davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

the state) . year. These are yielding
large profts and tho number Of such
herds n increasing with each year, 81
more and more farmers learn how to
feed and care for their cows so ~ to
secure tho best returns.
The only way to learn whether the
Individual COWS in dairy herd yield
q profit u to weigh and test their milk
regularly, 80 that their production OF
butter fat during the year can DO de-
termined with at least a fair degree OF
accuracy. This work Of testing the
cows 10 generally admitted to be OF
fundamental importance in tho man
agement Of a dairy. It can be done
BY the farmer himself, BY means of .
milk scale and Baboock tester, or
It can be done by outside parties.
stthsr comparatively in the cow-tsst-
Ing association, or by the system OF
ofYlcial testing OF dairy cows conducted
by the experiment stations.
Omcial testing, which has been done
under the direction Of the writer
twoll) for twelve years past. has been
rrowing each year in importance to
tho breeders Of dairy animals and to
dairy farmers in general. In view OF
tho present low average production of
tho COWS in our state there II, how
ever. 4 crying nesd for further i'm.
proyement. THIS IL not likely to come
until farmers realize tho enormous
differences In the capacity OF different
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04
BUILDING UP THE DAIRY INTERESTS

cows for dairy production. and see the
necessity of determining how far the
cows in their herds give fair returns
for the feed eaten and for the labor
expended In the management OF the
herd. ...
As special incentive to better
dairying dairy COW competition FOR
the benefit Of COW owners in this State
was begun several years ago which
lasted two years. The object OF the
competition was to improve the pro-
duction of dairy cows by encouraging
official testing for yearly production OF
milk and butter fat, and to aid In the
adoption OF modern methods in the
management of dairy herds and the
feeding and care Of the cows. ~
The total number Of cows entered
was sos. Of which 44s were pure breds
and IS were grades. These were
owned by IS different breeders and
dairy farmers, more than half Of the
number being farmers who had never
had cows officially tested before, and
many were new breeders who have
only recently built up their herds. A
number of the cows did not, for var
ious reasons. complete records for an
entire year and some breeders Iouno
it necessary to withdraw all Of the
cows entered by them.
The total number Of cows for which
yearly records were obtained was sS5.
the different breeds being represented
as follows: 1853 Holsteins. 1877 duern-
seys, and so Jerseys. Records for two
different years were secured for three
Jersey cows, making SOS complsts
yearly records for the production OF
milk. solids, and butter fat. Fifty OF
these were made by grade cows, and
the balance By pure brsds. The cows
for which yearly records are at hand.
were owned by 20 Guernsey, II Hol-
stein, and 10 Jersey breeders. ~ in
all.
A large number of extraordinarily
high records were made. Nearly two
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

The principal advantages in ustns
Rasoline rather than kerosene are to
secure a higher temperature wnen
needed without forcing the heater and
70 save time by having one brooder
house serve for 200 chicks instead OF
so. The system herein described In
wolves broods Of 200. 1t is not suitable
FOR those who have only small hatones'
The 'tA' type form OF house Is used
and Is constructed as follows: The
"a" type of house is 8 feet square,
inside floor measure. has 12-inch side
walls and is 8 feet s inches from top
OF foor to top Of ridge board, The
subframing is made and both floors
laid before the upper part OF the
building is put together. The s1lls are
gotten out first. They are made OF
2x12 inch stock and are cut feet
long, with bevel at each end to form
runners or shoes upon which to draw
the house about when desired.
An opening Of S% in. x II SHs In.
is cut in the rear runner to admit
the burner box. The top OF THIS
opening is " inches from the top OF
the runner and has II In. slit sawed
into the runner horizontally from the
! two upper corners for the purpose OF
admitting the fiange. or projection, OF
the upper edge of the burner box. A
piece is cut from the runner directly
over the center of this opening to ad-
nit the collar which Ia on top Of the
burner box. The piece Is sawed out
on a inter SO that it can be replaced
and secured by single screw. The
opening made by removing this piece
Is inches in the clear.
A strip inch square and 1S inches
long is nailed to the inside of the run
ner ] inch below the lower edge OF
the opening, for supporting the rear
end of the insulating box. ..--.
The floor joists; four In number, are
made of q 4 inch stock, cut feet
long, and are fitted into the runners
with half Joint. This gives q strong
subframe that Is not likely to get out
OF square when drawn over uneven
ground. After fitting the joists into
the runners and securely mailing with
god. nails, the work Is leveled, squared.
and tied by means Of a 1-inch board
nailed diagonally across the joists.
The support Tor the burner box is
then put in, 1t is made Of three
ieces Of 2 A spiked to the rear run
sner and to the two center joists. 1t
is placed flush with the TOP Of the
joists and runner so that the flooring
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04
BY L. G. CORBETT.

