davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
TYPES OF HOGS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
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BY ID. L. GRAY.

neck and better developed ham than
the bacon type. While the back OF
the Berkshire is broader than that OF
the hogs of the bacon types. still 1t Is
not as broad as that of the Poland
China. The modern Berkshire breed
ers are working for back medium IN
width and for a side long and deep
and free from wrinkles.
In color the breed is black. with
white points In the face, on the tip OF
the tail, and on the feet Sometimes
a splash Of white is seen on the fore
leg. The nose is short, the face
dished, and the ears stand erect with
a droop at the tip. Berkshires are
good rustlers and fatten at almost any
age. The quality of the meat Is good.
While they are relatively strong IN
breeding qualities, still they are not as
good breeders as the Yorkshires. Tam
worths, or Duroc-Jerseys. They are,
however, more prolific than the Po-
land-Chinas.
AS the name would indicate, the
Berkshire is of English origin. and IS
said to have been first brought to this
country about 1880. The breed seems
to be able to adapt itself to almost any
environment, as 1t Is found being sue
cessfully raised in the warmer sections
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
Turkey Poults Must
Be Kept Dry

The young turkeys require q good
deal of care and management on the
part Of the raiser to bring them
through.
Keep them free Of vermin. Do not
coddle them too much but try to keep
them from getting out in the early
morning dews, as they soon become
draggled.
Whenever possible drive them up
when storms are approaching, as they
do not stand much wetting.
It is an admirable plan to have house
or big howell facing to the south and
with a small enclosure of wire netting
in front, say about 10 feet square.
The young turkeys can exercise in
them before being turned out for the
day, and in rainy spells can be kept in.
which is much better than being shut
up in a close hcvel.
Have the netting high enough to
keep the mother hen In. Fine gravel
or sand makes good flooring for this
little yard.
Always give the turkey hen good
feed of grain morning and night until
the chicks are a. least six weeks old.
This will prevent her ranging too far
for feed.
The chicks will soon learn to eat
broken or cracked corn, wheat or oats,
and when well feathered will eat
whole grain Of any sort.
After ten weeks they will make
their living on feeding ground. re-
curing only little grain at night to
induce them to come home to roost.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
Alfalfa.fed Sheep.

also may be expected to increase
more rapidly than the production.
These facts are brought out in re-
cent letter from a specialist Of the de-
partment Of agriculture to a southern
farmer who inquired regarding the
possibilities Of the sheep business.
The departments specialist called
attention to the fact that while farm
raised sheep have often not been
profitable. this has usually been be-
cause Of lack Of proper attention and
management. Variations in price Of
wool and mutton have stood in the
way Of such general interest In sheep
a. would cause them to be regarded
as highly as they should be in the
future. Ranges all over the world are
now carrying about as many sheep as
they can support under a strict range
system. and an increase in the pro-
duction OF sheep products must come
mainly from farms. Here, then. Is
tho farmers opportunity to take ad-
vantage OF the Increased consumption
Of these products.
While mutton can BIO produced at
low cost and there II q growing de-
mand for It, difficulty In selling may
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

weigh as much as the Berkshire.
Poland Chinas are good feeders and
early maturers. They are suited
rather to lot feeding than to pasture
feeding. as they have not the rustling
qualities as some Of the other breeds.
Still they will make good use of pas
lures. The meat Of this breed Is ten
der and fine grained, but there IL more
fat than the average consumer likes
and the fat is not suitably distributed
with the lean. The Poland-China is
not quite as good as the Berkshire or
Duroc-Jersey in breeding qualities.
The tendency of the Duroc-Jersey
breeders Is to approach the Poland
China type. Originally the Duroc-
Jersey was large, coarse animal, but
Of recent years the object has been to
breed out the coarseness of bone. head
and ears. While much Of the rough
ness has been eliminated. still the
Duroc-Jerseys are not as refined and
compact as the Poland Chinas. In
color the Duroc-Jersey is cherry red;
sandy red is very Objectionable to the
breeders. When compared with the
Berkshire or Poland-China the Duroc-
Jersey has head and face longer and
coarser than either of them. The
ears do not stand erect; they fall for
ward and lie close to the head.
The Duroc-Jersey Is more prolific
breed than either the Berkshire or the
Poland China.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

