davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

It requires the mind of master
farmer to distinguish sharply between
the cost of machine and its econ
omic utility. The price of a iaoor-
saving machine Is an expression oi
it's value in terms Of money.
It's utility depends upon its capacity
to lessen the cost of production. A
thoughtful study of this branch OF
farm economics would save the farm
ers of America millions OF dollars
each year. 1t Is a fundamental prln-
ciple with all industries that the
equipment be kept in constant pro-
ductive use.
Idle machinery brings In no IN
come. The manufacturer who keeps
his machinery in constant use has
more accurate basis to figure up In
buying labor-saving machinery than
the farmer whose machinery must hs
idle many months during the year.
The cost of many labor-saving ma
chimes Is so great that 1t precludes
their use on the farm where they De
used only few days during the year.
For example, suppose l perfect "a
machine at cost of $4,000 that will
transplant ten acres Of berry plants
in q day.
VIII it be worth 10000? Certainly
not but why not? The cost is so
great that the machine will not prove
an economic utility.
On the other hand. suppose I per-
feet similar machine at cost or
5000. VIII it be worth the $500? Yes
it will, providing, Of course, that the
owner Is an extensive berry grower
and has difficulty in hiring good help
when it is needed.
The manure spreader saves labor
and distributes plant food more
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13
CARE OF DUCKS.

Ducks, both old and young, should
have dry comfortable place to stay
in at night. If forced to sit on the
damp ground they are liable to take
cramps and cold in the head. The
latte~ is almost certain to turn to roup.
Provide suitable houses if you wish
to be successful. The houses need not
be very expensive but they should be
substantial so that they may be used
succession. ..
There is usually some shed or build
ing that can be converted into a duck
house at small expense. Where only
a small flock is kept this plan is ad-
visa BILE.
If the roof is good the rest is easy.
If the weather boarding Is not suffi-
GENTLY close to keep out draughts in
cold weather, cover the outside with
tarred paper or strip with lath.
A board floor is better than an nth
floor because the ducks will often stir
up the ground in very disagreeable
manner where there Is the least sign
of moisture.
In cold weather ducks should be
kept in the house because their feet
are so tender that when they come in
contact with the cold ground they
suffer greatly and hobble along as
though their backs were broken. How
ever. they should not be kept housed
more than is really necessary.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13
FACTS ON FARM ACREAGE

The total land area Of the United
States is 1,903,2S9.600 acres. of which
87S,79S,325 acres is now farmed. r. Ten
years ago there were S3S.591,744 acres
in farms, the increase In number Of
farms being 1913 per cent. The aver
age number Of acres in each farm is
1873, against l46 acres ten years ago.
The percentage Of total land area i'm
proved is now 25.1, against 21.8 per
cent ten years ago.
The value of farm land has in
creased in ten years from $40, 439 90
to $4O,991, 900 at the present
valuation. This is an increase Of
over 100 per cent The average value
of all property per farm is s6,444
with 1868 ten years ago, an
increase Of 500 per cent. The aver
age land value is now s32.40 per acre.
1t was 1857 In 1900, which shows
an increase Of 1881 per cent In the
last decade.-Home.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

manure evenly and spread the same
quantity on the outside as in the center
of the space that is being covered.
This is point Of great Importance
and should be carefully investigated
when buying a machine.
The vaiue of the farm separator to
the private dairyman has long passed
the experimental stage. Experience
and experiments show that it is an
Improvement over the gravity system
Of gathering cream.
The separator removes the cream
closely when other methods fail, it
saves labor and enhances the quality
of both the product and the by-prod-
ucts, besides making it possible for
many farmers to keep cows and pat
ronize centralized creamery who
otherwise would be compelled to give
up the dairy business.
1t Is generally conceded that the
milk from eight cows separated with
a separator will yield as much butter
fat as the milk from nine or ten
equally good cows If the milk Is
handled by a system Of pans or gravity
gathering of the cream.
1t simplifies the work, improves the
quality of the butter and gives us the
skim milk when sweet and warm to
feed to the calves, which alone should
commend the use Of the separator on
every farm where calves are raised to
replace the cows.
When buying machine, note care
fully its capacity for doing good work
and removing the butter fat from the
milk closely, the strength, durability,
ease of operation and simplicity Of
the machine.
All of the standard machines are
good, do good work and remove the
butter fat closely.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13
BY G. I. BRAY

it is much more clearly. Everyone
can not afford to have stall partitions
and stanchion frames made Of steel
or iron pipe, but If wood must be
used, they should be simply and plainly
built to afford as little room as pos
sible for dust and dirt to collect.
Walls and ceilings should also be made
smooth on the inside. They will be
much easier TO whitewasn, cobWebs
will not be so likely to collect or so
difficult to remove. A stable should
be disinfected and whitewashed each
year
Plenty of light and fresh air should
be provided by putting in large Win
dows on either side of the barn. IT
the stable faces east and west, the
sun should shine in on every part
of the stable during each day, These
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13
FERTILlZING STRAWBE RRES PROFITABLE

