FARM 5 ORCHARD
Notes and Instructions from Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations
of Oregon and Washington, Specially Suitable to Pacific Coast Conditions
Preparing'Chickens for the
Poultry Show
"As the judges at poultry shows
award premiums on appearance of the
fowls on judging day," says Professor
Lunn of the Poultry department of Jthe
Oregon Agricultural college, it is nec
essary that the boy or girl who is
going to exhibit poultry at the county
or and state fairs not only give them
the best of care in getting them
ready, but also in cooping and ship-
ping them. As the final wind up of
the boys' and girls' poultry raising
contest is at hand, in a short time
these birds will be shipped to compete
for prizes. The appearance of their
plumage and vigor upon the home
farm will not be a factor. The judge
will not consider the care spent upon
thern nor make allowances for distance
traveled.
"Here are a'few points which may
mean the winning of a premium other
wise lost. Every boy and girl should
send for a premium list of the show
where the birds are to be exhibited,
decide what premiums are to be tried
for, then select and prepare the birds
accordingly; The more nearly mature
the fowls are the better. They should
have maximum strength and vigor.
They should be in good ' flesh and
healthy, showing no signs of disease,
especially scaly leg.
"In preparing fowls for the show it
is necessary to wash the white colored
ones about four days before the birds
are shipped. Use three tubs. The
first should be half full of warm
water, the second tub of luke-warm
water, and the last tub with water
from which the chill has been re
moved. Put the fowl into the first
tub and hold it under the water until
the plumage is soaked. The head may
be held under a moment or two. Place
the fowl on a clean table, thoroughly
soap with a good white soap. The
plumage is now ready to be scrubbed,
which is done gently with a small
brush, in the direction the feathers
grow. The bird is then rinsed in the
second tub, removing all the soap so
that the feathers will web out properly.
The legs should be scrubbed and if
necessary the dirt under the scales re
moved with a toothpick.
"The third tub is used for the final
rinsing. If blueing is used in this
water there should be not too much of
it and it must be thoroughly mixed
with the water or it will stain the
plumage. The feathers are dried by
hand, rubbed with- towels, and the
bird placed in a well-heated room until
thoroughly dried. It should . then be
placed in a clean coop with four or five
inches of chaff on the -floor so that the
feathers will not be soiled. Dark col
ored birds may have their plumage
rubbed with a silk handkerchief and
their legs washed as above. Now
train'them to handling and to exhibi
tion coops. Stroke and speak to them,
as this will make them pose better
when the judge is looking them over.
If dull, the comb and wattles may be
rubbed with an equal mixture of sweet
oil and alcohol.
"In shipping, the coops should be
large enough to give the fowl ample
room, about thirty inches for the
tallest birds, grading down to a foot
for the tiniest bantams. The comb
should never touch the top of the coop.
The width should be such that the
plumage will not be cramped. A sin
gle coop should be provided for each
male, but females may be placed two
or three together. A little grain may
be sprinkled in the chafT, but it is not
best to put drinking water in the coop.
A few vegetables or apples will an
swer the place of water very well and
will not soil the plumage. It is not
necessary to put grit or other food
than grain in the coop."
Topping Herds May Be
Done by Grower.
Growers of beef cattle may escape
the disappointment of having their
herds topped, by making the classifi
cation themselves, and then offering
only what the buyer wants, thinks
Porf. E. L. Potter, animal husbandry-
man of the Oregon Agricultural col
lege. Buyers are operating under or
ders from their employers to get only
a certain grade that is wanted for the
' trade at that time, and must comply.
"When you enter a grocery and ask
for a certain grade of coffee," says
Professor Potter, "you are not offered
a mixed lot of fifty cent and thirty
five cent and twenty cent grades, and
urged to take it The salesman tries
to sell you exactly what you want. If
you want a fifty cent brand and take
no other you are not condemning the
other two brands. They are all right
for the purpuse intended but you do
not want them.
"Now, that is precisely the situa
tion in which the buyer finds himself.
If told to get prime beef he is not at
liberty to include butcher stuff, or
feeders or stackers. Mind, he is not
condemning the other grades; they
are only what he dosn't want."
The professor then read from mar
ket reports the Chicago quotation on
fat steers ranging from $7.60 for culls
up to $9.15 from primes. "How can
buyers be expected to pay the same
price for the lot?" he inquired.
