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About Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 4, 1914)
THE POLK COUNTY OBSERVER, TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1914. fm rrr i n r r r r r r m-ttx-m-h- Making the Little Farm Pau Bjj C. C. BOWSFIELD : l-M-M 1 I I I "H "I 1 I 1 1 I I I I F Dp - ' -, . EGOS become so cbeap lu summer that in order to clear any money poul try owners must bave a select trade to sell to, or else hatcb chick ens and supply the market with jrollers and roast- era. The broiler trade Is attractive, as hotels, restaurants and clubs require an almost unlimited supply of these plump chickens about two months old and weighing two to three pounds. To make money reasonably fast one needs two or more Incubators and .should keep hens enough so that a machine can be filled in three to five days. There will be a supply of eggs to sell each month, but the bulk of them will go into the production of poultry. Observe the principles of uniformity, freshness, cleanliness. Eggs for batch ing should be clean. If not clean tbey should be washed In tepid water and carefully dried with a clean soft towel. This washing does not injure the egg, but It must be done quickly and care fully or tbe Jarring of the contents may ruin it for batching. As fast as the eggs are washed and dried they should be covered with a layer of clean cloth or absorbent cotton to pre vent tbelr becoming chilled. It Is s good practice to stand tbe eggs in a cool, quiet place, each with tbe large end uppermost, for a period of twelve hours before placing for Incubation. This balances the yolk in tbe center and locates tbe air cell. Eggs waiting for Incubation should be kept at a temperature of about 60 degrees P., although tbey will stand a variation of temperature from 40 to 100 degrees. Tbey should not be allow ed to dry out, nor should tbey be ex posed to a current of cold air, steam or vapor. During storage eggs for In cubator use should be turned every day. Hens kept In unbealthful quarters or too closely confined are not likely to lay eggs that will produce strong, healthy chickens. Elens suffering from disease or Infested with vermin may lay, but eggs from such hens will rarely batch, and even If they do hatch tbe chicks will not be likely to mature into vigorous or growtby fowls. Hence in order to secure batqhable eggs tbe hens must be healthy, have plenty of exercise and be fed upon an assorted or balanced ration. An exclu sive corn diet will not make for fertil ity. Fowls In confinement must bave a mixed diet and plenty of ground bone, with meats, clovers or other sub stances In the line of nitrogenous food It Is wise to aim at uniformity In age. size, color and breed. There Is a great deal in selection, and this goes back to the parent stock before tbe eggs are laid. If the flock is uneven tbe birds ought to be separated Into pens so that tbe eggs taken tor hatching are sure to be fertile and. from a good strain of bens. The best pullets batched every spring ought to be kept for winter egg pro duction. Tbey twill begin laying when prices are hlgb. Pullets will begin lay ing at five to seven months of age, ac cording to tbe kind of blood in them. Nearly all the pullets batched in March will begin laying in October or Novem ber, Just Id time to furnish a supply of eggs when prices are highest A good plan is to bring pullets along steadily without forcing, and tbey will be good size at six to seven months. Keep tbe flock divided and do not let males run wltb pullets tbe first year or while tbe eggs are wanted for market When wanted for batching let the males run wltb them, twelve or fourteen bens for each rooster. It is obvious that tbe best results economically come from chickens run ning at large on the farm. Wltb but little attention they gather the greater part of their food, and it is properly balanced at that In order to provide a large grain sup ply at the least expense s nearby tract eay the orchard should be planted to wheat, the chickens being confined un til it has come up well to prevent scratching out tbe seed. When ripe the birds will attack tbe crop, doing tbe reaping and thrashing, wltb no at tentlon whatever from tbe owner. THE HOME CANNER. The borne canner Is a very im portant help on the farm, be cause it sayes tbe waste in per ishable fruits and vegetables. With tbe canner the fruits and vegetables that tbe market can not use may be saved to use later on tbe table and to sell when tbe market is prepared for these food products. Every farm suouid have u winner. The home Lunuer is a means of saving sur plus fruits und vegetables. It offers a way to keep certain foods during the winter or at times when fruits and vegetables are out of season. Most every farm has a surplus of fruits and vegetables at certain seasons when the market is not prepared to take the products fast enough to keep them from going to waste. THE DEADLY CUTWORM. It Has Been Destroying Wheat In West ern Kansas Preventive Measures. The mysterious worm which has been reported to be destroying wheat In western Kansas is none other than the common clayback cutworm, ac cording to George A. Dean, professor of entomology in tbe Kansas State Agricultural college. When the first report of damage was received an entomologist was sent Into the Infested region. Infestation was found to be confined practically to wheat fields containing much volun teer wheat and to grass lands and al falfa