The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-07-09
WEEKLY NEWS NOTES
Sow a Catch Crop

1t is not too late to sow catch crop.
Much feed can be raised yet this year
If we have few good rains in July
and August. What feed that may be
produced will have a high value next
winter. A catch crop sown now viii
save many dollars worth of high
priced corn during the winter months.
Good forage helps supplement the ra-
tion of cattle, horses and mules.
Corn for the silo may be planted yet
and considerable amount Of good
silage secured in this way.
| Those fields of corn so badly infest-
ed with the chincb bugs that they will
yield no corn, may be planted to cow
peas and considerable amount of
good hay, high in protein, secured.
As the chinch bugs do not work on le-
gumes, no damage from this source
need be feared. All that is necessary
for getting the ground in shape is a
good thorough disking,
Millet also is excellent for catch
crop. 1t can be sown during the next
two weeks with excellent chances to
make high yield of good grade hay.
True, chinch bugs work on millet and
do considerable damage, yet this in
jury can be lessened materially by
proper methods of handling. If the
millet is to be sown on ground where
chinch bugs have taken or greatly
damaged the entire field of corn, the
corn should either be turned under
with breaking pillow and the ground
worked Immediately to keep the
chinch bugs covered up, or else the
ground should be disked thoroughly
SO that the bugs are killed or buried
too deep to crawl out.
A dust barrier by the furrow and
log method should be made if any
chinch bugs are coming from the
wheat fields to the millet. The chinch
bugs keep up the movement from the
wheat fields for eight or ten days af-
ter the wheat is cut. The Hungarian
millet is probably the best variety for
sowing this late in the season.
Gull the Farm Hens
1t is estimated that two-fifths of
the Missouri farm hens fail to pay
their feed bill. Unless a hen lays
from 60 to rs eggs year, she is be-
ing kept at loss. High-priced feeds
make it vital that only good layers be
kept. To rid the farms of low pro-
ducers, each flock owner should prac-
tice some method of culling.
One Missouri county reported that
38,329 low producing hens were culled
from 1858 farm flocks in the fall of
1918 with an estimated saving of more
than $32, 900 for feed. Proper culling
reduces the feed bill but not the egg
production.
Culling for vigor is fundamental,
yet this is not enough. The perform
ance of the hen on the nest is the crit
orion that proves her value.
The trap nest method is the most
accurate, but unfortunately poultry
keepers are not in position to use this
method
The habits of the hen indicate to a
certain extent her status as a pro-
ducer. The highest producers are ac-
tive, busy, friendly and happy. They
are the first off the roost at day
break and the last to retire at dusk.
During the day, they are usually
ready to lay. They frequently sing
while they work. If handled, they
are quiet and seldom squawk.
The poor layers loaf and may be
found in the houses or on the roosts
good share of the time. If caught
they become very much excited.
The ideal time to cult is about the
middle of the moulting period which
usually comes in August, September
or October. At this time the hens
have finished the heavy season of
production and the poorer ones have
stopped laying. The low producers
will not lay during the fall and win
ter months and should be sold.
All mature, vigorous pullets should
be kept. Any weak, understood, late
Matched or deformed pullets should be
culled out in the fall.
When hen molts she has finished
her laying season. The good produc-
err keeps on laying late into the fall
until approaching winter forces her to
stop and renew her coat of feathers.
The poor producer exhausts her laying
energy in the spring and starts mott
ing in July, August or September. The
early molter sheds slowly, while the
late molter sheds quickly.
Prominent yellow pigment in yell
low-skinned birds at culling time is
good indication of poor egg pro-
Queer. This is especially evident in
shanks and beaks and in ear lobes of
birds belonging to the Mediterranean
class. This character does not apply
to Orpingtons or other white-skinned
breeds.
With Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Is
land Reds, Wyandottes, Leghorns and
other yellow-skinned breeds, healthy,
vigorous pullets have prominent yell
low shanks and beaks before they
start laying. During the laying sea-
| son this color very largely disappears