Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1896 — THE FARM AND HOME [ARTICLE]

THE FARM AND HOME

matters of interest to farmer AND HOUSEWIFE. Profit* from Crops Mast Always Include that Which the Soil GainedFarmers as Lawmakern-Boom for Dairy Improvement—Odds aud Ends. Relative Cost of Crops. Any crop that leaves the soil in good condition will cost less than one which apparently pay’s better, but which largely draws-upon the soil for plant food. Ordinary wheat straw takes more fertility from the soil than potatoes, if compared by weight, because the potato is composed more largely cf starch and wdtei*. The soil should not be considered as a source of food Cor plants,’ but rather as a location for growth, the food for the plants to be provided by the farmer, according to the requirements of the crop. No crop pays that leaves the soil poorer, unless sold at a price which will eanble to restore the plant food and also receive a fair profit for bis time and labor. The soil is the storehouse of the farm ch which is stored the raw material for future crops, ami the real wealth of a farm Is In its soil, as it can be drawn upon in the future for crops that may be in demand. Whether a farmer receives a large re turn or fails altogether during any year, he has the soil as a savings bank, representing much of that which has been applied to it previously. Water is a staple article op farms, and is sold more extensively than anything else. Milk contains about 87 per cent, of water, and fruits of all kinds are considered more valuable If water predominates in their composition. Even a grain crop is not free from water, while grass and vegetables are mostly composed of water, Wat6r is therefore the cheapest substance procured by pood cultivation (for he ontalns more of it by good cultivation than would be the case .otherwise), and next to water is carbon. When oil. butter, sugar and starch are produced on the.farm the loaves of the trees and -plants derive carbon (carbon dioxide) from the air and store it in their cells. ■When tlie animals consume plants they convert this carbon iuto compounds familiar to all. but the cost of which so far as the fertility of the soil is concerned may be very small, and when the soil can be made to do service without loss the gain is correspondingly as great to tlie farmer as from a sale. The real Cost of crops on nearly qll farms is that of labor, but labor is profitable according to the uses to which, it is applied, and the labor-saving implements must assist the laborer. If the farmer continues to grow' crops for Which lie knows there will be low prices his labor will be more expensive than with some better crop. Just what that better crop may be depends upon tlie location of the farm, the markets, the soil and other conditions. There are seasons when some crops pay better than Athers. as was the ease with peaches last year, tvliich gave good results. An acre of onions may be more profitable than five dr ten acres of wheat, and.yet the cost of the onions may be less thou that of the wheat proportionately. A diversity of crops should be the rule, for no farmer can afford to take the risk of depending on a single crop. The cost will be according to the skill and judgment used by tne farmer, and the estimate of profits must always include that which the soil has also gained.—Philadelphia Record.

Farmers as Lawmakers, The present personnel of Congress shows that there is one farmer. t.o six lawyers, and still the farmer wonders why it is so difficult to secure legislation on agricultural matters. While the proportion of representatives in State Legislatures is not quite so much in favor of the lawyers, neither is there as large a proportion In favor of the farmer when the representatives of other occupations are considered. The agricultural interests are quite important factors, and should be more prominently represented. Not that there is need of more laws, for we have a surfeit already, but that those in whose interests the laws are or should be made may have a voice in their con struetlon and enactment. Neither should it be allowed that there are not equally Intelligent and able men among the farmers as are be found in any other vocation. The lawyer, the manufacturer,, the capitalist, all have their different interests. and are supposed to know the needs ami requirements of legislation to protect and foster those interests. It is but natural that they should make these Interestsparamount in their labors as represenatives of those who elect them. They know little of the practical side of agriculture, and cannot be expected to enact laws affecting it with the same wisdom and judgment that those familiar with its practical workings can. Each division of Industry and business should be represented by a careful selection of those beet fitted to understand and expound its needs. Why, then, should not our agricultural interests be more prominently repre--sented in our State and national legislatures? Then and not till then will those Interests be loked after as they should he. and the legislation so qnidi desired and so obviously needed be secured.

Room tor Dairy Development. The dairy -udiMtry Is woefully neglected lu many of our States. Well developed in the North and East, It has long been a notorious fact that nianv sections well provided by nature with excellent pasturage aul capacity for grain raising import from other states most of the butterand cheese consumWliile Ohio makes an even ton of butter for each square mile of land surface, and lowa, Pennsylvania. York State, ami Conneetlcffit even more, many of our Southern .-States turn off an average of less than 200 )*outids. ami Ofdton. anil Washington only 5b pounds. Willi proper safeguards around.the purity of dairy- products, this country ought not only to raise every pound of butter and cheese used, but send abroad millions each year. Feeding Corn and Beets. An extensive cattle feeder of Nebraska, who feeds 1.000 acres of corn of his Own raising and 100 tons of beets • year, has kept a careful account of his

