davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
By CHARLES A. wHITTLE

Will a farmer be justified in conclud- ing that since the velvet bean is a legume and takes some nitrogen from the air that. therefore. it will not be necessary to use nitrogen in the fertilizer for the corn with which it is planted?
 In the first place, 1t is both profitable and the part of good farm management to plant velvet beans with corn. Every corn field of the south may well grow them. When the beans and corn stover is harvested by livestock, the soil fertil- ity is conserved and nitrogen especially is added to the soil But when the beans are gathered, ground into meal and sold food contained in the beans and hulls- which is considerable--is carried away from the farm.
 As contributor to soil fertility, the velvet mean is, therefore. most useful when harvested by animals in the field. Whatever it's value as humus or orga nic matter 1t is certain that it is more effective after it has passed through the animal. Where the velvet bean has thus been utilized, it will not be necessary to apply to corn as much nitrogen in the fertilizer as one should do if the seed were sold off of the farm, or as one would apply where no velvet beans are grown at all.
 The farmer can have no assurance that the groWinS NelNce peah "'h sSe' ny only enough for itself but also enough extra from the air to supply the corn where there is a need of nitrogen at ali-- and practically all southern soils need nitrogen. It is claimed by some authori- ties that companion crops may avail themselves of some of the nitrogen a legume may get from from the air during the same growing season. but no one has ever claimed that where the soil Is deficient in nitrogen a companion crop can get from the lesume all that IS needed. Recent results of experiment sta lions in the south show that corn yields arc reduced where velvet beans are grown, as compared with corn without velvet beans But on the other hand. some investigators claim that yields or corn are not reduced by the growing of velvet beans as a companion crop
 whatever may be the actual erect on
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
nv J. $. MEANS

Tn these times of high cost pork, hams and bacon, there is no easier way for one with a large family to make money than by curing one own meat. Most farmers have thefr own pigs to dress. The following methods of curing are old standards.
 preservatives--Salt salt brine, brown sugar. which improves the havor' sait- ,,eter which gives a firmness and nner co,or to the meat: and baking soda which keeps he brine cleaner ana clearer.
 prenaration of Meat---Cool thorough lv. If not. the salt shrinks the muscles and forms a coating over the meat ana the gases are not allowed to escape, Frozen meat will not allow salt or brine to properly penetrate, and an un' even cure will result,
 Dry Curing, Mild Cure-For each 100 hounds of meat pounds or salt / hounds of granulated sugar, ana v ounces of saltpeter are used. MIN Thoroughly and rub the meat once avery three days with one-third or the mixture. Pack in a barrel or DON, ana after the last application or salt, leaV Ve for a week or 10 days. Then remove wash clean III warm water anu sH,ons
 Drv Salt Cure-Salt thoroughly. Take o.re to rub well into the joints. Place ir cool. dry place for three weeks tva oh dry and resalt, leaving for three weeks more. Wash, dry and hang up to smoke. , r,;.,, salt and drain over night. Pack in a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
5O-5O Biscuits

Two cups corn, meal, ground soy beans or finely ground peanuts, rice. flour. or other substitute: two cups white flour. four teaspoonfuls baking powder, two teaspoonfuls salt. four tablespoonfuls shortening; iauod sufficient to mix to proper consistency q to 11s cups).
 Sift together the flour, meal, salt and baking powder twice. Have the short ening as cold as possible and cut it Into the mixture with knife, finally rubbing it in with the hands. Mix quickly with the cold liquid (nilk skim milk. or water) forming fairly soft dough which can be rolled on the board. Turn onto floured board, roll into a sheet not over one-half inch thick, cut into rounds; place these in lightly floured biscuit tins tor shallow pans) and bake 10 to 12 minutes in q rather hot oven. If peanuts are used, the roasted and shelled nuts should be finely crushed with rolling pin.
 In making the flour and peanut biscuits the flour and other dry ingredients should be sifted together twice and then mixed thoroughly with the crushed pea nuts.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
Big Hominy

