Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 86, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1918 — THE NEIGHBORHOOD CORNER [ARTICLE]

THE NEIGHBORHOOD CORNER

A DEPARTMENT OF FARM WELFARE CONDUCTED BY CO. AGENT LEANING. ' “Sheep Show Profits.” We expect our sheep that we bought last fall to-pay for themselves this season, said Oscar Weiss, of Jordan township at a meeting of the South Marion Farmers’ club last week. Mr. Weiss reoommends the purchase of western ewes as being cheaper and hardier than most of the natives offered for sale at the present time. .He also urged that farmers begin in the business in a small ’way rather than to establish extensive flocks at once. Not requiring a great outlay for buildings and equipment and giving almost immediate returns on the investment, the sheep industry should appeal to the young farmer at the present time. “Nearly every farmer can support a few sheep without noticing the cost and if the matter were given the attention it deserves, thousands of dollars would be added annually to the income of our farmers.” Shallow Planting For Corn. “Tell the farmers to plant their corn as shallow as they can this year,” said a prominent citizen the other day. “The seed is none too strong and deep planting will cause many poor stands, because the seed cannot furnish enough vitality to push the sprouts throught the soil.” Experience as well as experimental data show that corn planted as shallow as possible and still be covered gives the best stands in ordinary years. In very dry seasons and with poorly prepared seed beds deeper planting must be used.

Shorthorn Club Progressing. W. B. Krueck, assistant state leader of Boys’ and girls’ club work spent two days last week in the county visiting members of the Shorthorn club. As a whole, he was well pleased with the progress made by tbe members but he found a few boys who were not taking proper care of their heifers. “In order to sell well, these heifers must go into the ring in the best possible condition. They should be fed enought cracked corn, ground oats, oil meal and hay to keep them gaining all the time. They should be kept in a darkened stable during the day and pastured at night after the flies come. I do not believe that many people realize the importance of flesh in pure-bred cattle offered for sale, and I am positive that the boy who brings his heifer into the auction next fall in a poor condition will receive less than cost price, but the well fitted animals will show a good profit.” Mr. Krueck will return to the county later in the season to show the club members how to fit their heifers for the sale. An Early Garden. W. A. Lake, of Walker township, has been using lettuce and radishes from his own garden for a month. Last fall he made a good hot bed and some time ago he planted his early garden in it. This came along fine and has been furnishing plenty of green vegetables for his family. “It is a little trouble to have a garden so early in the season,” said Mr. Lake, “but it is certainly worth it.” Judging from the results he obtained it would be worth while for every family to adopt his method of attacking old H. C. of L. Pasture Lowen Cost of Pork Production.

Hogs on good pasture eat 15 to 30 per cent less grain for the same gain in live weight than do those in dry lot. In five feeding tests in dry lots at the Missouri experiment station, hogs ate 5.11 pounds of concentrates for each t pound of grain, while the average amount of concentrates required per pound of grain in 15 feeding trails with hogs on various kinds of pasture was only 3.54 pounds. This means that there was a saving of 1.57 pounds of grain for each pound of grain made up the hogs on forage as compared with those in dry lot, a saving of 30.7 per cent. Farmers who have red clover or alfalfa for hog pasture are about as well fixed for hog pasture as they can be, the county agent declares. Either of these crops /will provide pasture from the first to the middle of May or throughout the season, with the possible exception of July and August, if the summer proves to be unusually dry. If red clover or alfalfa are not available, plant some annual pasture crops like rape, rape and oats or soybeans. Those farmers who use nutritious forage crops to the fullest possible extent, with sufficient grain to keep their pigs and shotes gaining onehalf to three-fourths of a pound daily, will be the ones who will make the greatest profit out of feeding hogs this summer. With pasture they will reduce, the cost of pork produced 20 to 30 per cent, in comparison to what it would be in dry lot without pasture. Several farmers are going to keep figures this summer to show just what results may be obtained here in this county. Demonstrations In Hanging Grove Township. Tuesday, April 23, a demonstration will be given on the use of substitute flours at the home of Mrs. John Jordan, near McCoysburg. Thursday, April 25 the same demonstration will be given at the home of Mrs. Robert Jordan of near McCoysburg. House Cleaning. ' “The scrubbing’s done; my kitchen stands arrayed In shinning tins and order reigns supreme.” , •• „ “The successful housekeeper, home management expert tells us, “Avoids that long siege of house cleaning which makes life a burden to each member of the family. She

