davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
The Stitch In Time
liam to Repair All Of the Buildings,
S,achinefy, and Equipment Dur
ing the Winter Months.

: 20 long az good weather continues
IL the fall most farmers are so busy
eth threshing, corn and potato kar-
I snst. fall seeding, hauling, ETC., that
less important work Is usually post
poned until winter. However, the ex-
SrcisA of a little thought and the ex-
penditure of very few minutes at
this season will often save not only
hours but days later on when the
weather and roads get bad and tut
door work is impossible
Then the odd jobs of overhauling
the farm equipment, repairing. paint
Ing, ETC., which have been put of
until slack season. will require at
tention; but all too often the neces-
sary materials will not be on hand
and the. work will be delayed until II
IL possible to make a trip to town
and not infrequently 1t remains un-
done until the busy season the follow
ing year, when necessity demands !:
"A list should be made of the things
that will be wanted for this work. It
will only take few minutes to jot
them Gown as they are brought to
mind. and then on the. next "trip to
town they may be bought and set
aside so they will be ready when want
ed The condition Of the different ma
chimes which will, or should be. over
hauled, should b. noted. and the parts
which will need to be replaced pur-
chased. Then there are the odd jobs
of repairing buildings, fences, gates,
ETC., which will require lumber and
nails. There is no need to make an
extra trip for them when wanted !;
they may be brought home the next
time a load is taken to town. Like
wise the lumber and hardware for
the small jobs of construction which
should be done before spring. Also
the paints, oils. putty, and brushes
which will be required in painting the
various farm wagons, implements.
inside woodwork. furniture, etc, and,
above al, the necessary materials for
the improvements planned for the
house should be obtained, so that they
can be completed this winter and not
have to wait another year.
81 Everyone knows how much more
satisfactory it is to have the necessary
equipment ready to perform a piece of
work when an opportunity presents,
than to get started on 1t and then find
that 1t will have to be postponed until
= trip can be made to town, which,
even If the roads are good, and the
trip can be made at once, means a |
loss Of time and added expense It
fs astonishing how much can be ac-
complished on rainy days or during
slack times. when the tools and ma
tertals are at hand.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
UNCOMFORTABLE COWS NOT PROFITABLE

Good stable management is an inn
portant factor in determining the
profits from the dairy herd during the
winter. The first essential is that the
cows be comfortable, becaus7, COW
kept otherwise can never do her best,
She must have comfortable place
to lie down, stand up, move ana
stretch her limbs and lick herself all
over the body. She must have sun
shine and plenty of light. She must
have pure air to breathe, and this
means that the stable must be pro
yided with some system OF ventiia-
ton to give a frequent change OF air.
This need not be expensive, only
little forethought and few dollars
worth Of material and labor. she
must have good pure water at least
twice a day, or better still, have an
automatic water basin at her SIDE.
The stable should be cleaned daily,
and be thoroughly disinfected me
ceiling, floor and sides should be all
smooth, and Of concrete construction,
and the fixtures largely iron. 1t Is not
extensive, and they are sanitary ana
permanent.
Large. smooth concrete managers for
feeding are about the best we know
Of today. Judgment and common
sense must be exercised in the meth
dds Of feeding and handling the cows.
Fixed rules in feeding are not prac-
teal.
Overlooking is wasteful; under
feeding is improbable. The cows must
be we'll nourished at all times. but II
given more than they need TOT haili-
tenance and production, they waste
1T as a rule.
Never stir up dust or foul doors a. :.
milking time. If you DO, lot Oh -
ia sure to get into the milk.
Whether to feed the cows just re'
fore milking is a much debated qnes-
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