distribute its branches In such man
ner(a as will best prevent 1t from being
broken during high winds or heavy
storms A notable example Of this
undesirable system OF branching 10
had in the silver maple. This tree al
most invariably branches so as to
throw two strong shoots from the
point Of branching. each OF which
grows at about the same rate, with
very narrow angle between them; the
result is. that as the branches increase
in size, the union between them not
being perfect, severe pressure placed
upon one of them has tendency to
split them apart. Everyone who has
observed the silver maple has fire.
quently seen large trees badly broken
or split after severe wind storms. IL
the tree trainer had given careful at
tention to the arrangement OF the
branches during the early life OF such
trees, these undesira Bile results. which
are so fatal to successful park adorn-
ment, might have been avoided.
Pruning then. is necessary in. order
that the habits Of tree which are
naturally bad may be corrected.
With fruit trees pruning is irnpor-
tant because It can be used for the
purpose Of checking the growth as
we'll as for the purpose OF thinning
the fruit. It Is an old and we'll es-
tablished maxim among fruit growers
that whatever tends to check growth
increases the fruitfulness Of the plant.
Pruning can be used to accomplish
this result to certain limited degree.
Plantations which are tardy in COM
ing into bearing may, therefore, by
tudicious pruning, be brought into
prof1ta BILE production.
Contradictory as it may at first
thought appear, pruning is frequently
resorted to to accelerate or augment
growth in plants. Weak growing nur-
sery stock is frequently severely cut
back during the resting period in or
der that all the strength Of the root
may be forced into the formation of
a single upright stalk which will make
the plant salable nursery tree.
Severe pruning is also resorted to
with older plants for the purpose OF
reiuvenating them. Old apple trees
and old shade trees are frequently so
treated, in order to induce them to
throw out strong new shoots
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

10 left at each corner whfoh 10 hlled
by q quarter-round moldinE. thus
making It possible to use 16-foot
stock without waste. The ends are
boarded up solid, with the exception
Of the door opening. After the paper
has been put on the casing for the
windows are nailed in place and then
the openings cut. BY this method of
construction no studs are required for
the windows.
Best results have been secured by
running the strips of roofing paper
vertically instead of horizontally, as Is
generally recommended. The laps are
made to come over the rafters and are
covered with Z 3-inoh batten. 1t
requires much less time to put the
paper on in this way and 1t presents
q more pleasing appearance.
After the house 10 inciossd and
doors and windows fitted aAd hung.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

It Is vAriously estimated that one
fourth to one-third of the NUMBER OF
cows In Wisconsin-one Of the very
best dairy states in the Union--belong
to the class that is referred TO az
"robber cows or star boarders,
from the fact that they do not pay
for their keep. to say nothing about
yielding a profit to their owners. Ac-
cording to Mr.. F. N. VOL, the main
reason why farmers continue to keep
such cows is that they do not know
how the accounts stand with the indi-
vidual cows In their herds. They DO
not know how much milk or butter
fat the different cows produce, nor
how much feed they consume, or its
cost.
There are on the other hand, many
dairy herds in the State that average
over twice ITO pounds Of butter fat
(the estimated average production In
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