Big hominy or hull corn preparod aE home is an old-t time favorite. Select sound white flint corn. Remove chair by pouring from one pan to another. Do this where there is a strong breeze. Wash grain thoroughly in water. To 3 pint of corn add heaping taplespoon oe soda Cover with water and soak overnight. Drain and wash thorough- ly in two waters, rubbing the corn with the hands. This removes the huils which will rise to the top and may be poured off.
 Boiled Hominy-Salt and botl corn slowly until thoroughly tender. This can be served instead of potatoes for breakfast dinner or supper With milk and salt 1t makes an excellent break fast food.
 Crowned Hominy-Heat in an Iron skillet a teaspoon of fat Fill skillet with boiled hominy and press down tight. Bake in oven until a thick rich crust Is formed on bottom and sides. Loosen from skillet and turn out on flat dish, brown side up. Serve at any meal; it is always good.
 Hominy and Cheese-Put in greased baking dish alternate layers of boiled ihominy and grated cheese. Pour over ir enough milk to come halfway to the top. Cover with buttered crumbs and brown. Serve this as substitute for meat.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
Get Rid of Rodents


 We have billions of bushels of food worth billions of dollars. Let's protect these billions. We need all of theri Let's not allow rats and mice to take their toll of millions this year-$200,- 000,00o is their annual bill of destruc- ton. Trapping, poisoning and rat proofing buildings will help reduce this enormous food loss. Organized rat hunts by communities are effective In ono Ohio town a few years ago each of two organized teams killed more than 5000 rats and a dinner for all the hunters was the penalty for the losing side Boards of trade, civic so- cieties and citizens associations in towns, and farmers and women's clubs in rural communities should find this matter worthy of their efforts Farm CTS bulletin S96 tells how individuals and communities can fight rats and mice. Write to the United States de- partment of agriculture for. it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
Breaking" a Broody Hen

When hens become broody and it is not desired to allow them to hatch chick ems, they should be broken up" as. quick ly as possible The sooner this is done the sooner they will resume laying To break hen of broodiness she should be confined to small coop. preferably with slat bottom. Give her plenty of water to drink: she may be fed or not, as desired. Not much difference will be found in. the time required to break her of broodiness whether she is fed or made to fast. Usually three to six days of confinement will do the work, but some hens require 10 to F days. The broody hen will be recognized by her in- clinatfon to stay on the nest at night the ruffling of her feathers and her de- sire to pick anyone who approaches her and by the clucking noise she makes When these symptoms disappear, she has been broken up."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
A Potato Experiment
Fly D. D. HUDoN. Ohio

The past season I conducted an ex- pertinent with potatoes.
 The ground was plowed and harrow ed April 10, and when I planted my po- tatoes I set aside three rows for an experiment.
 First Row-In this I planted the sprout end of potato in each hill, each piece having three or four short sprouts
 Second Row cut pieces out of the side of large choice potatoes, each piece having at least two eyes
 Third Row-Here I planted very small potatcesss one in each hill.
 Each row was 50 feet long and they were side by side. On May 10 the small potatoes were all up, most of the choice seed, and only about half of the sprout seed. On May 16 the rows were howed On June 16 they were stirred with five-tooth cultivator. The potatoes were dug July 15.
 The smallest yield was made by the sprout one and a third pecks. The choice seed produced two peclxs, while the row planted with small potatoes gave the best yield, two and half pecks.
 As to the size of the potatoes raised, there was not much difference between rows two and three, @but the sprouts raised the smallest potatoes.
 The conclusion arrived at is that if one is very scarce of seed they may safely plant small potatoes for a sea- son or two and get a mark ketable crop. If persisted in, however, I imagine the potatoes would become very inferior. While the potatoes grown from the choice seed did not make quite so good showing, if persisted in I believe the potatoes raised would become moro and more choice and bring l. uch bet ter price on the market.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
Raising Husky Turkeys
nv MRS. JACOB HI. zEBER