y
Rur cloyers are valuable agricul-
turally in those states where the VIA
ters are mild enough for them to with
stand them, In the United States
this embraces the cotton growing area
Of the south and all of the PACING
coast west of the Cascade and sierra
Nevada mountain ranges. So
The value Of bur clover as forage
crop is becoming more appreciated IN
sections where the winters are milo,
according to a new. bulletin issued
recently. Each year 1t can be de-
pended upon to add humus and MI
trogen to the soil without sacrificing
the regular summer crop OF the farm.
In the South it Is the cheapest legume
| that serves as q winter cover crop,
preventing the washing of the SOIL.
| In addition to it's value for this pur-
pose, 1t furnishes some pasturase and
| improves the soil. BY the use OF bur
clover alone many instances are fre-
! ported where the cotton crop has been
materially increased each season one
of the advantages Of bur clover over
most other legumes Is the fact that
good stands can often be obtained
| from wear to year without additional
, seeding. On pasture lands when once
esta blished bur clover will reseed IT.
self indefinitely.
The spotted or southern bur clover
ts the variety best adapted to condi-
tons in the South and gives satisfac-
tory results in South Carolina, Ala
bama, Georgia. Mississippi, Louisiana,
and sections of Virginia, North Caro-
lima, Florida. Texas, Arkansas. and
Oklahoma. M
Bur clover should always be soWn
in late summer or fall In the cot
ton states the best time for seeding
is the month Of September. but 1t may
be seeded in August, and seedlings as
late as December often give. favora PIE
results, even as far north as South
Carolina. Late seedlings, however,
are to be avoided whenever possible,
as but little fall and winter growth
is secured from such paintings.
Hulled seed may be sown by grain
drill with a press-wheel attachment
or by any method Of broadcasting,
using about Is pounds of seed Per
acre. A firm seed bed Is desirable
and especial care should be taken
to cover The seed thinly. Under most
broadcasting will be found
most satisfactory, but the seed should
be covered with light narrow. |
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

Third year: Oats. followed by soy
beans or cowpeas preferably In rows.
Bur clover sown in the rows Septem-
Der 1. II the soy beans or cowpeas
are broadcasted. the bur clover should
not be sown before the crop Ia har-
vested.
Fourth year: Cotton.
After the clover is once well estab-
ilsned, stands of bur clover can gem
orally be secured in such intertilled
summer crops as cotton, corn, soy
Deans or sorghums. In broa dcasted
crops, however, such as soy beans,
millet and cowpeas, the shade is so
dense that the young bur clover plants
Tor the most part perish.
Practically all Of the ommercial
seed of spotted bur clover is that
grown In the cotton states, and the
supply has usually been much below
the demand. Thus far the seed has
been marketed only in the bur, but
there seems no good reason why
clean-hulled seed should not be pro-
duced in commercial quantities.
Hulled seed Is much more easily sown.
and once the land is inoculated the
regular seeding Of bur clover in cot
ton would replace to a large degree
the dependence on volunteer crops.
Raking or sweeping the ripened
pods from the ground Is the only
method used in harvesting spotted bur
clover seed. When the pods are not
perfectly dry care must be exercised
In curing, as otherwise the piles will
heat, with consequent injury to the
seeds. 1t is probably due to such
heating that the commercial seed so
often shows low termination. Every
southern farmer can easily grow his
own supply Of bur clover seed at small
expense.
Horses and mules ordinarily refuse
to eat bur clover. Even other farm
animals do not eat it readily at first,
but soon acquire a taste for the plant
and then eat it greedily. Bur clover
has also been objected to on account
Of the small growth. This objection
however, applies mainly to poor soils
and to the northern portions Of the
cotton belt. Even where the growth
is very small It Is practically always
sufficient to prevent the washing of
the soil, and this, together. with the
very insignificant cost of securing a
stand each year, and the marked abil-
ity Of the plant to grow in cool wealth
er, makes it valuable.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

subsequent years on the volunteer
CROP where this is practicable.
In the cotton states apparently lack
Of incubation has often been the
cause Of failure in establishing bur
clover crops especially where hulled
seed was sown. Usually when seed is
sown In the bur there are enough bac-
terra in the dust on the burs tc In
sure incubation. It Is desirable. how
ever. in planting bur clover for the
first time, that farmers do not go to
the expense Of purchasing q large
quantity Of seed, but that they plant a
comparatively small area, inoculating
the soil either by the soil transfer
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
ANCIENT BEE-CULTURE

4 ~
From the earliest days the honey
bee has reused the poet and phil
osopher to admiration. That apicul-
ture is no modern craft we find from
the writings of the Roman Virgil
who, from his farm above Naples,
tells us such delightful tales about his
bees amongst the lemon trees. and
from Pliny some hundred years later,
who gives them an interesting chap
ter in his natural history. Centuries
before the birth of Christ boat-loads
of ancient beenives foated UP and
down the Nile, following the circle OF
the summer season, and the bees
probably reveled in the bowers at
Babylon's gardens even as they do
among the hollyhocks Of today. We
still get the Grecian honey, redolent
OF wild thyme, and the bees we see
gathering the nectar on Hymettus'
rocky slopes are doubtless direct de-
scendants Of the subjects of Aristotle
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Life.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

