The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1921-05-18

deserving, honest farmer, who will
show the disposition and willingness
to try to grow feed for some cows
and hogs, can get assistance, if nee
essary, in getting a start.
There is no farm project that shows
more net returns than poultry. If
none are sold, the eggs and meat
may be made to supply family with
half of their requirements for this
kind of food. A poultry house of
some kind is needed, but need not
cost much. The house should be dry
and tight on three sides to prevent
drafts. Large windows, one of which
is covered with muslin, are a help.
The average poultry house is not
nearly what it should be, and usual
ly the main requirements for i'm
proving them is just little work by
someone who is interested and has
some knowledge of what a poultry
house should be.
Any farmer who does not set half
a dozen or more hens, or an incu-
bator, certainly fails to appreciate
the taste of fried chicken. Women
often could complain that the men
will not help put the hen house in
shape so they can raise chickens, but
they do not have any trouble getting
these men to eat the fried chicken,
or even a fat hen boiled with pot pie.
Fix up poultry house, if only
some dry goods boxes, for half a
dozen hens. Keep one breed, and
keep these pure. A year old hen
lays twice as many eggs as a two
year old, and two year old twice
as many as a three year old. The
four year old is fit only for brood
er. Have some fried chicken this
fall, and lots of eggs to fry next
spring.
Many wheat farmers, and others
as well, will say they can buy "gard-
en- sass" and vegetables cheaper than
they can raise them. From expert
ence and observation it would be
more truthful to say that We can go
without these things easier than we
can raise them.
Take the best land on the farm
for garden. Apply plenty of we'll
rotted manure, and thoroughly disk
and mix this with the soil before
blowing. This should de done in the
fall. Get the soil right by blowing
disking and narrowing. Two acres
is not too large to grow vegetables,
sweet corn and potatoes. There are
small fruits that can be grown on
every good farm, and these could
be put along one side or end of the
garden. Make a regular plan and
have a regular garden.
Do not plant too many things in
a garden. Plant everything in rows
three feet apart, so that the garden
can be cultivated with a regular corn
cultivator. Give things room; there
is no use crowding on a farm. Most
of the garden should be planted to
potatoes. Plant a few very early
ones, and the balance to the variety
you like best for winter use. Plant
some early sweet corn, Golden Ban
tum, and get this in early, and q
planting a couple of weeks later, fo1
late corn does very well. We make
two paintings.
} If the rows are $50 feet long, plant
eight rows early and eight rows la.
ter. Put in one row of early peas
and enc of late, one of parsnips anC
one of carrots or more it they are es
pecially liked. Two rows of snaI
beans, one early and one late. Th'
Navy bean often does not do so wei
in the garden, as the ground is to-
rich, but the string beans that ripper
I are good fer winter cooking. Only
I part row each of radish, lettuce, tur
nip, beets, rutabaga, ETC., need b
planted. A row of onions is not to
much. If they are especially like
z enough sets should be planted fo
; early use, and seed planted for lat
Z or winter use. The smaller can b
; kept for sets next year. Tomatoes
{ cabbages, cucumbers, squashes, etc
Z should be planted. We have goo
s solid Hubbard squash until April
: Consult neighbor or local garder
s er as to varieties.
{ A garden means some work, ar
5 where irrigation is not possible, +
{ suits are not always satisfactory.
7 was very dry last year and our t
{ matches were drying up. We handle
I water and soaked up the soil alol
- the rows just once, and had all t
= tomatoes we could eat and can. Y
dug holes between the plants and fl
ed these, and after the water. hi
. soaked away we filled up the hole
: Every farm in the dry country shou
arrange to water at least a smi
garden.
What are these things worth?
+. the farm, having them means heal
and happiness and prosperity. Dol
: without them means stunted grow
I. of children, often sickness and fins
cial failure.