davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23
trees, and these phenomena may be

trees, and these phenomena may be
summarized as follows:
Burning and injury to plant tissue
are much more noticeable at points
with positive potential than at points
with a negative potential.
When the rail is at positive po-
tential the overhead wire, when
touches some part of the tree, Is mega
tive, and the bark and soil are satu-
rated with moisture, and a current is
formed by means Of this surface
moisture
The moisture conditions and the
electrical resistance, etc, at the base
Of the tree are different from those
above; therefore, a larger area OF
tissue Is affected by the charged rail-
AS the bark becomes heated through
the Aim of water the electrical re-
sistance is reduced and the current
increased to such an extent that the
vital layer is destroyed.
Because a large number Of trees
near electric roads, etc, often look
sickly it must not be concluded thar
electricity Is always the cause. In
cities and towns where most Of these
unhealthy specimens are found there
are innumera Die destructive factors
for trees to contend with. 1t is quite
essential in diagnosis work, therefore
that all Of these factors be taken into
consideration before a definite opinion
in regard to the cause of any abnor-
NAL conditions is formed.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23
The Canned Corn
Industry Of Maine
BY G. MITCHELL

About sixty-five years ago an en-
terprising Quaker merchant In Maine
heard of experiments in France with
view to the Theoretically sealing Of
meats in the cans for future family
use, and personally inspected the same
with the result that on his return
home he commenced putting up corn
in somewhat the same manner.
Very soon factories began. to be
built until today there are in Maine
alone 100 such factories, with an OUT
put last year Of at least $4,000, 900
cans.
This was the beginning Of the
canned-goods industry, now so inn
portant a factor in industrial life and
so necessary for sustenance of our
! increasing population.
All the corn is grown by acreage
contracts, the grower delivering the
unhusked ears fresh from the field
when ordered in by the agent of the
factory whose duty is to keep close
watch of the fields.
The factories now in operation are
located in seven counties, holding as
closely to the frost-line as possible,
and still insure sufficient ripening of the
kernels. Until recent, years all such
came from farther south to, insure
uniform grade of product and check
tendency to early maturity. Formerly
all cans We're made by hand. a crew
being required the entire year, but
now nearly the entire supply comes
from one or two big can making es-
Establishments in New York.
The growers responsibility ceases
when he delivers his ears at the husk-
ing shed, the method of payment be-
ing to keep the gross weight of each
growers corn after husking, take a
sample lot and put it through the
hands of the cutters, and thus de-
termine the amount of cut corn upon
which payment is. made at ;two and
one-half cents per pound. fraE1
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23

It Is Of great Importance to know
at what stage corn should be cut TO
secure the best results, how rapidly
nutriment Is stored up In the corn
plant as 1t approaches maturity. and
whom the maximum amount Is reached.
To have the silage keep we'll the
corn must be cut at the proper stage
Of maturity. If cut before 1t Is sufh-
GENTLY matured, too much acid de-
velops. If too ripe, it does not settle
properly and the air Is not excluded.
Corn should not be cut until the
ears are out Of the milk and mos: OF
the kernels glazed and hard. In Ease
the weather has been so hot and dry
that the lower leaves have hred, the
corn should be cut before the ears
are quite so far advanced. Much r.per
corn will keep at the bottom of the
silo than at the top because of the
greater pressure which excludes the
air more completely. 1t is, therefore,
important that the ripest corn be cut
first and placed in the bottom Of the
-silo.
The corn should be cut with a corn
binder as it Is much more easily
handled when bound in bundles. II
the silage cutter is large and the work
is done with a good force of men. the
corn binder should have start OF
ialf a day If enough horses are used
N the binder to keep it moving at
sood pace the corn can be cut down
s fast as it can be put into the silo.
Tsing a small cutter with a large en-
inc Is dangerous unless great care Is
xercised in controlling the power.
If silage is to keep we'll 1t must
ettle evenly. To this end the leaves
md the heavier parts of the corn
must be kept thoroughly mixed and
rvenly distributed in the silo. Owing
the great pressure of silage, fric-
ion with the sides of the siio has
endency to make the silage less COM
oact at the edge, and for this reason
It should be thoroughly tramped next
the side Every time three or four
inches Of cut material is added to the
;ilo it should be tramped thoroughly
around the edge, taking short steps
and packing the silage as much as
possible next to the wall. These pre-
cautions must be observed during fill
ing to obtain perfect silage.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23
Made Apple
Vinegar