"The most profitable thing to do is
to study the market and produce just
that demand. The fat stuff should be
cut and made up into carload lots, and
shipped on the days, two each week in
Eastern Oregon, when cattle trains
pass. Two carloads are best, as then
transportation is issued for the return
trip. This will guarantee quick ship
ments, which means money, as shrink
age takes place faster the longer the
journey. If the grower hasn't enough
to make two carloads he can generally
find a neighbor to go in with.
Professor Potter thinks that it is
more profitable for the growers to
ship.
Silos in Washington.
The extension department of the
State college at Pullman has received
reports on more than sixty silos in the
state, the figures being furnished by
the silo owners. Some have furnished
definite data while others could only
give estimates. The reports will be
tabulated in complete form. While
they can not be considered absolutely
accurate, as figures from silo owners
they serve as a valuable guide. In
cluded are 47 stave, 3 hoop, 3 con
crete, 2 brick, 1 Gurler, and several
square silos. The square silos are not
considered in the statements below.
Of the stave silos 40 are home made
and 7 factory built. Factories have
only recently entered the field.
In western Washington the average
cost of stave silos reported was $2.20
per ton capacity. Of those exceeding
46 tons capacity, average cost $1.69
per ton capacity. Of those less than
45 tons capacity, average cost $2.98
per ton capacity.
In eastern Washington the average
cost of stave silos reported was $2.25
per ton capacity.
Of those exceeding 45 tons capacity,
average cost was $2.08 per ton capa
city. Of those lesa than 45 tnna mnncitv
average cost was $2.41 per ton capa
city. .
The sm all silo is more expensive in
proportion to its capacity. A silo
should be not less than ten fpet. i n dia
meter. The height should be at least
twice as srreat as the diameter. On
the average farm two medium sized
snos are more satisforctory than one
extremely large one.
After-Harvest Cultivation
or the Dry Farmer
The moisture aunnlv for th oi-nmth
of plants in dry land agriculture comes
from-the. natural precipitation. The
greater portion of our rainfall comes
during the winter months. Plants are
not growing at this season and can not
mane use or tne moisture as it comes.
How best to hold and conserve the
winter precipitation is the problem.
It has been found at the agricultural
experiment station at Pullman, Wash.,
that soil which is in a loose, open con
dition will take in and hold from 15 to
85 per cent more moisture than one
which is in a hard, compact condition.
Soils which have been thoroughly
loosened up during late summer and
early fall, before the rajny season,
either by thorough discing or fall
plowing, give yields of from five to
ten bushels per acre more than the
same type of soils that are allowed to
go through the winter untouched after
harvest Discing to a depth of four
or five inches as soon after harvest as
practicable, is just as efficient and
beneficial as fall plowing, and is eas
ier and more economically accomplish
ed. More of the winter rainfall will
be held, run-off and washing will be
prevented and the soil will be benefit
ted, where the stubble land has been
given a thorough discing during late
summer or early fall. Try it I
Feeding for Fertile Eggs.
For a breeding pen I use from 16 to
20 large, early-hatched pullets, with
two large, vigorous cockerels. I have
one cockerel in the pen each day,
changing each night thus giving one
a day's rest This makes them more
vigorous and the eggs are more fertile.
I feed in the morning a mash of one
quart corn meal with one-tenth part
beef scrap; at noon one pint of wheat
or oats; at night one quart corn; I
keep oyster shell before them. On
this feed they lay plenty of fertile
eggs in cold weather. I feed the
chicks drv nrennrwl 0V1I0V taoA till
about 12 weeks old, then feed the
above ration, except that I use about
one-twentieth part of beef scrap in
morning mash. E. S. Boss in Farm
ana xiome.
MOTOR-DRIVEN LAWN MOWER
Small Machine, Operated by Means of
Gasoline Engine, Differs Little
From Hand Devices.
Many lawn mowers of the large type
have for some time been anulnned with
gasoline engines as motive power, but
tne accompanying Illustration shows a
gasoline enirine-drlvfin
the small type, ordinarily pushed over
uie iawn Dy the operator.
