davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08

The advice commonly given In poul-
try papers would require one to eX-
ercise nearly as much pains In the
cleaning of a chicken house as in the
cleaning Of a kitchen. Such advice
may be suitable for the city poultry
fanciers, but some of it is out Of place
when given to the farmer. Poultry
raising, the same as any other farm
work, must pay for the labor put into
Il, and this will not be the case If at
tempt is made to follow all the sug-
sestions of the theoretical poultry
raiser.
The ease with which the premises
may be kept reasonably free from lit
ter and filth is largely matter OF
convenient arrangement. The handi-
est plan from this viewpoint Is the
colony system. In this the houses
arc moved to new locations as the
ground becomes soiled. If the chicken
house is a stationary structure, 1t
should be built away from other
buildings. scrap-piles. fence corners,
ETC.. 80 that the ground can be fire.
quently freshened by blowing and
sowing in oats, rye or rape. The
ground should be we'll sloped, so that
the water draining from the surface
may wash away much of the filth
that on level ground would accumu-
late Cleanliness indoors can be
simpIif1ed by proper arrangement
First, the house must be dry. Poultry
droppings, when dry. are not a source
Of danger If kept out Of the feed.
This may be accomplished by pro-
wi h@o <I,o
roosts. The droppings in the poultry
house should be removed often enough
to prevent foul odors. 1t is best to
clean 1t every day. Dry earth, gath
cred in the fall and stored in bins, is
an excellent cleansing agent to use
on the dropping board Of the chicke en-
house. Drinking vessels should be
rinsed out when ref1lled and not al
lowed to accumulate q coat Of slime
Feedboards should be scraped off
every day and dried in the sun. Sun
shine Is q cheap and efficient disin-
fectant.
Many poultry writers give innumer-
able diseases and lists Of remedies con-
corning which the average farm
poultryman needs no knowledge
whatever. There is very little def
nitely known on the subject Of poul-
try diseases. Poultry ailments are
assignable to one OF the tree follow
Ing causes, or a combination Of these:
First, hereditary or Unborn weakness:
second, unfavorable conditions Of
food. surroundings, etc.: third, germs
or animal parasites.
A great many chickens die within
the shell or during the growing pro-
cess, there being no assignable rea-
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
CLOVER AN IMPORTANT CROP

it up; SO that, when they are decayed,
the soil suitable for crop growth Is
made deeper and the drainage is much
improved. Results of experiments
show that, in continuous wheat farm
ing. the sowing Of six pounds Of
clover seed every spring with the
wheat. and blowing under the clover
in the fall. has given an average am
nual increase, during period of If
teen years, Of nearly 2.6 bushels per
acre. Still better results have been
obtained where clover is used tn four
and five year rotations in combination
with grain, cultivated crops and the
use Of farm manures. On heavy soils,
clover should be grown in four and
i've year rotations, while on lighter
soils, and soils badly in need Of vege-
table matter, it may be more bene-
dcially grown in a three-year rotation.
In growing clover, it Is q matter Of
wisdom to SOW only the best Of seed.
Do ret sow the seed until it has been
givet. d termination test. This can
easily be made by means of two
plates and cotton cloth. Take sew
eral folds Of small piece Of cotton
cloth; thoroughly wet this and scatter
(several hundred) Of the seeds to be
planted. Place this on one plate and
cover with another plate, bottom side
up. See that the cloth is kept moist,
not wet, and at the end OF five or six
days, determine the percentage Of
termination. Seed Of poor vitality
will not terminate at all; or. If it
should, it will at least give weak
NJ, hot
son or the following winter. The seed
should be free from weed seeds and
other authorizations. Buy seed only
from reliable sources, and so far as
possible use home-gl own seed. when
1t is of strong vitality and known
purity.
Glover should not be sown too deep
ly: yet it is desirable to SOW it suffi-
GENTLY deep so that it will neither
blow out nor dry out easily. The
amount of seed per acre will vary
slightly with the method of seeding.
1t is believed that in general farmers
sow too little. rather than too much.
seed When sown separately it should
be at the rate Of six to ten pounds
for red and mammoth, four to six for
alske. three to four for white.
AS soiling crop. to be hauled d.
rect from the field to the manger,
clover has no equal. except possibly
alfalfa. AS green manure crop, 1t
is especially valuable. AS usual
thing, failures with clover can be at
tributed to a lack of knowledge or
inattention to- the details of its grow
ing. 1t is to the apparently little
things that the most successful
clover growers attribute their success.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
WHAT AN ACRE OF FRUIT CON-
TAINS.

