Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1904 — AGRICULTURAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AGRICULTURAL

Box fdr Carrying Errs. Most poultrymen are familiar with the egg carriers used on the mark'd and those who have a considerate quantity of eggs to handle use those carriers; the farmer, however, is in the habit of carrying eggs in a basket and often many of them become broken resulting in considerable Ipss. The illustration 'shows one of the boxes which may be made from cheap material and which will answer as well as the boxes sold for the purpose. Any z grocer who handles quantities of shipped eggs will give a customer some of the cardboard tiller such as are up in the crates; then buy some cracker boxes and fashion a neat box like the one shown, cutting the pasteboard fillers with a sharp knife so that they will fit the wooden box. _Boxes made to hold one dozen eggs and others to hold two dozen will be large enough. These Loxes ought to have covers with a hasp coming down over a staple so that the box may be locked if need be. These boxes will cost but little if made at home as suggested, and if one has strictly fresh eggs of good size as well as uniform in size they can be marketed In these boxfs at a higher price than if marketed ih a basket; try it and see if it is not so. As an extra inducement to the consumer wrap each egg in white tissue paper and twist the ends of the

paper as they are twisted around oranges and lemons. Have the eggs strictly fresh of good size and clean, and you’ll find that the tissue paper conceit will sell them readily and at good prices.—lndianapolis News.

No Breed of Black Sheep. A black sheep belongs to no particular breed, though at times he appears in the flocks of nearly all the pure breeds. In England he is more commonly seen in the Suffolk flocks, and it is a noteworthy fact that the Suffolk breeders have all they can do to keep the blackish and gray-black tendency from asserting itself febth in the skin and fleece. Black sheep frequently appear in pure-bred Leicester flocks, and to some extent in Lincoln and Devon Longwools, and the tendency is noted in the black spots on the skin; more frequently seen on the ears of the best-bred sheep of these longwool families, thus fortifying the belief expressed by Dr. Henry Stewart that the tendency to black in the Leicester owes its origin to the black ram known to have been used by Bakewell in the perfection of the breed IW> years ago. And it is not unreasonable to suppose that the black sheep which now and then appear in the Down and long-wool breeds, nearly all of which have been jnore or less improved through the use of Bakewell blood, are traceable to that great sheep builder’s handiwork.—Sheep Breeder.

Overdone Gardening. One of the misfortunes of garden lovers is that they frequently plan to do more work than can be ewrried cn successfully. Almost every one who builds a holse thinks he would like to have Xi nice garden, and the nice garden is consequently arranged. But when it is found, ns it' too often is found, thnt it requires an expensive wages bill to keep the place In good order, what was expected to lie a pleasure becomes nir annoyance and a bore. A small place, well cared for, and everything kept up nice and orderly gives far more satisfaction than an overgrown plat e that is n drag on the moans of its owner. In all our operations we are too apt to think we can’ do more tham we really can. In gardening matters lit is especially so.

Apple Trees 70 Years Old. On the form of John Carson, near Russellville, Howard county, Missouri, Is an apple orchard which was planted seventy years ago. The land was preempted at that time, and the original ••sheepskin’’ deed was signed by Andrew Jackson. The orchard bore a good crop this year. Many of its trees are three feet in diameter. I’ecan Crop Increasing. The Southwest Is the most prominent producer of pecans. Jjist season the output was possibly 1.300 ears. It is claimed by some that the yield this season will approach two thousand cars. The huts ar J sal able for all

purposes, and are relatively cheap® than almost any other sort on the market. Repairing-Harness. Most premises have old leather traces about, and a number of parts of harness, such as breast, pole and holdback straps, can be made of ( these, by one handy at such work. Select a piece long enough for a breast strap, fasten a snap at one end;lßor 20 inches from this snap cut away all but the best outside ply, rivet a buckle, punch a number of holes, and ihere you are. The pole and holdbacks may be made from old light traces. A belly-band for chain harness would

have a large loop at one end instead of a buckle. A back band for plow harness may be made from old leather or rubber belting. leather belting, if pretty fair, will make good traces. These hints are not for repairing valuable new harness. One should be very careful about riveting on tlresa The illustration shows how I made a clamp for sewing harness from two kerosene barrel staves fitted in block so! the bolts will draw at least inch. This makes it clamp the work at top. Use two %-inch bolts. This clamp, if properly made, will hold any part of the harness while being sewed?—W. A. Clearwaters, in lowa Homestead. To Move Wire Fences. . It often becomes necessary to move a fence from one part of the farm to another. It is a simple matter to move posts, but the wire presents a more difficult problem. The most common method is to slowly and laboriously roll it up on a barrel, haul it to the place where it is wanted and as slowly unroll it again. A much better and quicker way Is to take a couple of old wheels, the larger the better, and fasten them together by nailing pieces of board to the spokes next the axle. The wheels when fastened together should be about two feet apart. Now take two planks and fasten firmly to the sides of the wagon box so they will extend backward about four feet. Mount the wheels on these planks so they will turn easily. Fasten one end of the wire to one of the boards that connect the wheels and drive astride of the wire. One man turns the wheel while the other drives, and the wire can be rolled up as fast as the team

can walk. To unroll fasten wire to one of the corner posts, drive* ahead and the wire will unroll itself.—C. V. Gregory, In St. Louis Republic. Wood Ashes for House Plants. It is not generally known that wood ashes, mixed with compost, are very beneficial for most pot plants. Balms are wonderfully benefited, and so are crotons, dracaenas, marantas, in fact, all foliage plants. In many instances, when the plant has nearly exhausted the soil, if the top be scraped off to a little depth, and a sprinkling of wood ashes and fresh soil be added, -the plant will be all right until time to repot. To many a lover of flowers this hint, to add a little wood ashes to compost, will bring many a brightened flower and much improved foliage. The mixture should be worked Into the earth Immediately or some of the ammonia in the manure will escape into the air and be wasted.

Rapid Sheep Shearing. Some of the wandering sheep shearers of the Western have acquired wonderful speed. There is a record of one man who sheared 250 sheep In a single day. The average for each man Is about one hundred. The men never tie a sheep. They seize It by the legs with the left hand, throw ft so that they can squeezj it firmly between their legs, and almost before the sheep has begun to bleat the Meece is falling in great fluffy masses. As soon as the last dip of the shears has been made the shearer kicks the fleece out of his way. the struggling sheep Is released and races off, and another one Is bundled in. The Prolific Beale. The total number of descendants from one Individual of the San Jose scale during the time between the middle of June and the last of November has been calculated at 3,210,080,400. As all these millions obtain their food by sucking the sap from the plant they are on. It Is not to be wondered at that a tree which in the spring was apparently In good condition may bo nearly os entirely dead by falL

CONVENIENT EGG BOX.

GOOD HARNESS HORSE.

FOR MOVING WIRE FENCES.