Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1914-04-03
Friday, April 8, 1914.
GUNDERSON'S COLUMN
Keeping up the Soil Fertility.

There are few farmers al the pres
emit time who do not know that to
keep up the soil, it is necessary TO
put back into the soil as much as is
removed by the crop. This may be
accomplished in three ways; first by
blowing under green crops as clover
alfalfa or soy-beans, second by the
suse of commercial fertilizers and
third by the use of barnyard manure.
The last is by far the best as well as
the cheapest method. But how COM
mon it is in going through the coun-
try to see places where the manure Is
practically wasted by improper meth
ODDS of handling. Whenever a man
IRE heap smokes the best fertilizer ell
ements are escaping as gas and are
lost. Horse manure is more liable to
aerment in this way than other kinds
0f manure. Where possible it should
and properly piled up. A hay stack
is built pointed at the top to shed
water but a manure pile should be
nat or even better concave on the
top, so as TO take in water and keep
the manure moist and thus prevent
fermentation. The manure should
also be packed and tramped in tight
so as to shut out as much air as pos
.Sible.. A better plan yet is TO haul
-Ehe manure out as fast as q load or
Awo is formed. But do not put it on
the field in piles but spread right
from the load. If left in piles the
Hand will be fortified mostly in spots
and these likely too rich to produce
anything except weeds. Another bad
mistake is to locate the manure pile
vOn a side hill so that the water can
wash all the fertilizer into a swamp
river or hollow where no benefit will
be derived. The manure should be
placed on perfectly level ground.
Field Notes.
Last week the writer accompanied
Supt. Cook and Mr.. Alvin Refs lee
turer from the University on speak
ing tour of the county. Meetings
were held Monday night at the
Camp No l school house near Phelps,
Tuesday night at Donaldson, Thurs
day evening at the Monheim school
near ConoVer and Friday night at
,the Bohemian district south west of
town. The school houses were crowd
I'D in each place and many acquaint-
ances made. While at Phelps Mon
day we made a visit to Mr.. Mack S
farm home near town. Mr.. Mack has
the only stio in Was County, mas 4
zine home with all modern conven-
fences, g well equipped workshop and
q windmill that furnishes power for
grinding, pumping water and saving
Wood. Mr.. Mack is also an enthusi-
nstic poultry man and has a line flock
of Rhode Island Reds.
At Conover is a large settlement OF
Swedes whose Industrious habits are
rapidly transforming wilderness in
Ito fine farms. Here We found cor
rect start had been made in the dairy
business, two farmers A. Osterberg
and NJ Lillund having each hne
pure5red registered Guernsey bull.
With Oneida County just south of us
already thickly stocked with Guern-
seys this locality can do no better
than to follow their example. Ii one
locality raises one breed rather than
several market is established ana
greater benefits result. The Guern-
Sey breed can not be excelled as a
dairy breed. Vegetable gardening
is an important industry III Villas
County in connection with the re-
sorts. This is an industry that the
average farmer neglects. No spot on
the farm is more profitable Glian the
garden-if given proper attention.
We have just received a new Bah
cock tester and will test whole milk
cream or skim-milk for butter fat.
Bring in samples and find OUT which
COW is the best producer. Samples
should be taken from three or 1our
milklngS Il tablespoon Iull each time.
Keep sample i'll a tigh6ly corAed bot
tie i'll which is puO q small piece ul
corrosive sublimaUe or OF potassium
bichromaUe. These can be lad a.
any Drugstore. they are POISONOUS
SO keep away from Tile cnlldren.
OSCA.s GuNDrhStIN.