The actual mowing machine differs
but little from thn hnnd.nnahari riara
but attached to the handle Is a frame
work bearing a small air cooled engine,
gasoline tank, isrnltion devlrn And tVin
gears required for harnessing the pow
er to the mower proper. The weight of
power plant Is disposed on the
8mall Lawn Mower.
frame In such a manner as to be bal
anced In respect to the center of grav
ity or tne mowing mechanism.
The operator walks behind tha ma.
chine, grasping the handle in the same
manner as If he reallv had tn mmh it
All that Is required of him is to keep
11 Daiancea and control the engine.
ELIMINATION OF BIG VALUE
Sufficient Attention Not Given to Cut
ting Out Process for Betterment
of Farm Products.
(By A. O. CHOATE, Illinois.)
The road to much of the comnara-
tive perfection In live stock, etc., leads
inrougn elimination.
By the elimination of weeda nf In.
ferlor specimens. In the thinning of
poor seed and poor plants in planting
we do away with most of the chances
of failure and the production of rub
bish.
I believe we have not given suffi
cient attention to this elimination
process for the betterment of our
stock and crops. ,
This year, for Instance, I have found
that the elimination of noor seed no.
tatoes and of course selection of good
seeds In their places, has Increased
my potato crop fully 20 per cent
When we carry this same principle
of elimination into other lines of
farming, and disposed of the scrub
hens that barely lay 75 eera a vear.
and the cow that gives but little, or
poor milk, the unprofitable mongrels
or no particular breed of stock, then,
ana not until then, will be be on the
road to a more satisfactory outcome
generally and soon see loss turned to
profit
8ummer Feed Experiments.
The animal husbandry denartment
of the University of Illinois Is feed-
wg (o steers experimentally in dry
lot Ten breeding heifers are be
ing carried through the summer In
dry lot on silage and cotton-seed
meaL
There are also 30 head-of breeding
heifers being carried through on pas
ture; one lot on blue grass alone,
one lot on clover alone, and another
on blue grass supplemented with
silage. The object of the summer
experiment is to obtain a compari
son between blue Brass pasture alone
clover pasture alone and blue grass
pasture supplemented with silage for
breeding heifers.
Clean Feed for Horses.
Don't feed dirty grain to your
horses. The dust weed seeds and
other foreign matter In the grain Is
disagreeable to tha anlmala and in
jurious.
Use a sieve to measure the train
and give It a few shakes to allow the
dirt and seeds to fall out before feed
ing. Borne pour water over the grain
In the sieve or din the sieve of train
In a bucket or tub of water a few
umes. This Is a good plan, as it re
moves all dust and smut. The feed
boxes are kept cleaner br treat! n a
the grain In this way before feeding.
Don't Crowd Poultry.
Shippers of live, poultry should
never use coons which are too small
to carry the poultry properly. Poul
try arriving m a cramped and wretch
ed condition will not command aatia.
factory prices, and furthermore the
commission man Is apt to get himself
Into serious trouble with the society
for the prevention of cruelty to ani.
mail unless the stock Is removed lm-
mediately into other coops, and these
ara not available at al times.
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Xnqjts Bartering TUrs
knt HURSDAY morning found us In
II another world. The pretty. If
squalid, Chinese villages
thatched roofs and embowered
in billowy foliage; the endless
stretches of plowed grain land
dotted with laboring natives In blue
overalls and straw lampshade hats;
the great herds of cattle and horses
and the browsing camels had gone.
Our train was rolling slowly through
a wooded hill country, Virginia to
the eye, though the map called It
western Manchuria, writes Bassett
Dlgby in the Chicago Dally News.
Here and there we cut athwart a
water meadow, skirted by a noisy lit
tle creek that foamed and frothed Its
way through half a dozen channels In
the pebbly bed. "A smiling meadow"
Is a popular figure of speech that you
can understand when, after many
weeks' sweltering In the hot treeless
plains of the Llaoyang peninsula you
wake up among the hills of Tsltsitcar.
The flowers I
I sat on the step of the end plat
form of the coach as we tolled up a
steep gradient and counted over four
dozen kinds in full bloom wild roses,
red, pink and white. Flaming acres
of peonies; shoals of Iceland popples
over the rocky hillside and along by
the track yellow Iceland poppies as
big as those unattainable Ideals in the
seedman's lists.