kept removed, a number Of crowns
will be formed on each plant; some
times a large number. Growers in
some sections practice removing the
runners and causing the formation of
large number of crowns on one
plant. This is known as the hill sys-
tenn of culture. This system makes
it possible to cultivate the plants both
ways, thus reducing the expense of
hoeing. In Missouri, however, the
plants are grown in what is known
as the matted row system; that is,
the runners are permitted to form
new plants until a row fourteen to
twenty inches wide is formed with the
plants covering the entire row.
The question Of fertilizing straw
berries is receiving considerable at
tention at the present time. The re-
suits of several years of careful study
and extensive experiments at the
Missouri station are herewith given:
Acid phosphate used alone at the
rate Of from $50 to 440 pounds to the
acre has, in five trials out of Six
given a profitable increase in the crop.
This one soil in which it was not
profitably applied was much richer
one than is generally used for straw
berries.
In six trials out Of seven, acid phos-
phate used in combination with either
sodium nitrate or DRIED blood has IN
creased the yield over that obtained
when either of these latter substances
were used alone. In the one case
where it did not increase the yield
the fertilizer was applied in the spring
and the nitrogen caused an exceed
ingly rank plant and weed growth so
that little could be told as to the ef-
feet of the phosphorus.
Acid phosphate used in any prac-
teal quantities has no injurious effect
on the plants, even when 1t is spread
on the foliage.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

windows may be hinged at tho boeeou
and swung inward so that plenty OF
fresh air can get in without letting
draft on the cows. A good plan -
to remove a few windows In winter
and put canvas across the opening.
Enough air goes through without
causing any direct draft on the cattle.
Years ago Prof. I. p. Roberts 3D.
vocated having a largo closed shod
adjoining the milking stable 1neo
which the cows could be turned Is
night in winter. With the cows de-
horned, the shed we'll bedded and .
water trough put In, the COWS had
practically all the freedom and COM
fort they would have outdoors IA
summer time. The plan, while prad-
ticable, has not been very generally
adopted.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

The strawberry plant, in practice,
propagates from runners that form
new plants at the nodes. Normally
after the plant sends up flower stems.
in the spring. runners do not begin
10 form TO any great extent before
the end Of the yfruitiDg season. How
ever. by removing the fruit stems
early in the season, runners will be-
gin to form earlier. Some growers
remove the fruit stems in this way
from young plants that have been set
N the spring in order to hasten the
beginning of runner formation. The
results indicate that the practice is
good one.
The fruit Is borne on stems that
come out of buds from the crown Of
the strawberry plant. 1t is the opin-
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

ion of a great many growers that these
buds are formed the season before, just
as the buds Of peaches, apples, etc.,
are formed. Experience at the agri-
cultural experiment station Of Mis-
souri,, indicates that the number OF
fruit stems sent up from any crown
can be Influenced by spring treatment
Of the strawberry planting. Thus
where strawberries were fertilized
with nitrogen, throwing the plants
into vigorous growth, runner forma-
ton began earlier. and certainly
fewer fruits were borne. Whether
this was because of poor pollination
or because fewer blooms were set 1t
is not possible to say.
Normally there is one crown to each
plant. However. if the runners are
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

form and finished condition. And
while many breeds are included in
the same type, they may differ widely
from each other In such detail a.
color, shape Of head. or hang OF can.
At present all of tho breeds are In
cluded In two types - the lard and
bacon. Breeds that are short legged.
deep, broad, and heavy finished. such
as the Poland China, Duroc-JerSey.
Berkshire, and Chester White, are
known as lard hogs. These are largely
Of American origin and have besn
developed by selection and continued
breeding on q fat producing ration.
made up largely Of corn.
Hogs Of the bacon type, ON the
other hand, are long, narrow. deep
and smooth of body and necessarily
thin f1eshed. The Yorkshire and
Tamworth breeds best illustrate this
type. These are of British origin and
have been developed on heterogeneous
rations mainly composed Of grains,
grasses and dairy products.
Comparative experiments show thne
all breeds do about equally well under
similar conditions and. for feed con-
sumed, usually make about the same
increase in 1.-Two weight and growth.
The bacon hog, however, dresses but
from 70 to Is per cent net OF his
gross weight, The lard hog, on the
other hand, dresses from 80 to IS per
cent. As dressing percentage 10 the
most important factor in determining
the value Of hogs in tho great markets
Of the central west. It can be seen
why the lard type is particularly pop
ular in the corn and grain-belt stateA
AS the large packers arc able to
secure much Of their supply Of bacon
from immature and unhnished-lard
hogs there is no large and well g.
tablished market or demand upon the
larger markets of the central west fo1
animals of the strictly bacon type.
And although conditions are suitable
for the production of bacon hogs Of
high quality, their breeding and fes4a
ing should not be undertaken with til4
idea OF marketing them In compsd.
ton with animals Of the lard typs.
The bacon hog II an e1oeuent SOURCE
of home-cured pork and whore there
is a local or special market demand
sufficient to insure q good psodt oVsf
tho cost Of production, tho Raising q
bacon animals may we'll be Suao1ss
aged. i
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