In considering the coming seasons turkey flock, the first point IS care in gathering the eggs. In the early spring eggs are easily chilled. Tur- keys have a rowing nature and stray to the fields to make their nests. When the hens become restless and stray away I drive them into the barn and pen them in the greater part of the day They generally find a place to suit themselves, which when once found they always prefer as their nesting place. The eggs can be gath cred as soon as they leave the nest. I generally keep four hens. always setting the first hen that wants to set. also give some eggs to chicken hens, thus preventing the eggs from get ting old.
 When matched l give all the little turks to the turkey hen. I choose the highest convenient place for their cocp. which is pen made of rails IL has a board roof with some old car pet or oilcloth over top. Turkeys need plenty of ventilation; sometimes I put good sized box in the side of the rail pen, into which they learn to so for shelter. In real wet weather, l take them to the barn.
 l start the poults on bread and sweet milk three times a day. h about two weeks I begin to let the old hen out at dinnertme when the grass
 is dry; young turkeys. set weak rum ming in the wet grass. After about four weeks I let them out in the morning si.d begin to feed wheat gradually twice day taking care not to overfeed.
 Another important point is to keep lice away. l dust the poults about oEce week with insect powder. Lice are generally found between the large wing feathers and under the small feathers on the head and back. As soon as the little turks are able to ge. up high enough to be out of va rious dangers I do not pen them up, but always try to feed and water them in the morning and the evening. By so doing do not have much trouble in getting them to come home to roost.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
DON'T PUT OFF HOG KILLING

barrel, hams and shoulders on the bot tom, with the side meat on top. Takc 8 pounds of salt, 2 pounds of brown sugar and ounces of saltpeter, and dissolves in gallons of boiling water. Allow to cool and pour over meat. Keep the bacon in to 6 weeks, and the hams G tosS weeks. Remove, wash, clean, and hang up to smoke.
 Sausage-To pounds of lean pork add 1 pound of fat. Run through the cutter. then spread out thin on a table and season. using ounce of fine salt, is ounce of ground black pepper, E ounce of leaf sage to each pounds of meat. Sprinkle over the meat, and run through the cutter again to mix thoroughly. It can then be stuffed in casngs or packed in jars in order to keep it. If partially cooked before placing in the jars 1t will keep for several months.
 Head Cheese-Skin the head, remove the eyes and ears, cut into quarters and remove most of the fat from the jowls Cover with water and cook un- til the meat comes readily from the bone. Remove the meat. and chop very fine. Return to the kettle and add enough of the former liquid to just cover the meat. Cook 15 to 30 minutes; season to suit. Place in pan, place
 
 lice and serve cold.
 Pigs Feet-Scrape these, remove the toes. and soak in cold water over night Cover with water and cook un- til soft. which will usually be about hours. Season to suit, remove from water, and split. Pack in an earthen jar, and pour hot vinegar over them If desired, spices may be added to the vinegar.
 Smoking Meat--Wash clean, then dry over night before smoking. Smoking closes the pores of the meat, and the creosate which is formed is objection able to most insects. It gives a desir- able flavor if the proper wood is used
 Smoke Houses--They should be 8 to 10 feet high to- give the best results. Ventilation to let out the warm air should be provided at the top of the building. Hard woods are best, rang ing in the following order: Hickory, thorne apple, alder. willow and maple There is too much tupentine in fir Wild cherry and oak contain too much tan mic acid.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
Shelter the Brood Sow
By l.. A. WEAVER

Extremes of cold and heat injure hogs more than any other class of do- nestle animals, and it is especially necessary to furnish good shelter for the brood SOW. The shelter may be good without being expensive. but i; should be warm and ventilated dry and so arranged that as much sun- shine as possible may get in to keep it dry and healthy. Sunshine is a great germ killer. but should be aided by lime sprinkled where it will help con- trol cholera and other diseases Don't cut off the returns from the mortgage raisers by supplying wet floors. filth and dark quarters. Individual hog cots and houses serve good purpose at farrowing time
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21