ls necessary other than to remove dead
or interfering limbs or to head back
an occasional strong shoot which may
appear from time to time in the center
OF the crown. The plum. as well a.
the cherry, has the annoying habit of
occasionally producing strong shoots
from advsntitious buds alons the
trunk Of the tree or from near tho
surface Of the ground. A close watch
should be kept for such interlopers
in order that they may be promptly
removed. = ..a 81.
During the early years Of the growth
OF both of these plants care should
be exercised to secure a proper DIS
tribution Of the limbs which are to
form the framework branches Of the
tree, particularly with the Japan
pluns and the sweet cherries. as both
these species have tho unfortunate
habit of dividing into two shoots Of
nearly equal sise with close angle
between. which always forms = weak
Joint. Trees not carefully pruned to
overcome this bad habit are liable to
severe injury from splitting when
heavily loaded with fruit.
LII lhS early pcIlOu VI IHc SIo"IA
Of both the Japan and American
plums, as we'll as the sweet cherry,
the annual growth will need more or
less severe cutting back, depending
upon soil and climatic conditions. in
order to maintain them within
bounds. On general principles this
heading should be done just before
growth starts in the spring.
The European plums (Prunus
domestica) do we'll when trained after
the general fashion Of the peach. In
general, however, the main trunk of
the plum should be, somewhat longer
than that of the peach, in order that
the work of Earring for the curculio
may be facilitated if the orchard hap
pens to be located where this opera
ton is necessary.
The fruiting habits of the plum
and the cherry are more closely allied
to those of the apple and the pear. than
| to the peach, and for that reason the
shortening Of the annual growth is OF
less moment with these plants than
with the peach.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

The practical grower of trees and
shrubs is frequently taken to task oy
the would-be tree protector because
he cuts out branches which axe
neither broken nor-dead, but are IN a
healthy, flourishing condition. me al
gument used by this critic Is that IN
nature 1t Is not necessary to cut ou'
branches and otherwise mutilate trees'
that in order to allow the plant 70
assume its natural and normal form'
no pruning should be done and thar
the use Of the knife is detrimental
TO the best interests Of the tree, ana
should therefore be discouraged. Inc
practical grower however, knows too
we'll the results which follow from
this laissez faire method of handling
trees in orchards, parks. and other
ornamental plantations.
Under natural conditions plants
grow thickly; one crowds upon the
other, and In that way all supernuous
individuals as well as branches are
crowded out. Under artificial condi-
tons there is no such force at Work.
Plants are placed at distances which
prevent this natural pruning. The IN
creased amount Of food available to
plants under ARTIFICIAL conditions IRE
quently excites growth. so that the
distance between the different whoris
of branches, which naturally develop
from near the end of the growth OF
each season, becomes great, thus giving
the plant an open form and the APP
pearance of having been built by
stories BY a judicious use of the
pruning knife the gardener shortens
this annual growth. thus reducing the
distance between the branches formed
In successive years. with the result
that the tree has more compact and
symmetrical form and therefore Is
better suited to serve the purpose OF
an orchard or ornamental tree.
What has been said in regard to the
heading-in or cutting back of orchard
and ornamental trees applies with
equal force to shrubs. Care should be
exercised. however. in this heading
back process in order that the plant
so pruned should not assume an arti-
fetal form. The heading-in should be
a corrective process rather than one
which is directive: that Is, the head
irg-in should only be sufficient to
counterbalance the augm ented growth
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

This Is made into fringe by series
Of vertical Sits 4 inches apart ex-
tending upward 6 inches. The Sits in
the outer thickness of the curtain are
made to break joints with those of the
inner. Table oilcloth is used In place
of felt or woven cloth because the
become entangled in the rawlings
from the woven cloth 1t Is also easier
to keep clean. "A hole Is bored AZ
inches from the front of the hover and
the thermometer inserted SO that the
bulb IL within inches of the floor.
The gasoline tank is put in place
by cutting a circular opening sh in
chss In diameter through the rear
gable of the house. The inner end Of
the tank Is supported by a piece Of
1 K 6-inch board followed out to fit
the can and fastened TO the rafters
It is secured at the rear end by nail
ing tho square administration COLLAR
to tho outside Of the house and at the
inner end by wiring to the S-inch
support. The iron piping 10 now fitted
together and the burner connected.
All threads are we'll soaped over with
soft soap before sorewing together.
When the burner IL in place 1t should
be so located a. to be directly under
a cath the center Of the stem.
The runners are IL inches high and
are placed in the front and rear Of the
house. Runners inches high have
been tried with satisfactory results.
The runners maybe placed on the sides
Instead Of the ends This Is sorio-
Aa- - - he
to be used In orchards, because 1t al
lows the house to be drawn between
the rows Of trees with less danger OF
striking. Whatever tho height OF the
runner, the burner box should be
taken out before moving the house.
II left in, 1t might be bent out OF
shape by striking stones or uneven
places in the land. To remove burner
box, raise hover, lift out stem, dis
connect piping at union coupling, and
withdraw box. Care should BE- taken
that the wheel valve next to the tank
IL closed before disconnecting the pipe
ana that the lead gasket 10 not lost
out Of the union coupling.
The cost Of materials for the house
at prices prevailing in Ithaca. N. T.,
is S22.46. Two days work by car
penter Is SUFFICIENT to build the house.
The heater complete costs $40 In
Ithaca, N. T.; it can be made by any
rood tinsmith. The form Of burner that
was found most Satisfactory was one
that "sives a cone-shaped h]aze d.
.rected up into the radiator
instead Of being sent out IN Jets at
right angles to the burner. 1t gives
more complete combustion than the
cap type Of burner and Is capable OF
a wider range Of temperature; that
is, It can be turned very low for We
In mild weather, or will give q Tame
sufficiently large TO maintain the
arroper temperature under the hover
when It il 10 degrees to $50 degrees
below zero outside" The burner
selected should have but one control
valve, AZ it is less complicated and less
likely to clog.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04
GASOLINE HEATED COLONY BRO0DERS