fields. Unless weather conditions are unfavorable for growing crops, the worms will probably, says the ento mologists, cause no great loss of tbe wheat crop. Preventive measures are best for controlling cutworms. If tbe wheat fields are plowed during tbe summer and the volunteer wheat Is kept down until after seeding there is very little danger. Cutworms often migrate from field to field. In which case a good dust barrier should be constructed in which tbe worms may be destroyed. Where tbe worms are migrating or are con centrated in a small area, they can probably be killed by using the poison bran mash employed against grass hoppers. This should be sown in the evening along the edge of the field that the worms are entering. Circular and Flat Beds. - A charming circular bed can be made from a combination of blue clem atis and pink gladioli. Tbe clematis Is planted In the middle and trained low g,,,,,,), Growing Alfalfa. In preparing tbe land for alfalfa It Is best to go slow. The first step is to plow the soil deep und prepare It the first year for potntoes or corn, using ten loads of manure per acre, pulveriz ing or harrowing the land down in good shape. Tbe corn or potato crop should then be kept thoroughly clean for a season. This will destroy weeds and the ground will have time to settle properly for alfalfa. Then the follow ing spring the land should be double disked, rolled and harrowed. The seed can then be sown wltb an ordinary wheat drill as follows: Mix, and mix thoroughly, about six pounds of cornmenl to ten pounds of alfalfa seed. The ordinary drill when closed to its finest calibration will sow about sixteen pounds per acre. Thus sixteen pounds of tbe mixture will mean ten pounds of alfalfa seed. This is considered about tbe best amount to sow per acre under field conditions. Another method of sowing Is to cov er or plug up all but the first seventh, etc., holes in tbe drill with tbe indi cator set at the same position as be fore. This will take about one pound of seed per acre and will put the rows forty-two inches apart far enougb to be cultivated. 8traw as a Fertilizer. A large amount of straw is shipped from a county In Missouri to a nearby paper and Btrawboard factory. This straw brings tbe farmer about 60 cents per ton. A county agent recently found a pile of about 1.000 tons at Sikeston ready for shipment He com putes that as a fertilizer this straw la worth $2.50 per ton, in addition to Its value as a means of adding organic matter to the soil. He Is making a campaign of tbe county In an attempt to show tbe lnadvisability of tbe farm- ers selling their straw and urging its more extensive use as bedding In sta bles and feed lots. Straw used as a top dressing on fall wheat has been found to practically Insure a good stand of clover on lands where clover Is otherwise grown wltb great diffi' culty. THE CREAMER! 0PERATDR7 Both Milk and Cream Can Be Improved by Proper Care. Creamery operators as a class are vitally Interested In improving tbe quality of milk und cream furnished by tbelr patrons and equally interested In Increasing the quantity of these products. That the quality can be Im proved and tbe quantity increased there is no doubt, but Just how to ac complish these results has proved a perplexing problem, says tbe depart ment of agriculture. Creamery patrons as a rule are bard working, Industrious men, but many of them do not realize tbe Importance of furnishing the creamery with noth ing but clean, sweet milk and cream. They should become more familiar with the methods for properly caring for dulry products economically. Many of them would like to Increase tbe pro duction, but few know Just bow to accomplish such a result. The creamery operator who gets nothing but good raw material is al ways in a position to meet competi tion and to pay good prices to bis patrons, and where patrons get good prices for their product and have high producing cows they are almost sure to be interested and successful in tbelr work. It is evident, then, that the success of both the patron and the creamery are so closely associated that they are practically identical. Every ambitious man is anxious to succeed and will do so if given the opportunity. The cause of lack of interest and per haps failure in dairying is largely due to the absence of definite knowledge on some vital points at issue. It seems, therefore, that the creamery Is the proper agency for supplying neces sary information to its patrons. Many patrons would be glad to Improve their methods and frequently resolve to do so, but when they reach tbe point of outlining a plan they are unable to proceed because they bave no example to follow, nor do tbey know where to go for reliable advice and demonstra tion. The creamery operator should be able and willing to give the infor mation, for In this way he will ad vance the cause of dairying In tbe community and indirectly help him self. He should go still farther, and Instead of waiting for requests from his patrons he should take the Initia tive and go to them prepared to make suggestions that will secure improved conditions. This may be done in per son or by use of circulars or letters. The first, however, is preferable, as personal appeals always hove greater effect than written communications. Suggestions should be made systemat ically, beginning with the most impor tant item. Probably the first consideration would be tbe care of milk and cream. Advice could be given which