2
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
Oregon Agricultural College Is the Friend of the Farmer
B3CTT3HE average family orchard In
II Oregoi. Is too large and too
joorly cared for," says Prof.
C. I. Lewis, O. A. C, horticulturist
"It produces more fruit than the fam
lly can use and it Is often of inferior
quality.
"As a result of this policy the fam
lly orchard is often declared to be
menace to the commercial industry
Some growers have gone to far as to
say that the :day of the family or
chard is about up. Unless the men
who own family orchards take better
care of them they will be legislated
out of existence. It seems to me that
it would be a great mistake to pre
vent the growing of home orchards on
Oregon farms. There are few things
that contribute so much to the de
lights of farm life as the family or
chard. And I believe that we can
establish much better family orchards
than any we now have.
The number of trees should be
reduced quite materially. Instead of
trying to have a whole tree for every
vAiety desired, it is better to plant
fewer trees and later graft four or
five varieties upon them. All the
varieties needed for the family use
every month in the year can be pro
vided in this way, and by having
fewer trees to care for the owners
will care for them much better. In
this way they will have better fruit, It
will cost much less In room and
money and his orchard will not be a
source of insects and diseases for his
neighbor's trees." "
SPRAY NOW FOR CURRANT
WORM
GB
7OW is the time to spray for the
green currant worm," says A.
li. Lovett, crop expert at the
Oregon Agricultural college. The
adult insects are busy In the field at
this time depositing eggs in the leaves.
If lead arsenate spray Is used in the
near future the young worms will de
vour poison with their first meal. In
this way later Injury by the mature
worms will be minimized. Where un
checked the worms often strip the
leaves of the currant and gooseberry
bushes at about the time the fruit Is
ripening. The advantage of spraying
early is apparent. It takes less poison
to kill the small forms and discoloring
the mature fruit with a later spray
may be avoided.
"The adult currant worm is a sowfly
Diphoduus appendicular. Hartlg.
The female sowfly deposits eggs be
tween the two surfaces of the leaf.
These eggs hatch into small green
worms with a black head much too
large for the body. These worms feed
greedily on the leaves of the currant
and gooseberry. They mature in late
May, occurring at this time as velvety
green worms about one-half inch in
length. The mature worms spin small
brown capsule like coocoons in the
pollen leaves and trash at the sur
face of the ground. A second genera
tion of adults emerge in a few days
and deposit eggs for a summer gen
eration of worms.
"Spray the foliage with lead arsen
ate at the rate of one pound of arsen
ate to 15 gallons og water. (If pow
dered arsenate Is used, dilute 1-30).
This solution should be applied as
soon as the berries are set. Both
gooseberry and currant bushes should
be treated."
NATIVE PLANTS BEST
BBTE? ARMERS could often Improve
If" their ground by planting
" shrubbery that appears to be
at home among its surroundings,"
says Prof. A. L. Peck in the Oregon
Countryman published by the agricul
tural students at Corvalis. "And
what can seem more at home than
shrubs and trees that grow wild In
the district. Few of our people realize
that we have here in Oregon a number
of native plants that are very valuable
for ornamental use. Eastern people
know It, and nursery catalogs list
many well known and often thor
oughly despised Oregon species. It is
to be regretted that while distant peo
ple see the beauty In our native ma
terial our own peoplo must send to
California or Chile or Australia for
some odd outsider to piant on their
grounds. Why Is it that many prefer an
apparently dying palm or a monkey
puzzle or a fearfully distorted and
weeping ash or willow to a neat, well
grown and thrifty specimen that looks
at home? They are making sad mis
takes in collecting materials that al
ways appear half starved, homesick,
crippled and freakish, Instead of
planting materials that harmonize
with our natural plantings lu this big
country of ours."
T
DAIRY HERD PROFITS VARY
HE average income per cow in
Oregon as shown by reports
from 3,609 cows, was last year
$t6.66, as reported in the agricultural
college survey. Only direct Income
from the sale of milk or cream is In
cluded in the item. In reality al
lowance should be made for the value
of skim milk in addition.
Many herds show a much higher
Income. An average of the highest
herds reported from each of several
counties Is slightly in excess of $100
per cow.
In Clatsop county three herds of 50
cows In all averaged $118.69 per cow.
The three lowest herds reported show
an average income of $29.26 from
the cows.
In Tillamook county the three high
income producing herds show an av
erage of $114.59 each for 61 cows.
The three lowest producing herds
showed an average of $37.61 for 71
cows.
A select herd of Jerseys In Linn
county produced an Income of $145
par cow for the year 1912 and $140
for the year 1911.
