Middletown transcript., 1911-08-12
FARM NEWS AND VIEWS

the same as ordinary celery. Instead OF
forming edible leafstalks, however, it
forme a root very much like turnip,
whic my be stored the same as turnips.
All single wheel horse cultiVators
should have wheels. The wheel makes
it possible to turn at the ends of the rows
with less annoyance to the horse and
man and also with less damage to the
plants. It is also means of regulating
the depth at which the cultiVator teeth
will run.
Nitrate of soda will kill the foliage of
most kinds Of plants. Ii should never be
applied directly to the plants, but scatter
ed carefully several inches from them,
and not used too freely. One to two hun.
dred pounds per acre at one application
is usually sufficient.
A stencil is good thing to have on the
farm. It pays to mark bags, tools and
any small implement that is easily bor-
roWed.
It pays to plant tomatoes in good soil.
If we'll balanced in the supply of mineral
elements and if stored with liberal guam
tity OF vegetable matter, there will be Wig
orous growth of vine and foliage and a
full setting OF fruit. The importance, how.
ever of we'll balanced ration cannot be
over estimated.
Melons and pumpkins may be used to
good advantage in maintaining animals
during summer and early fall. Hogs rel
ish melons and they give the animals
succulent food which is needed at that
season. Cows, sheep and feeders relish
pumpkins during winter when succulent
food is secure.
Keep the hoe sharp and the rows will
not seem SO long.
The best way to kill weeds now is to
pull them up by hand.
Keep the cultiyator going. It not only
kills weeds. but conserYes moisture.
The quality Of the plant ripened toma.
to is much better than OF HOUSEKEEPING
fruits.
Soil that blows badly may be improved
by scattering straw or manure over the
surface.
Do not cultivate beans when the foliage
is wet. They will become spotted or
rusted.
Corn properly planted can be given its
first working before the rows can be dis.
tinctly seen.
Thin carrots, beets, etc., if they are
thick. The extra plants become weeds
in effect, if allowed to grow.
The foremost method OF cultivating al
falfa is with the disk harrow, one of the
most excellent farm implements ever in
vented.
A good cat is the best and most human
mouse trap. The farm is hardly complete
without two or three to protect the grain
boxes.
Parsley seed terminates slowly, have
ground very fine. Cover seed with fine
rich soil mixed with scrapings, Keep
soil moist.
If you want your poultry fed right, do
it yourself.
If a hen is very sick it scarcely pays to
doctor her.
Take care to keep plenty of clean water
before the chicks.
With eggs 90 high the hen seems to feel
that she needn't lay many.
The country is full Of people who have
not made a success of poultry.
Clean out nest boxes often at this time
of the year and refill with clean straw.
The best feed is none too good for the
little chicks. Spoiled food causes indiges-
tion.
An open scratching shed is within the
possibilities OF even the most modest
poultryman.
If you are setting hens do not neglect
to dust them thoroughly with good in
sect powder.
Poultry raising is an industry too often
beset with trials which end in disappoint-
nent and failure.
The failure of many poultry enterprises
can be traced to loss of constitutional
vigor in the stock.
Get the chicks into good habits; start
them off with a variety Of food to accus-
tom them to eat anything.
A cheap rough house may serve as well
as costly one, provided the hygienic con-
ditions are equally good.
You can get green food for chickens
without much-trouble. Lettuce makes an
excellent feed and grows rapidly.
Chickens of different ages should not
be kept together. Much better results
are obtained when they are kept separate
They should be well fed to the time they
begin to lay, and then small amount of
food will keep them in laying condition.
Chicken wire makes good trsllis for
tomatoes. A single stake will do or bar
rel-hoop supported about two feet from
the ground by three stakes is good.
Keep the young chicks out of the rain
and dampness.
Corn, with nothing else, is Che greatest
cause of no eggs.
Artificial incubation in recent years has
assumed large proportions.
Over feeding causes chicks to be inac-
tive and susceptible to disease.
Ducks must have shade. II the duck
run is bare, plant castor beans, sunfoWers
or hop vines to be trained over frames.