Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1901 — FARMS AND FARMERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARMS AND FARMERS

A Handy Boar Holder. A great deal of time is lost in filling grain bags, unless some device is used by which the bag can be kept open aud the one filling it have the use of both hands. The upright board (Fig. 1) is made of inch stuff, two feet long and ieleven inches wide. The arms (Fig. 3) which support the hopper are held by two triangular boards (Fig. 2), which are nailed to these arms, and to the upright board (Fig. 1), as shown in the illustration. The aims shown at Fig. 3 are each ten inches long, two inches wide and’an inch thick, and the ends are screwed to the side of the spout as shown. The spout is made nine inches square, and both this and the hopper should be made of boards eight inches wide. At Fig. 4 a row of wire nails is shown, by which the bag is held in place at the bottom ,of the hopper. By boring a number of holes

in the back board (Fig. 1) at intervals of an inch apart, and hanging the device to a heavy wire nail or a heavy screw put in the wall, the bag holder may be raised or lowered to a convenient height. Fall Plowinsr. One trouble with fall plowing is the careless way in which It is done. Oftentimes the land is simply plowed in a careless manner with the thought in mind that it can be finished in the spring if it is to lie fallow. Sometimes the plowing is no more perfect when winter wheat and rye is to be raised. 'The ground should be as carefully plowed and prepared for grain sown in the winter as for that sown In the spring. As a rule five or six inches is a most satisfactory depth to plow in the fall, although, of course, it depends somewhat on the character of the soil. If the ground is intended for fall seeding, it'must be handled in accordance with Its character. If inclined to be loose, the harrow and roller should be used until it is well compacted. If the soil is naturally heavy, it should be loosened up just before seeding, by a straight tooth harrow, and if rain sheuld come in a few days after the seed is sown, it always pays to go over the entire plot and loosen up the soil by a light harrowing. For Scalding: Hotr«. With the device shown here, reproduced from the Ohio Farmer, one man can handle the heaviest hog with ease. I have scalded 40 hogs with it, and know what lam saying. Place the hog on the rack (Fig. 1), then close it, then

proceed as shown In Fig. 2. Lift the hog over the trough by taking hold of the lqng lever. Lower It Into the trough, so that the rack springs clear of the bottom of the trough, then take hold of the cross lever and work It up aud down, throwing the carcass from one side to the other, back and forth, until perfectly scalded. Keep trying the hair, so as to know when the proper scalding point is reached. Then swing out on the cleaning rack and take another hog. The figures explain themselves.

Winter Feeding of Wheat.

The consensus of opinion among those who have fed more or less wheat seems to be that wheat can be fed profitably, when comparatively low in price, to nearly all farm stock, provided It is ground or partially broken aud fed with some other grain. Wheat and brau was found to be a fair grain ration for horses and wheat and corn meal for swine, while for sheep the wheat was mixed with oats to the best advantage. Ground oats and crushed Wheat make a fair ration for the dairy cow, or wheat bran may be fed with •ny other grains the dairyman la In

the habit of using. The experiments of feeding the whole wheat show that often as much as one-quarter of it passes through the animal without being digested, and When the wheat was ground or crushed it was but an indifferent food given alone. Fertilizers for Bmall Fruits. Undoubtedly the judicious use of commercial fertilizers is beneficial to small fruit plants, but it must bo applied intelligently, especially if worked with stable manure, to gain the greatest value. A first-class general fertilizer for all small fruit plants Is a mixture of either sulphate or muriate of potash, 200 pounds with 500 pounds of dissolved phosphate rock. It may be applied broadcast or with a drill, the quantity named being sufficient for an acre. This mixture should be applied this fall, and can be used by the plants In time to benefit the crop next summer. This mixture should be applied once every two years. It will be understood that the mixture named is for general use. Some other mixtures will do better for some plants, and what will do best can be determined by experimenting, but until the fruit-grow-er learns just what mixture gives him the best results, he will make no mistake by using the one here advocated. Selecting Seed Potatoes. We never tried the plan of selecting seed potatoes wben we were digging by taking only those from the most pro lific hills, yet it might be a profitable method. If like produces like it should result in a better yield. When we were farming we had not thought as much about such things as we have since, and we were thought a little cranky because we selected our ears of corn for seed from those that matured the earliest, allowed a strip of the best peas to go to seed instead of picking them for market, and allowed the earliest beans on the hill to ripen. We thought it paid us well to do so. and those who laughed at us for bothering so were not unwilling to come to us for seed. If it was profitable to select other seed from the most prolific plants, why not try it with the potato tubers?—American Cultivator.

Safety Blind for Horse*. When you want to get a frightened horse out of a burning stable a blanket thrown over its head renders it as do-

cile as though there were no fire, and why shouldn’t the same idea be applied to a runaway horse on the road? In the illustration we show this idea carried out under the invention of Daniel

Connertliy, of Cliunchula. Ala., and Josef Rothweller, of Chicago, 111. In order that the appliance for manipulating the blinders may not interfere with the control of the horse on ordinary occasions a separate pair of cords is provided, leading back to the carriage. The blinds are held normally open by springs on the bridle, being hinged to the side straps. A pull on the cords throws a lever out from the rear portion of the hinge and presses the blinds over the eyes, thus shutting out the vision of whatever has frightened the animal. As soon as the pressure Is released on the cords the blinds resume their normal position by the action of the springs. Corn Fodder for Fattenin'”. If corn fodder is harvested at the right time, properly handled and cared for, it makes our best feed for farm stock, and especially If a little corn has been left on it, says a correspondent of Prairie Farmer. I would recommend that fodder be cut rather high, so as to leave the hardest part of the stalk In the field. I have handled and fed cattle for last fifty years, aud corn fodder, corn aud all, makes one of the best balanced rations for fattening cattle I have ever tried. Farm Notes. All trees should be examined early in the fall for borers. Farms are getting smaller; the average size in 1850 was 203 acres; in 1890, 137 acres. Large profits from farming in Alaska are claimed. It has been suggested that stock fstfrms near the larger settlements would pay. Rape may be fed to best advantage In the early fall, and hence Is of valuable assistance in fattening lambs for the fall or early winter. It costs no more per pound to raise a colt than a steer, and the colt will sell for four times as much as the steer if the colt is of the right kind. The grape leaf hopper lives on the underside of grape leaves from midsummer uqtil they fall in autumn. Burn all fallen leaves. Bederwood strawberry seems to be the best all round perfect flowering variety at the Michigan station, either for home use or for general marketing. A hired man who persists In swearing at or speaking to the teams In a loud, harsh manner should not be tolerated. All farm animals should be treated with kindness. Indian Runner ducks are attaining a good degree of favor just now among fanciers and by them are recommended to farmers and other practical folks on account of their great prolificacy.

BAG HOLDER.

HANDY SCALDING DEVICE.

SAFETY BLIND.