davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE
FARMERS WIFE.

Linen rags should be carefully
saved, as they are extremely useful
in sickness It Is we'll to have a bag
for clean pieces Of old linen, where
they can be readily reached In emer-
gency cases.
Both ashes and suds are good fer
tilizers for bushes, vines and plants.
Pulverized alum possesses the quail
ity of purifying the water. A large
spoonful stirred into a hogshead of
water will purify it so that in a few
hours the dirt will all sink to the
bottom, making the water clear and
fresh. Four gallons may be purified
by teaspoonful.
If hot fat is spilled upon the floor,
pour cold water upon it Immediately,
and it can then be taken up with a
knife, thus preventing the grease
from sinking into the floor.
If new broom Is dipped into
scalding suds 1t will tougher the
broom, making 1t last far longer than
If used with the toughening process
omitted.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Soil incubation increases alfalfa
yield. Actual yield (third cutting) on
inoculated plot (right) and uninocu-
lated plot left).
If the soil has not been exposed to
the sun or allowed to dry out good
results will usually follow. The other
method is by the use Of culture. 1t
comes in bottles and is used on the
seed The ordinary cost of sufficient
is about 81. The United States gov
limited quantities.
Soil incubation Is more certain and
not as expensive as the cultures
where there is an old, vigorous alfalfa
field near. If alfalfa has never been
grown in the Community, or on the
farm, or If it IS not successful, 1t Is
advisab BILE to inoculate. Whenever al
falfa is showing. during the first year.
weak, yellowish growth, either in
spots or over the entire field, it may
be Of advantage to inoculate the soil.
This can be done by applying to the
new seeding acre soil from an old
field, or by treating some soil mixed
with well-rotted manure with the Gull
ture and applying this with a manure
spreader. Where the speed of the
spreader cannot be sufficiently re.
duced, the mixture may be scattered
with a fork or shovel and the field
harrow.
incubation with the soil from
good alfalfa field gives uniformly bet
ter results than the liquid cultures
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
Hog Cholera
Thirty States Distribute Anti-Hog
Cholera Serum to Farmers.

Cholera Serum TO FARMERS.
The United States Department Of
Agriculture has been engaged contin-
uously for more than 25 years in en-
deavoring to discover some method OF
preventing or curing hog cholera AS
is now quite generally known, these
experiments Of the department finally
resulted in the discovery Of a serum
that will prevent the disease when
properly prepared and administered.
The results Of these experiments Of
the Department Of Agriculture were
brought to the attention Of the author
tiles in all of the States. and as result
approximately 80 different States are
engaged in the distribution of anti
serum to farmers.
This work has undoubtedly resulted
in a great saving to the individual
farmer, but it has not resulted in the
eradication or noticeable diminutlon
Of the disease in the country as a
whole. The Department OF Agrlcul-
ture believes that with this serum to
use as a basis, a countrywide cam
paign looking to the elimination or
control of hog cholera should be I'M
dertaken. Congress has recognized
the Importance of such work by an
Of $4,000. This appro-
priation authorizes the Department Of
Agriculture to demonstrate the best
methods Of controlling hog cholera
and the work thus authorized has al
ready begun, although, owing to the
small amount of money available, it is
necessarily restricted to a few local
tiles.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

chain tightly around tho hollow
stumps to facilitate their removal.
The amount of dynamite to be used
depends upon several conditions: The
character Of the stump; the character
of the soil, and whether it 10 wet or
dry; whether the stump is green or
partly decayed, and the nature Of the
root system. Therefore it Is mani
testify impossible to give specific direc-
tons as to the amount Of dynamite to
be used. The amount of dynamite re-
quired to blow stumps of the same
kind in the same soil does not vary
directly with the diameter, but more
nearly with the square Of the diam
eter or, in other words, with the area
Of cross section of the stump. The
area of a cross section Of a stump 4S
inches in diameter Is 16 times as great
as the area of cross section of a
stump IL inches in diameter. How
ever, only judgment developed by ex-
perience can determine how much Of
the explosive shall be used In q given
case. The blowing of green stumps
Is from two and one-haf to three
times as great as for dead ones.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
The Small Farmer