| Apple cider will go through tn,
normal process of fermentation an
| develop vinegar Of splendid quality
given proper temperature and ttlmt
for development. 10 As the ,ctder2<p
stored in the barrels it Should be 'ex
posed as much as possible to the ali
and be kept at a temperature abov
/ so degrees and below 100 degrees
The best results will be obtained
the material is kept at temperature
| ranging between 80 and 80 degrees
| At this temperature 1t requires APP
| proximately a year for cider to de.
velop enough acid content to pass a
frst-class vinegar 1t should have
between four and seven per cent OF
acid content, and with the process OF
making being that of slow ferment in
barrel quantities, it will seldom reach
six per cent of acid content. Ordinarily
the vinegar that is made by being
permitted to fernaent in barrel guam
Titles must be kept in basement or
cellar storage where the high tenn
perature can be obtained. 1t does not
kill the ferment in the<vinegar to pass
below so degrees in temperature, but
1t retards it's action, and the longer
ItHS illdIcil dl Is Ill lHc pAoSCSo ~
| ing the less valuable 1t Is and the
more difficulties are liable to be en-
countered in the work. The best
results will be obtained If the head Of
the barrel is taken out and the barrel
| left entirely open. It can be stirred
to advantage once in a while, but
ordinarily the process of letting 1t
stand entirely undisturbed will de-
velop a very clear and satisfactory
| grade of material.
The mother of vinegar that develops
ordinarily on the top Of the barrel is
of no special advantage after it as
lsumes the form of condensed or
/ hard cake. AS long as it is In a loose,
Shiny form it will work fairly rapidly.
but as soon as it assumes the caked
form it may as we'll be removed from
the barrel.-O. M Morris Horticul-
a, turist, Washington State Experiment
| Station.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23

may creep up his nostrils. It is also
known that the elephant has the same
horror OF mice and that a small rodent
can cause more CONSERVATION among
nero OF those colossal animals than
can tiger or boa constructor. A
mouse In the hay at a circus will
cause every elephant in the collection
10 hold his trunk aloft, plainly indi-
catlng that they fear the little crea-
lure may take refuge in the proboscis
orifice
But to return to horses: It has al
ways been said that they "sleep with
one eye open,' and are constantly on
guard. An Indian shod in cotton felt
moccaslns, practicing all the sly arts
of his people, could not, with the vino
in his favor, approach a sleeping horse
without being detected. No odds how
weary horse may be, his ears are
constantly turning and twisting. SO
that their tunnels may catch the
slightest unusual noises. sht aE6n ssF-
In purchasing a general purpose
horse, which will be used when rail-
road, electric cars and autos are to be
met, don't buy colt, because no
young horse is safe for women. chill
dren or inexperienced men to handle
Don't buy until you have driven, or
have seen the horse driven, near
enough to these objects Of terror to
be certain that he will pass them
without trying to smash up things
Better go to some reliable dealer, tell
him exactly what you want and then
buy under full guarantee, with the
privilege Of returning the animal al
some reasonable time, if he doesn't
come up to the mark.
Greater efficiency in the field Is Sc
cured by matching horses according
to their working character, even il
they do not look alike. Dir r..
The man who tries to keep horse
in even good working order on grasses
alone is attempting an impossibility
Study the conformation and dispo-
sition of your mares as we'll as their
breeding, and learn, If possible, the
kind Of stallion they should be mated
with to secure the best results.
No matter how big the jack may be
he cannot sire large draft mules from
the ordinary run of mares coRmon or
the majority OF farms.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23

