Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 July 1908 — HINTS FOR FARMERS [ARTICLE]

HINTS FOR FARMERS

Hogs and Alfalfa. The Kansas station reports over 80Q pounds of gain on a lot of hogs from a ton of alfalfa hay and a little less than 800 pounds of pork produced from an (acre of alfalfa pasture. Alfalfa has proved to be worth three times as much as blue* grass, and there are many who claim that this estimate could easily ba doubled without fear of contradiction. iAt the Nebraska station gains on hogs 'weighing 265 pounds were made at a cost-of 2 cents per pound by feeding a ration of 3 per cent corn at 35 cents per bushel in connection with alfalfa pasture. A 3 per cent ration of corn means an amount of corn equal,to 8 per cenpof the body weight of the hog. By feeding a ration consisting of 75 per cent corn and 25 per cent alfalfa hay to 165 pound hogs in a dry lot at the same station gains were made at a ‘cost of 83.33 j>er hundred pounds. Slm|ilar results are reported from other ‘western stations where alfalfa is grown.—From Address by Professor Kinzer, Kansas Experiment Station. Treating Fenceposts. The practice of treating fenceposts is becoming general among the best farmers. Common coal tar is melted In a large iron kettle and the end of 'the post immersed in the tar to a point a foot higher than it will be set Tai can be melted in a small kettle and applied with a paint or whitewash brush. A correspondent says his neighbor has tarred cedar posts along the roadside and ends of his 220 acre farm that were set twenty-five years ago and not to on|-half dozen have had to be replaced in that time, which proves beyond all argument that tarring or treating posts with preservative pays many times over. Fencepost timber is getting scarce, and the price of posts is advancing each year. The farmer should preserve his posts. Farmers Advocate.

Farm Notes. Cultivation helps to make up for lack of fertility. > Plenty of harrowing keeps the weeds down. Wood ashes and bone dust are good fertilizers. . Never allow failure to make a pessimist of you. ' . ’ Remember to keep the garden free from weeds. ; ▲ good spreader will take care of all kinds of manure. Manure is one of the important farm products. The treeless dooryard lacks many (natural beauties. Feed is Important, but the way it is fed determines the profits.—Kimball’s Dairy Farmer. . Read The Democrat for news.