Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1894 — OUR RURAL READERS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OUR RURAL READERS.

SOMETHING HERE THAT WILL INTEREST THEM. A Low-Down Wagon for HarTMUng EnsUage Owning n. Renting Land—Durable Outside (tnUar Stair- Hran Dearer than Wheat—Pure Water for Poultry. An Ensilage Fort .l it Rack. Although the growing of a good crop of grain as well as fodder and allowing it to ripen for ensilage gives us much better ensilage than the old plan of growing fodder only and cutting and canning it green, it does not, in the least, aid us in the solution of the problem of transporting our ensilage material from the

field to the cutter. The long stalks with large, heavy ears, are" very difficult to handle. Many devices have been gotten up to aid in handling this fodder, and one of the best which we have seen is a low-down wagon described in the Ohio Farmer by F. P. Stump of the Ohio State University Farm, as follow*: The plan Is to lit the ordinary farm wagon with a rick, low enough to allow one man alone to load conveniently, a fair load. It requires for material two pieces of pino sx6inxl6 ft, one piece of oak 5x0x12 in. four pieces of pine 5x6x15 in. About 50 or 60 ft of inch lumber and four good, strong standards, of oak preferable; then four bolts jx26 in; one l j-in jointed king bolt with two iron keys, one iron plate 4xßs in, four iron plates each f-xHxj in, eight standard hands—four large, four small—with two small in bolts for each. Then a long chain completes the outflt, though the chain is not essential. The front bolster, rear hounds and coupling pole or reach must be removed lrom, the wagon and the rack bolted under the rear axle, and suspended from the front axle as shown in the cut. We find this rack extremely convenient for many other uses on the farm. It comes in very useful where one stooks his corn and draws it to the barn to husk, or In drawing the stalks to tho the barn after husking in the field. The Outside Cellar Stairs. As usually constructed, the outside cellar stairs become very much dolapidated after a few years of use, and many serious accidents occur by falling or slipping from and on the decaying steps. If stones of the right length can be obtained, they are the best possible material for the steps, the next best being plank, though neither can be depended upon unless the whole space underneath the steps, down to the level of the cellar floor, be laid up in masonry. Where

only small stone, either round or fiat, is at hand, lav up the stairs of this material thoroughly imbedded in mortar, making the steps of the needed height When this is done, cut a plank step of the needed width and length for each step, and place them on top of the stone step, as shown in the accompanying illustration. Upon each side fit a retaining board, and the result will be steps that are durable and generally satisfactory. If possible, make tho steps from two inch pine plank, covering the whole with folding doors, in the usual manner.—American Agriculturist. Bran Dearer Than Wheat. The value of bran as food has been so greatly exaggerated by some agricultural writers that the demand has put it beyond the reach of farmers who are not carried away by this new fad. In truth, bran as made nowadays h mainly the husk of the wheat grain, and it is not worth nearly so much as it used to he when much of the gluten went with it Then bran was really valuable. Now, though worth hut little, it sometimes sells at more per pound than does wheat A Can;fcla farmer took a few bushels of wheafrto mill and intended to return with a load of bran. He found the bran was sln per ton, or nearly a «ent a pound, while his wheat would hardly bring as much. He has concluded herealter to use ground whole wheat and leave bran to the fancy farmers who may prefer it. OwnlnK vs. Renting: Land. Statistics show even in the West that a large proportion of farmers Yent instead of owning their land. It is probably due to the retirement of those who have passed the three score and ten limit, and yet hold on to their farms as a safe means of securing revenue for their remaining days. We iannot believe that the renters will not buy the farms if they have a good chance. The money Is safer on a mortgage than the rent would be. When a man works rented land there is constant temptation to take from it all lie can and leave it poorer than he found it. Ownership gives an interest to make the farm better, and this is the condition that is best for both parties.—American Cultivator. Corn Suckers. Nothing of late years is said about the once common, P actice of suckering corn, that is removing the suckers so as to give the main stalk a better chance. It was always a pra tice of doubtful advantage, and cost a gieat deal of labor that could be better employed. The corn that produces the most suckeis is that whose early growth was stunted. When midsummer heats come on, developing more plant food in the soil than the single stalk could dispose of, one or more suckers were put forth to

