Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 March 1903 — GARDEN AND FARM [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GARDEN AND FARM

SPRING SEEDING OF CLOVER. The usual practice among farmers is to sow clover on the Wheat In the spring. This is done in order that the growing wheat shay qhade the young clover until the clover is well rooted and able to take care of itself. Not every farmer, however, secures a perfect stand of clover, as it is impossible to cover the seeds. Some wheat fields are harrowed In spring, and with benefit, but the ground is usually too wet to do so when the clover seed is sown, which should be done very early. The cause of failure to secure a good “catch" of clover may be due to inferior seed, to inefficient quantity of seed, to washing by rains, to destruction by birds and to exposure to cold. Before the seed can germinate it must be covered, even if but slightly. Much of the seed is left on the surface, not being washed in by the rains or melting snows, and is lost. The two special fertilizers for cipher are lime and potash. When the land is occupied by wheat the wheat uses potash liberally, and the younger clover must compete with the wheat in securing a supply. The first growth of the clover after it. is seeded is the most important, as an early start and rapid growth places it more securely beyond injury of drought later in the season. The food most suitable for young clover should be that which is soluble, so as to enable the young plants to immediately use it. Lime, therefore, should be applied in a form that is soluble, hence plaster answers the purposes. Wood ashes provide potash ready for the rain to dissolve it. If, then, an application of 100 pounds of plaster and 500 pounds of wood ashes be applied on an acre the mixture will greatly aid the young clover, as well as assist the growing wheat to push rapidly forward. The chief cause of failure with clover is foul seed and imperfect preparation of the land. There are but few clover fields free from weeds, the seeds of the weeds being harvested with the clover seed and sold to all points, only to spread the evil. The quantity of seed used is also too limited sometimes. It should be a rule to always use too much seed rather than to incur the risk of too little. It would be well if corn should follow wheat, so as to work and cultivate the land, in order to clean it of weeds and sow the clover seed in the fall, as by so doing the land could be thoroughly prepared and made fine, the seed being lightly brushed in, thus enabling the farmer to have his field of clover uniform. Failures also occur from lack of a supply of lime and potash after the clover Is well under growth. All clover land should be well limed after harrowing, and If a supply of wood ashes cannot be obtained the crude potash salts should be applied as well as the lime. —Philadelphia Record.

THE HENYARD. Ashes and hen manure if mixed together before being applied to the soil result in a loss of ammonia from the droppings that greatly lessens the value. Put ashes on after the manure has been mixed with the soil; the ammonia will be absorbed by the soil and remain in it for the use of the crop. Wood ashes make a valuable application to hasten decomposition in coarse manures, but absorbents should be used to prevent loss, or the manure applied at once to the land. The smaller the poultry quarters, the cleaner they must be kept. Clean out the coops often; filth is unhealty at any season of the year. Poultry is the cheapest and most economical and best meat raised on the farm. Coarse food promotes digestion and helps to keep the fowls in a healthy condition. Feed as much of it as possible. Are you keeping accurate record of your poultry account, including cost of labor and the income from your sales? As a table food a good fat duck ranks among i the best, and for this reason they are , never a drug on the market, but sell ' rapidly at good prices. Do not simply throw the water out of the drinking | vessels and put in fresh water, but wash the vessels thoroughly every j time you change water. Leaves and dry earth make an excellent combination on the floor of the poultry house. Dry earth absorbs and disinfects, while the leaves make scratching material for the fowls. Re very careful about your eggs, and gather them daily and market them when good and fresh. Do (lot be so foolish as to salt them down, and try to use some of the so called methods for “keeping eggs fresh.” for you cannot do it, and the result is that such products on the market destroy prices and disgust egg consumers, and you will do more harm than good.—F. H. Sweet in The Epitomist. VALUE OF NEST EGGS. Perhaps it may be a whim, or possibly it may be because my grandmother thought an egg should be left in the nest, that I think so, too. At any rate, my grandmother was right, as usual, and experience teaches me each year that it pays to provide nest, eggs. The reason is not hard to see. It is apparent to any one who will observe the nature of fowls. The cause Is true of all bird kind. Anything that excites suspicion that the nesting place Is unsafe causes them to hunt a new one and the same exciting cause to retard egg production, as does fright or change of location. It Is an inherited instinct, a splendid example of Darwin’s great law of the survival of the fittest. This is easy to understand. In the wild state it would be a fool hen that, having stolen her nest and having had her eggs eaten by a fox, would keep right on lay-

