Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 November 1898 — FARMERS CORNER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARMERS CORNER

Good Guernsey Cow. The cut shows the Guernsey cow, Miss Bobolink, 2157, A. G. C. C., bred and owned by Mr. N. I. Bowditch, South Fraipingham, Mass. From October 1, 1896, to October 1, 1897, she gave 12,437 pounds of milk, average test 4.8 per cent, butter fat. This equals 596.98 pounds butter fat, or 696.46 pounds butter for one year. Comparing this performance with that of other

animals of the same breed, It is seen that Miss Bobolink has made the second best milk and butter record of any Guernsey, and has nearly equalled the best record. The best records now stand: fl *-« rj U M O, <L <—« 0> = . a.B 8 *j „ jj . = " t-H . s" B ® x) &, «S Lily Alexandre (1059) 12,856 7.2 • • Bretonne (3660) ..11,218 5.47 602.91 007 Miss Bobolink (2157) 12,437 4.8 596.98 690.46 Fantlne Second (3790) 9,748 5.84 516.60 602.60 •Only one test. In addition to the above performance, Miss Bobolink was milked three months longer, and gave from October 1. 1897, to January 1, 1898—2,480.5 pounds milk, which tested 5.3 per cent, butter fat, or 153.37 pounds butter, making the total record for the fifteen months: 14,917.5 pounds mi1k—849.83 pounds butter. The picture from which the cut was made was taken January 23, 1898, or after fifteen monhs’ work, yet on that day she gave twenty-one pounds milk.

Growing Corn After Corn. In all Eastern corn growing the usual rotation never allows two corn crops to succeed each other without several years intervening. The corn is always planted on clover or grass sod, and after it some small grain follows for one or perhaps two years when the field is again seeded, and after two or more years the corn comes in the rotation again. So if corn smut appears in one crop it has no chance to propagate except what is blown into adjoining fields, or is carried to the barn and so iisseminated through the manure pile. In the West the growing of corn after corn on the same land was continued so long that the fields were filled with smut and the land had to be seeded flown so as to allow the smut spores to die out. Growing corn after eorn also developed the burrowing worm, which is hatched in the tips of ears while tenter, and eats its way into the corn while in its succulent stage. This worm has sometimes appeared in Eastern States where a great deal of corn is grown. It is probably true that no crop can be exclusively grown in any section without sometime finding an insect enemy or some fungous disease to destroy it. So though two crops of eorn will not exhaust the soil more than would a crop of small grain after the corn, and in most eases not so much, it is not best to put them together. The corn stubble la necessarily left naked during the following winter, and Is therefore subjected to more freezing and thawing and more washing away on the soil than If the land were seeded quickly after it.— American Cultivator. A Twin Cucumber. Mr. Alex. Weir, Ravensworth P. 0.. Muskoka, Ont., writes to the Montreal Herald and Star, as follows: 1 have

takeu the liberty of forwarding you a twin cucumber which I raised this year, and it Is the first I have met with in all my growing as a gardener. The Great American Hog, An organization of German meat linporters favorable to the American hog shows that in fifteen years there were 3,003 cases of Illness from trichinae and 207 deaths. Of these, 1,242 cases and 102 deaths were from the eating of European pork examined in Germany. There was not one ease against the American product, and a reward of S23S has been offered for c single Instance of trlehinaed American pork.— Butchers and Packers’ Magazine. Hurvcitinic Applen. The harvesting of apples is one of the most Important duties eonnected with the crop. The time has gone by wheu apples could l>o shaken from the trees or picked up from*the ground ns windfalls. The host success in keeping them over winter is when not a single apple In a barrel Is bruised or Injured In any manner. Just as soon as the skin Is broken the apple begins to deray, and for tha*. w«jou thug 'nust >)

carefully picked by hanq and handled In a manner to prevent the slightest injury as the decay of one apple will soon affect all. Apples that are not perfectly sound when harvested should uot go into barrels, but be made into cider.