Vetches, yellow and mauve. A
kind of double daisy, now blood red,
now snowy rimmed. Waving edges of
yellow and blue and the little pale
blue Chinese ground sedge. Hemlock,
starwort and bedstraw. Wild straw
berry In profusion. Dandelion, thistle,
buttercup and feathery marsh flowers,
bushy heads on stout stems that over
topped the rushes. Lilies of the val
ley, pink stock, yellow trumpet lilies.
In the meadow grass, up on the dry
hills, great drifts of deep blue forget-me-not
The brakes ground, and we came to
a standstill at a tiny wayside sta
tion. On a parallel siding lay a long
train of wlndowless horse boxes, dark
and filthy horse boxes packed with
Russian emigrants bound for Amur
land and the Paciflo coast near Vladi
vostok. It costs nothing to emigrate to fil.
berla, even though you do not Jour
ney as a convict In consequence,
some half a million peasants come
out every year, while 40,000 return.
An annual emigration by far the
most gigantic the world has ever
known of twice the bulk of that to
Canada, yet one of which the nations
havB no cognizance.
On an Emigrant Train.
On the emigrant train you see what
purports to be civilized humanity at
its very lowest level. You do not
quail at the housing and surroundlnn
of the black races, but you will
do unprepared ror this degree of
degradation among whites.
During long walti on the sldinn
an emigrant train Is sidetracked to let
coal trucks pass! the poor creatures
risk a call-down from the station po
lice and slide open the middle door of
the horse box for a breath of air and
a ray of light
There are trucks for families and
uiEraii&
trucks for single men. Both are sta
bles. In the former three human gen-"
eratlons, the grandparents, the man
and his wife In their prime, and their
children, herd together with the popu
lation of their little farm yard back In
Russia. Three cows and half a dozen
sheep quaint black and white sheep
that seem to have been hand-painted
by a Beardsley enthusiast lie In
knee-deep straw, munching hay and
green stuff. Bales of hay and straw
are stacked to the roof and among
them wander ducks ana fowls and tur
keys. A couple of big dogs crouch In
a corner.
Room for Everything.
Now, a Russian log hut has not
much furniture. It all fits comfort
ably Into a horse box, even when cows
and sheep, backed by a small hay
stack, swell the family circle. Goods
and chattels are disposed here and
there. The chairs are set around a
table. A lamp and even a nip f
crude framed prints of saints are
tucked to the wooden side of the
truck. Baby la installed in her awlnvu
ing cradle at the end of a spring. The
peasant cradle in Russia Is like a
meat scale and rocks upward and
downward.
The single men's quarters contained
an intimidating band of ruffians, one's
conception of a shipwrecked crew aft
er ten strenuous years on the desert
Island. Bareheaded, barefooted, shaggy-bearded
creatures, with flat, animal
faces and wild, bloodshot eyes. Very
dirty, in rags and tatters, shirt-tails
streaming in the breeze. In one truck
a fierce flght was going on.. A dap
per military policeman, hearing the
din, strode over to a pair of yelling,
scratching combatants, their faces
streaming with blood, and put curt
inquiries. A grinning fellow emigrant
made answer. :
"He Bays," translated my compan- .
ion, "that they do not like each ozzer"
a not Improbable thesis from ap
pearances. However, this' satisfied
the policeman and off he strolled.
Toward the tail of thn train
coach of dazzling white the hospital,
a very necessary adjunct to the emi
grant train on a journey undertaken
under such conditions and lasting
worn iwo to. three weeks. Through
the open door I caneht
urass ana white enameled bedstead,
a spotless white counterpane across It
and surrounded with all the speckless
fittings of a good city nursing home.
The uniformed nurse sat embroidering
on a chair by the window.
Here the clean, white little room
and next door the bleeding, shaggy
brutes, living shoulder to shoulder
with their cattle In the 111th of the
dark, miasmatic horse boxes.
All afternoon there had been the
growling of distant thunder and now
Jagged lightning flickered and spurted
in the coppery clouds. Suddenly the
heavens opened and poured marbles
of ice that drove at a long cutting
glide across the plain and rattled like
shrapnel on our steel cars. And, un
noticed In the din. In gilded the pala
tial international sleeping car express
ao luxe. I caught a glimpse of a gay
throng around the piano In the draw,
lng room car as It shot by
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