In the earlier days the corn was
cooked on the cob and so packed, but
this proved bulky and expensive and
knives were devised for cutting by
hand. This split the kernels and cut
ters were required to turn their knives
and scrape out theN portions left.
Naturally, in the moist condition of
the corn, it was difficult to keep floors,
tables and clothing in a clearly con-
dition and today all cutting, as we'll
as practically all huslklng. is done by
machinery.
In at least one factory in the State
the corn is not touched by hand after
it Is fed into the husking machines
until the sealed cans are put into the
retorts.
passes automatically to those which
remove the corn from the cob, thence
to the screens which run over the silk.
and from there to the mixer and into
the can.
This insures the very best possible
condition, and a quality of product
to please the most exacting.
In recent years the practice Of
packing in Navigation and gallon cans
for hotel and restaurant trade has
still further changed machinery in
use.
In good season the sweet-corn
crop is a valuable asset to the pro-
gressive farmer. This year the aver
age of our factories being practically
$50 per acre for the cut corn, leaving
the stalks llIsKs andp eebsJin a green
and succulent state, to be at once
turned into the silo for winter feed
ing.
In the former years some of our
best growers were certain that this
green food, together with the improved
condition of the land resulting from
liberal fertilizing and extra tillage,
paid all expenses Of growing the crop
Today the cost is materially in
creased, but the exact figures are diff
cult to obtain. In the matter
gross revenues the weighers sheet:
tell the story and the checks pait
promptly at the close OF the packing
period cause the grower Of sweet corr
to smile with satisfaction. M
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23

repose is almost as much of a necessity
as good food and water, but tired as
he may be, he Is an animal very shy
about lying down. I have known In
stances where stablemen declared that
the horses in their charge had never
been known to take rest in that man
ner, but always slept standing. In
some of these instances the animals
were constantly under human watch
fulness night and day and in other
cases the conclusions were arrived at
because no marks of the bedding
We're ever found upon their coats. I
now recall an instance of horse that
stood in a stall near the entrance Of a
livery stable. No one ever saw that
animal lying down within period of
fifteen years and he finally died stand
ing.
1t Is a theory-only vague suppo-
sition--that a horse sleeps standing
because he fears that insects or mice
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23
A Gift of Free,
BY Helen Manning, II ino:s.

A nature lover wac. for forty years,
has planted at least enc. tee each year,
made a magnificent gift of trees to
the school children year ago, which
will stand as silent monuments to his
memory long after he would other
wise be forgotten.
The gift included a fine, native
grown American elm for each scholar
in the county, and large Norway
maple for each teacher The elms
were to be planted anywhere the chill
dren preferred, the NAPLES to be used
on school grounds, If possible.
The total number of trees given OUT
was about $4,000; being given to
pupils Of city, village. parochial, and
the one hundred and twelve district
schools.
Reports were made each teacher
receiving report from every
pupil, all being sent to the
county superintendent, to be incor-
porated in an article for the school
annual OF the county. A large per.
centage Of the trees are living and
making satisfactory growth. 1t u
doubtful if the same amount Of
money spent in any other way would
have the beneficial effect that this gift
of trees will have. Every child
a great love of nature. Planting,
ing for and watching the grow n e
something that belongs to the cn. /
personally must have an effect far be-
yond the money value of the gift.
The same man has made another
gift of trees to pupils this year. Apple
trees were selected from several yari-
cites: Walbridge, Grimes Golden,
Gano, Mammoth Black Twig, Ben
Davis and Stayman. All are grated
stock, have been properly trans
planted, and have a good root system.
Again the teachers will have ,Ae4.
share in the distribution. large hard
maple being given for planting in the
school yard t
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23
Road Management