can be nailed NO It. The inside di-
mansions. 1sh x245k inches, are such
as to allow the fange of the burn er
box to slide In easily. The fiangs
rests on n x1 inch strips. which are
nailed s/ls inches below the top OF
tho * IS forming the support. This
leaves space Of l n inches between
the top Of the burner box and the
floor of the house, which prevents the
floor from becoming too warm and
serves as chamber in which to warm
the fresh air that Is admitted for ven-
tilating the hover. The cool fresh air
Ia taken from beneath the house
through four 1-inch holes bored in
the 2 x4 supports. 1t is warmed by
passing over the metal top of the
burner box and as it expands Is forced
upward around the stem and down
upon the chicks. ...
The insulating box is made Of r.
inch matched pine flooring and Is Sup
ported at the rear BY resting ON the
strip at the bottom OF the runner and
in front by hooks and oySs, such ~
port. WI
4Ho HT@l OF suV AOOT - "O0O
of 1-inch matched hemlock siding and
is laid diagonally, which helps to
stiffen the building. Tho finished
floor il made Of Inch sap (white)
pine flooring. This is blind mailed
and 10 laid over layer Of building
paper. s-
The stools sre now put UP. Thess~
together with the plates, rAftsrs. and
ridge board, are made of MIN
inch clear hemlock stock. The studs
are placed flush with tho outer edge
Of the floor and are tos-nailed to it.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

theneA, 777s4 owned By n. !. SsAno.
ier OF Appleton. 0hs pro6uood
21,s72.s pounds milk, 3.Soo.1 po0odD
solids. and SsS.157 pounds nue4sr ~
during the year. This cow Wa ssvsa
years old at the beginning Of NE ~
and gave milk during tho rs days a
the year. The value OF her psoavo-
ton at % cents per pound Tor hasosss
fat and 20 cents per 100 pounds q
skim milk, was 3ss8.SA. The v1aoe
of her feed was $3.50, lesv4ng a.
ference OF 1874. dsslgnsAod . nse
returns.
The Wisconsin Dalry, Oow Cosn2soA-
ton was conducted, Ays Mr. woil - Q
part Of the general campaign for Ne
advancement Of wisconsin dahyons.
Its value to the breeders VINO tooA
part therein and to the purs-bssd M
stock interests Of our 0tats In eun-
, eral, has already been very grsat. bueA
through the advertising received nsla
the publication Of ~ maay h4DA
records made and through the s0One
1t has had upon the individual neeod-
ers and the farmers In their respso-
tive communities. But this value, i'm
portant ~ It 10, will be insim11aeane
In comparison with the influence tAoe
a general dissemination and study q
the teachings Of he compse1etua
among Wisconsin farmers Will Nsse
for the improvement of the daily
herds Of the state
Striking fundamentGi fases rsesting
to the dairy produstion Of ooWs ~
brought out by the ras~ats ooealnsd
in this important comps\1s5oa. II
remains for our fArmssA 10 hhs ID
vantage Of the facts brought out aAA
to apply in the management q Aslr
hsrds the principles which thsso N00-
trate. The standards set ~ ths oows
in the competition are high end pFob-
ably beyond the reach Of the matos1oy
Of farmers. but all can DFont b.
emulating the methods Of handling
and feeding praoticed BY the SrosoUs
who achieved the bsse rssnsas "a -
composition. Above I'll. no fsesnas
depending on the income 1som ~
herd for living can 10d thak ~ -
done his duty 10 hiusSA - An,aly
or his community. until As takes
proper steps to Ascertain whether ea1A
one Of his COWS = Yielding hSm ~
quate returns for the fSsd she sats
and the care bestowed on her. A con-
scisntious inquiry - to how rsaaessss
stand in this respect will Inevitably
lead to improvement IN the produstS6A
Of the oows and m the returns wtsAsA
will be >sscxssd IN the nAnassusas .
the herd. @s
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04
PRUNING AND REASONS WHY IT SHOULD BE PRACIICED