Geese Must Graze. , The goose is as much a grazing anlmale as a sheep or a cow. Green stuff being Its natural diet, the transition In winter to grain exclusively Is more violent than in the case of hens, which, In a state of nature, do not feed principally upon herbs, but upon insects, seeds and a little Of course, geese will not starve in winter and early spring, even if allowed nothing but grain, but the greediness with which they will devour such fresh food as apple parings, cabbage, potatoes, etc., shows the urgency of their need for It. In cider-m*aking time a few bushels of seedling apples, that will keep well, should be laid by in the cellar for the geese. It is worth all the trouble just to see the evident enjoyment with which they eat them, to say nothing of the promotion of their thrift. Bet the young goslings out on some fine grass plot and see them pick. At night they will come up with their crop and neck full up to their mouth. Give them grass.—farmer's Voice. Begin Right with Turkeys. They are as easy to raise as chickens if one has the right stock. But most people pick out all the largest birds to market at Thanksgiving and Christmas and keep the small ones, with the impression, I suppose, that they will grow if given time. This is a great mistake, as in a flock you will always find a few better developed, bigger-boned birds, and these invariably have the constitution we need for breeding purposes. To make a success select the best hens in the flock; good deep, blocky birds, with big bone and short legs, and dispose of the long-legged, loose-built ones. I find the Bronze the hardiest, but a cross with the wild would perhaps still further improve them. The biggest drawback with the wilrf cross is, they are hard to keep near the home and are easily frightened. Having selected your breeding stock, which is best to do In the fall, winter them and let them run out all the time.—Alex. Johnston.

LiOg Chicken .House. Here 1b the plan of chicken coop built of logs. First lay the sill logs and toenail on the corners, making the logs 2 by 4 by 8 feet and 2 by 6 by 8 feet. Spike these two together and brae*

from the Inside so they will be perfectly plumb. Now start putting up thelogs, one side at a time, or build all sides evenly as you go. Drive a spike into yowr 2 by 4 and 2 by G in sills and into your logs as fast as you go, so as to hohi then# fn place. You can put a round log in the corner 6 inches In dib ameter and 8 feet long. After the house has been built, spike the 2 by 4 onto this and also the plate logs. Peel the logs,—A. L. Lord, American Agriculturist. How to Kill Lice on Hogs. Hogs will invariably take to the water w'hen given an opportunity, especially when troubled with lice. If the animals have no wallow, one should be provided. This Is easy to accomplish!. Simply dig a hole and fill with water and the hogs will do the rest. When the wallow Is formed pour over its surface kerosene oil varying in amount according to size of wallow. The mud and water thus treated becomes sure death to the lice on hogs—J. L. Irwin, Farm Talk. Much has been said of late in regard to the wbolcsomeness of apples, aud a Paris specialist says that women who want to have clear complexions .ought to eat three or four apples a day. They act on the liver. As an evidence of how rapidly the forests of Pennsylvania are being cut away It 1* cited that In 1888 Westmoreland County had 133.717 ucres of timber land, and within the past ten years tl*ere lias been a decrease of over 30,000 of this timber area. Clay makes a better stable Moor than planks, for it contains a little dampness which conduces to good feed, and the horse finds irregularities In Its surface, and by placing the heels on the higher surface the tendoua are relaxed, giving them needed rest, while In plank floors the slnnt Is backward, making the animal stand with the tendous always on a strain.—Farm Journal. The editor of- the Wool and Cotton Reporter, Mr. Bennett, of Saugus, Mass., says that his farm in Freedom. Me., which he purchased and stocked with sheep a few years ago, cut when he began about forty-five tons of bay of nn Inferior quality. This year H lina cut nearly 200 tons of the highest quality. People laughed at him wheu he began, hut now he is doing most of the laughiug. Experiments In feeding and in computing the value of eggs show that if no estimate Is made for labor one dozen eggs can be produced at a cost of about 0 cents fdr food, or about % cent per egg. If all of the food allowed to hens wus converted Into eggs the profit on a dozen eggs would Ik* large, oven when prices an* very low. but much depends on whether the hens convert the food Into flesh or support of the bod leu,

MISS BOBOLINK.

A TWIN CUCUMBER.

SUBSTANTIAL POULTRY HOUSE.