Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 June 1901 — FRAM AND GARDEN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FRAM AND GARDEN

Raise the Calves. Evidently there is a better chance for profit now in growing young stock either few the dairy or for beef than at any time In the past ten years, and perhaps in the last twenty years. But we have the statistics for the past ten years as sent out by the Agricultural Department at' Washington. In 1800 there were in the United States 38,849,024 cattle. In 1895, 34,364,210. Since that time there has been a steady decrease of about two million head per year, until In 1899 there were but 27,074,225. In 1890 there were 589 cattle to each one thousand Inhabitants, and in 1899 only 373 to each thousand. As the number has decreased the price has increased. The reports of the Kansas City stock yards show the following prices for prime steers on Aug. 10 for three years: In 1897, 84.80 per hundred pounds, 1898 same date $5.25, and in 1899 $6.20. It is said that there are not as many cattle in Texas now as in 1895 by more than 2,500,000. Nor is the decline in numbers in the United States alone. Cuba was said to have about eight hundred thousand cattle in 1895, and at the close of the war had but twenty-five thousand. There must have been a great reduction in South Africa since the goer war began, and Australia has been heavily drawn upon to feed British troops. If five or ten years ago farmers in New England or any of the United States could not raise or fatten beef profitably to sell at the price Western beef cattle cost when brought here, it does not follow that they cannot do both now. Six dollars and a quarter per hundred pounds in Brighton for the best grade of steers to-day should leave a margin for profit to the feeder, if he feeds to the best advantage, and if he grows his own young stock, and most of his own food for them, It seems as if nearly all was profit, or at least pay for his labor. And while they are growing, the manure heap is increasing in size, to help add fertility to the farm and increase its productiveness.—American Cultivator.

For Washing: Vegetables. A combined washing tank and drying table for vegetables, is illustrated in the Ohio Farmer. A is the tank, B the table, hinged to tank, and the legs hinged to table. When not In use, the two legs are folded over on the table, and the table folded over so as to make a lid for the tank, the legs folding inside out of the way. The tank can be set anywhere for convenience. The bottbm of the tank should be lower at one comer, with a hole there to let out water by withdrawing a plug. Potatoes and other vegetables should be

washed before taking to market. They present a nice, clean appearance that makes them sell better. Early Garden Vesetablea. There was a time when the gardener who had his produce ready for the market earlier than his less enterprising neighbor was well repaid for his care and trouble by better prices for the products. Then the early bird caught the wealthy consumer. Now the_ early worm in the Northern States finds Ills profits if not himself picked np by those in a Southern climate, who can plant, grow and put on the market a crop before the plow can penetrate the frozen soil of the Northern States. We are inclined to think the chance for profit to-day, top market gardeners here, is in growing such crops as will not mature until Southern produce no longer fills our markets, and perhaps in putting that In cold storage that it may not be brought out until there are indications that It is much wanted by those who are willing to pay liberal prices for it Let early crops pass by, and strive to grow crops of such quality as will suit even those who have been using the earlier products of the South, which are not improved by long transportation.— Massachusetts Ploughman.

Pasture tor Uogu. Pasturage is necessary to the successful raising of hogs. Not only is green feed the best, and almost Indispensable for growing swine, but the exercise required In grazing is Just as important The cheapest feed for hogs is that grown by the owner and harvested by the stock. In the Southwest there Is no lack of forage plants for every month In the year, and hence pork can be produced at less cost than elsewhere. When this Is not done, It Is not the fault of the country nor of tho hogs, but Is the result of bad management on the part of the hog raiser.— Farm and Ranch. Barter and Oats. At the North Dakota Experiment Station they made a trial for nine months of the comparative value of feeding oats and barley to three bones and two mules. In every case of animals working In pairs at the same Work, the one given barley made less gain or lost more flesh, according to the work they were doing. Whan

