davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
Does Cutting Corn
Fodder Rob the Soil?

There is much said now about the
value of corr fodder by those who ad-
vocate the use Of the silo. 1t is true
that the corn plant at maturity. ex-
elusive Of the ear, contains much
valuable feed if properly harvested
and stored, says the Kansas Journal
Yet experienced ones say that there
are few ways of more quickly killing
the soil than to grow corn and remove
all the crop by cutting the fodder.
It is good farm practice to cut up
the corn and feed it on the place,
provided that land from which 1t IS
cut is Immediately MANFRED to restore
the plant food elements taken from
it by the crop.
When no equivalent is returned the
soil is left sadly depleted of it's bal
anced chemical store of ufe-producing
elements.
The ear Of corn, being largely starch
and composed Of water and carbon
dioxide, free compounds Of the atmo-
sphere, does not remove much fertility
from the soil. But the entire corn
plant contains nitrogen, potassium and
phosphorus which the soil ear i'll
spare.
These cornstalks should be allowed
to remain In the field and be plowed
under the following season to return
these vital elements inc form soil
humus.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
A r NESTS FOR HENS.

Hens always prefer a dark nest to
one exposed to light and will dig
through hay to the bottom of the
Manager rather than use a ready-made
nest in sight.
A good style of nest, is made In sec
lions Of Jour nests. twelve inches high
and 14x14, with just room enough be-
tween the nests and the wall for the
hen to enter. The top can be made all
in piece, hinged at theinner edge
SO that it can be lifted up when eggs
are gathered, but q better way Is to
lay the top on loosely so that it can
be taken off and the entire contents of
all the nests dumped out at once. The
nests should be fumigated with sui
phur and also sprayed with kerosene
at least once q month. If the entire
chicken house is treated the same way
every month there will never be any
trouble with lice.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
Essentials in
Strawberry Growing

Professor Lazenby gives the follow
ing summary Of essential points to be
kept in mind:
The most profitable varieties for the
commercial grower are those not easily
influenced by differences Of soil and
climate. Those which succeed well on
wide areas are usually better than
those which have a mere local reputa-
ton.
Pistillate varieties when properly
fertilized r more productive than
the sorts with perfect flowers.
The value Of a variety for fertilizing
pistillate flowers does not depend so
much upon the amount as upon the
potency Of the pollen.
The towers Of pistillate varieties are
less liable to be injured by frost than
the flowers of perfect varieties.
Varieties that are neither very early
o very late in point Of maturity are
the most productive and nave the
longest fruiting season.
As a rule, varieties that have the
most vigorous and healthy foliage are
the most productive. while those with
a weaker growth Of foliage and a
greater susceptibility to leaf blight
are usually more prolific.
Winter protection may be dispensed
with upon well-drained sandy soils, but
ppears to be q necessity upon
heavier mes
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
COMMON SENSE FEEDING IN THE DAIRY
In Feeding a Herd of Dairy Cows Our Chief Problem Is to Furnish .
Sufficient, and at the Same Time Not Too Costly .
Supply of Best Protein Foods

According to accepted standards, q
COW weighing one thousand pounds
will require about one pound of pro-
tein a day in a maintenance ration,
and one producing from thirty to
forty pounds Of milk u day will re-
quire from one and ~one-fourth to one
and three-fourths pounds additional.
or a total Of from two and one-fourth
to two and three-fourths pounds q
day. Our dairy business, especially In
the east, has been developed largely
upon a basis Of cheap protein foods;
and as a result many dairymen have
been buying and feeding too many
protein concentrates, for the purpose
of stimulating a large flow Of milk.
Some dairymen are feeding each
COW daily from eight to ten pounds
of gluten and other highly con-
centrated protein feeds; but it Is my
Judgment that they are making q mis-
AXE and cannot obtain profitable re-
suits in the pail or by added fertility
In the heap.
Our farm crops. clover and timothy
hay, corn and other fodder, and Tor
age, with oats, barley, wheat-bran
and corn for concentrates, and a little
OF the more highly concentrated pro-
te'n foods form an ideal combination
To promote health and vitality. We
may get a little less milk, but our
cows will breed more regularly. and
we shall have better calves.
Usually the highly concentrated
protein feeds are less healthful than
HOMEGROWN feeds. The time Is COM
ing when dairy-feeders will recognize
the fact that a pound Of protein in
one feed is not always of equal value
with a pound from some other source.
The various processes used IN manu-
facture of these b~y-product feeds
have varying effects on their feeding
value, and 1t will prove a great ad-
vantage to every feeder to make as
careful a study Of the processes used
in their manufacture as ne does OF
their chemical analysis.
The highly developed, special-pur-
pose dairy cow cannot be fed at a
profit without grain feed, but the
nearer we can come to growing all
of our cattle foods on our farms the
better. A study Of the protein IN
cornmeal, barley meal and ground
oats shows us that small quantities OF
cottonseed-meal, gluten and l1nseed-
oil-meal can probably be used to IN
crease the protein content OF the
ration. .
The use Of these concentrates not
onlv increases the value of the ration
by so much protein, but 1T enables
the COW to make a more economical
use Of the barley meal, ground oats
and cornmeal.
It may be necessary to buy some
s+,,ff. and for this reason the dairy
man who has an abundance of home
grown foods at hand will many times
and Il profitable to invest In some OF
these by-product foods II they can De
nod at a reasonable price. They add
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
ATTACHING WIRE TO CONCRETE POSTS