Where county builds good road
and soon lets 1t become rutty, washed
out. or uneven, who or what is prin-
cipally to blame? AS a result of a
study Of conditions in number of
counties, most Of our expert road
specialists are inclined to place the
responsibility upon the following de-
1ects in road management. some or all
OF which are found in all counties
where good roads are not properly re-
paired and maintained:
/. County boards, although having
full administrative authority, appear
not to attach to their official action in
road matters the Importance or legal
effect which 1t should have.
2. County boards do not generally
have sufficient accounting control of
for any particular project, where
funds have been or where existing
$ balances are to be expended.
e :. Lack of any systematic practice
m handling road funds among most
counties makes 1t very difficult to
carry out over even single year any
persistent maintenance policy, be-
cause funds officially obligated for
maintenance purposes are not pro-
tected against sporadic and irreg-
ular drafts for miscellaneous pur-
poses. The greatest likelihood conse-
quently exists everywhere that there
will be no balance in the maintenance
fund in the last half or third of the
year, although only part Of the fund
allotted may have been spent.
4. Local labor available for man
tenance work Is made dissatisfied by
the constant unintelligent and I'M
favorable criticism Of those using the
road
5. Maintenance continuing over a
period Of years-the ultimate indis-
pensable condition Of effective main
tenance-is jeopardized by the lack Of
accounting control that will prevent
spending next years current income
in this year.
6. The lack of skilled supervision
in construction and the effect of this
In increasing the cost or In making
effective maintenance impossibly ex-
pensive is everywhere seen.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23
Cure Seed Corn with Great Care.

Extra ordfnary care VIII be needed
in curing seed corn this fall. Most OF
the seed corn picked will contain
much moisture. The more moisture
the more serious will be the danger
from freezing; consequently, seed
corn should be stored in dry and
sufficiently warm place as soon as it is
picked. Moreover, it should be hung
up or placed on racks in such way
that the air may circulate freely
about every ear. If these simple di-
rections are followed, the corn will
dry out rapidly, and the corn will
give the largest possible termination
in the spring. Of course, the seed
should be tested carefully before be-
ing planted in the spring. csc
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23

A great saving may be effected by
he scientific handling Of fruit OF all
Inds. In this case science" means
light knowledge and care. The frult
rover. can not always sell direct TO
lie consumer, but he. can. byosortings.
md carefully packing his product,
ct a. much better price when selling
> the retail dealer than he can II ne
ollows the old-fashioned methods of
s. Jumping everything into boxes, bas-
5ets and barrels regardless OF size ana
condition. The shrewd dealer Will
make the most Of the bad condition
# the stuff offered him. beating down
ever TO the lowest possible price,
and then add to his profits by the work
of few boys in the basement who are
rructed IN the art of cleaning and
.epacking. The grower, himself
,ould get this added profit II he
would only take little more trouble
n preparing his. fruit for market
Some associations of fruit and veg7-
stable growers have adopted this
olan, and made certain brands ia
nous.
The fruit sold under these various
brands is carefully selected and packed
under the supervision of the manager
employed by the growers, and pack
ages are guaranteed to be up to
standard in every way
AS most Of the apples grown IN this
country are sent to the market IN
barrels, it may be we'll to set down
here some rules adopted by the best
associations Of fruit growers for the
barreling Of the fruit.
In the first place the apples are
taken from the trees and placed IN
baskets or bags slung around the
shoulders of the pickers, and some
very careful growers insist that the
pickers wear gloves, in order that
their flnger-nails may not cut the
fruit. 1t is a well-known fact now
that a tiny abrasion made by the
finger-nail will often admit harmful
bacteria which will, in short time,
destroy the apple.
The apples are then brought to the
packing tables, which are covered with
canvas or burlap under which Is
padding Of moss or straw in order to
prevent bruising. The greatest care Is
taken to prevent the apples from fall
ing from tho table, or against one
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23
BY GEORGE e. STONE.