It is not generally known how
much fertilizer crop of apples, pears,
or grapes will remove from the soil.
An acre Of apples producing $50 bar
rels removes from the soil "a lbs. of
nitrogen, 2 lbs. of phosphoric acid and
81 lbs. Of potash, all valued at $5.74.
An acre Of pears, yielding 335 bushels
removes 16 lbs. of nitrogen, lbs. Of
phosphoric acid and IA lbs. of potash,
total value, $3.50. Grapes harvesting
$3.50 lbs. per acre contain 13 lbs. Of
nitrogen, 5 lbs. Of phosphoric acid. 20
pounds of potash, worth 1851. OF
peaches, the report Is not complete,
but the yield per acre is 1856 bushels
containing lbs. Of phosphoric acid
and 10 lbs. of potash. These figures
show plainly preponderance Of pot
ash. Potash may be supplied in cotton
seed hull ashes and wood ashes, and
bones and animal matter are also a
valua BILE fruit fertilizer.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
The third class Of ailments belongs

The third class Of ailments belongs
to the group of contagious diseases.
These contagious diseases may be
grouped into the general classes:
First, those highly contagious; Sec
ond, those contracted by fowls that
are In a weakened condition. Chicken
cholera Is representative Of the first
class. This is spread by droppings
and dead birds, and through feed
and water. TO stamp out the disease,
kill and burn all sick chickens, and
disinfect the premises frequently and
thoroughly with a spray made Of one
half gallon carbolic acid, one-half gal
Ion Of phenol and twenty gallons Of
water. Corrosive sublimate one part
in 1000 parts Of water should be
used in the drinking water.
Roup. while being caused by bac-
terra, can be considered more of a
disease of conditions than of conta-
gion. The first symptoms Of roup are
those of an ordinary cold. A Wheel
ing or rafting sound Is often pro-
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08

duced by the breathing. The disease
may last week or a year. Birds &C.
casionally recover. but are generally
useless after having had roup. Flocks
that have become thoroughly roupy
should be disposed of and more Wig
orous birds secured. The curtain
front house has proved to be the most
| practical scheme to reduce the extent
Of roup. This prevents drafts but
furnishes fresh air.
The parasites referred to as
chicken-lice include many different
species but in habits they may be
classed as body lice and roost-mites
The first, or true bird-lice, live on the
body of the chicken and eat the feath-
ers and skin. The roost-mite Is SIM
liar to a spider and differs in habits
from the hody-louse in that 1t sucks
the blood of the chicken and does not
remain on the body Of the fowl ex-
cept at night.
There are three ways Of destroying
body-lice. I The provision Of dust
baths. ca The use of pyrenthrum
powder. Tobacco dust is also used.
Apply Insect powder by holding the
fowl and working the dust into the
feathers. especially the fluff. ca APP
plication of grease or oil on the head
and under the wings of the chicks.
With vigorous chickens and correct
management the natural dust bath
Is all that is needed to combat the
lice.
The roost-mite Is probably the
cau-e Of more loss to farm poultry
raiSers than any other pest or dis
ease. The mites in the daytime are
to be found lodged in the cracks near
the roosting- place Of the chickens.
They can be killed with various
liquids. Whitewash is a good remedy.
as it buries both mites and eggs be-
meath a coating of lime from which
they cannot emerge. A solution Of
carbolic acid in kerosene at the rate
Of pint of acid to a gallon Of oil. IS
an effective lice-paint.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
A red clover root. These laI

A red clover root. These large
roots open up the subsoil and add
vegetable matter. Note nOdules on
roots. These are caused by nitrogen
gathering bacteria which enable clover
plants TO take nitrogen from the air
and add it to the soil.
creasing the supply of vegetable mat
ter in the soil Glover belongs to a
class Of plants that, with the aid Of
bacterial growth on their roots,
have the power of absorbing the nit
rogen Of the air and leaving it in the
soil for the use Of succeeding crops.
The clover plant has a large root
system that leaves considerable
amount of vegetable matter in the
soil. This decaying vegetable matter
proves beneficial, in times Of drouth,
In holding soil moisture. 1t also
assists in keeping light soils from
washing" and blowing" and heavy
soils from "baking."
The clover roots grow quite deeply.
penetrating the subsoil and breaking
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
CLEAN MILK.