Cows, hogs sheep and hens are the big four of the farmers future
 The feeding and finishing business be- longs to the farm as much as do it's pas lures.
 A man may know a whole lot and yet not know enough to keep stock so 1t will keep him.
 No matter what the color of the rib- bon in horses tail and mane, if he has an I. w. w. disposition better let him go. Nothing less than actual fear of death on the firing fine, or slow starvation in the cities. vii induce some men to try farming.
 Economical production is the golden road to profits with stock and silage. alfalfa, soiling crops and sweet corn fodder are it's very foundation.
 The rose works. the hen lays eggs. the sheep grows wool and the COW brings milk and butter, while the pigs whole mission seems to be to make pork-and how he does enjoy doing t
 Paying way-up prices for fancy stock can never make up for neglect in feed and management. Blood tells. but right feeding, care, selection and manage ment talk--and always tell thestruth.s
 A
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
SET EVERY HEN EARLY THAT APPLIES FOR A JOB
J o B
Starting Asparagus

Last season We started an asparagus bed In our home garden. intending to grow this delicious vegetable only for home use and to can. The spot selected was close up against the west side of the garden fence which gives good ex- posture 10 the suns rays as well as pro- lection from the cold winds. First we made an excavation 70 feet long, three feet wide and 15 inches deep. This was filled with well rotted manure, that from an old hot bed and lot scrapings to a depth of eight inches. On top of this were put four inches of rich soil and in this the roots were set For this bed ordered 50 2-year- old roots from near by scotsman They arrived in good con- dition and were set in two rows across the bed. In setting 1t is important that the roots. which are very numerous. be well spread and not buhched Spread the roots out flat on the surface of the soil and cover with two or three inches of soil pressed down well by tramping with the feet As the plants grow the bed is filled gradually with very rich earth from the barnyard or lots where cows are kept
 It is the long tender shoots which come up early in the spring that form the edible part of asparagus and in order to grow these of fine quality and good size the bed must be very rich and the crown of the plant must be several inches below the surface.
 Heretofore 1t has been the practice of asparagus growers to use 2-year-oid roots in starting the beds but last sea son a noted eastern gardener accidently made the discovery that seeding plants grown right where they are to stand gave superior stalks as well as heavier yields than the tsansplanted roots. Some of our roots died out during the extreme dry weather of last~summer and We expect to replant with seed as early as the ground can be worked this spring. The seed requires soaking In warm water before planting to alstlre germination.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
Kitchen Patriots

It does not seem very heroic to go into the kitchen to help win world wide war, but the woman who goes with the determination to make the best pos sible use of every scrap of food used is a good soldier. Breadcrumbs can be put to so many good uses, and if every slice of stale bread is thoroughly dried and run through the neat grinder or rolled fine with the rolling pin. it can be put in Mason jars and used as needed. If it is soaked and used in making batter cakes it will be found good; it can take the place of cracker crubs in any kind of scalloped dish: meat can be rolled in the crubs before baking or frying; brown breadcrumbs make a fair substitute for breakfast food such as grapenut and the like. Where little cooking is done, the crumbs can be put away for the time when little chickens will need special care.
 Many of the papers are printing a sug- gestion for the economical use of pota- toes. Boil them in their packets for 10 minutes, when they will be ready to skin. After removing the thin peeing they can be made delicious by rubbing with butter or suet or bacon fat before baking them. If they are to be fried they can be rolled in breadcrumbs or cornmeal and fried while still hot. Cooking quickly, as they. do. they will be found mealy and delicious. One plan that has proved helpful during the coal shortage has been to cook meat and vegetables in the same kettle, and after they were started well to put the kettle. on top of the fur mace to cook slowly until needed Dried fruits cook just right this way. and any ordinary heating stove can often be used for cooking. The slow process seems to bring out all the sweetness stored in the dried fruit, and the gradual cooking causes the fruit to swell to it's full size. The fireless cooker comes in for it's share of work and is a great help in fuel sav- ing. Few people know what good fire can be made with corn corbs; if the stove is shut tight when they get to burning, they will last quite a while.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
New York Corn Muffins

Here's an old fashioned recipe for corn mullins that has recently been revived and used with unusual suc- cess in several of the larger New York hotels: To make three and half
 dozen mullins take one quart milk six ounces butter substitute. 12 ounces of light sirup or honey, four eggs. pinch of salt. two ounces baking pow der, one and half pounds corn meal and one and half pounds rye flour. The butter and sirup should be thor oughly mixed; then add the eggs grad ually. Pour in the milk and add the ryo flour mixed with corn meal and baking powder.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
By MRS. JOHN c. MOSES

