davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
CLEAN SEED BEFORE SOWING.

Cleaning and grading the small
grains for spring sowing should be
done before the spring rush In pre-
pairing the land and sowing the seed.
Wheat, oats, barley, and fax can be
improved for seeding by running the
seed through the tanning mill at least
once. The cleaned grain will run
through the drill or other seeding ma;
chinery more evenly and thus insure
more uniform stand than can be OBJ
tanned from uncleaned grain.
Cleaning grain removes most Of the
weak and diseased kernels, many Of
which may not grow ut all, or II they
do grow are likely to produce small,
weak plants. Uniformly large, plump
kernels terminate more evenly, pro-
duce stronger plants, and yield more
than ungradcd groin containing small.
shrunken kernels.
Thorough cleaning also removes a
large part of the weed seeds the grain
contains. The preparation Of the land
for seeding destroys many seeds that
are In the ground and thus helps to
keep weeds In check, but the value
OF this work Is largely lost II foul seed
10 00wn-
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
PROFIT FROM MUsKRAT FARM
Animals Are EasIIy Kept, Become Very
Tame and Breed Well In Mar
row Quarters.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture.)
II many Of the swamps and marsh
lands which are now occupied by musk
rats are reclaimed for agricultural pur-
poses II may be necessary to start
"muskrat farming" In order to supply
the demand for muskrat fur, Is the
opinion Of biologists of the United
States department Of agriculture. For
the present, however, sufficient num-
Der of muskrats to meet demands for
their fur are trapped from marshes
and swamps that are, for the most
part, unprotected, millions Of skins be-
ing taken each year. So long as the
natural breeding places remain undis-
turbed and reasonable closed seasons
are maintained, the biologist say, there
is little likelihood of the numbers of
the animals being depleted. This is
because these animals multiply much
more rapidly than most other fur
bearers. With adequate protection In
the breeding season and with the pres
ent habitat available, from ten to
twelve million pelts can be taken In
North America annually without deple-
ton Of the supply.
The practicability Of muskrat farm.
ing already has been demonstrated.
The animals are easily kept, become
very tame, and breed well In narrow
quarters. Under present economic con-
dltions, however; keeping muskrats on
preserves Is more practicable than
keeping them in restricted quarters.
The former plan Is In remunerative
operation in the Chesapeake Bay re-
gion. In Dorchester county, Nd. marsh
land formerly considered almost use
less, and now used as muskrat pre-
serves, Is worth more, measured by
actual income, than cultivated lands
in the same vicinity. The owner OF
one 1,30O-acre tract of marsh. took in
two seasons-19O9 and 1910-more
than 10000 pelts which sold for more
than $4,000.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
WELL TO SELECT
BEST INCUBATOR
Hatcher Found to Be Successful
Locally, Usually Most
Profitable.
MANY MAKES ARE RELIABLE
Machines Most Popular in Vicinity
Enables Beginner to Learn From
Experience Of Others-Size
10 Of Importance.

If you are concerned now with the
selection Of an incubator, you have the
choice of many reliable makes. Since
1t Is not advisable to recommend any
particular machine, you would best
study the types and decide for your
self. Wherever possible 1t Is well to
select an incubator which has given
satisfaction in your locality. so that
you may get the benefit Of the expert
ence of other operators near by. Some
machines have become popular in GER
tain sections Of the country because
they were advertised extensively in
that section rather than because of
adaptability to the climatic conditions.
Don't Buy Cheap Machine.
Cheap machines are less reliable. re-
quire more attention and wear out
much quicker than higher-priced incu-
bators. AS the value of the machine is
small compared to the value of the
eggs used during the normal life Of the
incubator, 1t Is poor economy to pur-
chase machine that Is not reliable.
The details Of construction and
equipment of most incubators are 80
subject to change that 1t Is impossible
to state definitely the best kind of
lamps, brackets, regulators and other
equipment for the different incubators.
The lamp should have bowl large
enough to hold sufficient oil to burn at
least 80 hours under average weather
conditions: : IL should be easy to remove
and replace and set absolutely tight in
position. The incubator should be set
so that the lamp Is at convenient
height and the egg tray convenient to
handle.
Size Of Machine to Get.
The best size of an incubator to buy
depends upon circumstances. 1t takes
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
TRACTORS TO PREPARE SOIL
Endeavor 20 Made to Solve Farm
Pre- lr- i'd Increase Crop
oduction.

