Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1918 — THE NEIGHBORHOOD CORNER [ARTICLE]

THE NEIGHBORHOOD CORNER

A DEPARTMENT OF FARM WELFARE CONDUCTED BY CO. AGENT LEAMING. - « Mangel* for Poultry. “There is no better source of succulent food for poultry during the winter time than a liberal sbpply of mangels or cow beets,” said Mr. J. M. Sauser, one of the most prominent poultrymen of the county. “No one can be successful in securing eggs without green food. Steamed alfalfa or sprouted oats supply the need, but they are neither as cheap nor as convenient as the mangels. “The first year that I was in the poultry business I had mo green feed and procured only a few eggs, since that time, however, I have always used mangels and have done as well as anyone with winter egg production.”

“Ten cents worth of yellow tankard seed which may be purchased from any grocer or seed house will produce a good wagon load of beets. I have planted in May or June and give the same attention as ordinary garden beets. They are relished all through the winter.” “I want to take this occasion to urge all farmers to hatch their chickens early in the spring. I hatch mine in March and find they stand the hot weather much better. They begin laying in the fall while late hatched chickens will not lay until spring. With high prices for feed they are hardly profitable.” A trip to Mr. Sauser’s plant is enough to convince anyone that he knows whereof he speaks and these suggestions should be heeded by all who desire maximum returns from poultry. ' ■

Hog Feeding Figures. Not every farmer has had the good fortune to produce pork at $3.48 per hundred and_ sell it at $15.85. These are the figures submitted by Charles Porter, north of Rensselaer upon his long feeding operations last winter. In November he purchased 39 hogs at 8 cents per pound. On November 12 he turned them into a 7 acre field and left them until the corn was cleaned up. Then he turned them into his feed lots to follow the cattle supplementing their ration with middlings and tankage. On April 19, he sold the lot at $15.85. More Data On Lime. “Lime may be used to special advantage this year.. It is best used on soils well supplied with organic matter. It puts soils in good condition and makes their fertilizing constituents more available. Place orders and get a supply before the spring rush is the gist of a communication from Milton Whitney, Chief of the Bureau of Soils, U. S. Department of Agriculture. This message should appeal to the farmers on the sour soils of this county. With an abundance of lime near at hand and the shortage of fertilizer our farmers should begin at once to secure all the limestone that they can haul. While the world is clamoring for food products, high production is not only patriotic but profitable.

Maintaining Breeding JHerds. One of the best things at the short course at Lafayette last week was an address by Prof. Rusk, of the University of Illinois on the “Maintainance of Beef Herds.” On high priced lands Prof. Rusk stated a summer ration of half pasture and half silage proved cheaper than all pasture. Sweet clover sown in land previously in corn produced much more' feed than any other method. For winter feeding excellent results are being secured this season by using stover silage; the corn plant with ears removed. The University of Illinois built 6 silos last fall to utilize this material, and although it has no definite data for publication at this time commends the material highly for its economy in the ration. It is to be understood that these rations were used for maintainance only and not for meat production.With the establishment of many breeding herds in this county economical rations will be of interest to our cattlemen. Woodburg on Soil Improvement C. G. Woodburg, director of Purdue Experiment Station writes “Do You realize that at present crop prices manure will produce crop increases with from $4.00 to $9.00 per ton of manure, applied? That liming-acid soils will produce crop increases worth from $5.00 to $15.00 per acre? That Legumes in the rotation increases the value of the subsequent grain crops $15.00 to $25.00 per acre? wet lands will increase crcp returns from SIO.OO to s2c.o'J per t ere? That approximately three-fourths of the farm land of Indiana heeds limestone and phosphate before a high state of fertility can be reached or maintained?