Well, the chicken fever has struck many victims already in this sunny southland of ours. Many good farm wives have little biddies running about now and others have eggs under the hens Still others have incubators fired up and full of eggs. This early hatching is what pays in the poultry game It produces early fall layers.
 Mississippi Agricultural and Me chanical college is sending out in- formation to she farmers of that state on poultry raising and has placed 10 rules to be followed They are just what all poultry raisers should have before them. For the benefit of The Age Herald fanciers I reproduce them as follows.
 TEN GOOD RULES
 l. Keep more pure-bred hens of 8 good laying strain.
 3. Keep one breed; the best you can get.
 3. Select your breeding eggs from the best 1ayers--the latest hens to mott in the fall and winter.
 4. Select large, uniform eggs of even shape and color.
 5. Hatch bullets in February, MarcD and April
 G. Keep plenty of green feed where tllS HclS Cdu SIdE6 IL Ic5 uldllNs
 '. Provide good feed and housing and provide water in clean vessels,
 s. Feed a variety of grains. such as wheat, corn, oats and sunflower seed
 9. Feed a dry mash of corn meal. cotton seed meal, wheat bran and sL orts of ground oats.
 10. Keep a good scratch of straw and throw all grain feed in it to induce excrcise.
 f.. J s.-. enough feed of all the necessary kinds for the poultry next season. Utilize the fence corners and the odd bits of land everywhere. that are so often wasted by being kept idle. If you will do your small part, nature win help wonder fully. Try it. Stir up the ambition of the children to see how much really valuable food they can raise simply on neglected spots.
 SAVE THE HENS
 Save the hens! Every bullet and young hen sold for food now means a reduction of from>five to twelve dozen eggs in the potential egg supply of next spring and summer
 Hundreds of thousands of farmers who have not raised poultry will do so the coming spring and summer-re- spending to the demand for more chickens and eggs so that beef and pork will be released to help win the war. They will need young hens.
 The United States department of ag- riculture urges the saving of fowls of producing qualities so that they may be used for stock in the early spring.
 The early matched bullet is the one that lays during the fall and early winter when fresh eggs are scarce and high in price The surplus cock orels can be placed on the market when they weigh three pounds or bet
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
Pruning Fruit Trees

It Is not always pleasant to cut away parts of the fruit tree that appear so thrifty and give promise of abund- ant crops in the future. It seems almost like betraying a trust to attack the de- fenseless shrub with knife and prun- ing hook and deprive u of large part of it's anatomy. Nevertheless the one who expects to be successful in raising fruit must steel his heart and proceed to the attack with ruthlessness And 1t pays richly in the long run. for trees that have been systematically pruned always bear larger ana better fruits than those that are allowed to have their own sweet will as to how much superfluous timber they will carry around.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
sINGLE-COMB BUFF ORPINGTONs

The Orpington is a breed of fowls of which there are F varieties, and tho late William Cook is given credit for their origin. He spent many years~ in England breeding and perfecting fowl that would lay plenty of eggs, especially in winter, and with this in mind he was successful in bringing out the Black, White Buff, Jubilee and Spangled Or pingtons in the order named and in both single and rose comb varieties. Since then other English breeders have added the single and rose comb Blue Orpington.
 They lay brown eggs, and the hens will become broody, sit and rear the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-21
Hoover Cake

One cup of molasses, one-half cup of boiling water. two and one-fourth cups of flour. one teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoonful of ginger, cinnamon and baking powder sfted with flour Beat well, then add one-fourth of a cup of melted butter or drippinGs, beat until smooth. bake in slow oven in two lay CTS or one thick layer. If you must have frosting. use small cup of powdered sugar. weth with milk.
 For a chance, add one cup of rafs.ns or mince meat and little more flour and you have fine fruit cake If baked in layers. put jelly, tam or crushed fruit between.