changed about the result was the samot Tbe one that gained flesh on oats lost it on barley. Beside this if the bar* ley feed was continued long, the animal that bad it would refuse to eat the barley, sometimes for several meals. The rough fodder was tbe same, good timothy bay in all cases. They therefore decided that barley was not as valuable food for horses as oat* when fed In equal weights. The Cranberry FI re worm. The larvae of Rhopobota vaccinlana, or craflberry Are worm, cause considerable damage to the cranberry crop of Massachusetts. The larvae of the first brood seldom cause much injury, while those of the second brood are often exceedingly destructive. Where the cranberry bogs can be flooded with water at the proper season for destroying the larvae, this method is very effective, but in many cases It is impossible to use water in this way. Experiments were tried with arsenate of lead, which was used as a spray at the rate of 9 pounds to 150 gallons of water. The first application was made in the early part of June. The second brood of caterpillars appeared during the first part of July, and a second application was made, the insecticide being used at the rate of 13% pounds to 150 gallons of water. Nearly all the larvae were destroyed, and a great saving in the cranberry crop was the result of this method. It was found that three men with a good outfit could spray eight acres of cranberry bog in ten hours.

A 95,000 C iw. This cow was purchased at the Chicago stock yards recently for $5,000 by N. W. Brown, of Delphi, Ind., and is

a Hereford. Carnation, a Kansas City cow. held the former world’s record. A few weeks ago, at an exciting sale, J. C. Adams, of Moweaqua, 111., bought the animal for $3,700. Fodder Corn. The farmer who does not plan to have a field of corn fodder to use this summer for his milch cows will deserve no pity if he finds his milk supply so short next summer that it will not sell for enough to pay what it costs him for feed. The excess of rain during the first four months of this year may be taken as a good indication of a drought later on, and the crop is so easily and cheaply grown, so valuable if needed for feeding green, and so easily kept for winter use If not fed in the summer that there seems no excuse for falling to produce it. There are other forage crops thaifhave been highly recommended, but we think the com crop is as well adapted to New England as any, and almost any one knows the soil and care it needs. We would put in one field in May and follow with others up to the middle of July to give continuous feeding when needed,—New England Homestead. -■ vr \ ■—• j.

About Cows. The Farm Journal says that a cow giving 5,000 pounds of 4 per cent milk will produce only SSO worth of butter, while ohe that will produce 8,000 pounds of 5 per cent mill will produce SIOO worth of butter, and her calf is worth three times as much as that of the first. There will be little difference in the cost of keeping the two cows, so that where the first gives a profit of S3O the latter will net the owner SIOO, If we count the first cow’s calf at $lO and the other at S3O. Some people do not think there is much difference In cows, but some cows forget to pay their board bills, while others take great pleasure in supplying the table with luxuries, paying the interest, clothing the baby and paying the hired girl. The good cow is a poor farmer’s friend. Creamer? Butter. It is reported that in the vicinity of some of the best creameries in the but-ter-making sections It is difficult to obtain a package of really good creamery butter, unless it is sent from the city dealers who may have bought It right there. An ironclad contract places it all in the hands of certain dealers, and even those who place their milk in co-operative creameries are not able to obtain good butter for hpmo use. This is but a mistake, for those which have a good reputation could easily have a certain number of pounds or tujjs to be retained for home patrons, and it is said that some do this, avoiding their contracts by putting special brands on such lots. , Old Melon Seed. An English gardener tells that having noticed that plants from old seed produced a less succulent growth than did those from young seed for four years be raised his melon plants from old seed, always growing a l%w plants from new seed. He says: “I then fertilized the female flowers of the older plants with the pollen of the younger, which plants were invariably the more robust. The resulting fruits were more reliable in good quality, and though the female flowers had been small the fruits were large, weighing from three pounds to seven pounds.’* This experience seems to strengthen the existing idea that old melon seed is more satisfactory than new.

TANK AND DRYING TABLE.

DOLLY II.