ing in the same old place, thus keep* ing the fox in eggs all summer. Such hens, no doubt, have existed from time to time, but they failed to perpetuate themselves—they were *' not fit. The wise hen, when her eggs were destroyed, straightway sought a new and safer place to lay her eggs and rear her young. Her prudence saved her family. They naturally inherited their mother’s goodgjjpnse. This Inherited trait, transmitted through countless generations, became an inherited instinct. That, is why hens always prefer to hide their nests. That is the reason why they like nest eggs. That is one explanation why hens often prefer to lay in the same nest with others rather than in a nest by themselves. They feel that other hens have found the place safe, therefore they do not have to find out for themselves. It is not, I am charitable enough to believe, because they want the credit of laying the whole nestful. One nest egg seems to satisfy them, though they like more. Perhaps they can only count one. However that may be, it pays to have that one. The nest egg should not be a doubtful egg. That should go without saying. It is too apt to get broken and befoul the nest and injure the other eggs. Eggs are very apt to absorb bad odors, as is milk. Besides, there is always a chance that the doubtful nest egg will , get into the egg basket by mistake. Plaster of Paris eggs are good, but they get diity. Medicating them may do some good while it lasts, but it does not last long, and is apt to taint the eggs. Generally, china eggs are the most satisfactory. They are not apt to get broken, are oderless, are easily distinguishable from true eggs, not only by sight but by touch, which is important. Moreover, they are cheap. Buy some. Then make some nests where the hens can hide. Put in some clean, soft hay, the nest egg, and then see if the hens do not reward your effort.—James E. Rice, in New York Tribune Farmer. CARE OF SWINE. Well-bred swine cannot be treated in the haphazard manner which is often given to the common pigs of the farmyard. I have seen farmers pay good prices for pure-bred swine, and then abuse and neglect them so that the results of the experiment were poorer than from common pigs. In order to get proper results from purebred animals of any kind they must be treated carefully, and with the idea that they are very susceptible to their surroundings and environments. Chase and worry a pure-bred sow, as many of the common farmyard animals are, and she will refuse to produce progeny that shows any advance upon the scrubs. Indeed, I think sometimes they tend to degenerate faster than the common stock. This fact is often noticeable when fine-bred swine are shipped by railroad to distant points. They arrive in a nervous, frightened condition, and they will scarcely eat enough to keep them alive. Animals in such condition need nursing.’ They require the kindliest sort of attention. Treat them as if you wanted to make friends with them, and in a few days they will feel at home.

There is profit in improving the herd with pure-bred stock, but the better these animals get the more careful we must be in feeding, tending and handling. They require better treatment all around. If one is not willing to give this to them, it will not pay to make the investment. Stick to the scrubs. They are better suited to such a person’s conception of the business. There are farmers today who argue against purebred swine, simply on that score. They do not care to raise hothouse animals, as they style them, and so they stick to their scrubs. Now’ pure-bred swine are not hot-house animals, but then neither are they scrubs. They dd not demand coddling. but they do require good rational feeding, breeding and attending. These are essential to their best development. They are also necessary for the larger profits which the farmer has a right to expect. Starting the herd with a good boar is the first step, but the good blood thus injected into the herd must be kept up and cultivated. It is necessary in every possible way to make the most of the qualities developed which go toward improving the animals. We cannot emphasize these good qualities any too much in our treatment of these animals, and if we fail to be in sympathy with the work and the animals we cannot well succeed as we should.—E. P. Smith, in American Cultivator.