The question Is often asked. What
is the best breed Of swine?" The
answer cannot be given by naming
any one particular breed; there is no
such thing as q "best" breed. One
breed may be specially adapted for
certain purpose, while another may be
better suited for a different object.
The best breed for any particular
farmer Is usually the breed that he
likes best.
The breeds Of hogs are divided into
two general classes, the bacon type
and the lard type. The Yorkshire and
the Tamworth breeds belong to the
bacon type, while other breeds, as the
Berkshire. the Poland-China and the
Duroc-Jersey, belong to the lard type.
The individuals Of the Large York
shire breed are noted for their ex-
IRENE length and depth Of body. from
which can be taken large pieces OF
meat suitable for bacon. They are
not as broad as the lard type Of hog
across the shoulders. backs and hams
The Yorkshire is a very large breed
probably the largest Of the breeds OF
swine known in America. For use IN
the Southern States their color Is
against them, as they are white, and
in the South there Is strong objection
to white hogs on the ground that they
are more subject to skin diseases than
the black or red hogs. This Is practi-
cally the only point, however, that can
be brought against them for south
ern conditions. Z They are good
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
Tamworth Boar.

rustlers, can get about over large
areas, and they are unexce.led as
grazers. The Yorkshire is not an early
maturing breed; the smaller breeds of
hogs can be prepared for the market
in less time. but Yorkshires are rapid
growers and are capable of making
much of this growth from pastures.
Furthermore. they are good breeders.
good mothers, and produce large lit
ters regularly.
The Tamworths are the ideal bacon
type. The bodies are extremely long
and moderately deep. The legs, the
head. and the neck are also long and
coarse when compared with the hogs
Of the lard type. The back Is not as
broad as that of the Yorkshire.
The Tamworths have the advantage
OF the Yorkshires in color, as they
are red. They will attain size al
most equal to that of the Yorkshire.
They are good rustlers. ve-y prolific,
and the meat is of the highest quality
and ranks very high for bacon.
This breed is large in size and can
be made to weigh from 700 to 900
..ounds and even more, but the aver
sge mature male will probably weigh
about 800 pounds and the SOW $50
pounds. At six months of age pigs
will weigh about IT'S pounds.
The Berkshire is one Of the old and
we'll established lard types Of hogs,
In form they are long. broad, deep
and low They are much shorter on
their legs and have a shorter head and
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
Cows Freshen
Twice a Year

For COWS to freshen twice a year
really sounds like nature taking. but
that is just what happens to cows that
freshen in the fall.
Good feeding and careful attention
keep up a large flow Of milk all
winter; then in the spring when the
green heritage comes the rule again
the manufacture Of milk receives
fresh stimulus.
Thus by fall freshening the milk
flow is not only kept up for longer
period of time than would otherwise
be the case but the most milk is pro-
duced during the season Of highest
prices. In this lies the chief superb
ority of winter over summer dairying.
Cows that freshen In the spring dry
up quickly In the fall when the grass
Is no longer present; few farmers take
good care Of dry cow during the
winter so that the next year the AMI
NAL will be still less useful. Such de-
teriorat ton in a cow Is often greater
than the entire value Of her milk pro-
ducts
Then again, the cows need most
protection during the summer months
when labor may be used to better ad-
vantage in the fields, while during the
winter months no labor can find en-
ployment. Summer dairying has alb
solutely nothing to commend 1t.
Feed is about the same price In the
summer as in the winter. while winter
labor is cheaper: this with the In
creased price for winter products
makes winter dairying by far the more
prof1table.-W. Freehoff, Wisconsin.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

surface into the burrow. The coming
of alfalfa, with its deep-growing suc-
culent roots, has largely solved the
question Of food supply for this ami
NAL by providing it with an abundance
easily accessible both in winter and in
summer. Truly the conditions Of the
alfalfa field are such as to render life
easy for the gopher tribe. Not only
does the animal injure alfalfa by
actual consumption Of the roots, but
by covering up considerable portion
sometimes 20 per cent? Of the area
badly infested. and by rendering the
crop in fields so infested difficult to
harvest. OF the many methods OF
combating these animals, poisoning
has been found at once the quickest
and most efficient. This Is done by
putting carbon bisulphid into the bur.
row and closing the burrow at once.
The fluid may be poured into the bur-
row directly from the bottle Gan ounce
of the liquid) or preferably wad Of
cotton saturated and rolled into the
hole, and the opening closed im-
mediately.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