Z. There are numerous methods OF at
- taching wire fencing to concrete posts.
Some makers place staples or wire
~ loops in the green concrete; others
q make holes in the posts. The former
nrKmethod is not desirable because the
sofiastener cannot be located exactly
"I'here the wire Of the fencing will
heoapme when the post is set in the
10 hound; then, too, the fastener will
mt tntually rust or break off and will
r. uass injure the looks of the post.
aarI,, the other. hand, holes through the
hotha,ts weaker them, and therefore this
AZ ,t.hod is, in general, unsa satisfactory.
g. hi simplest, easiest, and cheapest
60 Of fastening a wire fence to a con-
soste post is by encircling the post
9Th. a wire one size less than the cor
ansponding wire in the fence proper
,D1d by twisting this wire around the
oa.sstrand Of the fence. This is lone In
two ways. The fastening wire is
placed around the post, twisted upon
y itself and then to the fence wire; or
one end Of the fastening wire is twisted
around the fence wire, and the free
end is then carried around the post
and twisted on the other side to the
same wire. Either plan is good, but care
must be taken to draw the fastening
wire tight, or else stock trying to get
through the fence may raise or crush
down the fencing with their heads. If
any trouble Is experienced, the post
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
USE EVERY EFFORT TO SAVE THE TREES
Trees Create Sentiment, Love of Country, Enhance the Beauty Of Land.
scape and Architecture, and Have a Educational influence
Upon People of All Ages, Especially Children.

the rot spores and boring insects.
Then the birds and squirrels begin to
build their nests in these cavities and
help to increase them until almost
the entire center of the tree RUIZ has
been destroyed. Unless this rotting
is stopped the strongest and most
magnificent tree will be destroyed.
The proper way to proceed Is to
clean out the entire cavity. using a
chisel or gouge to remove all the
rotted wood. Then wash the interior
Of the cavity with a so~lution>of copper
sulphate made by dissolvfhg in q
wooden vessel, on%e-fourth Of a pound
Of copper-sulphate in ten gallons Of
water. This solution can be sprayed
into the cavity by means of a small
hand pump. This solution will kill
the remaining rot spore and h
cavity is now ready to be filed with
cement. This is made by using three
parts Of clean sharp sand to one part
Of cement Fill cavity with this NOR
tar, then bring the filling to a smooth,
water-tight finish, with a mortar made
by using one part sand to one part
WlcIe llc CdNlly 10 ld1Sc, iooS
are sometimes used to reinforce h
Where defects are remedied
before they rave spread to any con-
extent to cur is simple and
and gradually the annual
of the tree will cover the fill
ing and conceal the patch of cement
beneath the new bark; but while
many trees can be saved in this way,
there are an equal number beyond
redemption, and the best thing to do
is to remove them and plant healthy
YOUNG trees to take their place.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
OLD "SHEP."