if fol lowed would materially Improve the quality of the product without mak ing any perceptible Increase in the cost Patrons could be shown the ne cessity for clean milk and the precau tions required to secure such, tbe im portance of cooling milk and cream and bow it can best be done and tbe need for frequent deliveries to tbe creamery and how the cream 'or milk should be protected while on the road, The next point for consideration would probably be tbe production of milk and cream. It is a well known fact that in a few years' time tbe product of many herds can be doubled. Pa trons could be shown the importance of herd records which disclose the amount of profit or loss each cow is making and bow to proceed to detect the unprofitable or '"boarder" cows. They could be assisted - in figuring economical and proper rations and giv en Instruction on tbe construction of barns, silos and dairy bouses and as sistance in tbe selection of animals for building up a dairy herd. THE FARM BUREAU. Unless farmers are sufficiently interested In farm bureau work to form an effective organization which, truly represents tbe farm ing Interests of the county there Is small chance of tbe county bureau meeting with great suc cess, says tbe department of ag riculture, it is not enough for professional and business men to interest themselves In the work; tbe farmers must feel that tbe bureau Is theirs, that it is a means by which they can all co operate in securing for tbe com munity at large every possible benefit and not an institution for conferring benefits on them indi vidually. A county organization Imbued with this spirit is a nec essary preliminary to successful work by a county agent HOW TO KILL POULTRY. Unsightly Produet Is Caused by In. complete Removal of Blood. "Grasp the chicken, when killing, by the bony part of tbe skull. Do not let the fingers touch tbe neck. Make a mull cut wltb a small, sharp pointed knife on tbe tight side of tbe roof of the chicken's mouth. Just where tbe bones of tbe skull end. Brain for dry picking by thrusting the knife through the groove which runs along the middle line of tbe roof of the mouth until it touches tbe skull midway between the eyes. Dse a knife wbicb Is not more than two Inches long, one-fourtb inch wide, wltb a thin, flat handle, a sharp point and a straight cutting edge." The above instructions on tbe proper methods of killing poultry were Issued by the department of agriculture. At least 30 per cent of all the poultry coming into the New Tork market is Incompletely bled. Mucb of it Is so badly bled that it results in a loss of from 2 to 5 cents a pound, as compared with tbe corresponding poultry which is well bled and in good order, con tinues the department Aside from tbe bad appearance of Incompletely bled chickens, tbelr keeping properties are very inferior. The fiesb loses Its firmness sooner; its flavor is not so good; the odor of stale flesh and finally of putrefaction comes sooner, and in every way tbe product Is more perishable. A very large proportion of tbe un sightly poultry In our markets, aside from tbe rubbing and tearing of the skins. Is caused by an Incomplete re moval of the blood. This Is evidenced by red dots whicb frequently occur where the feathers have been removed, especially over tbe thighs and wings, or by the small veins, which mar the appearance of the neck. Generally It Is the neck which shows most plainly the presence of blood in tbe fowl, or that a wrong method bas been used In cutting the blood vessels in an at tempt to empty them. Tbe neck is the first part to discolor, becoming first I red. then bluish red or purple and finally green as aging progresses. 1PPB1JI Those wishing to pick hops in the Brown Yards forPlummerI& Wil- liams.j kindly register with H. B. Plummer or Frank E. Kersey. PLUMMER & WILLIAMS 4a. Star Transfer Co. WE MOVE ANYTHING THAT IS MOVEABLE IPROMPT SERVICE 0. A. and L C. MUSC0TT, Proprietors f Phone Stands: Webster's Confectionery 511 Ellis' Confectionery 1062 I Barn 1074 I HAVE YOU CHEAP LAND TO SELL? The Salem Commercial' Club is listing land in the Valley held under $40.00. The lists will be distributed free to thousands of prospective settlers in the east. There will be no charge to you either for listing or for the sale. Send in location, owner, price, terms and a careful and exact de scription to SALEM COMMERCIAL CLUB SALEM, OREGON over tbe bed on wires about one foot apart and fifteen Inches from the ground radiating from tbe center. The gladioli grow up through the wires. A simple and lovely flat bed ran be made by sowing a carpet of sweet alye sum. Little Gem. white, and dotting It wltb Lilac Queen. Cure or Kill Trees. It Is very nnjust to neighbors to per mit trees to grow that are covered with insects or troubled wltb disease Tbe disease or Insects will spread and finally destroy other trees on the prop erty where they are growing, and tbe trouble rapidly spreads to neighboring Either cure or kill If un able to do tbe first cut down the trees and burn them, and do It promptly. To Preeerve Plants. A good method of preserving plants that bave been transplanted and before tbelr roots bave taken bold of tbe ground Is to cover tbem with Inverted flower pots of suitable site. These should be In place only during tbe wannest and sunniest part of the day Tbey should not be used on dull days. Tbey 'prevent tbe strong sua from scorching tbe foliage and also Help to maintain tbe moisture la tbe