The small farmer usually grossly
undertakes his true worth and USE
fulness in the community. You will
often hear him speak disparagingly Of
his opportunity of service, because Of
his limitations. What can his few
acres do toward feeding the vast pop
ulation of tho country, he argues.
until he comes to look upon his labor
as valueless in any large sense.
Now, 1t must be admitted that We
are accustomed to make a great deal
Of talk about the vast wheat and corn
fields Of the west, and to refer to them
as the source Of the nations food
supply, in such a manner as to imply
that they are our only food source.
But we misrepresent the true situa-
ton II we overlook the fact that there
is also the small farmer. whose con-
tribution to our resources Is Of in
estimable value.
II the national census should dis
close the proportion Of food stuffs
coming altogether from the small
farm, the result would astonish US
AS an illustration of this fact the
reader has but to recall that at the
recent convention OF the nations meat
packers 1t was urged that every farm
er in the country raise two or three
head of cattle each, yearly, as solu-
ton Of the problem of the threatening
suggestion, too. one which would
quickly afford remedy If put into
practice. If the great cattle ranges
Of the far west are to be cut up into
farms. what should prevent individual
too 90 II .
Every producer Is part of the
national capital. Men are themselves
capital. and that country is rich one
which has many men. all Of them pro-
ducers.
A country may have an unlimited
acreage Of the richest soil, but unless
it has also men who cultivate it, it is
valueless: and the greater the number
of persons laboring on the soil. the
greater the total product.
Political science has long sought to
emphasize the Importance of the labor
of the individual, no matter how OBJ
scure his station, as being the unit of
wealth. and it has constantly cham
pioned the small farmer as a mighty
factor in the advance Of the race. His
part is an important one, and he
should perform it well.
The introduction of the potato into
Ireland in 1910 revolutionizei t'1a
problem of provid 'ng subsistence fr'
it's peasantry; while the sCuurrc =,
the potato rot which followed ts-t'f'
years afterward resulted in a fam TT.
So success with one vegetabl fne9 v:
prosperity or poverty to that con 81;
yet there we're none but small farmer,
cultivati.s it there. Similarly, the
welfare Of any country rests in no
small degree upon the diligence of the
average farmer
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
RHEUMATISM IN HOGS.

Question:-"I last summer built q
cement hog house and put IA fine,
healthy pigs into it. Now most Of
them have rheumatism and one or two
are suffering from pneumonia, while
another died from this disease a month
ago. l am inclined to think it is be-
cause of the cement floor. and write
to ask if 1 should put board floor
on top of it?" Answer.-A great
many farmers have had similar expe-
rience and lay the trouble to cement
floors, but we believe that If the ce-
ment is allowed to dry out thoroughly
which takes several weeks-before
it Is used and is then kept dry, rheu-
matism and pneumonia will not fol-
low.
Board floors over cement are not en-
tirely satisfactory, because In spite OF
all one can do dampness will gather
under the floor and the floor will be
damp and cold all winter long,. If
the bedding Is cleaned out every day
or two and dry bedding put in right on
top of the cement no harmful results
will follow. Damp bedding Of any
kind on the floor will very often cause
rheumatism in pigs.
Some Of the most successful breed
ers we know of use cement floors, not
only for wintering fall pigs, but for
fattening as we'll. The whole secret
Of healthy hog houses Is to keep
them dry and well ventilated. If they
are closely built without ventilation
and are allowed to become damp and
filthy trouble is sure to result. Sun
shine and pure air and dry bedding
are always necessary.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
THE HANDY LANTERN,

Outside of its use at night the Ian
tern may be used in other ways about
the farm.
Where a bedroom>is situated at a
considerable distance from the
warmer rooms the lantern or a lamp
placed in the room an hour or two be-
fore retiring will help to remove the
chill from the room.
When there is an unusually cold
night and there is danger Of the fruit
and vegetables freezing in the cellar,
light the lantern and leave it there
over night.
One must make sure that the lantern
Is hung up securely or so placed that
it will not be upset, so there will be
no danger Of setting the house on fire.
A vessel Of live Goals may be used
in the same manner, but they too must
be carefully arranged to prevent set
ting fire to anything,N and if rats are
accustomed to visit a cellar 1t would
perhaps be safer to place no fire there
whatever, as the rodents are very
likely to scatter it and cause trouble.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

cient it becomes in its practical work
In the orchard. Even a 10pound lard
pail, holding more than a gallon of
fuel oil. compares very favorably in
efficiency with a great many Of the
patented heaters, In some cases even
proving superior to them.
Heat is what is wanted and not
smoke. Smoke will help at times. but
cannot often be depended upon. In
a deep valley the smudge value Of
smoke would be the greatest IT
smoke can be made to hang over the
orchard 1t serves the purpose Of pre-
venting the escape of a great deal Of
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
Position Of anger in boring hole.
BY GEO. ROBERTS.

