davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
Manure Is Too Valuable
for Strawberry Mulch

Chicken manure is too valuable to
be used as a mulch on strawberry
beds in most places in the Middle
West Any land good enough to raise
so or 60 bushels of corn does not need
1t, or at least only in limited quaint
ties.
Straight poultry manure could be
applied just before the plants were
set out. A small amount could be put
on the bed early In the spring if the
land is thin. But for general mulch
ing purposes, one would have to apply
too much, If it is to answer the pur-
poses for which mulching material is
generally put on.
So much plant food would be
washed into the soil where the ma
nure is used that a heavy growth of
leaves would be stimulated, and the
fruit would be quite soft when ripe.
The best kind of a mulch is one Of
clean wheat straw from which ali
chaff and weed seeds have been shaken
out. If this is not done, the grain
and weed seed that went out with the
straw may start to grow, quite early
In spring, and cause a lot of extra
work in removing it. Beds are some
times abandoned because of the heavy
growth of wheat and weeds.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
Hens Relish Succulence
in Potatoes and Apples

Raw potatoes and apples are relished
by the hens and add succulence to the
ration. However, balanced dry mash
should be used at the same time to
encourage egg production. Melon
leaves and vines are rather tough and
not usually eaten by the hens when
they have access to other green feed.
A clover pasture or the succulent leaves
of swiss chard will be much better.
Gull radishes and the leaves will be
picked over by the hens. They like
the roots but do not relish the tough
leaves. Other grasses and green feed
are better poultry feed. Much depends
on the quality Of the poultry range.
Hens In small yards will seem to like
certain tough leaves chat they will
never touch if more tender and succu-
lent green feed is available.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29

George Price, Kenosha county, handles
the entire flock Of poultry, making 1t
very successful farm venture. Grace
Roundtree, Racine county, not only
did all of the home canning for her
family but also took a contract to do
all of the canning for the Racine
County School of Agriculture, putting
up for this institution alone nearly
800 pints of fruits and vegetables.
Numerous other examples could be
cited, according to Russell, which in
dictate that club work is teaching
thrift and Industry to the rural boys
and girls as well as better practices
on the farm and in the home.
Have Special Demonstration Teams.
About $50 demonstration teams were
trained in the state last year, every
one giving three or more public DEM
onstrations. At the Wisconsin state
fair last fall 81 regular trained DEM
onstration teams put on demonstration
work. Ten of these were from agri-
cultural high schools which gave poul-
try demonstrations. Wisconsin also
sent demonstration teams to the In
ter-State fair at Sioux City, and four
to the Interstate fair at La Crosse.
1t is becoming practice in many OF
the communities of the state to use
these trained demonstration teams on
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
FARM LEADERS COME
FROM LOCAL CLUBS

"The future hope of American agri-
culture lies in the youth now on the
farm IT is important that youth in
the open country be led to appreciate
it as a future home, as well as the
opportunity it affords for a secure,
comfortable and satisfactory life"
This is the statement of H. L. Rus
sell, dean of the Wisconsin Agricul-
tural college, who believes in the boys
and girls who are at present living on
farms of America. 1t is because of
this interest that boys and girls club
work is being promoted by the Wis
consin College of Agriculture. Dur
Ing the past year more than $4,000
boys and girls have been enrolled in
local clubs under adult leadership.
Follows Established Principles.
The club work in Wisconsin follows
certain well-established principles of
club organization, viz:
First-Execution of a definite prof.
ect with possible financial returns.
Second-The keeping of records and
the following of the best practices.
Third-The organization into clubs
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
Clean Ground Is
Very Important
Sanitary NJ easures Have
Been Found Valuable
for Care Of Swine.

