Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1901 — FARMERS CORNER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARMERS CORNER

Poor Work in Shreddina* Considerable complaint has been made against the corn shredder because the shredded material, especially the coarser parts of the corn stalk were not properly cut to pieces. Pieces of stalk from six to ten inches long formed the greater part of the waste that accumulated in the mangers. Much of this material, if reduced to fineness, would be eaten by stock, and a great deal of actual feed could be saved. However, It is true that a portion of the stalk can hardly be reduced by the shredder and cutter head sufficiently to be eaten by animals. A grinding process that crushes as well as cuts is necessary to do this. But the common shredder may be made to do much better work than it has done the past season. Where the shredder has started fresh with sharp, keen knives, firmly set, the thrashed material was made a gi'eat deal finer than after the machine has been used for a considerable length of time without the knives "being sharpened. Shredder owners are doing jjreat injury by allowing such careless work. Instances are known where the knives of the shredder have not been looked after during the entire season’s work. Such poorly cut up fodder brings the shredder into disrepute; and the districts that have been imposed upon will likely have very little fodder shredded the coming season because the machine did not increase the value of the fodder.—lndianapolis News. Barn Floor Scraper. The stable scraper Is a very handy tool to keep in the barn, and can be easily and inexpensively made. The foundation is an inch board, five inches wide and about eight inches longer than the width of an ordinary four-tined

fork. Quarter-inch hole* are bored in the edge of the board the same distance apart that the tines are on the fork. These holes should l>e about three inches deep, and pass out of the board on the side. The lower edge of the board is beveled behind, which forms a good scraping edge. The Corn Binder. Saving the corn fodder has become a most important operation on most of the farms. The drought has cut short the oats and hay crop, and the deficiency in coarse fodders must be supplied front the corn fields. The silo has proved to be of great value in converting the green fodder into ensilage. It is not only the most economical method of handling the crop, but gives the best food, not for dairy animals only, hut for the production of beef. The making of ensilage Is not generally practiced throughout the country. The stover is put up as dry fodder, and is so fed. Corn-cutting has become so general that it is often difficult to obtain help for harvesting the crop, either for the silo or in the dry state. The improvements made in the corn binder have made It a practical and valuable Implement for cutting the fodder. The binder not only hastens the work of cutting the forage, but by tying it into bundles the material Is much more easily handled when put on wagons or when placed In the shock. The feeding Into the shredder is more regular where the fodder has been given to It In bunches of equnl size. Biennial Plant* BeMina Firat Year. We have occasionally been called upon to tell our neighbors why some of their plants that are not supposed to produce seed until they have been reset In the ground after they have made one year's growth should have gone to seed the first season. They are roots, and we have seen It happen in beets, carrots and celery, probably more often in the latter than in the others. In every case where we have had an opportunity to examine the plants that thus seeded prematurely we have found that some cause had checked the growth in the early part of the Beason, and when It began a new growth It began as If in Its second year to develop the seed stalk instead of perfecting the root. Celery set In the ground too early, or allowed to be chiliad in the hotbed where started, does

tbls very frequently, but we'have syeH beets and carrots do it when a sever© late frost wenl over them after they were well up, and we think parsnips are liable to do so. But we have found beets and carrots doing so when examination showed that they had been injured by having been touched with the hoe or weeder, or possibly injured by worms or other insects. There is no i*emedy but to pull up and destroy the plant. Seed produced on such a plant is valueless for sowing another season. —American Cultivator. Robbins Farm* and Families. The American Sheep Breeder says that it is quite possible that an ounce of ntixeil food, such as corn and oats ground together, with an equal quantity of wheat middling or bran, will add an ounce or more to the weight of lambs after they are four weeks old, if given daily in addition to other proper food, and as they grow older this amount may be increased, with nearly a corresponding increase in weight gained. To exchange a pound of grain, costing about one cent, for a pound of lamb worth fifteen cents seems to be, a trade that almost any farmer would be willing to make, but we have seen those who boasted that they never bought any grain. They did not raise lambs or chickens, sold but little and bought less, and saved money, but we would not have accepted their farms and the money they had accumulated and agreed to mak4 the farm as good as it was when they received it. Such farmers are usually robbers, robbing the land of its fertility, robbing their families of the comforts of life, and their children of the pleasures of youth and nearly all that is desirable in life, unless the children forsake the farm and establish a home where they may earn more, expend more and enjoy more of life.—New England Homestead. Value of Foracre Crops. Dry pastures and hot weather bring little terror to the farmer who has planted liberally of such crops as will give forage in midsummer. The early sweet corn is in condition to feed and the sorghum is coming into head. With these crops to supplement the pastures, the live stock will receive little check In the production of meat and milk from lack of food during the hot weather. If stock is compelled to hunt for a living all day in weed fields with little grass, a loss may be expected, one that will be difficult and expensive to make good later on. The hogs and sheep, as well as the cows, will appreciate an extra ration during the warm days. While the stock is running on pasture, if shade, food and water are together, noon is an excellent time to do this special feeding. At this time of day the animals will be in the shade near their watering place, and extra feed may then be given without disturbing them In .the cool morning and evening when they enjoy feeding on the grass. A check in growth, whether in summer or winter, is always an actual loss to the owner.—Exchange. % Crop-Bound Fowls. There is more or less trouble with crop-hound fowls in the summer, and during this season it is due nearly always to the bird having got some improper substance in its crop. If the bird is a valuable one and worth treating the best plan is to take her between one’s knees with a cup of sweet scalded milk in hand and gently force some of the milk down the throat, at the same time working the crop gently hack and forth with the fingers. As ter giving a few spoonfuls of the milk then give a dose of Rochelle salts in a little milk. If this does not bring relief, go back to the first treatment, which will be more effectual after tin use of salts, and will relieve the trouble in the majority of eases. The difficulty may have been caused by eating too much grit or gravel, or eating con sklerahle mud when picking up com oi other grain thrown to the hen. Aftei feeding the fowl as indicated she should be fed bread moistened in milk for a day or two and kept in a clear coop, where she can get no food exeepl that given her. The HnnpyTrnck Farmer. Truck farming differs from the growing of ordinary field crops in that not so much land is needed for this work; hence the location of the home can be found in the suburbs of towns and cities," where both the advantages of city and rural life can be e njoyed. This is my ideal home. A man upon such a truck farm is a king, surrounded by the best influences of earfli, away from the temptations and excitement of the city and close enough to take advantage of Its schools, churches, water, lights, etc. He Is in touch with the great pulsating heart of nature, her invigorating atmosphere, her balmy sunshine, pure water, the song of the birds, the hum of the bees and the aroma of the flowers. What more enticing surroundings could a man need to lead a pure and happy life, which Is the ultimate object and aim of human ambition when simmered down to.its elements?—Farm and Ranch. Keeping Milk Sweet. If the milk is to be delivered In good condition to the consumer during the summer months. It must be thoroughly cooled and aerated and kept cool, says Hoard’s" Dairyman. These steps are absolutely necessary with all milks during the hot weather. A great improvement can also be made by looking carefully after the cleanliness of cows, stabies and milk utensils, as there is a great difference In the keeping quality of clean and dirty milks. The whole question of keeping milk sweet Is in providing a clean article, kept cooled aud well aerated. Preservatives should not be used under any condition.

SCRAPER FOR BARN FLOOR.