soil. A Good Whitewash. A pound of cheap bar soap dissolved In a gallon of boiling water and added to about' Are gallons of tblck white wash will give it a gloss like oil paint Silicate of sods In tbe proportion of one to ten of whitewash produces a fireproof cement Orchard No Place For Hay. The wise fanner dues not try to raise a crop of fruit and a crop of bay from tbe same land. By wo doing be falls to get the best possible results from ei ther. Better put all the attention to tbe orchard and raise tke bay on some other land. Caging Fowls. Caging fowls separately for two weeks, while fattening tbem, will pro duce tender meat, while, on the other hand, where fowls are yarded they are apt to nag and chase each other, so that the muscles harden and tbe meat toughens. ACTIVITIES OF BEES. What are bees for? "To make hon ey, of course," will be the answer of ninety-nine out of a hundred. That, however, is not the chief work of the bees. Scientists tell us that they do a still more Important Work In fertiliz ing tbe blossoms tbey visit Tbe value of the bon'ey and wax taken from bees in the United States is estimated at $30,000,000. Some estimate the value of their work as fertilizers at $100, 000.000. All agree that It exceeds $20, 000.000. Many men hare found that beekeep ing and fruit growing are practicable when carried on together. It Is gen erally known that bees are useful In pollinating the blossoms of most fruits, even if tbey are not actually necessary to a crop. They are numer ous In early spring when few other in sects are present in like numbers. If continued damp weather prevails dur ing bloom they are useful in distribut ing tbe pollen and causing tbe setting of the fruit The hees need pollen to feed tbe young in tbe hive, and the are especially active in that season In obtaining It. Tbey are useful, too, in cross fertilizing such varieties as are sterile unless crossed. It bas been demonstrated also that in tbe cultiva tion of melons and cucumbers bees are absolutely necessary to good crops. It was long since conclusively proved that bees were not created solely to furnish man with a delectable sweet but to Increase the yield of edible fruits. Vitality of Seed. Assuming that every care has been taken to get Beed well adapted to the conditions of culture, it is still impor tant to see that tbe seed is of good vitality and capable of producing strong, vigorous plants. Great waste of land and labor results every year from tbe use of seed of low vitality. Poor seed cannot produce good plants, and poor plants give poor re turns or none at all. Seed should al ways be tested before planting and seed of low vitality rejected. Some of this poor seed Is Introduced to blend wltb good seed so that It can be sold at a lower price. Some of tbe worst weeds bave been Introduced and spread In this way. Tbe loss from weeds and tbe cost of fighting tbem is great and is so well understood as to need no discussion. farmers often buy cbeap seed think ing that tbey are saving money, wben as a matter of fact they are paying two or three times as mocn for the small amount of good seed obtained aa tbey would pay bad tbey bought good seed in the first place at twice the rate per pound paid for tbe poor seed. A. P. Woods, Dean Department of Agriculture, University Farm, St Paul. DALLAS WAREHOUSE AND MFG ii l (Successors to Barham Bros.) for All Kinds of Building Materials and Shop Work Genasco Roofing, Shingles, Brick and Tile, Sand and Gravel, Sash, Doors and Moulding ALL ORDERS PROMPTLY FILLED All Kinds of Storage Famous Santa Cruz Cement $$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$ MODERNIZE YOUR HOME WITH ELECTRIC LIGHT SOME CHICKEN HINTS. The cripple and the malformed chicken should be put to death Im mediately after batching. Such little unfortunates will bring nothing but disappointment They will give you more care than ten well and whole ones. They will make yon sick ol tne chicken business and give your entire flock a black eye from tbe first Kill them the Instant they are born. Lousy fowls are necessarily weaker then fowls that are free from lice. Strength and vitality are quite im portant factors while the fowls are producing tbelr new suit of clothes. Corn Is a very poor grain wben fed extensively. It produces fat at tbe expense of other tlssne, and wben lay ing bens are fed too mucb corn they soon become too fat to lay. There Is no grain enperior to-wheat for chickens. It Is readily eaten and as a rule laying bens thrive upon It Tbose who grow wheat bave a One op portunity to raise cblckens and sell eggs, for tbe fowls may glean tbe stubble fields and save much grain that would otherwise be lost Tbe person who bas never fed grit to his fowls will be surprised at tbe amount a flock of hens will pick op In tbe course of a year. Tbe feed dealer keeps tbe best kind of frit It being ground granite or other kind of rock. Electric wiremen now "fish" the wires walls and ceilings are not harmed floors are not ripped up except In a closet or out of the way place The work Is done quickly and at so low a cost that small Incomes can afford It ELECTRIC LIGHT IS A BIG DIVIDEND PAYING INVESTMENT In Convenience In Comfort In Safety In Economy It will save work save expense In dec oratingkeep the air purer increase the value of your property: I 23 EI Telephone 24, for a cost estimate for wiring your home OREGON POWER COMPANY 605 Court Street YOUR WANT AD. PLACED IN THE OBSERVER WILL BRING RESULTS