ears to the
acre, and it generally sells at 8 cents
to IL cents dozen. While the later
sorts are much bigger and sweeter
ears they do not, as rule, pay as well
as the earlies. Plant Cory, White
Mexican and Early Minnesota. They
will be done and off the ground by the
last part of July and you can get an
other crop in after it. I generally drill
sorghum In between the rows when
lay 1t by and by the time the corr
Is picked and the fodder cut Off the
sorghum is knee high, and by fall will
make several tons of the finest Of feed
for horses or cattle. We grow all ouI
fodder for the horses that way. In
early sweet corn and early peas.
III. u.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
TREATMENT OF GRASS LAND
PRESENCE OF NoxIoUs WEEDS DOES MUCH DOWN
THE GRASS LAND

The treatment of grass land in this
country leaves much to be desired.
1t would appear as IL many farmers
We're satisfied to take any natural
vegetation as good enough for grazing
purposes. Everyone knows that the
feeding power of different fields varies
considerably. We have the hillside
where as many as thirty acres or
more would be required to keep a
beast alive and we have the rich
land that can fatten bullock and a
sheep to the acre. There is an in
clination to submit to this as newt
there are very definite limitations to
possibilities Of Improvement of grass
land it could easily be made capable of
supporting more grazing stock, or of
yielding heavier crops of hay than it
does at present
The first condition of Improvement
of much Of our grass land is drainage:
but this is rather a matter of land
improvement than a farming proper,
and 1t should be treated of in Its
proper place. Next, the prevalence
Of weeds is a serious matter and is
we'll within the power of the farmer.
Some of these weeds furnish an indi-
cation of the requirements Of the land
The special weeds of wet land are
known to most.
The weeds of poor grass land IN
clrde an eye daisy. mouse ear chick
weed, speedwell, eyebright and others
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22

drained land as where there Is too
much moisture. A few plants, com
monty regarded as weeds, may be an
advantage to grass lands. when they
are there in moderation.
The common dandelion, plantain
and the various wild watches are
among these. Wild garlic is a most
Objectionable weed where dairy cattle
are fed, as It destroys the flavor OF
the milk, but it is beneficial in mod
Grafton on fattening land. On poor
dry land, naturally unsuitable to the
growth of grass, yarrow and sheep
parsley may be encouraged as botn
make good sheep feed, and their deep
roots make them more or less mas
pendent of surface moisture. Moss Is
a very common pest of grass land IN
districts where the atmosphere is
damp. 1t depends more on the state
of the air than of the land.
We frequently hear the explanation
that 1t shows want of drainage, put
this could not be the case, as moss
f1ourlshes on dry banks as we'll as
anywhere else Neither Is 1t due to
poverty of land, for it is often found
on the best of land The only way
to deal with moss is to commence
with thorough narrowing so as tc
dislodge the moss. 1t Is then col
lected and destroyed This is done
in the autumn and should be followed
with a good dressing of lime and
salt compost or farmyard manure.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
BY @. S. Miller.

Most of these will disappear when the
land is we'll MANFRED, the improved
grass checking them out. The weeds
different way. Some are SO trouble
some that the only way, when they
have been allowed to get too far
ahead, is to break up the pasture
This always should be avoided when
there is any other chance of success, as
a good pasture takes years to re-estab-
fish after breaking it up. The most
difficult of this class to eradicate are
the creeping buttercup and silver
weed. These have wonderful vitality
and no live stock will eat them, Many
weeds can be gotten rid of by pre-
vention of seeding. The various UNI
ellferea, such as wild carrot, cow
parsnip hemlock, etc, also ragweed
and thistles may be kept down by
moving in due time. Docks are of a
tougher nature, but they may be US
ually pulled by the root when the
ground is soft after rain. Docks pro-
duce a wonderful quantity of seed
and trouble in their eradication is
we'll repaid.
Some plants that become positive
pests on pasture land cannot grow
on meadows. These include the COM
mon daisy hawkseed. There are two
parasitic weeds of grass land; broom
rape lives partly on the roots of Glow
er, and yellow rattle on grass roots
These are not SO troublesome on wei
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
NOTES OF THE sHEEPFoLD.