A handy equipment for use at hog
killing time consists of two butcher
knives, two ''belr' or candlestick
scrapers, meat saw, and sharpen
ing steel. The meat saw is for saw
UP the carcass. The candlestick scrap
ers have detachable handles, and are
used to remove the hair and scurf
from the hogs. A long waterproof
apron, which Will protect the cloth
ing. can be had at a small cost.
A "a to SO hour fast. plenty Of wa
ter, careful handling and rest before
slaughter, are all important in secur-
ing meat In the best condition for
use, either fresh or for curing pur-
poses. Food in the stomach decom-
poses very rapidly after slaughter.
and where the dressing Is slow the
gases generated often affect the flavor
of the meat. Water should be given
freely up to. the time Of slaughter.
as 1t keeps the temperature normal.
It Is highly important that the an
finals be not excited in any way suf-
ficiently to raise the temperature Of
the body. II the animal becomes
heated it is better to allow it to rest
overnight before killing than to risk
spelling the meat. It is also essen
tial that the hog be carefully hand
led so as not to bruise its body
"A barrel is the receptacle common
Fly used for scalding. II it is set at the
proper slant, with the open end
against table or platform of the
proper height and the bottom secure
ly fastened, there Is little danger Of
accident. A strong table built for the
purpose would be very desirable
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
QUAIL PROTECTION.

notwithstanding the agitation in
favor Of protecting quail for several
wears in some sections, no bills OF
tkis kind were passed this year. ana
80 states still provide quail shooting.
The seasons were shortened six weeks
In Oklahoma and weeks in Nevada.
Limits were established for the first
time in Arkansas and New Hampshire,
reduced IN Iowa from 25 to Is per
day, in Oklahoma from Is to 10. In
Minnesota from Is to 10, and in
creased in Nevada from is to 20. All
but Ii of the states which permit
quail hunting now have limit OF 2a
birds or. less per day.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

the tiled land. Exactly the same kind
Of crops were grown. and the same
treatment was given to the two fields
50 far as possible. Surface drains
were provided in both cases. This
land, both yiled and untitled, had been
in meadow for ten or twelve years and
consequently was in poor state Of
fertility This was especially true Of
the Cher and better drained parts.
The effect Of draining was very
mar ted In 1911. due principally
tothe fact that the tiled land
2buld be worked considerably earlier
Ia the spring. The differences ranged
from rs to 100 per cent in favor Of the
tiled land. In 1912 the effect Of TIL
ing was not quite SO marked, as2the
dry weather of that year permitted
u better drainage on the untitled
land. The laterals were placed about
10 feet apart. and were not laid in
regular order. but more in the order
Of what Is sometimes called the nat
urap' system Of thing. The depth var
led from 1.s feet to s,5 feet.
On this land four year rotation
was established as follows: Clover,
one year; mixed hay, one year; atcul-
tivated crops, one year; and small
grain seeded to clover, one year. The
results showed an increase in all
crops. The greatest increase, however,
being shown in the cultivated crops.
The average value Of increase for the
cultivated crops was $14.07, and for
the grain crops $2.S4.
For raising truck crops on land
near city It is especially desirable
to tile. This will apply to such crops
as potatoes sweet corn, cabbage, rut-
abages, strawberries and the like.
Where potatoes are raised, more than
half the cost Of the thing will be re-
covered In one season.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
Damage By wife Ants
Oak Parquet Flooring Rney combed
by the Insects-HoH Attacks
May be Prevenkl.

