The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1919-10-31

grower who does some of this hill
selection work this fall and we will
appreciate the name and address of
all growers who will have seed plots
next year planted to hill selected seed
and especially so if the Russet Rural
is being grown.
Alfalfa Seed for Next Season
Without doubt a large amount of
alfalfa seed will be used by the far
mers of Van Buren county next year.
1t is important to secure the right
type of seed if the alfalfa field is to
be success, for while the best seed
to be secured may not give good re-
suits, if other things which make for
success are not looked after, poor
seed or seed of a variety not adapted
to our conditions may be the cause
of failure when everything else has
been done to insure success.
From test work done by David
Woodman in Cass county, we have
every reason to believe that the hy-
brid variety Cossack may prove to be
the variety best adapted to southern
Michigan conditions with Grimm per
haps a close second. There will be
big demand for seed of these two
varieties next spring and there may
not be enough of the genuine seed
to go around, therefore, those plan
ming on sowing alfalfa should attend
to securing their seed early. If it is
not possible to locate such seed as
the grower desires, through the local
seed dealers, it may be possible that
we can help either the local dealer
or the individual farmer to find the
seed needed through the cooperation
of some of the County Agents in the
northwestern states. We will be glad
to learn of your needs.
Lights for Chickens
During the next five months those
keeping pullets or hens for winter
egg production will find it very
profitable practice to supply them
with artificial lights, strong enough
and long enough night and morning
so that they can see to pick up small
grain out of deep litter. Each day
the chickens should have twelve to
thirteen hour day. This practice has
been tried out carefully by several
Experiment Stations and has given
a greatly increased egg yield when
eggs are scarce and high priced,
without markedly cutting down the
egg yield during the natural flush of
production, March, April and May,
and without at all cutting down the
yearly production, this Of course, re-
sulting in a greater net income ~
the year
There are several points which
should be understood in regard to the
effects of light on the health of the
fowls before they are installed. The
lights should not be used longer than
will make a thirteen hour day, the
hen needs to rest at least eleven or
twelve hours each day. To use lights
longer than thirteen hours will re-
suit in very high egg yield for a
Inc, -. ...e he@S c-.:::.:ot stand ,,he
strain long and go all to pieces with
production falling off greatly. The
moderate use of lights seems to re-
suit in even greater vigor and health
than the use of no lights. The type
of light is not important, but of
course electric lights are the handiest
where it is possible to install them.
This Office will be glad to go into the
matter of lights for layers in detail
with any interested party and can
give some first hand information as
the writer has had considerable ex-
perience with them and at present
has 80 early hatched pullets under
lights.