(Preparo' he United States Depart
~ Agriculture.)
The : Id and New York state
counci~ ,"fcnse have been endeav-
oring t, ssist In solving the farm
labor pr,..lcm and increasing the pro-
duction of crops in those states by
making a limited number Of tractors
available to farmers for use in COM
munities where the conditions render
ed this practicable. Last spring the
New York state council of defense
purchased number Of tractors to be
used in blowing and preparing land for
crops. These outfits were made avail
able to responsible organizations In
the principal agricultural counties
with the understanding that consid-
erably increased acreage Of land would
be planted to crops over the amount
normally planted. Last fall the state
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
PURCHASE ONLY
LABELED SEEDS
Farmers Urged Not to Take Any
Chances With Product of
Poor Quality.
MAKE A TERMINATION TEST
Homemade Device Will Tell Value OF
Seeds-CIean Small Grains Be-
fore Sowing-Send Sample to
Agricultural College.

The seed trade has voluntarily agreed
to label all field seeds with the per-
centagc of pure seed that will grow.
giving the purchaser exact information
us to quality. The United States Depart
ment of Agriculture urges all farmers
to buy their seeds only from dealers
who comply with this agreement and
not to run the risk of buying high
priced, uniabeled seed that will not
give stand in the field.
Make termination Test.
Get your seed early and make GER
mination test of 1t before sowing.
Count out 100 seeds; put them between
folds Of moist paper or cloth between
two dinner plates and keep at room
temperature for four days; then count
the sprouted seeds. II 95 seeds sprout
the seed Is good; II only small part
of them sprout the seed is either poor
or the test was not properly made.
If In doubt as to the value of the seed
send sample to your state agricul-
tural experiment station or to the Seed
Laboratory, United States Department
of Agriculture, Washington, ID. c., with
the request that 1t be tested for Qual-
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
Patience with sitters.

To be successful with sitting hens
requires careful and faithful attention
to their needs, and above all, patience.
Even with the best Of care some hens
prove to be tickle mothers and cause
trouble and loss in Matching by break
Ing their eggs, leaving their nests or
trampling on the chickens when first
bntched. Most hens of the general
purpose breeds. such as the Plymouth
Rocks, Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds
and Orpingtons make very good moth
ers. The heavier class or meat breeds.
including the Brahmas and Cochins,
are good sitters, but are inclined to
be clumsy on the nest. The Leghorns
and other Mediterranean breeds are
very nervous and usually do not make
good mothers.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
Early Hatch, Early Layers.

February, March and April are the
best months to hatch chickens, but
the sooner 1t can be done the better.
Matching should be completed IL pos
sible by the first Of May. Chickens
Matched before this time will have a
good chance to mature and be In lay
Ing condition as pullets before the cold
weather Of fall sets In, and should.
In consequence, be producers during
the entire fall and winter. This is one
of the chief reasons poultry specialists
Of the United States Department OF
Agriculture are urging the Importance
this year of the early hatch. Early
Matched chickens are also easier to
raise, as they live and thrive better
than those which are still small when
the hot weather begins.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23