operations for the last ten years. From that record the’fallowing facts are given: For the first nine years the cost per head ranged from $14.00 to $32.39; but in 1893 lie began feeding be&ts and ciprn which had bean cut and cured in the shock and then run through a shredding machine, ear, stalk, blade, all 0f whlch.is.by the machine reduced to the condition of coarse hay. The cost of harvesting, shocking, shredding and feeding is 3 cents per bushel of grain land sl.Bi per ton of fodder. The 1,900 acres averaged forty and ofie-half bushels of corn and a ton and ojie-half pt fodder per acre. The bets (sugar beets) yield thirty to fifty tons per acre counting tops and all, and are fed whole. Both cattle and hogs are fond of them, and It was found that after cutting them the first few days the cattle learn to bite them off as a boy bites an apple. Since adopting this ration the cost of fattening cattle has never exper head. No ’cholera has ever occurred among hogs folowing the <attle while feeding beets. It is estimated that beet tops from used in sugar making are worth an average of $3 per acre for cattle food.—Missouri Agriculturist. « White Clover Reed. There is no’plant which is pot an absolute weed that keeps Its hold in the soil so pertinaciously as white clover. If it were not so valuable for fepd it would become a very bad weed, and, indeed, it is such to strawberry beds, as.many growers can testify. White clover propagates not only by seed, but by runners, as the strawberry (Joes. It is one of the surest plants to seed that we have, aud the young plants will not be smothering with the larger grass plants, as many weeds will. It often happens when grass is cut late so that it does not start quickly that a mass of white clover will start up and soon show blossoms. This clover was hidden under the grass while the latter was growing, and only began to be Noticed when the grass was removed.

• f Late Hatches of Chickens. While it is not desirable to set hens late, wlierg -they are allowed a wide range some nests will be stolen, and large- broods of young- chickens auay come off as late as September or October. We have had such and made them profitable. The most important thing with late-hatched chickens Is to feed them liberally with wheat. This will keep them growing and cause them to' feather early. Corn should only be fed after really cold weather makes It necessary. If the young fowls are induced to feather early they will need less corn. The work of feathering exhausts their strength very rapidly, and should be finished before cold weather.

Soil for Lilies. Soil for the .lilium aura turn should be rather heavy and lightened with coarse sand and leaf mold, says the Philadelphia I’ress. The_secret of sucis to have rich soil below the bulb to induce roots to grow below. Rich soil above will feed, but will not cause the bulbs for another season's flowering to form. Bulbs that bloomed last summer, aud are to remain out all winter, will decay if they become water-soaked while dormant.

Etrca in a Year. A ben will furnish, under favorable conditions, fit least five or. six times her weight in eggs in the course of a year, and sometimes considerably more if properly supplied witii tlie wherewithal: but, as bricks cannot be made without straw, neither can eggs bo laid unless their component parts are provided.

Odds and Ends. If clothespins ,tre boiled a few minutes and quickly dried every few weeks, It will cleanse them and make them more durable. Plain soups, rare steaks, fresh vegetables, light salads and ripe fruit are more easily digested than cold baked or boiled meats and elaborate desserts. Figs are aperient and wholesome. They are said to be valuable as food for those suffering from cancer;'they are used externally as well as internally. Tomatoes are a powerful aperient for the liver, a sovereign remedy for dyspepsia and Indigestion, and lire invaluable In all conditions of the system In which the use of calomel is indicated. I*o set the color and prevent delicatecolored cambrics and dimities from fading when washed, dissolve 2 cents' worth of sugar of lead in a pail of cold water and son'k the garments in It two hours; then riffse and wasli. Lime water will sweeten jars and jugs which soafr and water fail to cleanse. It is admirable for correcting acidity of the stomach, and for cleansing milk vessels and nursing bottles. A teacupful added to bread sponge will prevent souring. The fact that youngsters ruin the appearance of their digits by the exercise which Is known as “cracking the joints.” la well founded. This habit stretches and weakens the ligaments and so enlarges the joints that the entire hand becomes .knotty In consetjqence. Currants give acid richness to cakes and puddings , that da very appetising. A quick way to clean them, after picking out sticks and stones, is to add to every pound alxmt a teacupful of flour, rub thoroughly with the hands and separate them entirely, then rub through a sieve, which will remove most of the stems. The great annoyance of people who are baking fruit pies comes from the loss of syrup of Juicy pies. To prevent thia take a strip of muslin one Indi wide and long enough to go around the pie, and lap. Wet the doth in cold water and lay It around the edge. half upon the pie and hajf upon the plate, pressing it on either Side. When the pie is taken from the oven remove the doth. This will lie found a success. -Inhere is no liettvr tonic than seasonable and wholesome food. When appetite flags, and the system weakens from excessive labor and oppressive heat, nutritive (but qpsfly digested) food Is required. Heavy dishes, containing animal fat i or Iryitptihg eondlmeuis, like suet puddings; lard pastry, ,etc,. or rich meats—pork, beef and mutton—may 4 be eaten with impunity when snow Is flying, but not vi'hen the thermometer is in the eighties.