Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 127, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1904 — FARMS AND FARMERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARMS AND FARMERS

Light ins the Batn Safely. One cannot be too careful using lights of any kind In barns, but there Is little danger if a lantern is used and some way provided so that it may be securely hung beyond the reach of danger. The illustration shows a simple way of doing this. If there are several places in the barn inhere light is likely to be needed stretch a strand of smooth fence wire so that it will hang taut over these places first sliding on another strip of wire with a ring and with a snap at the other end. When the lantern is to be put' in place simply snap over the bale of the lantern as shown in the illustration. If the lantern is to be placed where there is little chance of any one running against it, a long hoop may be made of one end of the wire, instead of the snap, and the bale of the lantern slipped over it By making the hook long and pinching the upper end so that there will be just room enough

to slip the handle of the lantern between, the danger of knocking it off la much lessened, although this plan is not as safe as the snap. Small Yards for Poultry. When it is not possible to supply a range of considerable size for the fowls and they must be practically kept in yards, an excellent plan is to divide the yard into two or three sections, according to its size, and treat them in the following manner: Plow or spade each yard, and in one or two, if divided into three spaces, plant some early vegetables that will require some cultivation radishes, for example. When the crop is taken out, turn the fowls into this yard and plant the others in the same way. When the yards are divided into three, one of them may be prepared thoroughly and grass seeds or oats, or millet sown in it, with the vegetables in the second yard, while the fowls occupy the third. When the grass or small grain gets two or three inches high, turn the fowls In this yard and sow the soil in the yard they occupied, In a like manner. By the time they have cleaned out the grass lot, the one in which the vegetables are grown -will be ready for them to scratch over. It Is surprising how well the fowls will do under this plan, even though each yard is very small.

Good Pi* Trough.

O. C. Burch, of Nebraska, sends lowa Homestead a plan for making a pig trough to prevent the hogs getting in it. “I have mine,” says Mr.

Burch, "with a number of holes In the uprights at the ends of the trough so It can be adjusted to suit different sized hogs. The top piece or rail can bo taken out In cleaning out the trough. A trough of this kind is almost nlways clean and such a thing ns mud is unknown about n trough of this kind.” The Pcrenninl Plants. More ami more people who love flowers are getting into the way of growing the old-faphionedi flowers such ns the sweet william, hollyhock, larkspur and others familiar to most people who have reached middle life. This class of plants are among the easiest to "grow and are particularly useful on the farm grounds where It is not always easiest to care for tender plants over winter. The one complaint about hardy perennials Is that they are not so profuse In blooming the second season of flowering. With many of the classes this may lie remedied by planting the seeds ns soon as they ripen, In the late summer, in the places where sou want the plants to grow and bloom. . N A Makc-Hhift Ice House. A New York dairy farmer secured n supply of ice which lasted nearly all summer by packing It In one end of a shed which was floored with polest, fllllng with Ice, partitioned with slabs battened with boards, the' spaces around the Ice filled with sawdust Fruit In Wrappers. Wrapping fruit In tissue, parchment Wn or newspaper has been found ong the storage sea sen of winter pples and late-keeping pears, preserr-

ing their fresh appearance, preventing accumulation of mould on the stem or at the calyx, lessening the decay and preventing evaporation from the fruit Little difference was noticeable In the efficiency of the different wrappers. It is believed that with all fancy fruit for long keeping wrapping is worthy of commercial consideration. Plea for Organization. There seems to be no good reason why an organisation among farmers for mutual benefit should not be as successful as similar organizations in othet lines. It is not Intended that such organization should increase the cost of farm produce to the consumer, for this is unnecessary. But there is certainly room for a plan which will enable the producer to market his crops at a price which will give him a fair return for his labor. The subject is too large to treat exhaustively in one item, for there are many essential things to do to make such an organization a success. The idea is worth serious consideration, but it must be based on business principles, the lack of which has caused the failure of nearly every attempt at organization among soil workers. Here are a few of the things which must be done to win success: Every member should bear a proportion of the expense In accordance with the proportion of his crop to that of other members. Oops of unequal ’quality should be marketed on their merits. In other words, the grower of Inferior fruit or any other crop, must not expect to share equally with the man whose shipment is of the first grade. The manager should be selected with care and then be given proper control. If these few essentials seem too formidable, work up to them by combining with one or two growers whosa crops are of the same quality as your own and select a good commission man and all work together. A year or two in this line will give you faith In the larger organization plan.—lndianapolis News. Fertilizers Tested. Bulletin No. 253 of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station (Geneva) gives the results of analyses of commercial fertilizers for the spring 1904. There were collected 4GB samples representing 371 different brands. While eighty-one of these brands fell short of their guarantees In nitrogen, twenty-nine brands in available phosphoric acid and seventy-five brands In potash, a general average of all shows that the guarantee was exceeded In these ingredients. Farmers who are purchasing commercial fertilizers should send for this bulletin in order to ascertain the standing of the goods they are using. Turkeys Grow Fat on Acorns. A farmer from western Massachusetts writes that he has successfully fattened turkeys on sweet acorns with very little other food. The turkeys would go to the oak groves in the morning and stay there nearly all day, and soon got themselves Into fine market condition. As soon as they are well fattened, they should be sold off, as they show a tendency to go off condition when the supply of acorns begins to fail. Look Out for Ticks and Scab. Your sheep should be carefully looked after before winter. Ticks and scab should be removed. It does not pay to feed ticks on expensive food during the winter months. Poultry Pickings. In feeding ground bone to young fowls, be sure to have it fresh. Young chickens may be fed almost anything that Is clean and wholesome. The dust heap is absolutely necessary for fowls. Feather pulling Is a vice that comes from confinement and Idleness. Allow no filth of any kind to accumulate within reach of tiie OnTtif. Thoroughness In detail In poultry raising Is the great secret of success. Common fowls do not possess the characteristic qualities of thoroughbreds. When fowls are permitted to roost In foul, damp houses It causes drooplshncss. Cnponlzlug should be performed when the cockerels are three or four mouths old. After the fowls begin to moult they should be given a little ground bone once every day. Exercise is cheaper than medicine. The brood Htlll under the mother’s care should be liberally fed. By giving young fowls a free range It will nld materially to develop a strong, houlthy constitution. Fowls will eat a great deal of granulated charcoal. As n preventive of disease It is invaluable. Poultry should always have access to green food when possible, ami when they cannot It should be supplied. It Is eusier to keep fowls hi a good condition now than to allow them to run down and then bulkl up again. The only sure and safe way to keep large flocks, whether young or old. Is to separate them Into small lota, each one to occupy a place for itaelf. The distinguishing characteristics of the Sylesbury breed of ducks are their fecund/ty and early maturity, combined with their great aptitude to fatten.

THE BARN LANTERN.

GOOD PIG TROUGH.