A report from Benton county shows
an income of $150.84 for March, 1913,
for butter fat sold to a creamery from
a herd on 15 cows. Milk and cream
for a family of four adults was also
used on the farm.
The averages show what Is actually
being done by many, and the higher
incomes of the few show what It Is
is possible to accomplish by testing
cows and selecting only the best.
HOME MADE APPARATUS FOR
TESTING SEED CORN
TESTING seed corn may be dono
without expense by using ma
terial about the place and work
ing at odd moments.
Any shallow box of the size wanted
will do. Shave sides and ends down
until they are about two inches above
the bottom. Fill near to the top with
clean sand. Measure both sides and
both ends into two-Inch spaces, driv
ing tacks about half way down on the
marks. Lace twine strings between
each pair of tacks, both crosswise and
lengthwise. Letter them A, B, C
along the end and number them 1, 2
along the side.
Take one grain of corn from the
third row from the butt of the ear,
Revolve the ear a little and remove
another one-filth of the remaining
distance to the tip, and so on until six
grains are taken. Put them in square
A 1, and number the ear A 1. Treat
another ear In the same way, num
bering it A 2, until you have enough to
provide one ear for each acre to be
planted, with a few extra for bad ears.
Cover the box with a piece of cloth,
press It down over the corn and sprln
kle sand or sawdust over it to keep it
moist Now put the box away where
it will be kept at about house tern
perature for a week. Examine by
rolling back one edge of the cloth, and
unless the seedlings are appearing,
good and strong In each square, reject
the ear with the corresponding "num
ber. The squares with six strong
plants are filled from the best ear
for seed.
There are many good ways, but thin
Is quite satisfactory on the farm. It
is the method used at the Oregon
agricultural college.
Oregon Agricultural college, because
It is not only good, but the apparatus
Is easily secured anywhere.
TESTING SEED CORN
CjrSHE only apparal needed to test
11 seeu corn oy ine rag uoil memon
wide and three to five feet long, a pen
cil and a rule. The cloth Is marked
off In two equal parts by a fine line
drawn lengthwise through the center.
A row of three inc'h squares is then
made on each side of the center line,
leaving about a foot at each end of
the strip for rolling. The left hand
squares are numbered 1, 2, 3, 6, etc.,
and the right hand squares 2, 4, 6,
etc.
Six grains of corn are then removed
from different rows on an ear to be
tested, and placed In square 1. The
ear Is put aside, No. 1 also. Each ear
to be tested is treated in like manner,
until either the space or the seed
is exhausted. The strip is then rolled
up from one end and tied near the
middle. It is next stood In a pail of
lightly warmed water for about a
day, when the water Is poured off and
the pail covered to keep the moisture
In. The doll is kept at about house
temperature for five to seven day?,
when It may be unrolled and the corn
examined. Care Is required In hand
ling to keep the grains In their own
spaces.
This Is a very effective and simple
means of testing corn, ond Is used by
the extension agronomist of the
HARDWOOD ASHES RICH IN
PLANT FOOD MATTER
OMMON hardwaad ashes have 11
value of about $5 in plant food,
and $3.50 in lime per ton, accord
ing to investigations made by Prof.
H. V. Tartar, agricultural chemist of
Oregon Agricultural college. Their
physical effect on the packed and acid
soils of certain districts is also very
beneficial. The almost prohibitive
high price of lime to correct soil
acidity should lead the Willamette
valley farmer to use ashes extensive
ly for that purpose.
"Wood ashes are valuable fertilizers
for three reasons," said Prof. Tartar.
"For the valuable plant foods they
contain, for their effect in neutraliz
ing acids in soils, and for their action
on the physical properties of the soil.
"The plant foods In ashes are pot
ash, phosphorous and lime. An analy
sis of 97 samples of hardwood ashes
gave the amount of each as follows:
Potash 110 pounds' per ton; phosphor
ous, 38 pounds per ton, and lime, 682
pounds per ston.
"In order to get this, value from
ashes It is necessary that they be pro
tected from rain, as most of the pot
ash Is soluble In water and is lost by
exposure. After leaching, the potash
content of ashes was found to be 22
pounds per ton. The ashes should
be stored in a dry place until applied
to the soil.
"On soils that are poorly drained
and acid, ashes have an excellent ef
fect. The land becomes more amen
able to culture, is readily kept In good
tilth, retaining its moisture in dry sea
sons and favoring drainage in wet
seasons.
"Lime is essential to plant nutritlpn.
and none of the higher plants can
reach maturity without a normal sup
ply. Some of these plants, such as
clover, beans and alfalfa, require so
much lime for their development that
they are called 'lime plants.' The
potash and phosphorous are likewise
Indispensible to plant growth, and
ashes offer a cheap and convenient
source of supply."