Every sheep owner should keep a
pure bred ram, but every man is not
qualified to keep pure bred stock.
Everything possible should be done
to bring the ewes to vigorous flesh
forming condition at the mating per-
Tod.
Sheep are excellent farm cleaners,
weed killers and fertilizers.
The man who desires large profits
from his flock should provide 1t with
the best that good management will
produce.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22

Only few centuries ago the ances-
tors of most of us were barbarians
without local habitation, and living
largely by the products of the chase.
In the course Of time few of the
wild animals about them were domes-
Heated. At first probably for play
things for the children, and for COM
partnership for adults. and finally for
their value SIS food and clothing. Then
the pastoral life began.
When In his upward development
man became wise enough to teach the
OK and the horse to draw load, when
he found that either Of them could as
draft animal. do as much work as
ten men, and that by using one Of
tive power ten-fold, and by using two
twenty-fold; and finally when he
learned how to teach four or six Of
Increased his working efficiency forty,
and stxty-fold, respectively. Then he
became able to produce more food
than hin,aeif and family required, and
he also had tho means of transporting
the surplus to considerable distances.
Then commerce ggaw, and civilization
began.
The money value of the domestic
animals Of the United States exceeds
ss,oeo,ooo.ooo. What part of this
value comes through their domestica-
HON cannot BIO accurately stated. but
Il is very large part, as one will ad-
tnit ff he considers OF how little valile
would be ell tho horses II at once
fhey were to return to their original
BtssB as Wild horses; or II tho cattle,
all % onoe could be changed to the
condition, The nature, and the dtspo-
pie3oaa Of tho Wild cattle Of the original
goresb and plain
ft IN probable that more than fifty
per cent Of this value comes through
sha kind treatment their ancestors
have received, and which has changed
their disposition, so that this diapo-
sit1on Ia now inherited. and also is
strengthened by continued kind treat
mant.
An who handle farm animals know
that their value is affected by their
disposition This disposition comes
from tho state OF the animals mind;
and tho state Of his mind toward us
depends upon how we are treating
him, whether kindly or cruelty. B,
kindness he is made trustful, fearless
and docile; by cruelty, suspicious
fearful and. intractable,
That animals have mind is a fac
that all who have to do with then
should realize. They are not like the
machinery of the farm, which If 6
man neglects and nnis,ises, hurts only
his pocket book, but If he neglects anG
misuses his animals, he not only in,
lures his pocketbook but does him
self moro grievous wrong. Some
times probably, there will be writer
q Psychology Of the lower animals, a.
there is now a psychology Of the
highest animal. There is ample ma
terial for it, and 1t would be profit
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
GOOD DAIRYMEN KNOW.

The cost of producing one gallon of
milk.
The cost of producing one pound of
butter fat.
The cost of feeding COW one year.
The number Of pounds Of milk each
COW in the herd yield each year.
The number of dollars each cows
milk brings each year.
Which is the most profitable COW
in the herd, and why?
Which is the poorest COW In the
herd, and why?
How many boarders there are in
the herd.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22
ORCHARD ITEMS.

An Indiana authority says that not
one farmer in 1000 in that state plants
an orchard and takes care of 1t.
In the Hood river country in Oregon
where some of the finest fruit in the
world is raised the farmers have
formed unions for mutual instruction
and also to aid each other in keeping
up prices. A good plan.
Fruit that has been shaken from
the trees should never be stored for
winter keeping.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22

1t is said that the first Eagles egs
laid in captivity was produced by
bird at Lords Park, Elgin, Illinois
The keeper of Lincoln Park, Chicago
had previously offered $1,000 for such
an egg, but backed out when the FL
gin product was rendered him.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22

good plan to shut them up in limited
enclosure and feed them to the limi
for about two weeks, selling them a.
soon as possible after this. In many
markets the heavier a goose weighs
the more 1t brings per pound. So it
is an object to make them as heavy as
possible.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-22

The man who foresaw the import
ance of providing plenty of green for
age for winter feeding and pasture
realizes the value of his good manage
ment in providing an abundance of
supplementary food during this criti-
cal time