Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-22

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sometimes cheaper to buy the finely
cracked grains and mix them together
Some chick feeds contain large quantity
OF grit and may contain grains OF poor
quality. SO that they should be carefully
examined and guaranty as to quality Sc
cured before purchase.
| Chickens confined to small yards should
always be supplied with green feed, 1t Is
alfalfa clover. but the best place to
raise chickens successfully Is on a good
range. where no extra feed is required.
Where the chickens are kept in small
bare yards. fine charcoal grit and oyster
shell should be kept before the chickens
all OF the time and cracked ground
bone may be fed. The bone it is said, Is
not necessary for chickens that have a
good range
To meet any possible coal shortage
next winter, more extensive use of
fuel wood from the national
Forest forests Is being urged by
the governments foresters
| of the forest service. This
Is being especially urged in the west.
and the ranchers and town jewellers
are being advised to be forehanded in
making arrangements for the supply of
| their fuel needs.
The supervisors of the 1913 national
forests in the United States will be
instructed to afford all possible facili-
ties to local residents wishing to OBJ
| tain cordwood. which settlers may OBJ
| tain free for their home use. and which
is sold at low rates to persons cutting
and hauling in order to sell to others.
Since the material thus utilized is
mainly dead timber. Its removal, it is
explained. helps clear up the forest and
| hue Q~>
which is insect-infested. or old and de-
teriorating. or otherwise damaged or
undesirable from the forester's stand
point. Ia also disposed of for fuel pur-
poses. The demand in the next twelve
months Is expected to break all rec
| ords
1t Is a matter of common knowledge
that there IS possibility of coal
| shortage because of the increased de-
mand for coal by Industrial plants and
portation. 1t is believed that 1t will
| be quite feasible and economical for
many western communities to utilize
an increased quantity of national
| forest wood for fuel next winter. When
dead and down timber or other timber
which is deteriorating IS not available
| for cordwood. the cutting Of mature
living trees will be permitted to the
! extent necessary to meet demands. ac-
cording to officials Of the service.
| While 1t is admitted by the experts
that wood as fuel is less economical
| to handle and use than coal, 1t is in
many parts of the west cheaper, even
| at normal price levels. Stoves and
furnces, however, equipped to burn coal
usually require different CRATES to per-
NIT Of the substitution to advantage.
and this Is pointed out as one reason
why the householders will do well to
look ahead and decide beforehand how
| they will keep warm next winter and
what they will feed the kitchen stove.
| 1t is suggested that where sawmills
are operating in the woods at points
| within hailing distance of towns
there is chance to obtain slabs and
other material that ordinarily goes to
| waste. Since green or wet wood is
| both poorer fuel and heavier to trans
port and handle than dry, mill waste, it
| is pointed out by the experts, as 1t
comes from the saw Is relatively un-
desirable for immediate use. For this
| reason, az we'll as in order to be sure of
supply. the government foresters
suggest that a good sized woodpile in
winter sets in may be found a thrifty
provision.
| During the last fiscal year. officials of
| the service say. more than 10000 permits
for the free use of natfona! forest tim
Der, r-ainly in the form Of fuel wood.
were taken out by local residents The
amount of timber involved approx
| mated 100000 cords. Additional sup
plies of cordwood were obtained from
| the forests at nominal price by
| others who were not entitled under
the law to the free use of timber.
Especial effort is being made to in
crease the function and scope of the
rural deliver
p,roI nel;1er;oa service. say Off
Gals of the Post
and Bad Roads. once Department.
hut desirable extension has been handi-
canned in many localities owing to the
poor condition Of the roads to be traV-
e1ed and where local conditions pre-
clude the expenditure of the necessary
amount Of money to obtain the I'M
provements necessary to place the
highways in a proper state of repair.
Mail facilities cannot be extended to
all rural residents until the highways
in many localities have been properly
repaired. The cost of star route serV-
Ice. 1t Is said will continue to be ex-
cessive where short stretches OF bad
roads increase the difficulties confront
ing contra ctors and render service UNI
rea sonably expensive. On unimproved
highways, it is pointed out. it is i'm
possible to utilize the best type of
modern vehicle having ample capacity
properly to handle the postal business.
ORcials of the department say that
appropriations for federal aid in the
Improvement of post roads should be
applied where they will materially as
sist in the extension of mail facilities
secure efficiency in the conduct of the
mail service and increase the use of
modern motor vehicles in the convey
ance of products of the farm, thereby
providing an essential addition to the
present limited rail and water trans
portation facilities. which are rap
idly approaching the limit Of their car
rying capacity.
To secure the maximum return from
/ the expenditure of federal funds for
improved highways. the officials be-
lieve, the department should he author.
lied by law to designate post roads in
each state entitled to federal aid, the
construction and Improvement of which
would naturally remain under the SUI
pervision of the Department of Agri-
culture.