The Importance Of sanitary condi-
tions in the hog lot for the prevention
of disease has been stressed for a
number of years. When men first be-
gan to talk about sanitation in the
hog pen they were laughed at-the
idea that cleanliness could be of any
value to a hog seemed incredible to
those who were accustomed to seeing
the old SOW search out the filthiest
mud-hole to be found for sleeping
place on a hot summer day.
After the United States Department
of Agriculture had discovered the life
history of the roundworm and had
shown how the eggs of this pest hatch
in barnyard filth, and how they are
picked up by and infest young pigs, a
different attitude has been developed
araong farmers who have come to
clearly understand how the round
worm propagates itself and how the
so-called filth diseases can be as easily
avoided as they can be contracted by
the pigs if their yards are kept clean.
The sanitary measures that have
been found valuable for the hog man
are now considered of equal impor-
tance and value to the poultry man.
A large majority of the average farm
poultry fiocks are suffering from filth
diseases the same as our hogs. Coo
cidiosis is one Of the diseases respon-
sible for heavy chick losses every
year. 1t is caused by a parasite,
known as coccidium, with which old
chicken yards invariably become in
tested and which can be avoided only
by raising chickens on fresh ground
every year.
The coccidium parasite is not kept
off the farm through streaks of good
luck" nor does bad luck" bring it
into the yards. 1t is a natural para
site of chickens and wherever the lat
ter are raised in large numbers the
former invariably appears. The only
way to hold this, and all other sim
liar pests in check, so far as that may
be possible, consists in preventing it
from perpetuating itself. When a
chicken yard has been used for a
year, pillow it up seed it down to crops
for a year or two and raise the chicks
on other ground in the meantime. 1t
is as important to provide fresh, clean
ground for chickens each year as it
is for the pigs, If the common all
ments, responsible for nine-tenths Of
our chicken troubles, are to be
avoided.
Use Clean Ground.
There is neither satisfaction nor
profit in raising hogs or poultry in
lots that have been in use for those
purposes for a number of years con-
secutively. Get out of that habit.
Raise all young stock on fresh ground
each year. Lay out the land to be
used for hog and chicken raising with
the idea of having new ground ready
for each seasons work. 1t can be
DONE You may need movable col
ony house or two for the chickens as
well as some movable houses for the
pigs, but the expense will be light
compared with the losses ordinarily
sustained when hogs and chickens are
raised in lots that have been used
for those purposes for many years in
succession.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
Poultry Notes

- -
Dispose of all old birds that have
stopped laying.
Do not sell early hatched pullets:
they will mean winter eggs.
Hens and pullets should be put into
coop and if they do not lay slip
them to the produce dealer.
Small, weak hens with long slim
heads generally lack vigor and are
usually short-time layers.
Soft-shelled eggs may be caused by
condiments. Spices often lead to
trouble.
w. r. Hinshaw, authority on poul-
try diseases at the Kansas Agricultural
college, recommends culling of weak.
inferior birds, strict sanitation and
protection from undue exposure as
the most promising means of con-
trolling the epizootlc among fowls.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
Fall Flowing Is
Often Necessary
Wide Diversion of Opinion
as to Merits Of Working
in Autumn.