Last spring, according to the Live
Stock Report, a herd of 5000 sheep
belonging to G.. B. Pope, Of Miles City,
was caught out in the storm, and
when the herder, after hours Of hard
work, succeeded in getting his band
into the corral, he was loud in his
excavations for one of his dogs, which
he declared had quit him like a cur,
making the work of bringing the sheep
home doubly trying to himself and the
remaining dog.
The storm continued for three days
so severely that the sheep were kept
in the corral and fed, and upon the
fourth day, when they were being let
out, it was noticed there appeared to
be a shortage among them. They
were counted and found to be $40
short. Immediately men were sent
out to search for the missing ones.
After a hunt lasting nearly a day
the lost sheep were found held against
a cut bank by the faithful guard,
which had stayed with his charges
although his feet were cut and bleed
and he had had nothing to eat
the three days. He had eve
for a moment left his post of duty.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
BIRDS SHOW INTELLIGENCE.

An extraordinary instance Of the
intelligence of birds forms the subject
of a letter received by the French min
istry Of agriculture from an inspector
OF forests in connection with the ap-
preaching opening Of the shooting sea-
son, says the Chicago Tribune.
Some time g the inspector re-
ceived complaints from sportsmen that
quail and cartridges had become scarce
in certain districts. On examining the
matter he found the birds had de-
serted the regions in which aerodromes
had been installed. Seemingly they
took the monoplanes and biplanes for
enormous birds of prey.
Finding after some time, however, that
their ranks were not thinned by the
strange creatures lowering overhead,
cartridges and quail dispatched scouts
to the aerodromes to examine the air
craft at close quarters. The result of
the Investigations of these feathered
ENJOYS was evidently ~reassuring, for
the birds returned to their former
llaunts and the preserves around LIE
Mans and Rheims are again well
stocked.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
PROVIDE THE BIRDS FAVORIIE FRUITS

and pine 1nches; yellow b1sck. whft6
and canoe birches for ~goidhnches and
partridges; elderberr1eA evsn vaz4e>
ties Of Cornus, Berber1s Thunbergi
for quail; Myrica oer1fere for wintss
birds;. red cedar and all juniperay
Lonicera ruprechtiana and bsllo
candida, RIDES aureum, rubus odoTata4L
.chokecherry, viburnums eight var5ss
ties, partridge berry, Daphne me-
zereum, Buffalo berry, black locust
for quail; cercis canadensis. EleaSnu0
four varieties. malus fiortbunda, oat.
nip sunfiower. bachelor buttons, wfld
roses, crataegua, Halls honsysuckle.
red Towering horse chestnut, prtvotaL
hypercums, all native Wild roses. poke
weed, box elder for evening g1osboakA
and Diervilla hybr1da.
For summer food, the fruit Of <ho
redosier dogwood. Cornus stolonifer1,
Is eagerly devoured by soft-bfllsd
birds like robins, catbirds and brown
thrashers. The mulberry furnishes
food for a long time In ummer and
is one of the best in the list.
For spring and fall. the mountain
81 and the japanese crabapples.
malus ~fioribunda, are eaten BY robins
and cedar waxwings. An tho honey
suckles are excellent, but the two,
Lonicera ruprechtiana and L. bella
candida, seem to be preferred. Tho
fruit of the Japanese oleaster, eleagnus
multiflora, Is greatly relishsd By many
birds in summer.-D. Laney.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21

ing of the dairy COW, and I
hesitatingly that q rotation Of corn,
oats and peas, and clover-three-ysar
rotation, will prove the most efficient
In a northern latitude. BY this o
tation, 1t lie possible to get along with
a minimum Of grain foods, and that
only Of the highly concentrated sort
worth almost as much for fsrtih0oS
as for food
C~orn-ensilage 10 the cheapest food
for the dairy COW. Every man who
has fed dairy cattle knows that suos
culence adds value to the cows food,
and that there is no crop that win
afford this as cheapfy as enslage from
we'll matured corn.
The advantage Of q crop Of mangsas
or rutabagas Is not 80 much in thea1
nutritive value az in the fact that they
furnish succulence, when h oowe
are being maintained on dry foodA
While root crops are very generally
used in England and Germany and
are held in high esteem as an ap>
petizer and conditioner, In this ooun.
try. their use on dairy arms ~ quite
limited.
One reason for this 10 the f1ot tha&
too much h~and-labor II required to
grow and harvest them. The use a
soiling crops in summer and enaalaGo
in winter is, however, we'll calculated
to supply the needed suoculsuo0 -
the dairy cows rAtion.-W. N. X.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21