No other animal attacking the un-
derground parts of alfalfa can equal
or even closely approach the gopher
In destructiveness. The pocket gopher
occurs in almost all sections and is
everywhere recognized as an impor-
tant enemy of agriculture on account
of its habits of feeding on cultivated
pasture grasses and grains. They are
injurious In fields Of grain which they
destroy in great quantities. In cult
waited fields they are harmful on ac-
count Of the large mounds which they
throw up in digging their burrows
The plains pocket gopher which
holds sway on the Western plains, and
the prairie pocket gopher which Is to
be found in almost all parts of the
country, are very similar in habits,
and the methods Of combating one
form will also serve for the other.
The prairie gopher Is short and
stocky, showing an average length of
about ten inches from the tip Of its
nose to the end Of its stubby. hairless
tail. Its body is covered with silky
dark brown hair. its eyes are small
and well protected by fur, and It's ears
are so short as hardly to cause rip
pie in the smooth-lying fur Of the
head. It's front feet are furnished
with long. strong claws and otherwise
modified for digging. In fact. the
whole structure Of the animal fits It
for its subterraneaH existence.
Except for possible brief excursions
at periods of migrating, the gopher
passes practically its entire life in its
burrows. Indeed, It Is a rare occur
renee to find one abroad on any err
rand. They appear to live solitary,
each individual gopher apparently
bent on having his world to himself.
and each digging and taking care Of
his own dwelling. Doubtless where
fields are so badly infested that tun-
nels cross and recross, more than one
gopher may be trapped in the same
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

be experienced in sections where the
amount OF live stock produced has
not been sufficient to make 1t worth
while for regular buyers to operate.
Strengthening plants chat can handle
carloads are within reach Of all Sec
tons. and II sufficient number Of
neighbors combine to have 100 lambs
OF similar breeding, size and condition
to ship Jointly the returns are as
sured. It will also be possible to Sc
cure visits and bids from buyers when
such number Is promised The
lamb clubs Of Tennessee, notably the
one at Goodlettsville. have proven
very successful in this work.
The same organization can also be
used in disposing Of the wool.
In countries where economy in farm
management has been studied long
time, the sheep Is considered to be
necessary in utilizing vegetation on
such waste lands as are not wet or
marshy. But the sheep can hold its
place on hlgh-priced land as a meat
producer alone. Compared with
larger animals it has some impor-
tant advantages. First, the lambs
lHdIuIo NS1S IdpluAy, OcAll6 AAdIhcS-
able at four months of age or
later. according to breeding and feed
Ing. This Is an economy because a
larger proportion Of the total feed
goes into increase of weight than in
slower growing animals. Second, the
sheep consumes greater variety Of
plants than do other animals. Many
Of such plants are detrimental to pas
lures and would otherwise require
hand labor to hold them in check.
Third. grain waste In harvesting can
be entirely recovered by sheep. These
facts prompt some farmers to claim
that the summer fool Of sheep costs
nothing. because what they consume
would otherwise bring no returns.
Compared with hogs the sheep has
an advantage In the wider variety of
materials 1t consumes. Being q
ruminant It makes its gain with q
minimum Of grain and expensive con-
contracts. This is especially impor-
tant on those kinds OF lands that are
better adapted to the production OF
forage crops than to grain growing,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
NOTES OF THE sHEEPFoLD.

