Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-08-09
DAILY HINTS ON
FARM TOPICS
By X. A. Kirkpatrick
A HOG FEEDING GATE.

| #-p "A Hun rTEuSANu uAA E'
A visit to q farm recently called
my attention to a desirable contri-
vance for feeding sNop to hogs. the
,armer had the fees trough set In
'ence was a hinged panel so arranged
! hat 1t could be swung inward and .
ever would engage q couple OF bolts
projecting from the lower part OF
he panel, with the inner edge OF b
rough. This held the panel In such
manner that the trough could be
cleaned from the outside Of the feed
ng floor and could then be filled
with slop without the hogs Interior
ny whatever. when all was In read
ness the lever was released, and the
PANEL would swing back to- the op-
)osite side of the trough and be fas-
.ened there by the use OF the lever.
! This gave the hogs the same start
md every animal got . square deal
This Is q very desirable arrangement
or feeding hogs and any farmer Who
will once use 1t Will w again do
without the continuance. The Crop
Improvement Association office will
20 glad to describe the details for
making n Of these hinged panels.
Care of the Lawns In Summer.
NY attention has been called to
he fact that 4 great many people are
lot caring for their lawns In the best
Land easiest manner. In clipping tbs
avn the clipping should be done of
EN- and the clippings allowed to lie
IN the lawn. These will work down
ward forming q mulch about tho
srass roots to protect Thorn from the
lot sun and to help hold the mofs-
.ure which comes up from below.
This cannot be done II the grass Is
tllowed to get too long, because It
will maks the lawn unsightly and
will hinder the mower at succeed
ng Gu ttings.
In the matter Of caring for ter
aces, q few people have the, idea that
The grass should not be out upon
:hem In the m because It will
Illow the sun to burn them out. 1t
Ihouid be said here that clipping
Helps to thicken the grass on . ter
ace. II the grass has been proper
v managed. during the summer sea
ion, more OF the killing comes from
bright sunshine and the alternate
freezing and thawing In winter than
.omes from the hot sunshine In sum
ner. Probably the best treatment
or terraces il to SOW plenty Of
grass seed just when the frost Is
roing out OF the ground In the
spring. II this does not thicken the
,od sufficiently, the terrace should
be given a good application of nj
i ,~~x~ - ~~Ln l,xuk hAf~.A . aI@ry nAoNrL
ng rain In tho month Of May. More
grass seed shoul9 be put on at the
same time. To further thicken the
grass, q second application OF nitrate
II soda and more grass seed should
oe made about six weeks to two
months later. This, too. should be
applied Just before q slow soaking
rain II possible. The amount OF nj
rate Of soda to use should be ct the
rate Of 200 lbs. TO the acre. It should
be applied broadcast allowing the
rain to soak 1t into the roots. The
:errace should always be given a top
dressing of straw manure during the
winter season. This will protect 1t
from the killing which comes from
the bright sunshine OF winter days.
In the spring the coarce material
should be removed and the fine por-
ton should be left on the terrace.
The grass should not be cut on the
avn especially on terraces In the late
fall. It should be allowed to grow
to . heighth OF several inches as a
protection through the winter. The
winter top dressing of manure should
be applied on top Of this growth.
A great many people waste q lot
Of good effort and some very good
money watering lawns during the
summer months. In Z great many
Instances the lawns would be In bet
ter condition at the end Of the sum
mer season II they had not been wa
tered at all by the owner To water
= lawn when the sun is shinging
brightly, is usually q positive detri.
ment to the lawn. The sun and
wind take of tho water practically
as fast as it is being put on. Fur.
thermore the water opens the stom-
alta Of the grass leaves allowing mois.
ture to escape from them. In such
cases there is a tendency for the hot
sunshine to scald the lawn. II one
waters a lawn, 1t should be done
late in the afternoon or evening and
thoroughly soaked. Watering the
turf to a depth Of only an inch OF
so is a positive injury. Turn on the
water and let 1t run until q portion
Of the lawn is soaked to a depth OF
several inches. then move the hose
and soak another portion. When
the lawn has been thoroughly gone
over and all 10 we'll soaked, do not
water again for several days. II
such treatment is followed and ap.
more grass seed are made, about
twice during the summer season
there is no question but that 1
splendid lawn will result unlsss IT,.
soil is extremely poor.
G4E%G-