Never under any Giro umstances I'M
dertake to thaw dynamite before a
fire or in a stove.
About the only tools needed are
an augur and tamping rod. An old
broom or hoe handle are satisfactory.
Never use a hammer or any other OBJ
ject for driving the tamping rod.
The hole is bored at an angle of
about As degrees, so that the charge
will come under the center of the
stump. If stumps are hollow, of
course the charge will have to be
located under some firm part of the
stump. Some blasters throw log
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
Fires burning In an Iowa orchard.

Fires burning In an Iowa OecnaFo.
Flowers newly opened. 2e above
zero.
Petals beginning to fall. 20 above
zero.
All petals of, 80 above zero.
"Shucks" (calyx tubes) beginning to
shed off, 80 above zero.
The danger points for apples would
correspond pretty closely to the differ
ent stages enumerated for peaches.
The danger points mentioned are con-
servative as in each case little lower
temperature would not kill but heaters
should be lighted as these lines are
approached. This applies to, oil burn
ers. When coal is used the heaters will
have to be started from thirty to sixty
minutes earlier as they are slower in
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

ing. Fortunately, freezing weather
late In spring Is usually accompanied
by a rather still atmosphere and free
dom from rain or snow.
A great many kinds Of fuel have
been employed for orchard heating
wood was probably the first, and it is
still used to some extent. Coal, coke,
and fuel oil may have special advan-
tages over others In some particular
place. In general, It may be said that
the fuel-oil method has given satisfac-
ton more frequently than all the
others combined.
The varieties and styles Of heaters
offered by the trade are nearly as
numerous as the varieties of fuels.
Usually the more complicated in con-
struction the heater is. the less eff
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
81
8 I8I -55l5
e w. B5BB5

A graphic Illustration at state fair.
The exhibit showed the amount of but
ter produced by three cows poor,
a good and an exceptionally good COW.
The amounts produced were IL
pounds, $50 pounds and 500 pounds,
respectively. In which class are your
cows?
men most familiar with the so-ca1led
dairy type make grave mistakes. If
there were no other means of judging
the value of dairy COWS except by ex-
ternal appearances. profits in dairy
ing would be more matter Of chance
than is now the case. The only accu-
rate way we have of determining the
value Of dairy COWS Is by the use Of the
milk scales and the Babcock test.
With this clean, accurate and con-
venient method Of finding the fat con-
tent Of milk, no dairyman can afford
not to know just what his cows are
doing.
The desirability Of testing cows has
been urged for many years. Scores
Of examples could be cited where test
Ing has meant Increased profits. 1t
Is generally accepted that many dairy
cows yield inadequate returns and that
their removal from the herd would
be a profit. The easy means Of de-
kecting the robbers" (the Babcock
test and scales) are well known and
yet some dairyrnen 90 right on letting
the old COW pay what she wishes for
her feed. It is not enough that the
herd pays a profit. Each COW in the
herd should be contributing her share
toward the total profit. Until dairy
men come to recognize that adequate
business methods are necessary they
need not hope for success.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

natural heat which radiates from the
earth. 1t will rarely be necessary to
raise the temperature more than two
or three degrees in order to save the
crop. Swelling buds full blown
flowers and even young fruit can
stand more cold than Is generally sup
posed. The degree Of cold that will
be fatal will depend upon the stage
of development of bud, flower or fruit.
The farther along the young fruit Is in
its development, the less cold it can
stand. The most tender stage Is not
when trees are in full bloom.
The danger points for peaches are
as follows:
Buds appreciably swollen, zero.
Buds showing pink, Is above zero.
Almost open, rs above zero.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

A California orange grower saved
800 acres of oranges during q six
nights freeze by the use of four
smudge sleds and 500 sacks of ma
nure. The smudge fire is built upon
low sled, which Is drawn about
through the orchard. One man can
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13


work means that you are keeping sew
eral jumps ahead of the wolf.
Be hustler! It even takes some
push to do things with wheelbarrow.
A little learning is a dangerous
thing. An old fashioned stomach
ache seems very much more serious
when you hear the doctor call it gas
tritis.
Learn by example. 1t is safe to
say that you can learn something by
watching the man on the next farm
some things to do and some things to
avoid.
Some form Of vigorous exercise Is
admittedly essential to good health
but that of the chin Is not the best
Practice economy. When about to
spend a dollar pause and reflect upon
the amount Of trouble 1t caused you
or your father to get 1t.
II you are a hustler, there won't
be enough left of your old clothes to
make over for your boy. Besides, you
won't need to-you1l be able to AFFORD
new clothes for him.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
Are Your Cows Robbers

