The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-11-29
SHORT TALKS TO FARMERS.
(By J. II. Esslinger. superintendent
Farm Demonstration Department.
Get Ready For Winter.


Get Ready For Winter
Now that the harvesting is about
over and all the crops gathered and
the feed and grain snugly housed or
in stack for the winter, other impor-
tant thoughts should get the atten-
ton of the careful painstaking farmer.
One of the first should be the care of
the tools. How many have seen to
it--that every plow and harrow, and
all the machinery have been gathered
up and all the unpainted metal parts
oiled or painted and put away out OF
the weather for winter? | realize that
in the eastern part of the state, that
there is a great need OF more sheds,
but any shifty farmer can easily build
him hay shed to protect his piows
and machinery. Gather up the hoes
and rakes, singletrees and plow points
and hang them up where they can be
found when wanted You may know
where they are now but after the win
ter has passed many things that cost
money will be neglected and allowed
to rust or decay.
Clean Up the Fields.
You hear the scientific agrieulturist
say do not let the stock into the fields
to tramp them up-but know many of
our farmers have bunch of cattle or
colts that need, at this time, little
extra feed; such as they can gelan
from the fields. Let them have it now
before the rains set in and the ground
begins to freeze; then, by all means,
keep them out; run them in the tim
Der on the creeks or in the native pas
lures, or better yet, in fields of wheat
or rye sown especially for them.
Another important thing to do at
this season is to clear up the fields.
IGet the stalks and all the trash ready
Ito be turned under; burn stalks and
grass on ditch banks along the hedge
Irows and fence corners. Don't leave
lit until spring, as it will provide cover
lfor millions of the pesky insects. Burn
the grass plots and uncover the in
sects and leave them to the mercy OF
the birds and the weather.
Last fall I had occasion to burn a
grass plot on the Haskell School Farm
land | noticed for a week or more aft
erward that countless thousands o.
, blackbirds, meadowlarks, sparrow'
and COW birds were at work on this
piece OF burnt ground, and when eX
amined it ! found millions Of chincl
bugs and other insects packed dowr
around the stalks and in the bunche'
of grass roots.
So do not wait until spring, but let:
! open a vigorous campaign right now
, but listen, do not misunderstood me-
Don't burn the stalks fields and stub
Ible-turn that under good and deep
Plow Deep.
, The most important duty of the lal
liner now is TO get every acre of lam
broken deeply and thoroughly. Don
be afraid you will turn up great 10
}, lof soil that cannot be used Turn
over now and the winter rains an
!, freezes will dis-integrate it and caus
: lit to become mixed with the other sol
: Remember that your crops will be abl
=. to resist the drought next samme
=, lust according to the depth you hav
plowed this fall and winter.
{ Try Subsoiling.
/ Every farmer ought to be somethin
20 of an experimental farmer himself.
% YOU can not afford to purchase
" Spaulding Deep Tilling Machine,
p. one of the approved subsoilers, do n'
give up; try it anyway. Some farmer
If lput on an extra team with bu
20 tongue on Georgia stock and folio
=. the turning plow This will perhal
g get from four to six inches of the su
"a soil broken and this will fill in duriI
" the winter with moisture that W
r.. dissolve an extra supply of the el
ments which are so much needed
of the growing plants, besides the ext
n. amount of moisture which will be he
, " i'm reserve.
be Look After the Poultry Houses.
lg Now don't farmer feel good
us have a half case of more of nice FIRE
m eggs to carry to town when they a
worth 80 cents per dozen? Well y
he can have them alright if you will 1u
ga go to work and Gull out all the
S. stock Fix up some nice roomy she
"a for the young pullets; give them sol
a