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About The Coos Bay times. (Marshfield, Or.) 1906-1957 | View Entire Issue (March 6, 1915)
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION United States Department of Agriculture Special PjJ Hullotins and Special Articles Issued by the Government, of Interest to the Northwest; oC SiiffRcstions Covering u Wide Knngc of Activities; IlcsuU of ftcdcrnl Investigations, Ed-. IS Cultivating Food for Robins nnd Bluebirds TIII-2 economic Importance of hoop ing our robins and bluebirds sup plied with food Is emphasized in n new bulletin of the United States Department of Agriculture, entitled "Food for the Hoblns and Illueblrds of the United States." These two members of the thrush fatally arc most attractive and desirable assist ants to the farmer, reducing the In sects thnt prey on his crops besides oatlug a number of undesirable weed seeds. However, as they nro very generally distributed throughout the United States and arc usually abun dant wherever found, It sometimes becomes a problem to provide for them when the supply of insects and wild berries Is Insufficient and the birds have to resort to cultivated crops to sustain life. In order to keep the birds from de stroying valuable crops the Depart ment's biologist advises that they be provided with adequate supplies of wild fruits nnd berries by tholr hu man friends. Ornamental trees and thrubs which furnish these may be planted in the vicinity of cultivated crops for this purpose. The now bulletin Is a professional paper nnd goes into considerable de tail Into tho diet of the five different species of American robliiB and blue birds which arc enumerated as fol lows: Common robin (I'lnnesllcus mlgra tortus). Oregon robin (Ixorctis naovlus). Kastorn bluebird (Slnlia stalls) . Wostorn bluebird (Slallu nioxl- man). Mountain bluebird (Slnlia curru coldos). Tho complaints against the robin have dwelt on his fondness for cher ries, strawberries, blackberries, rasp berries, pears, poaches, prunes, grapes, and even olives in Califor nia. Tho bluebird's consumption of cultivated fruits seems more limited, being practically confined to cherries, raspborrles and blackberries nnd Its fruit-eating period Is very short, be ing only from Into Fall to early Spring when tho Insects which It pre fers nro senrce. Tho bulletin contains n list of orna mental plants which, It Is suggested, might be planted In regions whoro tho robin and bluebird nro occasionally compollod to food on cultivated va rieties of fruit nnd berries. In olive rogious, for Instance, If a robin can find such bcrrlos as Madrona, Hotor- ' omoles and Cnscarn ho will prefer thont to tho cultivated fruit valued by man. Mlstletoo and elderberries arc among tho varieties recommended ' for the bluebird In particular. Dog wood, pepper bcrrlos, china berries nnd hnckberrlcs are popular with tho robin, and, In tho North, cedar, smllnx-, nnd holly glvo them both food nnd shelter. Tho Department's biologist advises farmers by nil mcanB to oncourngo tho robin nnd tho bluebird, consid ering that thoy will moro than com pensnto for occasional depredations by tho nsslstnnco rendered In killing tindeslrablo insects nnd that thoy can bo pretty effectually kept from eat ing valuable fruits It thoy nro pro vided with n supply of wild ones for Winter diet when Insect food Is senrce. Boy Corn Raisers in Indiana Arc Hustlers THAT tho Indlnnn boy corn raisers are hustlers Is proven by tho rec ords of tho flvo champlonB In tho Corn Club work of that state, con ducted co-opeiatlvcly by tho United States Department of Agrlculturo nnd Purduo University. These young men wero recently In Washington on n sight-seeing trip, under tho chnrgo of their statu loader, tholr cxponsos being paid by certnln locnl organiza tions which desired to seo tho boys rewarded for