has reduced house cleaning to > scientific principles and to business principles. She is able to plan the renovation of her house so systematically that it does not interfere with the business of living." This, of course, is the ideal Way to keep house and with the advent of hardwood floors, vacuum cleaners and other labor saving devices, simple curtains; a minimum amount of bric-a-brac a few good pictures, plenty of closets, etc., it is possible to attain this ideal. The average housekeeper, however*, still has her semi-annual house cleanings when she feels the Whole house must be gone over, especially in the spring, when nature is blossoming out in all her freshness and beauty. Then every woman turns instinctively to the renovating and beautifying of her home. She longs for crisp, snowy curtains, fresh* cretonnes, fresh paint, new wall paper, and all of those accessories that tend tomake her house more livable and inviting; the most pleasant place .in the world for her family and friends. For as Francis Willard says: “The mission of the ideal woman is to make the whole world homelike.” In planning fpr the house cleaning campaign the other work should be arranged so that, the business of living is not interferred with, for nothing disconcerts a family more than the general upheavel of the house. Care too should be taken not to (remove the stove at too early a date, unless there is a fire place or other means of heating. “The chief advantage of house cleaning lies in the fact that at this time of years’ accumulations are looked over and many of them rejected. Jo leave woodwork and floors afld closets for a yearly cleaning as many people do is inexcusable. One a week, in dusty regions, or perhaps once a month in the clean county or seaside,” says Dr. L. L. Wilson.

System in doing the work is just as important as good equipment and the housekeeper whose work “is never done” is often one who never stops to plan out her work to save time nor tries to prevent unnecessary steps by thinking ahead. The cleaning equipment should first be put in good order and needed supplies of cleaning materials provided. These should consist of a good vacuum cleaner, if possible, sweepers, ceiling and wall brushes, oil mop and dusters, floor oils, kerosene, ammonia, bon ami, turpentine, soaps, etc., some good disinfectants and plenty of clear soft cloths. The home economics division of the department of agricultural extension recommend the following formulas for oiled floors, mops and dust cloths: Floor Oil. a. Turpentine. Linseed oil. Paraffin. Equal parts; heat over hot water. ,b. 1 lb. paraffin. 1 gal. boiled linseed oil. For dustless dusters and mops: 3 parts boiled linseed oil, 1 part turpentine or % cup kerosene. Saturate thoroughly, wring or dry. Extension Leaflet No. 69, which can be secured by writing to the extension department, Purdue university, will give further help on floor coverings. In the order of house cleaning a systematic cleaning of one or two rooms at the same time is recommended rather than the whole sale tearing up of the entire house, for a little cleaning done often is far more economical than to let dirt accumulate. Accumulate necessitates hard rubbing, the use of more water and often the use of alkalies, all of which may endanger the finish or woodwork and floors. The old adage “A little at a time and" that done well Is a very good rule as many can tell.” applies very well indeed to house cleaning. An excellent housekeeper who always keeps her home in exquisite order, cleans her attic and store room first, quite early in March, before the sun gets really hot, since it is more comfortable to work there at that time. She then cleans one or two bedrooms each week, having the curtains laundered with the weekly household laundry. She continues this dntil all the bedrooms are done, then goes to the living room, dining room and kitchen and does the basement last of all. By the time the fine weather of spring opens up, her house is arrayed in a fit manner to meet this most lovely of all seasons and besides there is “the supreme satisfaction in knowing the beauty of cleanliness, the restfulness of order, the reflex influence of a clean body in a clean house among clean surroundings.