Judged solely by the crop yields
which it produces. fall blowing has no
advantages over spring blowing, ac-
cording to the Illinois College of Agri-
culture. There is g wide diversity of
opinion among farmers as to the mer-
it's of fall blowing, but facts are that
this practice may either be good or
bad, depending upon the conditions IN
der which it is done.
UnfavorabIe for Fall PIowing.
Briefly, there are three outstanding
conditions that are unfavorable for
blowing in the fall. These are: billy
lands and areas subject to washing
soils that are low in organic matter
and have q tendency to run together"
badly when fall plowed. The light
colored, fne-textured soils fall into
this group, and early fall blowing for
spring-planted crops, since it stimu-
l&tes unnecessarily the breaking
down of organic matter and favors the
loss of nitrates through teaching.
Among the benefits for fall blowing
can be mentioned the possibilities of:
getting the blowing done during a
slack season, thus avoiding the usual
spring rush; improving the physical
condition of heavy soils, clays, clay
loans and silly clay loans, because of
the freezing and thawing action :;
deeper blowing, because of the wealth
ering process and time for settling to
which fall-plowed land is subject !;
greater utilization Of the more resist
ant forms Of organic matter, such as
corn stalks and wheat straw, which
are known to interfere seriously with
moisture condition and prevent the
accumulation of nitrates when turned
under in the spring, and controlling
certain insect pests, such as white
grubs, corn ear worms and others.
Fall Flowing Necessary.
Fall blowing may De necessary in
some sections where the soil is heavy
and easily puddled if plowed a little
wet and where the underdrainage is
not entirely adequate to take care of
excess water sometimes present in the
spring. Such land cannot be plowed
early enough in the spring to get the
seed bed in shape. Fall blowing I'M
doubtedly could be practiced with ex-
cellent results on a greater acreage
Of dark-colored soils which are high
in organic matter and which are not
subject to washing.
Spring treatment of fall-plowed land
can offset or entirely destroy the bene-
fetal effects on Iilth obtained through
the influence Of winter temperatures
Occasionally, fall-plowed land is
worked too wet in the spring, but
more frequently it is left until it has
become too dry and hard.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
EARM EAC.TIe:

Is your garden ready for the first
frost?
You can fill that gully with soil
saving dam. Ask the county agent how.
The farmer who plants legumes to
build up his soil meets success bali
way.
You are throwing away money if
you leave the stable manure exposed
to fall rains.
Poison bran mash is an ideal break
fast food for those hoppers working
around the edge of the alfalfa field.
The season has been ideal for the
growth Of volunteer wheat. Destruc-
ton of it is the best insurance against
Eessian fly.
The way farm manure is handled de-
termines it's value Get it on the land
before the best part of it's fertility
teaches out.
Weeds cut along the roadsides, ditch
banks, and turn rows add to the gen.
eral appearance of the farm and are
mark of thrift and prosperity.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29

for the sake of good social time and
TO teach cooperation and teamwork.
FOurth-The rendering of a definite
community service either through the
promotion of better crops and live
stock or demonstrating better farm
and home practices.
Club work has demonstrated that It
has very important place in the pro-
gram OF the farm and farm home.
Young people acquire the fundamen-
tails Of leadership in this work so that
they become capable OF assuming the
management of larger enterprises.
Successful club members all over
the state have assumed the RESPONSE
bility of some branch of the farm
work after completing project sue
cessfully in club work. They have
taken over the management Of the
farm poultry flock, the testing of the
COWS, the feeding of the calves and
quite often the supervision Of the fam
lily canning. These things demonstrate
that through the home training in con-
nection with club work Wisconsin boys
and girls are learning to become more
efficient managers.
There are many successful club
members in the state. To show what
club work has done for a few Of them
1t will be interesting to cite several
examples.
Alice and Edith Clarke of Rock
county have sole charge Of the flock
OF sheep on the Russell Clarke farm.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
Important to Know How
to Prevent Gull Poultry

Culling the poultry flock is not the
entire solution of the nonproducer
problem, according to poultrymen at
the Ohio State university. 1t Is just
as important to know how to prevent
your birds from becoming culls as it
is to know how to Gull the flock.
There are two sets Of reasons why
well-bred birds may become culls.
When birds lack good health, vigor
and the stamina to lay heavily for a
long period, they haven't the breed
ing back of them to keep up heavy
production. They weaken, grow thin,
mott and stop laying.
Poor management, not enough
room, poorly ventilated houses, lice,
mites, insufficient mash hoppers, lack
Of green feed and milk, worm infes.
tations, and lot of other things tend
to make conditions unfavorable for
heavy production.
Culling may remove the poor birds,
but it does not improve the causes
which develop these birds into culls.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
Feeding Soy Beans
to Poultry Flocks
Rich in Protein, but Lacking
in Minerals.