their oxcollenco In this manner. The boys rcinnlnod scvernl days in tho city. Fnch boy during tho past year raised moro than 100 bushels of corn on his one-ncro plot and tho cost per bushel ranged from about 0 to IS cents in tho special cases. Tho ex act yields and costs per bushel nro ns follows: Yield. tiu, per nore. .10(1.13 Champion nil County Wfltlniiil ziFneM. I.nke.. Arthur Trout. Delaware lOrt.12 Hoy McAliren. lluh no. til liny frleJerUorf. llrtlioloincw..KH.8:i lre J Thomai, 1'oicy 1 10.S3 Coit per tut. 1 1.60 11.80 11.70 iaoo s.na Cent. Tho flno records mndo by theso boys, howover, do not toll tho wholo story, for theso nro merely tho very best. Thoro wero many other good records which deserve commendation. Much n Drrnnit Oh! would you know my Colln's charms? She has no pet Jor In licr nrms! Slio does not dvo tier hair or face! Hho walks with perfect vnso nnd grncol She does not talk In slipshod slnng! Sho docs not sport n. "rnt" or "bmiR!" Klio wears no corset tightly laced I 8ho has a very natural waist! Sho has a voice that's sweet nnd low! She's got nnd I nm lie one bcnul She this Is true she's never latol Sho never innkos hor escort wait I She's really modtirato In her tnlkt Sho likes, In preference, to wnlkl Sho Is pnr excellence you'd deem. And inluht bo, wero ho not n dream! La Touclio Hnticock, In Now York Sun. Thoro Is nothing uulto like shift lessnoss to drive the boys from tho farm to tlio city. Farm boys llko to seo things go. In fact, n wlde-awako boy appreciates having things dono right. Think about theso things, brother farmer, nnd mnko a path of interest so bright on tlio farm that tho boys will become Interested In all dopnrtmonts of farm life. Relation of Alcohol to Agriculture in Germany TUG Importnnco that alcohol dis tilleries may unauino In rjclotitlflc agriculture Is pointed out In n recent professional paper published by tho United States Department of Agrl culturo under tho title of "Agricul tural Alcohol; Studies of Its Manu facture In Gorinitny." Tho results of the author's utudy Indicate Hint tho manufacture of alcohol for tech nical purposes, not for human con sumption, Is not regarded In Itself n profitable business, but as n neces sary fnctor In general farming. Tho dlstlllorlos provldo n market for Ger many's enormous potato crop, which In turn hns mudo posslhlo tho profit able cultivation of largo trnctit of light, sandy soil In tho east. 'I ho spont mnsh again Is returned to tho farmers from tho distilleries nnd used ns feed for cattlo which fur nish manure for tho enrichment of the soil. On account of tlio pressuro of the population and tho dcslrosto cultlvnto as largo nn ncrcago as pos sible, Gorman farmers havo not been raising ns much livestock ns would bo good agricultural practice, nnd anything that tends to ntliuulatc thorn In thin direction is regarded, ns most desirable. Approximately fcOOO ngrl.cultttrnl potato distilleries nro now In opera tion In tho Gorman Empire. Many of theso nro co-opcrativo distilleries In which It Is Interesting to note thnt tho co-oporntors-do not hold shares having a certain money value, hut possess tho privilege of calling dully for n certain quantity of spent mnsh. To tho potnto crop Itself nn eighth of tho arnblo land In tho German Em pire Is now devoted, nnd tho produc tion Is enormous. In somo Instnncos crops of moro than 035 bushels per ncro have boon hnrvestod, while yields of 300 to .175 bushels are quite common. Although such yields nro produced only under favorable circumstances, It seems ob vious thnt the total yields run ho vory considerably Increased If now usos for alcohol can be discovered to cronto tho necessary demand. At tho present tlmo In tho eastern prov inces It Is tho price of splrltH which rcgulnlcB tho prlco of potatoes. i Lumbormon who tako cedar nnd mnhnguny from tho forests of Colom bia nro required to plant young treos of .tho same speclos In tho uut-ovor spaces. turcrs and I'liospliatf i most emir, i nnd apatite , acid and a COlllpuijIllfin mice lieenu of llnio but , iiru acieti mi Manufacture of AeU Phosphate It en THHn.ai.urnrnircotneKKv W has en.,,. ,() ,,,,. T tortnLmi. . Sc'l&iK?."