davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
SEED CORN FREE FROM WEEVILS

mediate attention, as the weevils in them will continue to multiply except during the coldest part of the winter. Ears showing light infestation should be shelled and the grain cleaned to remove the live sweevils. If necessary to store corn that does not have good shuck protection, damage will be re- duced if the corn is shucked, shelled, cleaned and put in bags of closely woven cloth.
 The .shelled corn must not be stored in large mass or 1t may heat during periods of high temperatures A slat- ted crib lined with galvanized wire netting. having 4 inch meshes is ideal for the storage of the bags of grain, as it provide good ventilation and ex- cludes rats ana mice. Fall and early winter injury by weevils in corn from poorly protected ears can be prevent cd by fumigating if one has gas tight storage bin. Farmers bulletin 799, Carbon Disulphid As An Insectf- cide,' tells how fumigating can be done.
 The importance of selecting for seed ears well protected by shucks that ex- tend tightly several inches beyond the tips of the ears is pointed out by the specialist. It is best to make the se- lections in the field. But whether seed corn is selected in the field or from the bin, it Is desirable not only to se- lect the best ears but to be sure that the ears have long, tight shucks. Such selection will now insure better shuck protection in future crops against iI.- sects--the corn worm as wei. as the weevil.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
WEEyIL-INFESTED EARS
CLEAN UP POTATO CELLARS

Clean up the potato cellars now and don't wait until harvest, says the Uni ted States department of agriculture in pointing out that the potato crop promises to be a big one. and that there is no excuse for allowing losses by rot in storage,
 Among the suggestions the depart ment makes are the following: Get rid of eyry bit of vegetable matter in the storage cellar: sweep and brush until it is clean; then give thorough dose of fungicide, either gas or spray, the quickest and easiest to apply be- ing formaldehyde gas FUNGICIDES TO USE
 For each 1000. cubic feet of space use 10 ounces of formaldehyde and five of potassium permanganate. Pour the formalin over the permanganate in a deep container and then leave the cellar immediately. because the gas is given off at once.
 should it be found that these chemi- calls are too expensive, the depert- ment recommends a, bordeaux mixture of 5-5-50 strength. It may be applied with hand sprayer. pump or broom; 1t is effective when thoroughly used and 1t does not cost much
 It is expecting too much, says the department, to. look for potatoes fit
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
Egg Quality Improved

Federal food inspectors of the bureau
 of chemistry, in keeping a close watch
 on interstate shipments of eggs, have
 found a marked improvement in the
 quality of this seasons market eggs, ac-
 cording to the officials in charge of the
 enforcement of the food and drugs act. The finding of fewer bad eggs in the marke' is attributed by the food officials to the educa tional campaign, carried on jointly by the food administration and the department of agriculture, to induce dealers and shippers to candle the eggs as near the source of production as prac- ticable, thus eliminating at the start most of the eggs likely to go bad before reaching the consumer, and to systematic inspection by federal and state food in- spectors. Many of the eggs eliminated are suitable for food at the time of ship ment. but are in such condition that they deteriorate rapidly and become unfit for food by the time they reach consumers in distant markets. Car<ful candling enables the producer or shipper to di- vert to local use these eggs that will not stand shipping.
 Reports received by the bureau ,f chemistry reveal that in some sections where formerly from 36 to 60 eggs were found bad in each case at the consuming centers. now the loss is only from one tc two eggs to each case. It is believed by the food officials that as proper meth ods of candling become better known and more generally practiced the loss from spoilage of eggs will be so reduced throughout the country as whole .o make an enormous total saving in the | resources of the nation. Complete in- structions as to methods and devices for candling can be obtained from the bv- | reau of chemistry food research labora- tory, 1883 Chestnut street. Philadelphia. or g Jackson Place. Indianapolis, Ind.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
Bulletin on Spraying

To give fruit growers a more intimate knowledge of spraying materials, spray ing machinery. and the why's and where fores of spraying so their operationt may be more uniformly successful, a hand book on spraying insecticides and important insect pests has been published by the United States department of agri- culture as farmers bulletin 90S. Orchard spraying. it says, is an exceedingly cheap form of insurance for the fruit grower against the group of insect pests and fungous diseases preventable by this treatment Although it may be expen- sive. the crop value both as to quantity and quality is so greatly increased there- by that it is comparatively small in- vestment The bulletin contains direc- tons for the preparation and use of the more important insecticides necessary in combating the various insect pests fl orchard, vineyard etc, as well as other information of use in preventing or re- ducing insect losses to these crops. Va rious types of spraying apparatus, noz. zles. etc, are described and illustrated with special reference to their use in or chards and home grounds ready ref erence table for dilutions of sprays is given with a chart showing what sprays may be combined and upon what plants they may be used. The bulletin giv ss an important list of insects with spraying schedules for their control.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
JILL SLACKER HENS AND BULLETS, RUSH OTHERS
Editor Issues Challenge