Soy beans have place IN the poul.
try ration, according to poultry ex
perts at Purdue university. A study
covering a four-year period with APP
proximately 1000 birds of the White
Leghorn and Barred Rock breeds
shows that in general the soy beans
need mineral supplement to go with
the beans if they are to equal tankage
and other animal protein supplements.
Tankage carries about so per cent
of protein and 20 per cent mineral.
Soy beans are rich in protein, but
carry only about 6 per cent of min
erals. The Purdue investigation
shows, however, that a mash mixture
composed of so pounds bran, so
pounds of middlings and 45 pounds
of soy bean oil meal with 10 per cent
of mineral mixture composed of %
pounds acid phosphate, "a pounds
limestone and 10 pounds of salt will
give about the same results as 80
pounds of tankage mixed with the
bran and middlings.
In the 1923 experiment the birds fed
on the soy bean and mineral ration
produced 1875 eggs; the tankage-fed
birds produced 1919 eggs and the
birds fed on soy beans without min
erals produced only 27.2 eggs per bird
The Purdue standard grain ration,
composed of 100 pounds corn, 100
pounds wheat and 80 pounds oats, was
fed with these mash rations. This
experimental work is described in
Purdue bulletin No. 293, which can
be obtained from the university at
Lafayette, Ind
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
Proper Time to Cut Soy
Beans for Crop of Hay

Soy beans should be cut for hay
when the beans begin to harden and
the lower leaves turn yellow. Hay
that is cut before this time is rather
too green and is more difficult to cure;
if it is left much later than this stage,
some Of the leaves will drop off. They
are the most valuable part of the
plant, so far as feed is concerned, and
they should be cured with the rest of
the hay.
Soy beans are much harder to cure
than clover or timothy hay because
of the large amount of green forage
per acre and the rather coarse, green,
sappy stems. In good curing weather,
it usually requires three or four days
of curing before the hay is in proper
shape to put into the stack or NOV.
They may then be picked up out of
the windrow with the loader. In case
of rain or poor curing weather, 1t
may be necessary to turn the windows
over with a side delivery rake. Els
pecially will this be true where the
beans are very heavy.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
Rye Is Favored for
Emergency Pasture
Fall-Seeded Plot Is Desir-
able for Spring.

Rye is a good emergency pasture
crop for hogs and cattle. There Is
scarcely farm where rye will not
prove of value as hog pasture crop,
both for late fall and early spring use.
Frequently, it is worth while sowing
rye for cattle pasture to be used early
in the spring. Next to second-year
biennial sweet clover, fall-seeded rye
makes the earliest spring pasture one
can get, and therein lies its value In
some years, if the rye is seeded dur
ing the last half Of August and good
strong growth is obtained before the
ground freezes up, rye will furnish
considerable pasture during the win,
ter season.
Those who are in need of late fall
and early pasture for hogs may well
consider rye. This is not equivalent
to saying that rye can in any way
compete with alfalfa or sweet clover
for hog pasture, but the man who has
neither Of these crops started and
must depend upon spring-seeding for,
age for his hog pasture will find fall
seeded rye very desirable for early
spring use. In preparing a seed bed,
pillow the ground Immediately - the
sooner the better-and do not pillow
it too deeply. Then disk thoroughly
and work down a compact, finely pull
verified seed bed. Sow the rye rather
thickly, using from six to eight pecks
per acre. This, of course, would be
too heavy a seeding for grain, but for
pasture heavy seeding is desirable.
The rye may be seeded either broad
cast or be drilled. By drilling some
seed can be saved.
Common rye will do very well, but
if the rosen rye can be secured it will
produce more forage per acre. After
the rye becomes hard the next spring
it may either be plowed under or be
allowed to produce grain. If plowed
under In June the land can be utilized
for the growing Of sudan grass or
soy beans, which may seem to be
the most desirable crop to grow. The
last ten days in August makes the best
time for seeding, but rye may be
seeded as late as the tenth of Septem-
Der or even the fifteenth. The earlier 1t
is seeded, however, if late fall pasture
is desired, the better.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
Solve the Silo Problem
in Various Communities