ne SpClai survey luea mas Deen dt
Work il this school for two years
Ia 70 known about their own sup
i eGly lite communities. A survey.
- 49, ., would acGuaint them
A.. -. =. tI.r .nany interesting
-rH Gi their nc g.l.orhood. but
Il q tell them Of the resources,
ana yes, and the opportunities
! tah,e and enjoyable employ
i =. : th,i districts.
The survey idea interests teacher
anG pap. Is i! the land and geography
Q ttrir school district, in its local his
tcr% 3rd government. in the present
type Of farming and in the social
f rccs 1t work among the people.
mis- local study is good for the
icae!.sr 60 frequently. in fact all too
frequently. the teacher is a stranger
III @ strange land, and in order to do
her very test for the school, she ought
TO be acquainted with local conditions.
j the school district survey is made
q part Of the course of study in every
school in the country, then the teacher
/, is forced to know her community. from
END TO end home by home.
- or Tie past TWO years every country
school in Sank county, Wis, has been
making an annual survey of it's school
di5trict The following report of the
surveys will prove interesting reading.
survey reports received by the
county superintendent from the teach
cfs OF the county for the year 1912-13
showed 440 silos. 81 creameries, 35
cheese factories, 25 rural social or
CARNATIONS, and $50 acres of alfalfa
Being grown by $50 farmers. There
were 20 Babcock milk testers in
schools and 100 schools made ear tests
of seed corn in connections with their
work in agriculture. From socials
and entertainments $500 was raised
TO be used for the purchase of pic
lures. organs. and vari"lls other arti-
cleS OF school equipment.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13
The "Know Why"

Good rules to follow in sprayingAre.
first Of all, know the trouble you are
combating, know the proper mixture
to use. the proper time and the proper
method to apply it, and then do the
work yourself or know that 1t is being
done according to your directions.
These rules apply anywhere, and II
followed carefully clean fruit will b
obtained.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13
Fresh Air Necessary.

There are various methods used for
ventilating poultry houses. but the
best and simplest is to allow the fresh
air to come ir unobstructed except by
muslin screen. Remove the window
sash and tack on muslin in its place
Enough air will enter to keep the
house dry and sanitary. but there will
be no breeze even in very stormy
weather.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

When separating the milk 1t is best
to have the temperature at about so
or 70 degrees, as this gives the butter
better grain than having 1t heated
! to a higher temperature.
An important point in making good
butter is to have thick, rich cream
for it will churn more rapidly and
leave less fat in the buttermiIk and
the work can be done at a lower tenn
perature. The secret of churning at
a low temperature is to have rich and
thick cream.
When a man who Is milking eight
cows can increase his output Of butter
one-eighth, simplify the labor in the
milk room and enhance the value Of
his product and by-products from 10
to 20 per cent it is convincing proof
that farm separator that can be
bought for from $35 to 500 and used
every day in the year is an economic
dairy utility
The gasoline engine Is very handy
power and deserving Of widespread
popularity. 1t will fill many inches
on a good sized farm and very few
farmers begin to realize Its value.
Whether or not 1t will prove an
economic utility depends upon the
amount of labor that it can be made
to serve, as well as the particular need
of such power on the farm.
Unless man has enough work for
the machine to make 1t an economic
utility, it must be classed as a luxury.
Farmers who Shelter" their machin-
cry in the field during the winter are
not apt to make success of the gaso-
line engine in their farm work.
1t must be we'll housed and we'll
cared for for there are certain con-
ditions under which it operates that
are simple but inexorable.
1t will balk quicker than a mule
if the conditions are not right. Any
farmer can get valuable assistance
from the gasoline engine If he gives
1t the proper care.
It's care is very simple. First comes
protection from the weather A tar
paulin is a very good cover for an
engine that is kept outside and even
one housed is better If kept covered
when it is not in use.
Live batteries are necessary. Elec-
tricity is the spark of life to the gas
oline motor.
"A CledH SpdIh pug IL HeCeSSdIy at
the other end Of the battery wire.
The mixture of gasoline and air must
be right for the most effective work
at the greatest economy Of power, al
though the motor will work and waste
gasoline.
Adjustments Of this kind are simple
to learn and should be understood
by the man who has charge Of the
machine.
One frequent cause Of trouble is the
failure to strain the gasoline when
filing the tank.
Pay but little attention to men who
claim that their gasoline Is absolutely
clean or the result will be disastrous.
Either strain the gasoline through a
channels or finely meshed strainer.
Good lubricating Oil Is another i'm
portant essential. No machine can
give it's best service unless it is prop
erly cared for and housed.
! The owner Of a we'll equipped stock
farm who can utilize this power for
grinding food, cutting ensilage and
fodder, pumping water saving wood,
elevating corn, operating milking ma
chimes and various other labor-saving
uses will find an investment of from
500 to $500 in gasoline engine one
Of the most economic investments he
ever made.
A dog can disturb everyone in the
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13
Heat the Separator Bowl If the Water
is Cold. .....