The weekly reports of the county demonstration agents coming to ex- tension headquarters at Auburn are full of interest and encouragement. They show in very definite way that Ala abama farmers are making most rapid progress, not only in growing more crops. but in growing them in scientific way.
 Tke creameries of the state are turn ing out around 100000 pounds or more of butter this year. Tick eradi- cation is resulting in not only more beef cattle being grown, but in bet ter cattle In Conecuh county. Agent P R. Pettis reports that the interest in pure-bred cattle is increasing as tick eradication progresses. Many farmers in this county are planning to purchase pure-bred bulls this fall.
 Editor Clarke of the Franklin Times of Russellville has challenged the pig club members and every other person in the county in pig growing contest, Some of the pig club boys and girls are giving pr. Clarke the fight Of his life" in this contest Demonstra- ton agent J. D. Wood is the referee, and has just recently weighed the pigs of pr. Clarke and of Miss Hovater. These pigs are four months old, and on date of weighing. Dr. C1arke's
  Is a battle royal. and the editor pro- poses to show his readers that he knows how to do something besides push a pen"
 Up to August 1, there had bean thrashed in Morgan county 11,734 bush els of wheat, according to Ernest CarDes, the county demonstration agent He reports that at recent meeting which he held for the colored farmers, 25 were present, 12 of them being landowners, and every land own CT agreed to put on a soil building demonstration this fall, beginning with 8 clover crop for winter.
 Mir. Carnes is putting on his soil- building demonstration on the farm of MT. D, NJ. Chunn in Somerville. The land selected for this demonstration is now growing cotton and rye and will be sown in the middles this fall as cover crop. Next spring the rye will be disked and turned under, and the land planted to corn and velvet beans The corn will be planted in wide rows, with velvet beans in each row of corn and cowpeas or peanuts planted in the middles. In the fall wheat will fol- low the corn, and will be well fertilized with stable manure. and lime will also be applied. The following spring rcd clover will be sown on the wheat The purpose of this demonstration, says Mir. Carnes. is to increase the yields of crops from 50 to 100 per cent by the use of legumes and a system of crop rotation
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
Turn Rabbits Into Profit

Fully 100000 wild rabbits are killed in the United states every year. accor.l- Ing to eseimates made by the biological survey of the United States departnea It of agriculture Many of the mare Jack rabbits. the majority of which have not been utilized in the past. If all the rabbits killed were consumed they wouli represent between 9oo.ooo and aoo.ooo toas of valuable food. and if proper measures wore taken to Insure the collection If skins, these alone would have value of go. .0O0O00 The biological survey has fre- quently been called upon t3 help west ern farmers in coping with the rabbit pest. In view of the probable economic value of rabbit meat and fur in the com ing few years. the energies of sthef arnir CTS and ranchmen will be directed 10 the conservation of this Important re- source. Already . number of establish ments for collecting. dressing canning and shipping rebbit meat are in opera ton in western ccnters. As In Australia the transiticn, of the wild rabbit in this country from itsf etatus as pest tO source Of proft is assured. 1t Is helteved.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
The Educational Film

4 !. The proposition to teach by motion pictures in the public schools of Amer ica awakens a lively interest in the minds of the small boy Motion pie lures will give to lessons zest which nothing else could impart, and for the benefit of prosy old educational authorities, we submit n .boy's idea of correct scenarios for a course in early American history:
 Motion picture of the ride of Paul Revere. Show Paul Revere coming lickety split on a motorcycle. He humps in rapid succession two baby carriages. pushcart. fat man, wh, was crossing the road. a deaf old lady. lame man with a pair Of crutchss and grocer's boy with basket full of eggs, which break Show that Paul gets a punctured tire and has to stop by the roadside to make FepaiEs. This gives the angry people, whom he bumped time to catch up with him. The nurses hit him with the baby car- riages. the pushcart peddler belts him with bananas. the fat man strikes him with his cane. the dog bites him on the leg, the lame man breaks crutch over him. and the grocer's boy jams the egg basket down upon hts head. Paul runs to Lexington for his life. and-Passed hy the board of censors.
 If motion pictures In the schools are to be successful to q juvenile educa- tion. they must be like in spirit ana treatment those which the kiddics prefer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29