where the injury Cunning, takes
place. This differs only slightly from
that produced by low-tension alter
mating current wires. In all cases Of
death from direct current electricity
that have come to our notice the rail
was positive, and the overhead feed
wire was negative, constituting what
Is called reversed polarity"
How common this practice is we
cannot say, but apparently it has been
done Intentionally at times to prevent
electrolysis as we'll as unintentionally
by various companies, and is response
BILE, In quite a few instances for the
death Of shade trees near electric rail-
roads. There is much greater oppor-
tunity for extensive burning in the
cases OF reversed polarity than in the
regular systems employed.
The moisture conditions Of the soil
and bark are such as to reduce the
resistance, and in consequence the film
OF water and water-soaked bark be-
comes intensely heated, destroying the
living tissues and girdling the tree to
a considerable distance The part OF
the trunk towards the rail is almost
invariably the most severely affected
In some cases observed, where the
| current was reversed, there were no
deep burning effects on the tree either
above or below,-the rule when the
| overhead feed wire is positive Gas is
usually the case) and in direct contact
with the tree. Moreover, the affected
areas about the base Of the tree are
decidedly larger than when a positive
overhead feed wire comes in contact
with limbs.
The entire areas between-the base
OF the tree and the overhead wire is
not, as rule. affected. although the
extent OF injury may tvary somewhat
The injury from burning is confined
to space around the overhead wires,
ana also to the base Of the tree.
In some instances trees show serious
effects short time after the current
has been reversed, when the bark will
become loose and later fall off. The
writer has observed both elms and
maples-some of them two feet or |
more in diameter-which have been
killed in this way. In some cases the |
trees were not more than three feet |
from the rails, while in others the
distance was considerably greater.
80 oAAO -QiaHtcu city having eX.
tensive street railways, 81 trees were
reported killed or 50 badly injured
as to be of no value, 81 had large
limbs removed, and many more were
saved by removing limbs likely to |
come into contact with the wires. The
injured trees were in some cases To- |
Gated 200 to 1000 feet from the track.
Some Of the injury took place on |
streets having wires but no electric
railway. and it is surmised that the
ground connections were made
through several pipe lines, located
near the trees, which led very close
to the electric railway. The effects
on the trees were noted shortly after
the street railway had changed it's
system; l. e., using the rail to carry
the positive, and the overhead wire
the negative or return current
Observations we have made demon
strate that we have a variety of con-
dit1o-ls to deal with in considering the
effect of direct current electricity on
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23
HORSE FACTS WORTH REMEMBERING

All horses, when turned out In pas
ture, are more prone to take their rest
Tying down than when confined in
stable stalls, says Inland Farmer. But
even when practically free from
human restraint and observation, or
any likelihood Of danger, they seldom
take more than an hour each night IN
the recumbent position and that period
is generally INDUCED in "a about mid
night.
A noted veterinarian says: There
are some curious facts regarding the
disposition of horses in the matter OF
lying down. To a Woodworking horse
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23
Weeds.

II The weeds Of yesterday may be-
come the cultivated crops of tomor-
row. Not many decades ago, at
least In the memory of some persons
now living. the tomato was weed
of little value, and generally believed
to be poisonous. Not more than five
wears ago, sweet clover which grows
s. profusely along the roadside IN
many states was despised weed.
Now It is a valuable forage crop and
soil improver, the demand for the
seed being greater than the supply.
Western farmers are finding that even
the much detested Russian thlstle
makes good silage for stock 1eedlns.
Every plant that grows has useful
Mace in the economy Of nature. That
some plants are weeds is because we
have not yet learned how to utilize
them to our advantage.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23
Keep n Few Sheep.

The presence of a flcck + sheep on
grain farm does rot necessitate a
material reduction in the a.:ea de-
voted to grain growing, but on the
other hand it never fails to insure
larger yield. Of better grain, and 1t
makes posshle1the growing iof dg-ain
for longer period of years than can
be done without them. or some other
hind of livestock.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23

Electricity acts as stimulus to
plants. The minimum and optimun
current strengths probably differ little
in different plants. The maximum
current, or that necessary to kill q
plant, Is quite variable.
Outside of the disfiguration to trees
from pruning necessitated by wires.
y the greatest injury consists in the local
burning and often partial destruction
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-23
By WILBUR j. FRASER. Illinois.

After filing, the top six inche
should be wet once and the whole su'
face tramped every day for week.
obtain a thin, compact layer Of WI
rooted silage which will exclude -
air.
Properly prepared, corn silage
as a rule, the most economical ste
lent food that can be obtained
dairy COWS at season when pc :