Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 68, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 April 1899 — FARM AND GARDEN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARM AND GARDEN

Setting Wagon Tires. There are many jobs that a farmer can do for himself, if he only makes the attempt. One of these, says the American Agriculturist is the setting of the tires on the wheels of his vehicles. The usual charges at a shop for one wheel will exceed the cost to the farmer of setting all four, and the time spent in hauling them to and from the shop, to say nothing of the trouble and vexation of unsatisfactory work or ruined wheels, is far greater than it would be to do the work himself. To do this, it requires an outlay of only the cost of a metal trough and linseed oil, about half a gallon to a set of wheels, though more than enough to

do the work will be needed, aa the trough, while boiling, must be filled so as to cover the felloes. This trough (a) can be made of galvanized Iron, by a tinner. Set It on brick or stone In such a way that a fire can be built and kept up under It Put In enough oil to cover the felloes, and let come to a bolt You are now ready to put In the wheels. The way this is done is shown so plainly In the Illustration that description Is unnecessary. To prepare the wheels, let them soak in water until the tires are tight, washing out all the mud and dirt possible. After being placed in the oil, the wheel should be slowly turned to prevent Charring. The length of time required to boll a wheel depends on its condition, as does the amount of oil it takes for a set Two sets of wheels can be easily set in half a day. This job will prove far more satisfactory than one performed by a blacksmith, who, often on account of the dry wood swelling after he has shrunk the tire, ruins a wheel by dishing It Breedin a Turkeys. The best results in growing turkeys are from yearling hens bred to a gobbler two years old, and three would be still better. The young hen will lay more eggs the first year than she will in any year after, and If she mates with a gobbler two years or over the young turks will be active and vigorous. Watch the hen turkey carefully, and remove her first eggs as soon as laid, lest they become chilled. Two and sometimes three settings of turkey eggs must be taken from the young . turkeys and set under common hens before the hen turkey will sit steadily herself. The hen turkey must be confined mornings when she has young chicks, or she will draggle them through the wet grass and thus kill them. A Good Milk Stool Is shown in the accompanying Illustration. It is made of two boards 22 Inches long and 10 or 12 Inches wide. Nine

Inches from one end saw half way through each board and split off the long end. Across the elevated end nail a board about 12 Inches long for a seat. Place one-half inch cleats on the lower porkton, upon which the pail is to rest Thephil is thus kept clean and is not easily upset—Orange Judd Farmer. Good Roade. The latest cure for bad roads is crude oil, experiments with which are being made at the suggestion of good road associations. One barrel of oil is said to be sufficient to create a waterproof strip 100 feet long and 12 feet wide. Major Meigs, a civil engineer of Keokuk, lowa, claims that no other material is as cheap and effective, and offers to have oil sent to responsible parties wishing to experiment if they will pay the freight—Epitomist Wood A shea for Apple Tree*. In some tests at the NeW York Experiment Station it was found that the foliage was greatly Improved in sections of the orchards treated with WOOd find

also improved in some seasons and with some varieties, but during the seasons which favored the perfect development of the fruit the color was not helped. Apparently the use of ashes has a tendency to hasten the perfect development of the fruit. Some seasons this ripening process was carried so far where ashes .were used that the apples did not keep as well as on plants untreated.—Orange Judd Farmer. Slow-Germinating Seed. There are some kinds of seeds, like the salsify, that are so hard and dry that it seems impossible to germinate them quickly enough in spring so as to keep ahead of the weeds. We advise putting such seed in water made almost scalding heat, or about 150 degrees to 160 degrees, for a few minutes at a time, withdrawing the seeds and repeating the scalding until the seed shows signs of swelling. Then plant such seeds, and if the soil is warm the plants will be up as quickly as the weeds. Onion seed may be treated the same way. Some kinds of plants which come up very small and are not conspicuous can be cultivated quite near to the rows by dropping a few radish seed In the row where the more valuable crop Is grown. The radish will show sooner than almost any other garden plant, and what radish are thus grown can be pulled out and used by the time the other crop can be seen to hoe closely to it The Leaf of Young Grain. There is much difference in the breadth, size and color of leaf in young grain as it comes up. It is partly dependent on the character of the seed, as the plant sends up Its first leaves mainly from the starchy matter which encloses the germ and which the germ uses until it is able to put forth roots into the soil. Barley being larger and heavier than oats has always a broader leaf, though If oats are sown on rich land and somewhat late they will come up with a leaf that looks like barley. But this rank growth early is not regarded favorably by the cultivator, for he knows that It Is liable to be followed. by rust of stalk or grain later in the season. Harrowing grain that comes up with too small and thin a leaf bruises these first leaves, and as it also stimulates root growth, it causes the plant to send up new shoots with much broader leaves. This dries out the soil, thus preventing the excessive, growth later that invites rust Barn True*. I send sketch of barn bent I think any one who will give it a thorough study will decide that it Is strong, selfsupporting, and no danger of spreading. The purlines and some other timbers are drawn out of proportion to the rest so that the construction can be understood. The plan is original with myself, and has not been practically tested, but I am confident that there is no possible chance for an out-

ward thrust, for the long brace, A, A, passing through between the timbers forming the purline and on through the short tie B, and through the double studding C, will forever hold the .barn from giving out The purlines may run from the ground sills, passing between the cross sill D, on up to the purline plate, showing the mode of construction at E. The dotted collar beam at F F is to be fastened to the inside rafters on a level with the cross at G, in order to fasten the rangers for a track to run a hay fork. The lower end of purline at H H is to be cut so as to fit over the sill, and showing spikes to be driven. This frame can be made to resist an indefinite amount of pressure.—J. H. Fisher, in Ohio Farmer.

Migration of Insect*. In the Scientific American, Prof. Holden gives some interesting observations on the migrations of insects. Once in the San'Gabriel Valley of California he saw a flight of yellow butterflies which passed continuously for three or four days to the northeast For sixteen square miles the column moved, and one could not look out doors without seeing the fluttering bits of yellow in the air. Yellow butterflies are famous for their mysterious migrations, and sometimes out at sea they will cover the decks and riggings of ships. Peach Twijr Borer. A correspondent of the Michigan Farmer reports a new enemy on his peach trees. It is a borer, which eats its way into the twigs near the end of the season’s growth, killing the twig at that point. Then it burrows in the tree forks and remains until spring, when it enters on a new campaign. It has never been seen until last year, and it is hoped that the severity of the winter, which killed peach trees in so many places, will also make an end of this new enemy to the tree. Good Harne** Oil. First melt three pounds of tallow at a slow heat, without it frizzling or boiling, and then, having mixed sufficient lampblack with one pound of neatsfoot oil, slowly pour that into the melted IS

WHEEL IN POSITION FOB BETTING.

USEFUL MILK STOOL.

NEW BARN PLAN.