man should realize that a tree bor-
dered farm or a city street means
an increase in value of the property
with the growth Of the tree.
Trees improve climate, conserve the
soil and the moisture, and every effort
should he put forth to protect and save
the trees we now have and more trees
CT tie -.ght kind should be planted.
Tree surgery is a profession which
has grown to considerable importance,
and in this way sick and diseased trees
ere being restored to health. Briefly,
tree surgery consists in cutting out
the wt'ed pats Ct the trees and filling
tie cavities thus made with some
~ stance which will make the cavity
W,rtet and air-tight. Most Of these
.'ns are the results of improper
ing. A stub is left where a
has been amputated. This
/: INTO which the living sap no
. flows, becomes saturated with
b IRE, rot spores become active,
u. tub soon rots off, leaving the be-
g:r.rin- Of a pocket or cavity which
is gradually increased by the action OF
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
LAUNDRY ECONOMY
ON THE FARM.

Soft water, for use in laundry work,
saves soap, clothing. time, energy and
money.
Buying soap by the box Is more
economical than buying It by the
quarters worth.
Removing the soap from the box,
and piling it in such a way that
1t will dry, causes 1t to wash away less
rapidly. and therefore to last longer,
than if not dried.
Having a firm. substantial wash
tench, Of q height suited to the
worker, so constructed as to hold the
u b securely in position. saves time
and energy.
A good stationary wringer, or one
which Is so made as to be clamped
securely to the tub, Is q necessity.
When through using the wringer,
loosen the screws to relieve the pres
sure on the rubber rollers; wash
clean, wipe dry and put it away
where it will keep clean until needed.
Occasionally cleaning the wringer
with kerosene, and then washing
with %soapsuds, rinsing and drying,
tends to keep 1t in good condition.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21

While much may be accomplished
in the control OF insects and fungous
diseases by the use Of insecticide and
fungicides. more attention should be
given to the prevention Of the intro
duction Of crop pests by judicious leg
islation, to the selection Of resistant
plants, to the elimination Of weeds and
worthless plants which harbor pests
or act as Intermediary hosts and are
often of the same family as those
under cultivation. to judicious rota-
ton Of crops, and to better drainage,
cultivation and fertilization.
Cultural methods Of overcoming at
tack and injury by pests are based
upon q knowledge OF their habits and
life histories. Simple rotations. season
of planting. the use OF trap plants, fall
blowing, early planting, and many
other average operations OF the farm,
If done with an intelligent knowledge
Of the habits and development Of the
pests to be controlled, will often OF
themselves prove decidedly efficient.
The succession Of the same or SINH
lar crops on the same land has proved
disastrous In more ways than by re-
duction of soil fertility. Its encour-
agement Of the increase of insects n
fungi has become notorious. The
corn root-worm, boll worm, or (corn
ear worm), Hessian fly, and many
other pests are more or less affected
by crop rotation. and their control by
this method should be carefully
studied.
In some sections affected with con-
tagious diseases of live stock pasture
rotation Is essential. In the control or
stomach and intestinal worms IN
sheep, hogs Ind cattle, intelligent ro-
tation covering definite periods, based
upon longevity and life history Of the
pests, is now recognized as the most
available and economical plan.
The fever cattle tick may be perma-
nently eradicated by positive rotation.
It has been found h a If cattle and
horses are removed from a pasture
during the summer months it becomes
free from the ticks. During the winter
If infested cattle are run upo a corn
field or other cultivated field upon
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21

to the value of the grain ration tusA
as clover, alfalfa, ana other pro.
tenacious forage and fodder increase
the value and efficiency of corn-en-
silage and timothy hay, because they
contain the needed protein.
The low percentage Of protein, and
the high percentage Of water In corn.
ensilage makes 1t desirable to feed
with It an abundance Of good clover
hay, which makes q better ration
than either alone, but n that IL fsS
from perfect. .
When feeding ensilAge and clover
hay, q liberal admtxture Of home-
grown grain foods should be added to
balance the ration with protein. We
should make a constant effort to
produce various kinds Of proteinaoesu0
forage and fodder crops.
This brings up the question OF .
tation Of crops best suited to the feed
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
CONSERVATION BEGINS AT HOME