"All IS not gold that glitters." Not
all white substances are clean. The
cleanest appearing Of all foods-virgin
white milk-is the dirtiest of all foods.
One can eat good deal of dirt with
safety If 1t has been cooked, but raw
dirt is dangerous. II one can eat a
peck Of dirt with safety it must be
cooked dirt.
Dirt gets into milk from the mixers
hands, from the cows udder, from the
swish Of the cows tail, from the milk
pals and milk cans, from the air Of
the stable, and from any faulty hand
ling after it leaves the farmer.
Simple procedures are all that are
necessary to keep the dirt down to
small proportions. They are clean
hands, clean udder. and clean pals
and caps.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
CLEAN SEED,

No farmer can get any one to take
the same pains in grading his seed
that he would himself. Some farmers
claim that it does not pay to clean
grain.
The corn crop of this country has
been increased millions of bushels by
Intelligent seed selection. All other
grain crops can be improved by grad
ing the seed SO that only good, plump.
healthy grains, free from all foul weed
seeds may be sown.
The tanning mill judiciously used
will do much to increase the yield of
every small grain crop and assist in
keeping our fields free from noxious
weeds.
1t will take cookie out of wheat,
buckthorn, plantain out Of clover, in
fact, 1t can be adjusted so as to handle
all kinds Of grain and weed Seeds
If you decide that it pays to SOW
good seed and to keep your fields free
from noxious weeds, then do not hest
tate to invest a few dollars in a fam
ming mill.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
FEED REGULARLY.

If COWS are fed at stated intervals.
they will not worry for food until the
time for feeding arrives. If 1t Is then
given to them in proper quantity, they
will eat and lie down, chew the cud
and sleep or rest contentedly until
time for another feed. First give the
grain mixture. and milk the COWS
while they are eating it. This routine
is recommended because, with some
cows, the milk comes more freely
while they are eating that portion OF
their ration which has the most relish.
Cured roughage should be e
after milking because it fills the air In
the barn with dust. Succulent feed,
like silage and roots should also be
fed after milking, because of the odor
that it gives. Feeding twice day
will bring better returns than more
frequent and wasteful feeding. Give
half the concentrates and half the
roughage in the morning, and half In
the evening. Cows will soon become
accustomed to this routine. In the
winter they should be allowed to
spend the day in the stall, and for
two or three hours about midday
they should not be disturbed. Turn
ing them out into the yard, or giving
them access to a straw-stack or field
of corn stalks, will cause them to
shrink in milk, no matter how much
or how we'll they may be fed in the
morning and evening. No more feed
should be given them than they will
eat up. The managers should be abso-
lutely clean and free from any feed,
during the day and night.-T. l..
To b.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
RAISE DAIRY BREEDS.

Any farmer is safe in breeding and
raising for sale large milking or but
reproducing cows. AS an industry
there Is no more profitable line of
stock growing than raising good cows
and selling them to the dairyrnen who
are making a specially Of producing
market milk or selling their milk to
condensary plants where they do not
have the by-product returned to their
farms to feed out to the calves that
are being raised to replace the cows
that are annually discarded from their
herds.
The keeping of more cows for
creameries and cheese factories is also
encouraging and many men are willing
to pay good price for well-bred dairy
cows.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08

