The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-10-12

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This matter must not be reprinted with
out special permission.l
A young hen will lay more eggs than
an old one. but with q goose the re-
verse is true. her eggs being more nu
merous and larger as well.
The runt is usually an improbable
proposition, whether calf, pig or chick.
en-. On this account It pays to keep
the young stun In a thrifty. growing
condition from the start
AS rule the cheapest pork to pro-
duce is that which Is made In the
shortest time. This same thing Is true
of beef and explains why baby beef Is
the most profitable that can be grown
The bacon and corn fed hogs are
types that are doubtless more due to q
definite practice Of feeding than to any
other set Of influences, as either type
begins to change II given the other
conditions of feed.
The limit which several states name
for cutting roadside weeds Is such as
to permit most weeds to mature a
prolific crop Of seeds before their heads
are taken out. and the law referred to
belongs TO this class.
Cider may be kept sweet long time
by taking the Juice as 1t comes from
the press, gradually heating 1t to a
temperature Of about $50 degrees f..
holding it there for ten minutes and
bottling at once in clean. sterilized, air
tight bottles.
The average American hen lays
eighty eggs a year. when II given
proper care she should produce 100
eggs. That this second estimate is
modest is shown In the fact that indi-
vidual hens of certain breeds have
laid as high as 26O eggs In year
1t Is probably Just as well all around
that up to the present time wise
Providence has withheld from man.
kind the secret of influencing or regu-
lating the matter of sex. Human be-
ings have about all they can look after
as things are without this responsible
ity.
Near Forest Grove, In the Willamette
valley In western Oregon the wild deer
that make their haunts In nearby
mountain cover are said to be acquir-
ing the prune eating habit The ami
mails have grown 80 bold that they
jump fences and pull the fruit from
the trees.
There are nineteen mines In the
United States that produce Quicksil-
yer. Fifteen Of these are located In
California. two in Nevada and two in
Texas. The production of this metal
for the year 1910 was 20.601 casks of
seventy-five pounds each. having
value of 1858, 1853. or $46.51 a flask.
A thought that comes involuntarily
to mind rs one passes through or
chards these days where all kinds OF
fruit is rotting under the trees Is the
pity of il that thousands upon thou
sands of the poorer classes OF our
large cities could not be provided with
some of this waste Seldom do such
folks have a bite of fresh fruit, yet
there seems no feasible plan by which
1t can be got to them unless railroads
or philanthropists should provide free
transportation.
There ia little wonder that the grow
ing of alfalfa needs no encouragement
In sections where 1t has been demon
strated 1t will do well. This remark is
prompted by noting recently the case
of n Kansas farmer who harvested 17S
bushels OF alfalfa seed from eleven
acres, or an average Of 1850 bushels
per acre. The owner refused SO per
bushel for 1t, which would mean even
at this price a return Of $4,000 per
acre. Besides this. its owner will get
one or two cuttings Of hay.
It will be an excellent idea during
the next few weeks to run over the
young orchard set last spring. cut out
all but from four to six Of the lateral
branches and trim these back to from
twelve to fifteen inches In length. This
work is important, as It Is this that