Sheep feeding is business in which
the hope Of profit and the certainty OF
making the land more fertile should
add zest to the venture.
) Sheep respond to good care. The
better the care the more they respond.
We need more small fiocks on we'll
titled farms. Such a combination
rarely disappoints its owner.
The fairs supply splendid oppor-
tunity for beginners to find out for
themselves what constitutes mutton
form and excellence.
The lamb that cashes in the most
money in the fall Is not the product OF
poverty; he Is a delicately modelled
and finished creature Of afluencs.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

It is essential to have sunshine to
get rid Of lice, and it is also necessary
that the sunshine be permitted to
enter the houses and dwelling places
Of poultry. 1t Is good plan. how
ever. to have shade trees in the yards
and vines growing over the fence for
comfort in hot weather, and thus the
fowls may rest in the cool Of these
without shutting out the sunshine
altogether.
There Is no danger Of overstocking
the. market with small fruits and
there Is little competition for the man
who grows the best.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
Breeding Young Stock

II there is any one thing more than
another that will cause the flock on a
farm to run out" it is the practice
of breeding from immature stock.
am aware that the temptation Is
strong to allow big, strong eve lamb
to become q mother at one year old
and doubtless many are so bred that
do attain their normal strength and
development in time. but this practice.
IL carried on for successive generations
is sure to result fatally.
The great feature that helps to sell
q lamb Is its quality Of flesh spiced.
as It were. by generous supply OF
baby fat. The offspring Of eve lamb.
poorly nourished as 1t must necessarily
be, has not the same rich. juicy meat
tat Is found in the lamb from the
big, strong, well-developed, nourished
eve. Such a lamb cannot bring over
one-half or two-thirds. what another
lamb from a good mother willNsell for.
The profit from such {. lamb Is more
than offset by the loss in size and USE
fitness Of the ewes and another loss
which Is even greater which I shall
now 60 into.
An animal comes into the world
with series of fixed characteristics
and its size is one Of them. The exact
size depends upon the matured size
Of each and every ancestor.
The massive Shire Is the product Of
the rich pastures ana heavy nutritious
feeds Of England. The little Shetland.
OF the cold and barren slopes of the
North.
They have tho same common an
eestry. yet by an abundance Of feed
the medium sized aboriginal horse Is
supplanted by the magnificent stallion.
BY q scarcity Of feed we have the
little midget Of a Shetland. Genera
lions Of breeding have hxed these
characteristics. yet It IL possible under
q system Of scanty feed continued for
endless generations to reduce the size
; Of tho Shire. Certainly It II possible
byhoavy feeding for centuries to cause
&hs midget ehetlands to become con-
ta1de1ahly greater in size.
Ono generation will work no ap-
bees6able change, but It Is the eternal.
Uvex1ast1ng sticking to the same sys-
em91aat bg1ngD about the results.
81 with the breeding Of the eve
Jsnt ono generation may do little.
Tho SW0 may take a little longer to
laa4uro but her size will be only lit
't9 3ea01 There 10 tho rub.
Th00es0der does not see that II ono
eeuoss16o1 VII make a little, a very
5Jee3o clsBnga. generation after genera
S9oO ne 11ais system will work an awful
besull
A small. seuntsd. scaraway flock,
old even at birth. discouraged with
The conditions. Disguised with life and
Win only one rsdeeming character
fstic. They breed young, often and
prolincally.
But to what end1 The farmer does
not want them. The butcher dis
eliminates against them and they ara
drug on the market.
Truly . pitiful spectacle, yet one
that ts sure to follow IL the practice of
early breeding is followed to its ulti-
mate end.
Contrast this flock with that OF the
careful. thinking man whose animals
arc allowed to mature before being
bred. There we find a flock of bie.
strong. happy ewes. mothers of lambs
that are regular butter balls at birth
ana whose great abundance and
beautiful condition are alike a delight
to the heart of the owner and a bless.
Ing to his purse.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
Serious Diseases Of Rats,