Grow the best shuck- protected corn; store the weevil-proof ears in thclr shucks; shell and clean and feed, or sell, the unprotected ears as early as possible.
 This is the general plan for reduc- ing insect damage, now and in the future, recommended to the se corn grower in southern weevil-ln- fested sections by specialists of the United States department of agricul- ture. The measure should be put inso effect now, as the crop is harvested and as seed for planting next year IS selected. Tn Farmers bulletin 9la, How to Reduce Weevil Waste in Southern Corn.' n.'erecently published. . specialist describes in detail the meas ures recommended. .' Harvesting should be done as soon as the corn is sufficiently dry. the specialist says, in telling how to han dle this years crop to insure m1nl- mum loss from weevils After hhr- vesting, the ears should be sorted into two classes--an operation which can be done rapidly indoors with ordinary farm labor at time when it Is tco wet or stormy to work in the field. The first class should include all of proof shucks. These ears may then me stored in their shucks until such time as they are needed
 WEEVIL-INFESTED EARS
 The second class should include all ears with tips protruding beyond the shucks, with loose or open shucks. and any others that are probably infested with weevils. These ears require ini-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
Courageous Diseases

In dealing with contagious diseases of cattle the basic principle of prevention is to keep carriers of infection away from the herd. Next in importance is main taining the surroundings in a sanitary condition. Following this, the animal 5 natural resistance to disease should be increased by natural and occasionally by artificial means. Ordinarily. disease stalks about the country only in the bodies of diseased animals or attached to some intermediate object; these may include healthy or recovered animals, contamn- ated feed and water, infected cars and pastures, or the shoes or clothing of some inquisitive person who insisted on sec ing the diseased stock. Avoiding such diseased animals and keeping healthy ones away from carriers of infection are the important methods of preventing disease
 The lack of immediate action upon the part of the farmer when he discovers animals that show symptoms of dises, se or sickness often is responsible for the loss not only of his own 'stock but for tkat of his neighbors. At this time when every step should be taken promptly to avoid losses and to conserve production, 1t is all the more important that the farmer with sick cattle should get in touch at once with the local veterinarian or county agricultural agent.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
Wheat Bulletin Free

Alabama farmers are not left in the dark as to what the government would like to have them do in supplying their part of the worlds food supply. The United States department of agricul- ture has worked out a plan by which each state can judiciously increase the acreage in wheat for the 1918 crop without encroaching unduly on the acreage required by other necessary crops.
 Alabama farmers grew in 1918 about 50 per cent more acres of wheat than the preceding year, which was in ac- cordance with the governments request after consultation with the agricul- tural leaders of the state.
 For the wheat crop to be sown this fall, request is made that Alabama farmers make an increase of at least 10 per cent, that is, that they increase the acreage of wheat sown this fall to at least 158,000 This requirement. has been received from Washing ton by Prof. J. F. Duggar. director of the extension service, with the request that he bring this national need to the attention of the Alabama farni- agents and otherwise Professor Dug gar expressed the belief that Ala bana farmers can and should make 7 somewhat larger increase than the minimum suggested, and believes that this increase should come up to 20 per cent He does not advocate the plant ing of wheat in the counties close to the gulf coast, but urges that every farmer from central Alabama north ward, have patch of wheat producing at least enough for consumption on that particular farm. and expects that the northern part of the state in addi- tion will produce considerable wheat for sale that is, for feeding Ala bamians who live in our principal cities.
 The bulletin of the experiment sta tion at Auburn, on wheat has been in such demand that the supply has been exhausted. However briefer publica- tion will be promptly prepared in Sep tember for distribution giving varie- ties, directions for fertilization anl for prevention of certain diseases. It is free for all who wish it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
Foulbrood Among Bees