There is no question but that to
properly house machinery is a great
saving, as it not only adds a great
deal to the life Of the machine but 1t
also adds to the general appearance
of the farm It II generally found
that where a farmer is interested
enough in his tools to properly mouse
them, he is interested enough In
them to care for them otherwise
To "house" machinery does not
mean merely to put it In some tum-
ble-down leaky shed, or combined
machine-shed and hen-roost.
A great deal Of machinery can be
placed in small space If properly
arranged. At the time of storing II
the machinery should be placed IN
the shed according to the time it will
have to be removed. The machinery
that will be used late in the season
should be placed in the back Of the
shed and that which Is to be used
early In the season should be placed
in front. In this way 1t Will not De
necessary to remove q great deal or
machinery In order to get what Is
needed first.
Do not forget that the implements
and machines on the farm represent
an investment, and that when ex-
posed to the weather they deteri-
crate rapidly, thus making the up
keep and original cost a heavier
charge against the equipment. Dew,
rain and sunshine may cause greater
deterioration in expensive 1mple-
ments than ordinary use. To leave
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
TAKING CARE OF FARM MACHINERY

the implements at the end Of the
rows or in the field without shelter
means great loss No progressive
farmer can afford 1t.
Binders. mowers, hay presses trac-
tors, silage cutters and other ma
chimes represent considerable capital.
and it is economy to shelter and care
for them when not in use. A tool
shed costs little compared to the risk
of protecting the implements. The
shed is really insurance upon the im-
plements from sun, rain and rust.
Even the small tools. such as single
stocks, shovels, sweeps, hoes, spades.
double shovels and cultivators need
shelter. And there is another ad
vantage besides the loss in deteiora-
ton. that is in saving time. When
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
A convenient method of moving
large trees.

"A convenient methOd OF moving
large trees.
eral check Is caused by the loss of
roots which takes place in digging the
trees. 1t matters little how carefully
tree may be dug. It will suffer a
severe loss Of roots and in many cases
from one-half to three-fourths of its
entire root system. and practically all
Of Its feeding roots will be lost. 1t is
impossible to exercise too much care
in the digging and transplanting of
trees, and especially in dry severe
climates.
The time or season of the year for
transplanting deciduous trees is gov
erned by the development Of the tree,
the condition Of the soil, and the
weather that is apt to follow trans
planting. Many trees may be success
fully transplanted at any time during
their dormant or leafless period,
while others require that transplant
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08

Glover has been grown with varied
success in practically every state in
the union. Its beneficial action on
the soil. Its period of usefulness. the
wide range Of nurse crops with which
it can be grown, and its excellence as
q hay and pasture crop, all serve to
commend 1t to a place in our CROP
ping systems and prove 1t worthy Of
more general growth by our farmers.
Complaints Of WORKOUT soils. weeds
and Improbable crops, do not come
from farmers who have made clover
an important factor in the cropping
system.
Glover should not be looked upon
as cure for all the ills OF the soil
but as an important factor in soil
renovation and in maintaining or in
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08

ing be done at certain seasons of the
year. If the trees are fully matured,
the soil moist, not wet, and the win
tiers not too severe, one may feel safe
in fall planting. If the soil Is wet and
poorly prepared and the trees are not
we'll ripened off,. 1t is safer to plant
in early spring. Deciduous trees
should be planted from one to two
inches deeper than they grew in the
nursery. Thoroughly pulverized moist
earth should be worked in among the
roots. until the hole Is about half
full, and then this earth should be
tamped until it is solid The tramping
Of earth around the roots of the tree
Is one of the most important features
of transplanting a tree.
Water may be applied to the hole
either the day before the trees are
painted or after the hole is half full
Of earth, but If the soil is moist 1t is
usually best not to use any water.
The upper half of the soil that is
filed into the hole may be left loose
or lightly tamped, and the surface
left loose and finely pulverized. This
will serve as a mulch as we'll as take
up any water that may fall on the
surface.
Evergreen trees are more difficult
to transplant successfully than decid-
uous trees, but If the proper time be
selected, the trees properly handled
while they are out Of the ground, the
manner Of planting be not too faulty,
and the care they receive after trans
planting be reasonable, one may usu-
ally expect success. With the proper
care, an evergreen tree may be trans
planted any month during the year.
Probably the most favorable time for
transplanting evergreens Is in the
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08