typical case OF the Srious dam
age worked by white ats was Re.
Gently reported in tailrins estab.
lishment in Washington. 1 G. A ipar-gA
quet flooring was found Och year to
be honeycombed to SUCH an extent
as to necessitate the relhir OF the
damaged sections. at considerable ex, 4
pense. Examination by a Specialist
showed that about one-hdif OF the
flooring was invaded. This WAS taker@
up and 1t was found that the oai. PAIN
quet floor had been laid over a yellow
pine subfioor (separated by buildinA
paper. the latter directly on yellow
pine "stringers'' set on concrete laid
on the ground, and the spaces between
the stringers filled with concrete
leaving no air space between gr unj
and flooring. Although the spa ~
tween the flooring was thus com ely
filled up, the termites managed en-
citrate it, probably through cls in
the concrete near the pine st ~ srs
which were found damp and derayed
The pine and oak flooring as we'll as
the baseboards were found honey
combed. A. large colony, consisting
of approximately 10000 MEMBERSHIPS
located IN the flooring and the eartn
beneath It.
AS the infested floor was taken UP.
the insects exposed We're killed by
drenchiny with kerosene oil. The con-
crete had to be dug out, the decayed
stringers removed. and the eartl,
soaked with kerosene in order to
reach the colony and insure its en-
tirpation. The infested wood was re-
moved to be burned, because previous
experience has shown that drenchingA
infested wood with Kerosene does not
kill all the termites in it.
With view to preventing reinfes
tation, yellow pine stringe.s impreg-
mated with coal-tar creosote. demon-
strated to be the most effective and
lasting preventive against termite at
tack, were obtained Cat cost Of about
800. including the freight to re-
place those removed Concrete WASH
laid, these treated stringers paced,
and an air space two feet hiGh vas
left between ground and foo Ing, F.
nally, the underside of the FLOORING re-
ceived brush treatment with coat
tar creosote.
The total damage in this case chs
tirely due to the work of the terElit 4
amounts to approximately 81, COO IN
is but one of many similar cases IN
various parts Of the country many
of them due to the laying Of untreas-
ed stringers directly on the ground OF
in moist concrete.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
ATTENTION TO DETAILS MAKES BUTCHERlNG EASY
cf
HogKnnng Tme:AF Few Suggestion

possible after removal Of the animal
from the scalding vat Scraping a
cold lnos is a difficult, if not an i'm
possible task
Occasionally a hog is killed that is
too large to scald in barrel. II 1t
is covered thickly with blankets or
with sacks containing little bran,
and hot water poured over 1t. the
hair will be loosened readily.
When the hair starts readily, re-
move the animal from the water, and
begin scraping. The bell scraper
should be used with long, sweeping
movement over the sides and ends
while the hog is still hot. The head
and feet should be cleaned first, as
they cool quickly, Pull the ears
Of the hair. Grasp with the hands the
lower portions of the legs and twist
to assist in cleaning them Use the
''candlestick" scraper for removing
the skin and scurf from the fiat sur
faces and as much as possible from
the other parts, and finish the clean
ing Of the entire carcass, removing
all hair, scurf, and dirt by rinsing
with hot water and shaving with the
large knife.
Cut the skin on the side OF the ten
dons, Fellow the hook to expose the
tendons, so that a gambrel stick may
be inserted. The next step is to hang
the hog by his hind legs by means Of
the gambrel stick high enough SO that
his head clears the ground. Wash
down with hot water, shave over any
unfinished patches and wash the en-
tire carcass again to remove all loose
hair AMI scurf.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

thing on which to work, though 1t Is
not absolutely necessary. A box often
serves very we'll The water for
scalding should be heated to the boil
ing point. This will allow for re-
duction Of temperature when the wa
ter is put into cold barrel, the best
temperature for scalding the hogs be-
ing from 145 degrees to $50 degrees.
BE careful not to have the water so
hot as to cook the skin of the hog.
II the water Is too hot the hair Is
likely to set A small shovelful of
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

summer crop. Among rotations that
have be.n suggested the following
seems desirable:
First year: Cotton: t'lr clover
sown between the rows September l..
Second year: Corn or soy beans.
followed by bur clover.
Third year: Cotton.
A less simple rotation is the follow
ing:
First year: Cotton; bur clover soWn
between the rows September l.
Second year: Corn. followed by
winter oats.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
Pods OF Toothed Bur Glover.