European foulbrood--a disease of tha brood of bees which has caused great losses 10 American beekeepers-is often confused with American foulbroou, though it ia a distinct disease and re- quires different. methods of treatment. That beekeepers may become familiar with the symptoms and measures to- control ot European foulbrood, the Unite States department of agriculture has just luhlished Farmers Bulletin 975, '''fhe Control of European Foulbrood." Wnsa strong colonies headed by vigorous queens Of resistant stock are present, this ma F ady will usually make little if any head way, according to the bulletin. If the disease appears because of an absence ot some of these precautions certain reme dial measures, described in the bulletin should be put into practice.
 Symptoms of European foulbrood arc variable, color being perhaps the moNt constant symptom. The earliest indicf ; tions of the disease are a slight yellow or gray discoloration and the uneasy move, fnent of the larva In the cell As the de cay of the infected cells proceeds fife color changes to a decided yellow of gray. symptom of the greatest ln'- portance is the fact that the disease ta ks drone and queen larvae nearly as qu ckly as those of the workers. The dls ease IS very infectious at times, put T wsakens rather than kills the coloni;s If the colony is strong it can usually withstand ar attack of European fo"i. brood, anG will clean up the diseased cells. But wheer the disease is pers-ss- ent, ard the bees are not able to ward It off, the teekeper should remove the queen ana strengthen the colony by com b,nlrg the bees from two hives, and aftsr sl trace of disease has disappeared give the colony a young, vigorous Italia queen of resistant stock. A queen whose colony becomes badly infected is rarely or any value and should be killed. Fir ther details for the prevention and eradi- ation of European foulbrood are col ta ined in the bulletin referred to, a copy or which car be obtained so long as the ipply lasts by applying to the United S-ates department of agriculture, Wash ington, D. c 4
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29

Marked success of the creameries ot Wisconsin and Minnesota-the e"o
 largest butter producing states in the
 union is due principally to the fact that they produce butter of good quality and in large quantity to meet market de
 ma pds. Marketing practices of cream cries in these two states were made the subject of study by the United States department of agriculture in co operation with Inc University of Wisconsin, tae
 Urivs rsity of Minnesota, and the dairy and foe d department of the latter state
 A report of the study has recently beer ture ir Bulletin 690. The bulletin sug gests that W here it is possible creameries should co operate in producing a uniform high gr:.sie of butter and make shipmen 5 tD market in larger quantities than IS possible when they operate separately. It urges alss that creameries become bet ter inforfacd regarding the market con d,ti.ns ana outlets for the sale and dis trihution Of their product.
 Most of the creameries in Wisconsin ard Minnesota buy separated cre't,A rather than whole midlk on a buttersat basis. Thig plan reduces the cost of Cot : lecting and enables the dairyman to keep the skim milk on his farm Where whole milk is sold to the creameries usually pa skim milk is returned to the patrons. Ruttermi.k also is sold to patrons to De
 used as feed
 A number of creameries recognizing se relation of poor cream to poor butter. which cn the market sells at low pr:cs. have sought to encourage mQDe frequent cream aud by paying a premium of rom 2 to erxts pound of butterfat for the better Erade;, of cream. This plan mas met with the approval of many dairymen.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
First-Class Cowpea Hay

Large quantities of cowpeas have been sown this year on small grain stubble for hay, and the harvesting season will soon be with us. It is highly important that every bit of the lay be saved, and in the best possible shape. The best stage to cut is when
 the early pods begin to ripen says r. F. Cautl.au of the Alabama experi- ment station. Cowpea vines are soc- cuient and are not easily cured
 Newiy made hay should have bright green color and sweet aroma.
 To get these qualifications the hay should not lie in the swath exposed to hot sunshine for long time, or to alternate dews and sunshine
 Reavlnes may be cut in the morn
 ing, as soon as the dew is off and lie in the swath 36 to AS hours If the growth is heavy, they should be stirred with a rake or tedder the second day after cutting. After lying in the swath two days, the vines should be raked into windrows and left there to cure Tor be thrown into small cocks to com plete curing.
 There are some simple devices that
 greatly aid in curing hay. Tripod frames upright stakes with crossbars and slated floor pens are easily made, and greatly facilitate the making of first class hay, especially during un- favorable weather. The tripod frame consists of three small, six-foot poles fastened together at the top by nail- ing or bolting, and the bottom extend ing out so as to form the three legs of a tripod. To hold the legs in place
 and to support the peavines while
 curing three similar poles may be from the ground. to the legs of the tripod. From 200 to 300 pounds of cured hay may be made on each frame. If an old burlap sack or regular hay cap is placed over the top to shed tre rain, the hay may remain in the field several months without much damage.
 The upright pole with crossbars is made by setting an eight-foot pole in the ground and mailing on the three- foot horizontal strips. about two feet apart The hay is piled about the ',p- right pole and capped over with al bunch of grass or hay cap.