Probably the strongest objection to
the use of the silo is the labor neces-
sary at filing time. However, records
show that it requires practically the
same amount of total labor to harvest
the entire corn plant in any other man
ner. 1t is simply case of mobilizing
enough labor at one time, instead of
using all fall and part of the winter
to do it. Many communities solve the
problem by working together with
their available labor and in some
cases hiring few extra men. OF
course the more help one has, the
faster the job. In few days time
the fields are cleared for wheat or rye
seeding, and the feed is stored for the
winter. The big advantage is larger
feed value obtained from the silage as
compared to any other method of har-
vesting.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
arm: EI.l2tI'

Noxious weeds, like diseases, should
be eradicated.
Good prices are stimulating wheat
production throughout the world.
Loving your neighbor isn't so easy
if he's the sort who won't cooperate.
How many colts have you seen on
farms during the past few years? In
dications point to high prices for
horses during the next decade.
All sweet potato growers would
greatly increase their yields if they
would practice careful seed selection
at digging time. This must be done
before frost.
One farmer cut four seven-foot posts
from black locust that had been plant
ed only eighteen years. Locust will
help solve the fence-post problem now
that chestnut is gone.
Grasshoppers deposit their eggs dur.
ing the fall in the hard soil along
roadsides, fence rows, and other I'M
disturbed places. The disking of those
areas will destroy lar8s percentage
of these eggs.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
Prevent Barn Drafts by
Using Good Air Flues

Special provisions for the ventila-
ton of dairy barns are important, ac-
cording to observations made by the
rural engineering department Of the
State College Of Agriculture, New
Brunswick.
Cracks or openings even including
open windows, do not provide con-
trolled movement of air; hence, they
do not provide good ventilation. They
allow a change of air, but with it ex-
cessive cooling and drafts in cold
weather. Since ventilation should be
under control, a system of intake and
out-take flues equipped with hampers
is necessary. Such fiues may be built
by the owner or bought as a complete
system.
Tests have shown that in order to
maintain the proper standard of purity
and to carry away the moisture which
Is given off through the cows respira-
tory processes, 80 cubic feet of air a
minute are needed. 70 supply this
amount of air, about one-fourth square
foot opening in both the intake and the
out-take fiues is required. This figure
Is based on fiues about 20 feet high.
Flues should go as directly as pos
sible from barn to ventilator cupola at
the ridge, as any angle or slope Of the
fiue retards the air. Since the flues
must be alright, they should be made
Of two layers of boards with building
paper between. With such fiues the
movement of air may be regulated by
means of hampers.
Intakes should be located on oppo-
site sides of the barn, because of the
changing direction of winds.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-29
BLACKHEAD MOST
COMMON DISEASE

Blackhead is one of the most com
mon diseases of. turkeys. 1t is caused
by a microscopic parasite that affects
especially the liver and ceca (blind
pouches of the intestines) of birds
from six weeks to four months of age.
Older turkeys or chickens, however,
are not immune to the trouble. Chick
ems may be a source Of infection and
not show signs of the disease
The term "blackhead" is misleading,
as any disease which causes q de-
crease in the oxygen supply Of the
blood may cause the head to become
darkened in color. The characteristic
symptoms are drowsiness, a tendency
to lag behind the flock. loss of APP
petite, diarrhea and sulphur-coored
dropp1ngs The dark color of the
head is common, but it is not always
reliable diagnostic symptom, as it
may be the result of some other
trouble. AS the disease progresses the
feathers become ruffled, the wings
droop and general debility is noticed.
Usually, several poults are stricken at
once.
Treatment for blackhead is of little
value. The hope is for prevention.
Remove birds to new quarters and see
that drinking and feeding vessels are
thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
Sick birds should be killed and burned
or buried deeply. A treatment which
Is advised by some is as follows: For
each 20 birds give two teaspoonfuls
OF powdered ipecac mixed in mash,
twice week until the poults are three
months of age, then reduce the dosage
one-half and give once each 10 days
until the birds are ready for market.