The child is our greatest national
asset. Conservation should begin at
home. Pure, clean food and proper
feeding are necessary for the infant.
Statistics prove that one breast-fed in
FAINT dies to every ten artificially fed.
The physician, the midwife and the
mother must be taught the necessity
of breast feeding. The child must not
be deprived of this hereditary right on
the least pretext. The ~expectant moth
er in the last stages of pregnancy
should be taught the proper hygiene
Of this period.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
SOME FACTS ABOUT FLAX.
More of This Valuable Crop Can and
Should be Produced,

SuOuIU DO
Flax is not hard on the land" when
compared with other crops
Flax should not be grown on the
same field oftener than once in five or
seven years. Z
Flax, wilt germs are carried by the
seed, and live from veal to year in the
soil. The formaldehyde treatment
will disinfect the seed.
Flax can be successfully grown on
old lands when properly handled, Do
not SOW flax on 1ax-sick soil.
Early planting Is safest in the long
run.
A firm seed-bed Is necessary.
Harvest the crop when it Is ripe.
Thresh or sack as soon as possible
when flax gets dry.
Flax in rotation should follow the
hay or pastl re crops. A large amount
Of humus II necessary In the soil.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
Identifying Tussock-
Moth Eggs

The egg-clusters Of the tussock
moth are often mistaken for those Of
the gypsy moth. Though there is
great variation, certain egg-clusters
are about the same size, shape and
color as gypsy moth egg-clusters, but
the hairs are somewhat coarser, moro
c%rinkled, the whole cluster more
loosely constructed, and the eggs
more exposed. AS a rule, also, the
eggs are deposited on a network Of
silk on or near the old cocoon. which
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
EGG PRODUCTION.
Produce the infertile egg.

Produce the infertile egg.
Infertile Eggs are produced by hens
having no male birds with them.
Removing the male bird has no in
huence on the number Of Eggs laid by
the hens.
The hens greatest pro1t-producing
period is the first and second years,
and unless a hen Is ar exceptionally
good breeder she should be disposed
Of at the end of her second laying yea
son and before starting to mott.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
BY G. M. BENTLY, Tennessee.

which no animals nave been during
the summer all ticks will drop on,
after which the animals may oe
placed upon the pasture hat was
freed Of ticks during the previous
summer.
While 1t may seem anomalous prob
ably the greatest factors in the con-
troll of insects at least, are other in
sects and fungous diseases which are
parasitic within or upon them. Such
are truly friends Of III producer, but
they cannot be brought thoroughly
under his control until insect life Is
better understood, Unable to identity
these friends or to understand their
operations, man too often treats them
as enemies or minimizes their mission.
Birds as factors in insect control
should be recognized. 1t Is not un-
common to find large numbers of birds
doing very effective work in control
ling insect outbreaks,
Insecticides are substances which
kill insects. Fungicides are substances
which destroy fungous diseases. When
insects and fungous diseases prevail
upon the same plants insecticides and
fungicides may be combined and the
wv results gained from one applica-
ton. Variable results have been OBJ
tanned from the use of Insecticides and
fungicides due largely to climatic con-
ditions and to the quality, age and
preparation Of the ingredients used
and the combinations made. A knowl-
edge Of the pest being treated and the
nature of the plant infested is an i'm
portant consideration,
Spraying has passed the experiment
tai stage and is practiced by all up-to-
date gardeners and fruit growers.
The grower should know the COM
mon diseases and insects that affect
his plants, should know their habits
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21
Trees ale inviting and encouraging

Trees ale inviting and encouraging
to outdoor life. 1t is partly for this
advantage hat many city people who
have the means seek homes in the sub
urbs and farther In the country.
There they can enjoy trees in their
native splendor and All their lungs
with the pure oxygen generated by
the abundance Of plant life.
The commercial value Of he tree
should appeal to those who are not
touched by its esthetic value. Every
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-21

Mulberry, red, Russian and white;
Mahaleb cherry, wild black cherry.
wild red cherry, wild chokecherry,
European bird cherry. shad tree, ma
tive thorn trees, Towering dogwood,
a ternate-leaved dogwood, mountain
ash, wild crabapple, blackberry, buck
thorns, hemlock, staghorn sumac,
smoth sumac, larch and pine trees for
winter food for grosbeaks, crossbills