against these losses regardless of the
weather conditions. The understood,
shrlveled, irregular, and cracked beans
do not terminate well and their remOv.
al will help to secure uniform stand.
No chances should be taken with the
1918 crop. Only the very best seed
available should be used.
Test termination.
termination tests should be made to
determine what percentage Of the seed
will grow. Follow the method COM
monty employed for testing the ger
mination of corn. The seeds may be
laid between moist blotters or folds of
cloth placed in shallow dish. COW
cred with a plate and kept in a warm
room; or they may be planted in sand
or SOIL
If the termination Is poor, the fact
must be taken into account when de-
Gliding upon the rate. Of planting, In or
der to insure good stand. 1t Is very
important that seed be tested this
year, since early frosts In the fall Of
1917 prevented the crop from matur-
ing properly in some Of the principal
bean-growing sections of the country.
A failure to do so may result In a
poor stand and much reduced yield.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23

and much of the seed is Of poorer quail
ity than In normal years. Therefore.
every farmer before sowing should
know what proportion of the seed he
buys cannot be expected to grow. II
one lot contains 90 per cent of seed
that will grow and another lot con-
tains "a per cent of seed that will grow
it will take three bushels of the 81 per
cent seed to SOW the same number Of
acres that two bushels of the 90 per
cent will sow.
This Is important from the stand.
point of cost alone when red clover
seed Is selling for $40 or more per
bushel. 1t Is much more necessary,
however, to know the quality of seed
In order that the rate of seeding may
be proportional to the quality, so that
enough live seed will be sowed to In
sure stand In the field. First know
how much of the seed may grow and
then SOW accordingly.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
SCREENING SEED MAY PRE-.
VENT NEW DISEASE.

Screening out the shriveled
grains from wheat seed before
planting will remove one cause
Of spreading the new bacterial
disease Of wheat which has been
discovered In many states of the
middle West. This has been
learned by specialists Of the
United States Department Of Ag-
riculture who, in cooperation
with the experiment stations Of
Kansas and Wisconsin, are
studying the problem Of control
ling this disease. Wheat kerr
nels that are plump do not con-
tain bacterial cavities, but shriv
eled ones often do.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
SELLING HENS NOW MEANS
LOSS OF EGG MILLIONS.

To effect saving of 100000
600 eggs for the food supply in
the United States, poultry spe-
cialists OF the United States De-
partment Of Agriculture are
making every effort to encourage
farmers to keep their hens until
after the spring laying season
rather than send them to market
ut this time. Figures complied
by the specialists show that
more than 100000 hens, each
capable Of producing 80 eggs, on
an average, are sent to market
from the southern states alone
In the winter and early spring.
The "Save-the-Hen" message *
being sent by the Department
Of Agriculture broadcast through
press notices and posters and
through Its county agents, espe-
cially In the southern poultry.
raising sections, where the prac-
tice is more common.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
SALT CORN TO RETARD HEAT
Acts Not Only as Preservative but Aids
In Drawing Out Water Which
Then Evaporates.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture)
Owing to the large amount of soft
corn that was harvested last fall, spe-
cial care should be given to prevent
1t from heating In the crib. Corn that
has already been cribbed without sort
ing should be worked over during
weather unfit for husking. This is es-
pecially true IL stored In large cribs
without special ventilation. Corn In
large, broad cribs freezes during, the
winter months and while frozen APP
pears to be dry. Investigations, how
ever, have shown that corn In such
cribs dries out little until the weather
begins to warm up In the spring. With
the excessive moisture in the soft,
frosted, and immature corn It is prac-
tically certain that there will be fur
Their spoilage and heating Of the soft
corn as the weather warns up.
The sailing of ear corn In cribs will
retard and In many cases prevent heat
ing. The salt acts not only as pre-
sentative but aids In drawing the water
from the corn, which then evaporates
II the corn is stored In well-ventilated
cribs SO that the air can circulate free
ly through It. The UniteH States has
carried on no special experiments with
sailed corn, bit the quantity Of salt
recommended ranges from one to two
barrels per 1000 bushels Of corn. This
condition. however, will not apply to
sheIled corn stored In elevator bins
where free circulation Of air through
the corn Is impossible. SheIled corn
Of high moisture content should be ar
tincially dried.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
SPREAD MANURE ON FIELDS
Best and Most Economical Way to
Handle FertliIxer-Nc Loss Where
Soil Doesn't W.~-.