BEEF CATTLE NOT WORTH
FEED ON SMALL FARM
THAT beef cattle on the small farm
will make but a small profit, if
" any at all, Is the belief of Pro
fessor E. B. Fitts, extension livestock
man at O. A. C. It is advisable to
turn off the beef early, since beef is
produced more cheaply during the
first two years of the animal's life
than at any time afterwards.
"There Is no profit in feeding beef
cattle for the additional flesh that
they put on. The hay that a beef
eats In a day is worth more than the
beef It makes. The only advantage
in feeding Is to give a high finish that
will command top prices.
"The beef animal Is not so profit
able as the dairy cow or as pigs and
sheep. When beef is produced, the
producers should breed along beef
lines. The Durham and Hereford gen
crally stand at the head of the beef
breeds, but the Galloway and Angus
are also good beef animals."
PLANTING FAMILY ORCHARD.
JM?N starting a family orchard I
II hope that you will put out what
" may be called an ideal family
orchard," said Professor C. I. Lewis,
horticulturist of the Oregon Agricul
tural College. "I am sure that we
can learn a very profitable lesson from
past experiences with family orchards
In this state. For one thing we have
learned that the average family orch
ard Is too large, and that it is poorly
cared for and produces more fruit
than can be used by the family, be
cause it is often of very inferior quality.
"Orchards of this kind are often re
garded as a menace to the fruit In
dustry by those who depend upon
fruit growing as a livelihood. They
have caused much discussion concern
ing enforcement of Inspection laws. I
believe that we can establish family
orchards much better than any we
now have. In fact this Is necessary.
Some persons have gone so far as to
say that the day of the family orchard
Is about past. Unless men who have
these orchards In charge take better
care of them they will be legislated
out of existence. This would be a
great misfortune and we cannot af
ford to prevent the growing of home
orchards on Oregon farms. There are
few things indeed that contribute so
much to the delights of farm life as
the home orchard, I
"One way to Improve the orchards
and insure better care of the trees is
to reduce quite materially the num
ber of trees planted. If it Is felt that
It Is necessary to have every variety
you desire, fewer trees may still be
planted and later four or five varie
ties grafted onto a single tree. Many
varieties of fruit are very desirable
for the home orchard, but an entire
tree is not required to furnish enough
of each variety for famijy use. By
setting out fewer trees and using more
varieties a supply of fresh fruit can
bo secured for the family for prac
tically every month of the year. Hav
ing a small orchard encourages the
owner to take better care of it.
"In shaping the trees they should
be headed low, and since there is
plenty of room on the farm the trees
should be given plenty of space. Ap
ple trees should be given at least 30
feet; pears, 25; "'eet cherries, 35;
walnuts, 50; prunes, 22; peaches and
sour cherries, 20.
'The trees should be planted In the
orchard a little deeper than they were
in the nursery row.
'In this valley it probably makes
little difference whether the trees are
planted in late fall or in early spring.
I .have always felt that fall planting
is perhaps the better, but I am not
at all positive as to this. There are
Indications that in some years at least
spring planting Is safer in Western
Oregon, and we know that it is safer
in Eastern Oregon.
"In choosing varieties for the home
orchard there are several points to be
kept In mind. First, only varieties
which are liked by the family Bhould
be selected. Personal preference
should mean very much In choosing
varieties for the home orchard. Bec-
ond, varieties should be so selected
that they would furnish fruit through
out the entire year. Third, varieties
may profitably be chosen even though
they do not grow to .the highest de
gree of commercial perfection. Some
varieties do not come up to the com
mercial standard of color, size, and
yet, because of their eating or cook
ing qualities, are very desirable for
the family orchard." -
DRAINAGE A REMEDY
FOR ALKALI IN SOILS
INCE drainage prevents alkali
In soils from coming to the
surface, drainage Is the most
successful method of reclaiming alkali
soils," said M. A. McCnll, farm as
sistant of Klamath county In address
ing the O. A. C. extension course at
Klamath Falls. "Indeed it is coming
to be generally recognized that land
that Is badly alkaline cannot be wholly
reclaimed by any other means. If the
water that holdB alkali in solution is
allowed to stand and evaporate on the
field, the alkali is bound to be de
posited. "There are other things, however,
that will help. Manure properly ad
ded to the soil will tend to neutralize
the alkali and land plaster will change
black alkali to white, a less harmful
form.
"Air circulating freely In the soil
will render the alkali less harmful.
Therefore, the addition of any or
ganic matter that will open up the
soli will be beneficial. This matter,
whether manure or straw, should be
well disked Into the ground."
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