utilize the surplus. Sometimes ears are (frown on these suckers. Uneven stand* of Corn. No small part of the failure of corn to make a (food crop comes from poor seed. It operates in two ways. The farmer who doubts his seed is tempted to plant more In a hill, thinking that some may not germinate. if half the seed failed entirely the crop would bo better. But poor seed does not operate that way. If its vitality is wholly destroyed the appearance of the seed shows it, and it is usually rejected. The consequence is that the hill has a numoer of feeble stalks crowding each other so that not one in the hill can set an ear. The poor seed ought not to have more than two stalks in a hill, and if the soli is poor also, thinning to one stalk would be better still Water for Poultry. The ordinary, V shaped trough B, shown below, made from ordinary fence boards, shows a simple method of supplying the poultry regularly with pure water, saye the Farm and Home. It may l>e made of any desired length, but eighteen inches is sufficient. In this at one end invert a live-gallon or jug A, which has previously been tilled with pure water. To keep it erect, drive two stakes at the end of the trough and lean the

can against them. If further support is necessary, tie it to the stakes. As soon as the water is lowered in the trough below the opening in the can, a little air is admitted and water flows out to take the place of that consumed. By this means water can be kept pure and wholesome und it the vessel be made of earthenware and placed in the shado It will keep' cool for a long time. Held of Honey. A writer In the Orange .Judd Farmer has thoroughly .tested his colonies, and says that when ho runs them for comb honey he ho has not been able to got any large number to average over 50 or 60 pounds to tho colony, but colonies in tlio same yard, run for extracted honey, have averaged from 125 to 160 pounds In a season. The bec9 run for extracted honey were given empty combs as rapidly as they could fill them. Ho keeps his queens clipped and has little or no trouble from swarming, m this way with the self-spacing frames in the hive, he claims to be able to care for 400 colonies, and do it easier than he could handle half that number in sections. Homo-ltrod Cow ft. A cow bred on tho farm where it is to be kept is more contented and will give better results than sho will on a strange place. This Is a strong point in favor of breeding cows for tho dairy, Instead of relying on purchasing them. Besides, it is every year becoming more difficult to buy cows of the best milking strains in tho numbers required for any dairy. The value of the test cows is more highly appreciated! anil they bring prices that make it pay for breeding them. By using a thoroughbred bull a herd of natives may be Improved rapidly, and this increase in value of the herd makes the farming profitable, even though tho dairyman gets little above his current expenses in sales of milk, butter, and cheese. Unimproved Land*. In South Carolina,of a total area of 1.?, 000,000 acres, 5,000,0U0 are lmp:oved and 8.000,000 unimproved. In Georgia, of a total of 25,0011,000 aoics, i'.OuO.OOO are Improved and 15,500,000 unimproved A similar proportion exists in Florida. In Illinois tnere are 30,000,000 acres of farming lands, of which 4,000,000 acres are Idle. There is a much larger proportion of unimproved land in North Carolina,Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, than there is in Texas, which will surp ise people. An Kmlljt Made Wagon Jack. This wagon jack should he made of hard wood. The large end of the lever should be covered with strap

iron or an iron plate set on its upper surface where the axle rests. To bold the lever, a bolt may be puo through the upright and the diagonal piece notched to At. thus regulating the use of tho jack to high of low-wagoos. Shearing by Machinery. It is said that the steam sheepshearing plant located at Casper, Wyo., is receiving liberal patronage on account of the superior work dime by the machines. The operator la not able to make as great speed with the machines as by hand clipping, but he is able to do much better work, taking off more wool per head and leaving it in better condition, and with less injury to the sheep Sheep resheared by machinery yield about three-quarters of a pound of wool, so it is said, after having being hand sheared. Fall I’lantlnff. Plow the ground for wheat as soon as you can. When the weeds come up work the ground over with the cultivator, and work it again should more weeds appear. Spread out the manure and work it into the plowed ground. By the time the wheat is to be seeded the land will be in excellent condition for the seed, and the ciop will start off well. It would be impossible to catch cold this kind of weather; there is no cold to catch.

HARVESTING ENSILAGE MADE EAST.

DURABLE CELLAR STAIRS.

TROUGH FOR POULTRY.

A WAGON JACK THAT HOLDS.