The best and most economical way
to handle manure is to draw the ma
nure out to the fields as fast as
made, and spread It. If the ground
Is not liable to wash badly and is not
Of leachy character, there will be
no loss of fertility.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23

or three patches, so that much time IL
saved In tending to the lncubators and
brooders, while the chickens are more
even In size than those that are hatch
ed when the lncubatlng period extends
over a longer time. A fair estimate
for u poultry farm is an incubator
space of one-egg capacity per hen. pro-
vided that about one-half Of the flock
is to be renewed yearly and no outside
Matching Is carried on. The larger
machines cost less In proportion to
their capacity than the smaller ones.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
instead Of Best serap.

n II Is desired to substitute cot.
tonseed meal for beef scraps In the dry
mash for hens the feeder should be
careful not to replace more than half
the beef scrap with this substitute, AZ
the result In egg production and Ia
the quality Of the eggs will be unsatis-
factory. Chopped green bone. avail
able at the butcher shop. Is an excel
lent substitute for beef scrap when fed
fresh to the hens. Buy II In small
quantities as It does not keep fresh
very long, and when spoiled It Is ike
u 70 be harmful.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
City Chickens Need Room.

Whether the backyard poultry keep
er should try to renew his flock either
by Matching and rearing chicks or by
purchasing and rearing day-old chicks,
Is IN open question. Raising chicks
should not be attempted unless plot
can be provided separate from that to
which there is grass or where a sup
ply Of green feed Gun be furnished.
Matching under these conditions can
best be done with hens.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23

ity, including percentage Of purity and
termination.
Don't take any chances with the
quality of the red clover seed you sow
this spring.
High Price Of Seed.
Never before has the price Of red
clover seed been so high as 1t is at the
present time, and never has the guam
tity of seed on hand been so small In
proportion to the acreage to be seeded.
In years when the demand for any
kind Of seed exceeds the supply, all
available seed IL put ON the market
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23

about as much time to care for a 60
% 1t does for a 300-egg machine, 30
that It is generally advisable to get one
of at least 150-egg capacity, although
special conditions often exist which
make smaller machines valuable. A
small machine Is often used In con-
nection with a larger one, placing all
the eggs In the large machine after the
FIRST or second test. Incubators Of
from 300 to 400-egg capacity are gem
orally used on those large farms which
use individual lamp incubators. Many
poultrymen believe that It pays to have
an incubator capacity large enough to
hatch the bulk Of their stock In two
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
HOW TO HELP INCUBATOR

Follow the manufacturers d.
rections In setting up and oper-
ating an incubator.
See that the incubator is run
ming steadily at the desired tenn
perature before filling with eggs.
Do notsadd fresh eggs to tray
containing eggs which are under
going incubation.
Turn the eggs twice daily af-
ter the second and until the
nineteenth, day. Cool the eggs
once daily, according to the
weather, from the seventh to the
nineteenth day.
Turn the eggs before caring
for the lamps.
Attend to the machine careful
ly at regular hours.
Keep the lamp and wick clean.
Test the eggs on the seventh
and fourteenth days.
Do not open the machine after
the eighteenth day until the
chickens are Matched.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
SEED DEALERS TO FURNISH
INFORMATION WITH
PRODUCT.

According to a plan agreed
upon by representatives of the
seed trade and representatives
Of the United States Department
of Agriculture In conferences
last year, seed dealers will pro-
vide the following information
with all lots of ten pounds or
over of field-crop seeds which
they sell:
1. Name of scotsman.
2. Kind of seed.
3. Proportion of pure live seed
present, with month and year of
termination test. ~
4. Country or locality of or
igin In the case Of the following
imported seeds: Beans, soy
beans, Turkestan alfalfa, and
red clover from southern Eu-
rope and Chile.
Since the seed trade confer
) ences, practically all the larger
seedsmen have individually
agreed to conduct their bust
ness in accordance with these
suggestions.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23

council Of defense of Maryland bought
a small number Of tractors for SINH
lar purpose.
The results thus far have proven so
satisfactory that plans are under way
to continue the use of the tractors in
the preparation Of land for spring
crops.
In addition to meeting an emergency
the use of the tractors has resulted In
the purchase Of a number Of them by
individual farmers and groups Of farm
ers.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
FOWLS MUST HAVE EXERCISE
Grain Scattered In Clean Litter Makes
Hens Hustle FOR Feed-ThIs
Promotes Health.

