Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 76, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1903 — FARMS AND FARMERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARMS AND FARMERS

Wagon Wrench and Jack, When a team gets stalled with a heavy load and the driver uses every means of persuasion, from the whip to bad language, to urge the horses to start the wagon, nearly every passerby has a feeling of sympathy tot the animals ami a desire to caution - the driver against cruelty. A more practical thought than these has entered the mind of a Missourian, resulting in the Invention of a simple apparatus, which can he carried on every wagon for use In emergency of this kind. Instead of “putting his Bhouldcr to the wheel” the driver will get out his wrench, secure It in position and exert his strength at the end of the long lever, lifting and rolling the wheel out of the rut or up the grade. The arrangement consists of a pair of hook members, which engage the hub and are adjustably secured to the arms pivoted to the lifting lever. The latter has a tilting shoe, which engages the

face of the wheel as pressure is exerted on the level. The device will fit any diameter of wheel by loosening the cams which connect the arms with the hooks, and adjusting the latter at the proper length. By placing the hook ends on the ground and the end of the lever beneath the axle’this device can also Ke used as a wagoß jack to replace tho one which teamsters usually carry.

A Thins to Do. Another thing we general farmers ought to do, and that is set out more forest liees. Did you notice the story of that old walnut bridge In Indiana that a certain company Wanted so badly that they were willing to put up a good steel bridge in tho place of it? The wood, they thought, would be worth more than the steel bridge. And the men who controlled the walnut bridge refused the offer. Now, this state of affairs is likely to continue. Our forests are vanishing, and unless you and I, the general farmers of the country, get right down to business and plant trees the day is near at hand when fencing and building material will be worth almost as much as gold. Every farm ought to be turned into a little forestry station. We can easily get the seeds of such trees as are Indigenous to our locality and plant them. Time will do the rest, and some day the world will thank us for doing what we did.—Up-to-Date Farming.

Harness for Unruly Cow. There are several devices for overcoming the proclivities of some swine to eat their young, but none of them

better than the method shown In the 1 1 1 u stration, 1 which consists tn making a harness and attaching it to .the animal in such a manner that she can not get It

off. At the same time this harness does not prevent tne animal from eating slop or shelled grains. Little explanation is necessary about this harness, for the cut shows how It Is made and ndjusted. The essential feature is to have the strap back of the forelegs adjusted tightly enough so that £be animal can not slip it over her uead. It must also come close enough to the forelegs so that there will be no chance of Its slipping. The harness should be made of heavv leather well joined with rivets. Tire expense of such a harness as shown Is small and several of them can be made ff necessary bo that any and all of the pigeaters may readily be kept from doing mischief.

Firmiri and Canncru. The Farmers’ Protective Association of Central New York is making trouble for the canning factories In setting prices for which the members are willing to grow their produce instead of taking the prices offered, as heretofore. The scale adopted 1« considerably In idvanoe of what was received by farmers last year. Some factories have granted a slight Increase. In Maryland there are much agitation nnd conflict between growers nnd packers of tomatoes along the eastern Bbore.“joinlry Gentleman. Pore Shoulder* soy Woj-lc Horae*. The heavy work season of the farm nearly always occasions galled or sore shoulders of work horses. Here Is a simple and cheap wny to prevent this: “Take an ordinary sweat pad and cover the surface next to the shoulder with white soft ollcldth. Be very careful to have it pnt on very amooth. wlthouUany wrinkles or lumps on Its surface. The cover is put on by neatly sewing It with strong thread, so that tt will not become displaced. The

trouble with the horses' shoulders lit this respect is caused by sweating, and as the oilcloth presents a cool, dry surface and does not hold the dampness as leather or cloth does, it prevents the shoulders from becoming sore in almost every Instance.” Farmer. The Mythical Corn Wheat. The Department of Agriculture at Washington reports that an enormous number of letters are being received, from farmers in all parts of the country, asking for definite information concerning a so-called new grain designated as “corn wheat.” Samples for trial are asked by most of these Inquirers. The department says that these letters are obviously the result of widely published untruthful newspaper articles. The department authorizes the statement that there is no such thing as “corn wheat,” and that it is not probable corn and wheat can ever be crossed, and. that it Is'a certainty, If they were, that the hybrid would not be fertile. The grain which has caused the furor, the department says, is known correctly as Polish wheat, although the grafu Is not a native of Poland, as the name suggests. Its original home is in the Mediterranean region. The heads and grains of this wheat are very large, the grains being. In many cases, twice as large as those of ordinary wheat. The statement that it yields from sixty to 100 bushels per acre, however, Is an exaggeration, although there may be Instances in Idaho and Washington, where the ordinary wheat yield is large, where the crop may be sixty or seventy bushels per acre. The experiments made by the department with the Polish wheat have generally shown that the yield is disappointing. The new wheat has been grown, except experimentally, In but few places In this country. From the experiments so far made the Inference is that the grain may he very good as a hog food. But Polish wheat Is much restricted in Its adaptability, and, the department says, cannot be successfully grown anywhere l east of the Mississippi River, but only In the great plains region in Washington, Montana, Idaho and the other parts of the Pacific States where the grain Is grown.

Onion Culture Profitable. Onion growers are feeling more hopeful over the prospects than for a number of years back, for the pros-

pect is for good prices for several years ahead. While there Is little chance ,that prices will reach the figures of twenty years ago, when onion growing was so profitable, the prospects are, at least,

encouraging. One of the best classes of onions for profit is the Southport Globe, illustrated herewith. The improved strain of globe onions was given the name Southport, and both the white and yellow sorts are superior to the old glober varieties. The red Southport does well in many sections, bnt is not so reliable as the red Weatberfleld. Both the white and yellow Southports are of good size, most attractive in appearance and are excellent keepers. Both are also late sorts and heavy yielders. The Southport Globes are well worthy of attention on the part of onion-growers.* * Wool Clip of 1002. The world’s wool clip for 1902 is estimated at 2,711,001,571 pounds. Of this quantity Europe furnished 944,244,439 pounds. South America 510,000,000, Central Amerffca 5,000,000, Asia 274,000,000, Australasia 510,000,000, Africa 134,425,000, Oceania 50,000 pounds, and North America, Including the United States, the British provinces and Mexico. 333,342,032 pounds.—Farm Stock Journal. Farm Note*. By cutting back the limbs of old peach trees so that the tree resembles a stump more than anything else new and vigorous fruit-bearing shoots will be put out and several good annual crops produced, while the young trees are coming into bearing. Unlike apple tree suckers, these shoots will bear fruit the second year. The confomnation of the dairy cow is of vital importance. The type of the cow is more essential than the breed as indicating the ability to produce milk and economically. Most records show that animals of the spare and angular type remain In good service for a much larger period than cows that have the tendency to ler on flesh. If the beans have a tendency to rust, as they often do, especially In cold, wet weather, sprinkle or spray -them with a solution of saltpeter or nitrate of soda and water. An ounce of tjie former to a gallon of the latter, applied 4 u•< violin 11 v will rn.'-ili hit unil give wonderful growth and productiveness. Thfs is excellent, also, for all of the vine crops. The value pf shelter and comfort for cattle is demonstrated in an experiment made by the Arizona station. A herd of milch cows were exposdf for three days to a cold rain, at the endof which time the flow of milk bad decreased juat one-half, notwithstanding that the cattle were properly fed. It was a month before the cows gave as much milk as before the exposure.

ASSISTS TEAM WITH A HEAVY LOAD.

SOUTHPORT.

MUZZLE FOR UGLY PIG.