Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-08-07
DAILY HINTS ON
FARM TOPICS
Rv X. A. Kifkpatrick
Summer Pruning for 0rspevinss.

Summer Pruning for 0rapevines.
II one wishes the best results With
grapes. q large part of the excess,
new shoots that are now growing
cut, should be cut back. The foliagd
thould not be allowed to become SO
thick that 1t shades the clusters ex-
more apt to be mildew. black rot, or
trimmed out 20 that q nice amount
of sunlight gets to all the CLUSTERS.
The shoots which are bearing the
clusters should be tied to the arms
Of the trellis OF to the wires which
may be used for supports, % that
the wind may not whip them about
and break them of or cause the ber-
ries to be injured by rubbing against
the trellis or the branches Of the
vine. The best material for tying u
soft wool twine or raffia. Only about
one shoot should be allowed to come
cut In addition to tho one that ID
bearing the olusters Of fruit. Next
spring the one which bore the fruit
this season may be removed and the
one which came out beside 1t or at
Its base may be reserved for bearing
fruit during that seAson.
Grading and Marketing Eggs.
The agricultural extension division
Of Minnesota has recently issued
most readable and interesting little
bulletin on marketing eggs. This bull
Iletin embodies the results Of research
work done by the department. OF
farm economies Of the State univer7
isity. It presents q review Of the
methods OF egg-marketing which are
|in vogue In that state.
Cooperative egg-marketing IN COM
Injection with creamerfes has been
carried to . high degree there. In
this sort OF marketing the farmers
are given p~asteboard cartons which
hold one dozen eggs. Twelve OF
THESE cartons At into . collapsible
crate. The farmer gathers his eggs
twice a day n possible. sorts Them
TO. color. placing the brown ones In
one carton and the white ones IN an
other. He also grades them for
size and quality. The proper grad
ing for size is an egg which VIII run
/ about twenty-five N to the doz-
en-. All extra large or smaller eggs
are used Ut home, as are also all
cracked or dirty eggs. In many
places the farmers name and the
i date on which the egg was laid are
stamped upon each egg. The fresh
ness is strictly guaranteed at all
times. The creamery sells these
cases of eggs direct TO hotels and res-
taurants In the large cities.
This has proved to be a means OF
getting the farmer considerably more
money out Of his eggs. The use OF
the dirty eggs and the small. over
eize and cracked ones at home,
makes a saving Of about seventeen
per cent to the community in the esq
marketing. 1t has been found by
government statistical work that
about two eggs out OF every dozen
are lost largely through negligence
Ion the part Of the farmer, or care
lessness on the part OF the local mer
chant or transportation company.
THE essential fact Is that the loss al
comes in the end out OF the farmers
pocket, the commission man chArs-
ing It against the local merchant and
1.-THE local merchant coming back al
the farmer. It is doubtful whether
very many poultry growers ana far
mers in Muscatine county are mar
:ketlnR eggs in any system so deeir-
able as the one here outlined. The
rartons can easily be gotten, and
,ow il 4 good time to start