with such plants as the peach,
which bears its fruit upon the growth
Of the previous year, pruning Is OF
great importance, az the grower can
reduce the crop in proportion to the
capacity Of the tree. Successful fruit
growers thoroughly understand the
Importance Of gauging the quality OF
fruit allowed to be borne by a tree
to the capacity Of the tree. the ability
Of the tree in this respect being meas
ured by the rate Of growth, the variety,
and the soil and climatic conditions
to which it Is subjected.
Pruning Is Of prime Importance also
in controlling the action OF some OF
our most dreaded plant diseases The
study Of pear-blight, for instance, has
shown that this disease is very gen
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

which results from the Increased food
supply Of plants grown under high
culture.
Extreme examples Of the necessity
of heading back are almost invariably
met with In the case of poplars grown
for decorative purposes. Among or
chard trees none presents greater nee
essity for annual treatment In this
way than do the peach and the Keiffer
pear, although nearly all of the fruit
and ornamental trees while young re-
quire care in this particular.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

orally communicated from plant to
plant by insects, through the pollen,
as they pass from blossom to blossom,
or. later in the season. from shoot to
shoot 1t is also believed that the
disease can be carried by the wind
and that infection can take place
while. the vegetative processes are
active and the tissue at the ends Of
the branches can easily be entered
by the germs of the disease.
The habit Of the plum to bear early
and abundantly under favorable con-
ditions limits its annual growth to
such an extent shat after the bearing
age is attained little annual pruning
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

the ends Of the studs. The rafteSs are
first nailed tc>>tho ridge board and then
put in place and tos-nailed to the
plates. These are held in place tenn
porarily by mailing . "trip OF board
diagonalfy across them. Tho front
and rear studs are fitted In place and
then the boarding put on. Ths
boards are put on horizontally and
overlap the floor 2 inches.
The building Is Enclosed with v Inch
matched siding, planed one side, with
the smooth side turned in. The boards
for sides and roof are cut in S-foot
lengths, and since the house 10 to
be feet square inside, q small space
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04
HORSES VS.. TRACTOR.

"A great many farmers ind 1t diff
cult to understand why a tractor Of.
say, i 0 horse power at the drawbar will
not pull as heavy load as will 10
horses. This Is not because a me-
chanical horsepower Is less than the
amount Of power developed by a
horse, but is because Of the fact that
horse has an enormous overload
capacity-that Is. he Is capable Of
iexerting for a short time a great deal
stronger pull than he should normally
maintain hour after hour.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04

Another reason why pruning fs
necessary with plants grown under ar
tifcial conditions Is that some of our
most desirable ornamental trees and
shrubs have an unfortunate natural
habit of growth which results in a
method of branching which makes
trees unable to Withstand high WINDS
or heavy SHOWS. 1t Is the gardeners
business. therefore. to guard against
such branching and to so direct the
growth of the tree as to force 1t to
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04
THE INDUSTRY 1NCREAsrxn

The poultry industry has increased
more rapidly than any other branch
Of agriculture. The annual valuation
Of poultry and eggs produced Ia the
United States IL reputed to be 1t lease
one billion dollars. Tho gradual In
crease in our population, and decrease
In the beef supply will guarantee An
unlimited demand for poultry products
for years to come and at lucrative
prices