spring. Trees transplanted just after
they have started into growth, start
at once to grow and In many cases
do not receive a perceptible shock
Fall planting has been successfully
used In many localities, and where all
conditions are favorable, it is a safe
venture.
Large deep holes with plenty Of
moist earth in the bottom should be
provided for any tree. During trans
planting, the roots must never become
dried either by the wind or from the
sun. Another very important phase
In tree-transplanting is to make the
BOIL very. very firm around its roots
II the soil is well prepared and in
proper condition. 1t is Impossible to
make 1t too firm. More newly trans
planted evergreens die on account of
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
"A PRACTICAL POULTRY TALK

son save that of inherited weakness.
For this class Of troubles the only
remedy is to breed from the better
stock.
The prevention Of the second class
Of ailments comes under tho general
head of feeding" A chicken.
whether young or old, to thrive we'll,
must have exercise, clean water, grit,
a variety of grain food, green or sue
culent food, and casein or meat foods.
The food requirements of a laying
hen are very like those required by
a growing chicken. Yarded or shut-in
hens should be supplied with more
lime than the food contains, however,
to provide for the egg she'll. Crushed
oyster shell is much used for this
purpose.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08

1884 and the Lawrence outbreak II
1905, and particularly since the pas
sage Of the food and drugs act Of
1905. Since the season OF 1908 the
Bureau Of Chemistry Of the United
States Department Of Agriculture has
been making extensive Investigations
pertaining TO the oyster industry, en-
bracing almost every feature of the
problem, beginning with the examina-
ton of oysters as they are taken from
their beds and carried through the
various processes Of handling until
the oysters are ready for the con-
sumner. This work has been very
thorough. and the facts learned dur
ing the Investigations will prove ex-
tremely helpful in assisting the proper
officials to keep oyster beds outside
the boundaries Of sewage-polluted
water. 1t will also help the inspect
ers from floating oysters in polluted
waters.
There is undisputed evidence to
show that infected oysters, clans,
mussels. scallops and other shellfish
may cause typhoid fever and other
gastrointestinal disturbances, when
consumed by susceptible individuals.
The epidemics of typhoid fever due
to ingestion Of polluted sea food have
in most instances been traced to
shellfsh floated in polluted water, al
though there is also evidence that
oysters and other shellfish grown IN
polluted waters and directly con-
sumed without transplanting for a
time In pure waters may be the source
of typhoid infection.
Investigations show conclusively
that raw oysters served at banquet
two years ago were wholly RESPONSE
BILE for typhoid and gastroentaritis
cases following the banquet. There
were II well-def1ned cases of typhoid
fever. with one death, and SO cases Of
diarrhea traced directly to oysters
from Jamaica Bay, f1oated at Indian
Creek.
Examination Of water and she'll
fish collected from Jamaica Bay shows
that the water from which the oysters
were taken was dangerously polluted.
sanitary inspection showing that mill
lions Of gallons OF raw sewage were
discharged daily into this bay, and in
many instances in close proximity to
or directly over oyster beds.
The serious results of this last
epidemic, caused by eating raw oysters
from infected or polluted waters,
aroused the authorities to extreme
vigilance and watchfulness to prevent
a repetition Of similar outbreaks.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08
Oysters in the cellar, under house.

Many years ago attention was
called to the fact that infected she'll
fish, when consumed raw. might cause
outbreaks Of typhoid fever. cholera
and other intestinal diseases. This
fact was specially noticeable in densely
populated European towns and cities,
near many Of which were located ex-
tensive she'lfsh grounds grossly con-
taminated with sewage. In this coun-
try the question of shellftsh pollution
has received greater attention since
the epidemic of typhoid fever traced
to oysters at Wesleyan University In
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08

the hand grip a metal hook an inch
wide is fastened. This fits over the
rim Of the barrel. At the lower end
Of the handle is a wooden cross piece
followed on the inner side so as o
fit the curvature Of the barrel. If
very heavy barrels are to be lifted
the handle should be from six to
twelve inches longer, so as to get
extra lev erage whom lifting.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-08

The government Is establishing a
number of small demonstration farms
in various parts of the country where
farm boys can be taught up-to-date
methods in farming. In most cases
the land is donated by enterprising
farmers who desire to educate the
Young men Of the neighborhood.