? Of ll.P ITI. , HUa 7 meni or A-....,i,ro !.' n bulletin , n , , " "Mel. Is ,1.. cd i? " " Ellin ' " U H. tut " 1'laced l0Be, ' . 0,"uotHosS u"'ls of Ui2 " "10 fort liot Dw ''" only ihe ,u r used as n -nt nnd inn e finished i.i, "l BM nui(,ft Of nil ih, impurities 0CCMH..1 Phosphate , compound, ft' nnd ! nlu.nln , ro thorn it ,& Kvoh In h ,.! nuantlii v"? tnotitH ure 0l,i t came TtA ntnoiiiit ,r i.virJon ssd i. l quantities may render the wH sticky nml unfit f,,. ... i. " handling, h.iwm-r, nhosphatttn bp made to produce Ugh-m! 3 phosphate. On tin. ntiT.A: bonato of lime s ralhcr dump" systems nrc In cectrd for limiting acid phosphate, eitltn ing certain advantages. Intle'&f system, nflcr tlio rock and nlpta iium uiu iiiiiniugiiiy mucd, Ueci Pound Is droilllCil Into a rWI v.i lined chnmbir or "den" lir,4 chonilcal reactions raise tbe ttija hho io a iiikii point ana lit cs pleted in 2 1 hours or to, tUri net being then ready forMtEt In the "open dump" system, u J name Irnplli the mixture oftdJa rock Is tliiMipc.il on an optapCtd tnny require month drtHates to become fit for use. Tie Ita given off In the process, norm inny become n culous ntilunctiji vicinity of inn ii" On the otter Id Mm rmnnvnl of I tin nrM tloefl from (lie dm Is troublcsow d when dono m linml, sonetbtsto gerous. Tin. fnt.t nf iirnilnrlnff iriJ tb phnto dcpM.tr mi n number of n? ing rurtori'. nnu nsicciiH.m Hon mid inmpmtnt of thepluld tho cost of ulplinrlc acid, Ei&t of office fxprn.rs It niarbenlll rnngo from $u -jo to is t Growing of Blackberries Is a Good Investment u U. H. At vs. European Areas. Somo Iden of tho slzo of tho United States is gained by comparing our country with tho Europcnn nntlons Involved In tho groat war. For In Etnnce, Hussln Is tho only country In Europe that Is larger than our Stnto of Toxos. Franco Is not qulto ns big nB Cali fornia and Alabama combined. Germany Is about tho sumo size ns Franco mid about equal to Montana mid Goorgln comblnod. Tho llrltlsh Isles nro about tho same sizo us Now Mo.xlco. llelgliim Is not qulto ns big ns Maryland. Italy Is about tho slzo of Novada. Servla is almost 26,000 fcijuaro miles wmaller than Indiana. Illinois Is uoarly ns large us Ilol Kium, Sorvla and NuthurlumU com blnod. Italy Is about twice the lie of Jlllnoli. Texas mid California towthar are Vltuar than Gerinuny and France to gether. Auatrla with 211,181 square miles Is the biggest country In IturoiMt next to ltiiasU. but Is 26,000 wjuare hiUm rtualler than Tuxas. NDEIt good management nn nver ago yield of 2300 quarts of blackberries per aero can bo ex pected, nccordlng to a recent publi cation Issued by tho United Stntos Dopartmcnt of Agriculture. Whoro tho soil Is very deep nnd rich and tho host moisture conditions nro found this may bo Increased to C000 quarts and certnln varieties on tho Pacific slopo huvo even given 7000 quarts an ncro. Tho last census showed that approximately 150,000 acres wero dovotcd to blackberry plantations In tho United Stntes. This ncrcago Is distributed over practically tho entire country. Mis souri loads with nearly C000 ncros and Now Jorsoy Is second with 4300. As n matter of fact, blackborrlos cun bo grown successfully on almost nny typo of soil and in n wldo rango of cllmntes. In tho colder parts of tho Northwest tho sovoro Winters fre quently kill tho plants and In tho nrld sections of tho Wost hot, dry winds destroy tho ripening fruit. Tho cholco of proper varlotlos, howover, will do much to overcomo natural difficulties. .Selecting n IMiiutntlon. In selecting