Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1898 — AGRICULTURAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AGRICULTURAL

The Do* Under the Wagon. “Come, wife,” said good old Farmer Gray, “Put on your things, ’tis market day, And we’ll be off to the nearest town. There and back ere the sun goes down. “Spot? No, we’ll leave old Spot behind.” But Spot he barked and Spot he whined, And soon made up his doggish mind To follow under the wagon. Away they went at a good round pace, And joy came into the farmer’s face, “Poor Spot,” said ho, “did want to come, But I’m awful glad he’s left at home — He’ll guard the barn, and guard the cot, And keep the cattle out of the lot.” “I’m not so sure of that,” thought Spot, The dog under the wagon. The farmer all his produce sold And got his pay in yellow gold; Home through the lonely forest. Harkl A robher springs from behind a tree; “Your money or else your life,” says he, The moon was up, but he didn't see The dog under the wagon. Spot ne'er barked nnd Spot ne’er whined; But quickly caught the thief behind; He dragged him down in the mire and dirt, And tore his coat and tore his shirt, Then held him fast on the miry ground; The robber uttered not a sound While his hands nnd feet the farmer bound. And tumbled him into the wagon. So Spot be saved the farmer’s life, The farmer’s money, the farmer’s wife. And now a hero grand and gay, A silver collar he wears to-day. Among his friends, among his foes— And everywhere his master goes— He follows on his horny toes, The dog under the wagon. —The Advance. The Ayrshire Cow. This old breeed from the County of Ayr, Scotland, needs some one to blow its horn; the breeders don’t seem inclined to do it, even when given a special invitation. The breed seems specially adapted to the northern part

of our country, as tills more nearly resembles its native home. Daniel Webster is said to have kept Ayrshire* on his farm at Marshfield, Mass., and he recommended them specially for New England. Professor Sheldon divided the breed into two classes, one representing the butter and the other the cheese type. At the Vermont Experiment Station, in 1895, Rena Myrtle 9530, a farrow cow, made the largest milk and butter record ever obtained at the station from a cow of any breed In one year—l2,l7s pounds of milk, producing 546 pounds of butter. The average production of cheese in Scotland is from 500 to 600 pounds per cow. The secretary of the Ayrshire Breeders' Association, C. M. Winslow, sums up the qualities of the Ayrshire, by saying that she is noted for vigor, hardihood and for producing a maximum quantity of good milk from a minimum quantity of food. The average weight of the cow is about 1,000 pounds. The Ayrshire hull is highly recommended to cross on Jersey cows. In the language of the breeders, the Ayrshire nicks well with the Jersey. The cut represents the Ayrshire cow, Hose Clenna, the property of C. M. Winslow & Son. She has a record of 7,768 pounds of milk and 454 pounds of butler in 365 consecutive days. She took first premium at the Vermont State Fair last year for the largest amount of butter fat from one day’s milking. There were thirteen cows In competition. Cows Kstirig ‘■truw. Wherever much grain is grown, and tin* grain straw is stacked In the barnyard, it is necessary to build a stack around It to keep cows from eating It. Freshly threshed straw, even when all the grain is out, is palatable to cows at tills season of the year. But they should be kept from It if the milk yield Is to be maintained. Even a little straw will dry off the cow very fast, and If grain is fed with It, the effect will only be to fatten the cow rather than to keep up the milk flow. Beet* for Ensilage. One or the other, If not both, should be producisl on every farm where stock of any kind—nnd be it only one cowls kept. Beets come handy even for fattening stock. Says Prof. Curtiss, of the lowa station: "From our experience here in the use of beets in finishing cattle of high quality for the block, I have no hesitancy In saying that the introduction of rodts and the beet product Into our fattening rations will result In a vastly better product. All of the cattle that have been marketed by the

lowa station and .killed with such good results have been finished on a ration consisting in part of roots. The use of root crops enables the feeder to make a better and more desirable carcass of beef than can be made on dry feed alone. The animals fed roots are mellower to the touch, evener In their flesh, and In better bloom than It is possible to obtain on dry feed, and the gains are larger and more economically produced.” We also find beets a fine auxiliary food for pigs, and can winter them very cheaply on this diet. For Watering Fowls. A well-made watering fountain for poultry Is the best arrangement for watering fowls, but these are more or less expensive. Some substitutes are shown herewith. A gallon “canned apple” can may be attached to the wall, as shown, or a la,rd pall may be hung upon a nail within reach of the floor. Better still is the third device, which permits water to be poured into the pail each day from the outside, and is up where the litter will not be

scratched into it. Make the platform on which the pall rests broad enough so that a fowl can fly up and stand upon the edge while drinking. Where fowls aud chicks run at large there can be no better drinking fountain to be placed out of doors than the familiar device of filling a tin pail, can or dther vessel, according to the size desired, and Inverting It over a flat dish a little larger in diameter! This supplies clean water as fast as it.is used, and cannot be soiled, The Asparagus Beetle. The asparagus beetle has nearly destroyed the asparagus industry in some localities. Many reniedies have been suggested, among them applying lime freely over the bed late In the fall, after the tops and bed have been burnt over, with another liberal application of lime in the spring. Some growers claim that, where the rows were hilled up two feet and the young shqots cut off as soon as the tips appeared above ground, no damage was done. Cutting the shoots was also continued until quite late. Where shoots were allowed to grow until 2 or 3 indies high before cutting, the beetles attacked them. It may be stated, also, that if all shoots are cut when Just appearing the asparagus stalks will be found tender from the tip to the butt, and of much better quality than when the tops are “green,” and if tjie rows are hilled the cutting of the shoots is done with more cos# than when the level culture method io practiced. The suggestions given are worthy of consideration by those who have had the beetle to contend with this season. Canker Worm Pest. The canker worm, known as the measuring worm, is a nuisance much dreaded by fruit-growers, ns it feeds not only on apple, plum, cherry and other fruit trees, but also on the elm and maple. The eggs are deposited In masses of 100 or more, and the parent moth lays in the fall as well as in spring. Spraying wilth paris green is the remedy. For Mending Hose. The accompanying illustration represents an ingenious article for mending hose. A piece of pine or other soft

wood, hollow, cut 3 inches long and turned to %In at A, 1 Inch at B

and % Inches at C will fit the ordinary size of hose. For larger or smaller sizes the wooden connection is made to correspond. To repair the damaged portion, slip each end of the hose half way over the connection. So long as the Joint is fairly tight no wiring or tieing is necessary, as the water soon swells the wood, making a tight Joint. Weeds on the lawn, Plots of grass infested with weeds are unsightly. The liest remedy is to mow tin* grass nnd use It for bedding. The mower cuts down the weeds nnd destroys many of them, but the grass will make a new start. By doing this once or twice in the year the grass will crowd the weeds out. Horticultural Notes. The Engl Isi i Ivy does not harm a tree on which It grows. See if a little less water on Irrigated land will not be better. Fruit when placed In cold storage should lx* firm and hard. Sprinkling plants with water when frost is expected will protect them. Pears to be put in cold storage should lie picked before they begin to ripen. Watermelons ought not to be grown on the same ground of tenor than three years. - \ The grape vine trained to a single stake inis nevetuione its best in our experience. Tomatoes are so hardy that they may be transplanted even after the fruit begins to set. If grapes have been planted too closely aud become too thick, better x Uika out every other vine.

ROSE CLENNA.

DEVICES FOR WATERING FOWLS.