AS Rucker says: "Plarua :. rr,-
marily disease of rodent. ga
seoohoarly and accidentally. a disease
Of man." He puts II an foliov..
FIRST plague In rats. and then IN a..
nen prague IN man and quick di.aasa
1>o rats no heas. no plague disease
Our present day interest IN rs.. :.
because plague is epidemic IN porto
.%o ana Cuba, and from those foots
holds is menacins US. ' Aoo'-
Wnen the Panama canal :. o,.
.ne pest holes on the north ns-. =.
tne west coast and some OF thu no-th
.oast OF south America will be within
,nenaclns distance Of our gulf ana A.
iantlc ports, and plague can i,m,
1ar as freight car or ship can h.u,.
rat in two weeks. maui =
But we must not lose sight ., tbs
iact tnat rats have other disease.
some OF which human beings al.n
have. aAso
PROBABLY the first nation to take an
interest in rats was Denmark ana ~.
larger part Of their interest was dms
70 the rats as a spreader Of trichina
lricnlnosis Is abundant among rats
Stiles says: Trichinosis will prof,a hIv
never De eradtcated from man until
rats and mice are practically eradi.
Gated and any public health campaign
against trichinosis must take the RAT
into serious consideration"
Rats have eleven kinds Of internal
parasites which also infect men.
amongst these are tapeworms. The
dwarf tapeworm Of man is similar to
a dwarf tapeworm found in rats.
They also have f1eas, lice, and mites
The flea carries the plague from rata
to men and from mep rats. Plague
Nbacilli have also -~s und in rat
lice.
Rats have pneum,a, Bright's dis
ease. drunkard's liver, stone In the
bladder, and many other diseases that
man arrogates to himself.
They have many different kinds Of
tumors including every sort of cancer.
In fact, the most promising expert
mental work now being done looking
toward a cure for cancer is that on
cancer in rats and mice. Cancer In
rats and mice sometimes runs in cpl
ueHllcS. WIFI IL tney can De 1nOCu.
lated; they can be cured; the sera
from cured cases will cure the disease
in other animals. And now expert
mentors are trying to find way to
apply this information, and possibly
even these sera, to the cure of cancer
In the human subject.
Rats have leprosy, and It Is hoped
studies Of rat leprosy may help in
working out better cures for human
leprosy. e
Rats also havc rather queer dis
ease known as rat-b!te disease. Most
Of the reported cases Of this disease
have come from Japan. Most of the
cases reported from this country have
come from the Mississippi valley.
Stiles suggests that rats may be
factor in the spread of sleeping sick
Mesa disease due to a wavy blood
parasite known as trypanasoma.
These cases were observed before
certain kind Of blood parasite had
been discovered. Probably parasite
of this type is responsible for rat
bite disease.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
SHEEP RAISING CAN BE MADE PROFITABLE

The consumption Of mutton per
capita In the United States is increas-
ing every year, though the amount
used is much less in proportion to
other meat than in Europe. There
are good reasons for expecting a con-
tinuation Of good prices for mutton
and lamb. and the demand for wool
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

A man sent on a photograph
labelled 1.-THE pride of the Farm"
The scene was a COW lot containing a
dozen broken down fences. a pond.
neglected orchard and moving ma
chine In fence corner. The title Of
the picture probably has reference to
the dairy herd but we cannot see any
thing in picture like this, to be
proud Of.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
ALFALFA INJURED BY THEPocKET GOPHER

runway. The female produces but ono
litter Of young per year, yet because
Of her sheltered life raises enough Of
them that the species is constantly In
creasing.
The natural food of the gopher con-
sists Of succulent roots and such green
vegetation as can be dragged from the
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

It is proper for the women folks to
be interested in the vegetable garden,
but it Is entirely wrong for them to
have the care Of 1t when there are
men on the place.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23
AHandy Farm Tool

A good grind stone is almost a ne
cessity on the farm. BY its use many
hours may be saved which would
otherwise be wasted in going to town
to have sharpening done. The price
Is not high and good stone Will last
for many years.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

The total cost per inhabitant for
city people is 1927 per year per rat.
In other words. Chicago's rat bill Is
something over 100000 year;
that Of the United States. $4,000, 900.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

A study of the hardness Of fruit
buds, flowers and newly-set fruit has
received less attention than many
other phases Of fruit growing.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

The motto in fly control should be,
Better Sanitation" both in the barn
yard and about tho house.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

Make frequent sowings Of your
favorite vegetab les all season.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-23

Sheep will go back fast during hot
days unless they have plenty Of water.