Tho value Of g. dairy cow depends
upon the amount Of milk and butter
fat she produces and the quality of
calves she raises as compared with the
cost Of her keep. Judges of dairy cat
tle can in the majority of cases select
very good COWS from very poor ones,
but In the intermediate grades even
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

When properly fed, a Pekin duck
ling will weigh from five to seven
pounds when twelve weeks old. The
best time to market young ducks is
when they are anywhere from ten to
fourteen weeks old. After this they
gain In weight less rapidl,'.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Rice forms nearly one-half of the
cereal food for the world and wheat
is the chief cereal food of the other
half. The quantity of these two cere-
ais produced Is approximately the
same, the latest estimate placing the
worlds rice crop at ITS billion pounds
and the worlds wheat crop at 100 BILL
lion pounds.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
Every successful dairyman knows

Every successful dairyman knows
that
Cows should not be MIXED with
lightning speed. but steadily and
gently.
The good feeder will watch the
manager, the eye, the coat and the
weddings of his animals and soon ex-
perience a fascination in his work.
BY cleaning the stables, brushing
the cows and properly mixing their
feed 1t is possible to milk In comfort
If few lazy, dirty dairymen fail
to produce clean product it is the
duty of the state and municipal gov
ernmentn to put them out Of busi-
ness.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

All the cattle should have brass
knobs on their horns. Not only are
they ornamental, but they are a safe
guard against injuries which the crea-
lures may infict upon each other
Their cost is small consideration.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Some Salt Lake men have formed
company Of 100000 capital, bought
1000 acres Of land near Logan, Utah,
and will engage in raising mules.
They expect to raise about 500 ami
mails a year. "
Short legged fowls generally make
the best table poultry. Never pack
poultry for shipment until they have
been thoroughly chilled.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
incubation of Alfalfa

There are two general ways Of in
oculating the soil for alfalfa. The
best is by spreading soil from an old,
well-established and vigorous alfalfa
field or from sweet clover patch.
If few hundred pounds of this soil
is scattered on land which has been
properly prepared and MANFRED, and
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

, Farmers in --estern Michigan re-
port average returns of $50 per acre
from sugar beets. One man obtained
1921 from three acres. while the poor
est yield was $3.50 from three acres.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Have you any sheep that are not
paying their keep? Sell them OF.
Half a Aozen poor sheep make a big
hole in your profits. especially II you
keep a small flock.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

the orchard are veritable breeding
places for all sorts of fruit pests.
Keep them we'll chopped out, using
them for firewood this winter and
replacing them with new, healthy
trees.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Two boys in eastern New York, who
were painting a barn. concluded to
paint a cow which attracted their at
tention They covered her with green
paint and within twelve hours she
was dead.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

The sheep has the most delicate
sense Of smell Of any of the domestic
animals and for this reason the ract-.i
and troughs from which they feed
must not offend this delicacy.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Sheep must have some quantity OF
water at all times, summer and VIM
ter and the source Of supply must be
clean and the troughs or tanks clean
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Breeding a gilt at less than one
year Of age stunts her In her growth
at time when she should be develop
ing the most rapidly She will never
make the sow she might have had she
been bred at IL or more months old
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
Various good forms Of Orchard Heating Apparatus.

I'm profitable dairy herd some
COWS may be good enough to pay their
own board bill and that of two or
three unprofita BILE cows as well. They
can all be made to pay by the use. Of
scales and the Babcock test.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Dairy bred COWS show a decided
tendency toward a longer lactation
period than scrub cows.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Every stallion should have pad
dock to run in, especially If he does
not get regular exercise.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Fifty thousand pounds of potatoes
from two acres Of land is the record
made by farmer near Coronoa. Col
orodo.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

SQUAD broilers" must not weigh
over three-quarters of a pound each:
generally a. half pound is most ac-
ceptable. ~.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Never market ailing chickens.
Never ship the latter part of the
week. except by special order.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Where any difficulty 's expert
enced In securing good stand or
vigorous growth Of alfalfa, inocula-
ton Is recommended.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

All farmers may count on con-
tinual and unsuccessful weed battle
so long as the careless ones allow the
pests to 20 to seed in the field.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

A Kansas farmer threshed 135
bushels of alfalfa seed from fifteen,
acres.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Very cold water Is poor drink for
the horse with the mercury way down.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

Duck raisers pack 40 dressed duck
lings in a barrel for shipment.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

chain tightly around tho hollow
stumps to facilitate their removal.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13
Deep Burrows
BY Gum.

Keeping one day ahead of your
work means that you are keeping sew
eral jumps ahead Of the wolf.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-13

essential to good health,
but that Of the chin is not the best.