Of alfalfa, yellow trefoil, or melilotus.
The same germ inoculates all four of
these plants, so that soil from near the
roots Of any one will inoculate the
others Soil should be taken from the
top eight inches and broadcasted over
the area to be planted at the rate of
ESQ to 500 pounds per acre. Tho
spreading is best done on cloudy
day, as bright sunshine is destructive
to the bacteria. If spread in sunshiny
weather Immediate narrowing is i'm
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

Where moisture conditions are entire
ly favorable, good stands have ire
ouently been obtained by merely scat
tering the seed on the surface; put
whsnever practicable the narrowing
Ii recommended.
When the seed IL sown In the bur-
broadcastinE is the only practicable
method To obtain full stand by
this method, from 8 to 6 bushels OF
seed per, acre are necessary. followed
by q narrowing.
In theTregions, however, which are
we'll adapted to bur clover. 1t Is much
more economical as rule to begin
with q light seeding and to depend IN
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

portant Care should always De taken
to secure coll free from troublesome
weeds or diseases.
On account Of the expense involved
It Is seldom advisable to get large
quantities Of soil from distance. 1t
is better to SOW but q small patch
the first year, which, if successful,
will supply abundant soil to use ~
incubation for more extensive plant
ings.
Bur clover may be used as winter
crop in rotation with any cultivated
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
Tools Needed for Butchering Hogs.

hardwood ashes added to the water
aids in removing the scurf from the
body.
The hog should not be scalded be-
fore life IS extinct, or the blood vcs-
sells near the surface of the skin will
be cooked. giving reddish tinge to
the carcass. While being scalded the
hog should be moved constantly to
avoid cooking the skin.
The scraping and cleaning of the
hogs skin should be done as soon as
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

ton. 1t is not at all dangerous I'll
feed them little grain. provided YOU
stir up no dust or disaEreeahle doors 81
AS rule, the cows will give DOWN
their milk more freely when they have
contented minds, and Q little OF the
right kind of feed goes long way
toward bringing about this contentej
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
LATE STRAWBERRIES.

The autumn strawberry is good
plant for some market gardeners 1t
fruits att time when the gardener Is
not so busy as In spring. A field about
so by 800 feet in size was recently
visited, from which about $500 worth
OF fruit had been picked this year,
and from $500 to $1,000 worth Of
plants were>for sale.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

1t is. rot necessary for the cow to
give only small quantity Of milk In
order that the milk may be rich. One
can use breed that is famous for
their yield of rich milk rather than
to get rich milk from a low breed.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
DRAINAGE or LAND MEANS CROP INCREASE

series Of very interesting expert
ments Ia crop rotation were made sew
eral years ago in Wisconsin, to deter
I mine the value Of drainage. The fol-
lowing plan was adopted:
Ih the fall Of 1910 field contain
llttie less than six acres was
H me land for the most part
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30

A feed Of roots, especially carrots,
is enjoyed by the colt and does it
much good: and the more good II
when L., roots are cut little oil
meal is scattered over them.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
Nv G. PIPER AND r.. McKER

method or, in the absence of inocu-
lated soil, by the use of pure cultures.
When once patch OF bur clover has
been grown successfully on a farm
the whole farm can easily be inocu-
lated by scattering soil from the places
where the bur clover grew success
fully.
The soil-transfer method is the sur
est knl,wn way to secure the inocula-
ton of any legume. The soil should
be taken from spot where bur clov, r
is growing successfully or from fields
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-30
OUR FARMING POPULATION.

Of the total popu:atiyn III corltt-
mental United States .sSc:udisg Alas
ka and other non-concisucas terri
tory, the last federal census shc,ys
that OF those engaged IN. seinfrs oc-
cupations, 12,567,s25 persons, 0 years
of age and over. are engaged Iii .ag-
riculture This is Approximately oi.r-
third Of the total number engaged 4:
Eainfu. occupations. 'rte nunriie. r:l-
gagged in agricultural pursuits il c;aa-
siiied as follows:
Agricultural laDorers 20, GSS,4.t
Dairymen and dairywomen. 35,0l4
Farmers. planters. overseers.5 1851 so
Gardeners, foresters. nursery
men, etc. 14:,46.
Lumbermen and raftsmen. !. !2I.-s:S
Stock ralssrs, taerders and
drov.rs approximately 4. 322.tss
Wood choppers ....... :i,5.
Turpentine formers, laborefs. 2s.sf
Othery agricultural pursuits w
(approxmate) .s...... IN
a. pAo1 iSIS /. 500,