n slto for n blackberry plantation, the most Important con siderations aro tho molstuio of tho soil and tho accessibility of u markot. Tho blackberry Is a tondor fruit, tho keeping qualltliw of which nro seri ously affected by Jarring ovor rough roads. It Is, moreover, ossontlul that the berries should bo placed on tho market ns quickly us possible after they are pleked jf they are to coin mand a good price. Tho best land Is u deep, fine, sandy loam with a lurgo supply of humus and abundant moisture at tho rlpon lni( season. On the other hand, tho plants are ofton killed If wator stands on the plantation during tho Wlntor The year beforo the establishment of the blackberry plantation tho land should bo planted with n cultivated crop. This Insures tho thorough rot ting of tho sod mid will help to de stroy tho cutworms nnd other Insects Injurious to tho young plnuts. Tho soil nhoiild bo plowed to n depth of about nine Inches to tho Spring nnd a thorough harrowing should hn given tho wholo Hold boforo tho plnnts nro sot. This Is usually dono as early In tho Spring us tho land can bo proper ly prepared. Tho earllor tho plants nro set tho Inrgcr tho proportion that llvo nnd tho hotter tholr growth. Tho roots should bo sot deeply for tho canes break easily If tho crowns project nbovo tho surfneo of tho ground. Tho tops should bo cut back to six Inches or loss In length. Cultivation is nec ossary and tho plnnts should thorc foro bo set sufficiently far apart to permit of It. Intercropping. During tho first Summer somo in tercrop may bo grown between tho rows, which will greatly reduco tho cost of tho berry field that year. This should bo ono that requires constant cultivation nnd nt tho samo tlmo ono whoso growth will not bo largo ouough to shado tho blackborry plants. Such truck crops as cnbbago and potntoos aro oxcellont for tho purpose whllo corn and small grains should bo avoided. Uy tho second Summer tho plants will bo largo enough to occupy all tho spaco and nn Intercrop will not bo possible. In both S u mm e r s , cultivation should begin early in the Spring and bo continued nt intervals of from ono to two wooks throughout tho sonBon In order to provldo n dust mulch for tho retention of molsturo nnd to koop down suckers nnd woods. Suckers nro apt to spring up from tho rootS at various dlstancos from tho paront plant, ospeclnlly whon tho roots aro cut. Digging up theso suckors Ib n fnvorlto wny of securing now plants, hut this practice Interferes, clew with the yield of the bcrrlfi. Illackberry roots lite for K yenrs, but the canes exccptlit vnrletlos- bear only In tbeln year. After the frultlnt K Hinrf.rnri. IllfV Mllflllld bfi COt OdC burned. The one-year-old cu usually bo left to tncrascirci iw out tho Winter Not more tiuttj or four now nines should be kC ench plnnt, however, ana us ul.ni.l.l 1... Ililnnml nnt it til C tlmo thnt the enncs b!cb lr fruited aro thinned. 'i'1-.iinliiL' Plants. In fioino cases, It will ! ti Blrnblo to train tho plants la tj to fncllltato cultivation as idlyl provont them being damajM cj tor snows. A wire trellis BW bocomo n profltablo InvestBftL .,i. .,...( tn nt mirh trcllll W- "V"4'." .'."". ".u-.S.il to DOflt oi a single inju."; ,Yifcl nt Intervals of from 15 l M In each row of plants. nro tied to thh wire about IS' nbovo tho ground. Aiiotuer iiicwiuu r.Lr,is wires ironi mu i - - .. pieces, which form a support uincKiicrry cam a u ""i., qi' rlotles that groy somewl w grnpo vino rcquirp a "& trollls with two wires; MJ "J i ni.n,i t tfpt fromt6P': u,.u "" ",,... i& uno nuni riu . - , vnrlotios ot uiaiuu c, . -- ognlzod, divided Into reeJ tho hardy, tlr holWirfr $,, tondor. Tho lmrdy variety g, nblo to withstand n w';s, ?0 oegrcesi; ,- n'"tt t era Statos. V.'AiirtMtf moro,-susccptni uui IetJ tj chango, and t. c"crmld Wl only bo grosu where m I prevail. IflOK