Provide four or Ave inches Of good.
clean litter on the floor Of the poultry
house In which to scatter the grain
feed. The hens must exercise in order
to get on the grain. and this promotes
health and egg production.
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
Secure Cleaner Crop.

BY removing all discolored and spot
ted beans the source Of infection will
be greatly reduced, and the result will
be cleaner crop. The weather con-
ditions determine to certain extent
the severity of bean anthracnose and
blight, but If all diseased seeds are
removed the grower will be insured
The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-03-23
HAND-PICk BEAN
SEED IS FAVORED
Most Effective Method to Reduce
Amount of Disease.
PLAN TO SECURE BEST STAND
termination Test Should Be Made
During Winter Months When
Other Work on Farm Is Slack
Good Method Outlined.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment OF Agricultural
Bean anthracnose and blight are
carried over from year to year In the
seed. The most effective method to
reduce the amount Of disease, accord
ing to the United States department of
agriculture, Is by manipulating the
seed very carefully before planting.
This will eliminate most Of the spot
ted, discolored, shrlveled. understood.
and cracked beans, and does great
deal toward insuring uniform stand.
A termination test Of the seed will in
dictate whether good stand is likely
to result. This work should be done
during the winter months when work
Is slack and before the spring rush
begins.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-15
WORK IN MORNINGS
Red Cross Surgical Workers Have AT.
ternoons Off in Hot Weather.

During the hot weather the women
or Topeka are not to be asked to work
during the afternoons in the surgical
dressings rooms of he Topeka chap
ter of the Red Cross. Mrs. Chas. B.
Thomas, director of womens work for
the chapter. announced today that be-
ginning Monday the surgical dress
ing rooms would be closed after
o'clock each afternoon. They will
open half an hour earlier each day, at
$50 a. m. and the work will con-
tinue thru the noon hour.
I'VE are going to try to do as much
work >during the cooler hours of the
day as has been done during the en-
/, tire day., said Mrs. Thomas. 1T is
sincerely hoped that the women of
the city will arrange their home af-
fairs so that they can report at the
various rooms on time each morning
and remain at work until o'clock. 1t
will be easy to accomplish our allot-
ment if this is done and the women
will have the entire afternoons"
The change in hours begins Mon
day morning and the surgical dress
ing room will be opened at $3.50
o'clock These hours will remain in
force during the summer. Mrs.
Charles L. Mitchell, head of the knit.
ting division, has announced that the
knitting rooms will be closed after l
o'clock each afternoon during the
summer months, beginning Monday.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-15
J. J. LENTZ TO TOPEKA
President American Insurance Union
to Speak Here June rs.

John ]. Lentz of Columbus, O., pres
ident of the American Insurance
union, will be the speaker of the day
in Topeka, June IS. Lentz will talk
on "A Free Man, in a Free Nation,
in a Free World" and on his expert
ences in the trenches on the western
and Italian fronts and in the cities of
England, France and Italy during air
raids.
One of the features of Lentz's talk
will be his relation of the work ac-
complished by the Red Cross, the Y.
NJ. c. A, the Salvation Army, the K.
OF c.. and other kindred organizations
engaged in relief work at the front
Lentz is coming to Topeka under
the auspices of the Kansas Insurance
union, an organization of life under
writers. He will speak at the Cham
Der of Commerce at noon, June 25,
and at the auditorium in the eve
ming.