Flush out the cream separator bowl
with a quart of hot water before sep
arating the milk on cold mornings.
This will leave the bowl and other
parts of the Swimming device warm,
thus preventing the milk and cream
from adhering to them as It would II
left cold for the milk to warm up.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13
BUILDING DAIRY BARNS AND STABLES

The requirements of good dairy
barn are: /, suitable and convenient
location; 2, adequate shelter and COM
Portable quarters for stock; 3, special
storage room for feed; 4, sanitary
construction and good ventilation,
such as would be required in any
other factory of human food; 5. con-
venient arrangements requiring the
minimum amount of labor to do the
necessary work Of feeding and clean
ing.
1t is advisable to have a separate
milk house and also that no other
animals. hogs especially, be sta bled in
or near the dairy barn.
Locate the dairy barns, if possible,
on high, well-drained ground, so as
to admit of perfect drainage, both on
the surface and for such underground
drains as may be necessary. Locate
where there can be a good supply Of
lots for cows, calves, herd bulls, etc,
convenient to the barn, and that they
will also be we'll drained.
In feeding, handling and caring for
live stock much time may be wasted
by unhandy awkward arrangements.
I1dy iioWS anu IeeO IooHlS SHoulo pe
where the feed can be fed easily 1t
is not considered good plan, how
ever, to have a hay loft above a dairy
stable unless a dust-proof floor is put
IN.
More than half of the work Of
keeping a stable clean and sanitary
may be accomplished before single
animal is put in by building floors,
managers, stalls, ceilings and walls so
that they can be readily washed. swept
or disinfected. Concrete is not only
more permanent, and therefore
cheaper for the floors Of a stable but
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13
Social Surveys Of
Rural School Districts
What They Are. en' So ne Of the Re-
After Two Years of Experimenting.

Very few rural school teachers, and
therefore, rural school pupils, really
know very much about the districts
in which they teach or live. They do
not begin to realize how many inter-
esting and important things there are
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

OF all the modern apparatus that
reduces the work in taking care of the
house, and makes the housewife more
efficient running water is first In its
Importance to the family comfort and
welfare.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

The brood sows should never be fed
with the herd as they are apt to get
too fat. When with pig they are likely
to be injured by the other hogs kick
ing and bunting them about
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

BY feeding a few beets, turnips,
cabbages, ETC., to the dairy cows dur
ing the winter much will be done to-
wards supplying them with a grass
ration.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

A dog can disturb everyone in the
neighborhood except the man who
owns him. He sleeps on.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13
Study Market and Type
in Swine Production
No Farm Animals Improve and
Thrive More Readily and Rapidly
Than DO Swine When properly
Handled.

To succeed with swine the farmer
must know what are the market re-
quirements and which is the best type
of animal for him to produce and
feed.
Type in swine Is shown by tho
general conformation In tho mature
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

Some farmers and their wives do
not call on their neighbors because
they have never been invited.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

Tie superior advantages of the low
headed tree are now admitted by most
orchardists.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13

II we never had any adversely we
would not appreciate prosperity.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-03-06
FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
Vote at Spring Elections
Every Four Years

Topeka--The Kansas senate has
passed a bill to give the voters of the
state an opportunity to vote directly
on the nomination for President and
Vice President and the direct election
of the delegates to the national party
conventions The bill provides for a
presidential primary the first Tuesday
in April of years when the President
is to be chosen
The names of the candidates for
President and Vice President in each
party are to be printed on the ballots
and each voter is to be allowed to ex-
press his first and second choice for
the two highest offices in the country
and the delegates chosen at the pri-
mary for the national conventions are
to follow the instructions of the vot-
ers- The national committeeman of
each party are to be chosen at the
same time
Petitions of the candidates for ma
tional committeeman and the dele
gates and alternates to the national
convention are to be filed the same as
now provided for the primaries for
state and congressional offices. The
instructions to the delegates to the
national conventions are bound by the
instructions of the voters.