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About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1915)
The Agricultural College Is a Friend to VIEW OP WASHINGTON Making the Best of Home-Made Vinegar APPLE vinegar or elder vinegar is now made by commercial, plants to such ail extent that the home-made product is rarely seen and has but little place in the market. Apple cider will go through the normal process of fermentation and develop vinegar of splendid quality, if given the proper temperature and time for development. As the cider ia stored in the barrels it should be exposed as much as possible to the air and be kept in a temperature above 80 degrees and below 100 de grees. The best results will be obtained if the material ia kept at a tempera ture ranging between 80 and 90 de grees. At this temperature it re quires approximately a year for cider to develop enough acid to pass as first-class vinegar. It should have between 4 and 7 per cent of acid content, and with the process of mak ing being that of slow ferment in bar rel quantities, it will seldom reach 6 per cent of acid content. Ordinarly the vinegar that is made y being permitted to ferment in barrel quantities must be kept in a basement or cellar storage where the bigh temperature can be obtained. It does not kill the ferment in the vine gar to pass below 80 degrees in tem perature, but it retards its action, and the longer the material is in the process of making, the less valuable it is and the more difficulties are liable to be encountered in the work. The best results will be obtained if the head of the barrel is taken out and the barrel left entirely open. It can be stirred to advantage once in a while, but ordinarily the process of letting it stand entirely undisturbed will develop a very clear and satis factory grade of material. The mother of vinegar that devel ops ordinarily in the top of the bar rel is of no special advantage after it assumes the form of a condensed or bard cake. As long as it is in a loose, slimy form, it will work fairly rapidly, but as soon as it assumes the caked form it may as well be re- moved from the barrel. Ordinarily if touched or pressed down on one Bide, it will sink to the bottom of the barrel. The live, active mother of vinegar when collecting appears as a thin or mucilaginous gelatine-like mass, and is rapidly reproducing the ferment yeast that Is making the vinegar. It is not necessary, in all cases, to use this mother of vinegar to start the process of fermentation. It Is a good plan, however, to use small quanti ties of it for placing in each barrel of cider to start the process of fer mentation. , If this is not done a great many different kinds of bacteria will de velop In the cider and not all of these will tend directly to the manu facture o! acetic acid, which is the valuable acid in vinegar. The home process of vinegar man ufacture is slow, but easily handled, and can, in a small way, be carried on very satisfactorily. Bum Refuse in Orchards. Dead and diseased wood in the or chard should be removed and burned as soon as possible. Tho Nebraska College of Agriculture finds that If the orchard is kept clean of such re fuse the problems of insect and fun gus control are much easier. A page of inlercstlng Ileitis from tlie Orejop Agricultural College at CormllU will alternate in the farm weekly tvllb a page of new noted from the Watlilogloa Slate College at Pullman. Thl will afford aa 1b. terchange of views from the two biff agricultural college of the North weat that tumid prove of benefit t the "eaur, for the ln(ltullon deal ultb, iliuliar problems, HOME AND "FARM Bulletins and News Notes Sssssss1 """" AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AT P11.LJIAS. WASH. ITS SOLK Al 19 TO AID Needs of Dry Land Belt in Washington THE needs of dry land agriculture in Washington are great. They may be grouped under four heads, as follows: Improved Methods of Till age; Introduction of Livestock; Im proved Crops, especially forage crops, and Better Living Conditions in and About the Farm Home. Improved Methods of Tillage. With reference to the first of these there is needed a considerable amount of investigational work along tho line of moisture require ments of plants, the handling of soil to conserve moisture and fertility, and prevent blowing. Considerable investigation has been carried on in this line, but much remains to be dono. There is also great need of the dissemination among tho farmer of knowledge already obtained. Inves tigations in this connection must be carried on primarily in the dry belt. The more extensive production of livestock will undoubtedly solve many of the agricultural problems of this district. Tills problem is one which calls for propaganda work rather than investigation. It, can best be made by rendering assistance to farmers in obtaining and selecting stock and giving instruction for the caring of the same and production of suitable feed. y The state can well afford to ex pend some money in the Introduction of good stock for breeding purposes into this district. The use of this stock should be carefully supervised by members of the department staff, and the stock placed where it will do the most good. Improved Oops. Perhaps the greatest need in the dry belt at the present time is in vestigation to determine the forage crops most ' stilted to the. district, New and promising forage crop plants are constantly being introduced into the country and being produced by plant breeders within tho country, These should be tested out under the crop conditions of our dry belt and distributed among the farmers first in an experimental Way, and later, if satisfactory, extensively encouraged, This work of crop testing and breeding of agricultural -plants can be carried on adequately only by the es tablishment of a branch experiment station in the dry belt. This, then, becomes the greatest need of this dis trict. The establishment of such a station will go far toward solving many of the problems of tho district. ' Improved Living Conditions. One of tho difficulties connected with the dry land agriculture in Washington Is the lack of home con veniences and comforts on the farm, As one travels over this district farm house after farmhouse is passed with- out seeing a tree or shrub growing near. Tbe houses themselves are fre quently poorly constructed, and any thing but homelike. The . general planting of trees both for shade and fruit about the farm homes will do much to ameliorate living conditions. Much also may be done by the en couragement of poultry raising, gar dening and work along the line of home economics; for upon many of these farms which are more remotely situated from the main lines of travel, the life of the women and children must be far from attractive. Their nearest neighbors are frequently two or three miles distant Anything, therefore, which can he done to improve living conditions will tend to render the tenancy of the land more stablo and greatly improve the economic conditions of the country aa a whole. From first annual re port of Dry Land Department of Washington State College. Dairy butter has made its way on its merit and everything lost to oleo margarine Is chargeable to itself alone, for It never was any good in tho first place. MAGAZINE SECTION From the Staff at Pullman. Insects That Will Injure Clover Seed THE adult of the clover eed midge (Dasyneura Ieeuintnlcola) is a tiny delicate midge resembling the HesStian fly. It appears in late Spring when clover is beginning to head and by means of a long tail-like ovipositor it pushes its microseoplc yellowish eggs ia among the hairs surrounding the seed capsules of the developing clover heads. The pink ish maggots work their way into the open floreta to feed on the seeds. Their feeding prevents the open ing of such -florets and therefore the heads are irregular, a condition known to farmers as "slick heads." Toward the end of June these mag gots drop to tbe gronnd where they cocoon and pupate, and several weeks later tbe adults of the Summer brood appear. At the time that the heads of the second crop of clover are forming the adult midges become abundant and repeat the life cycle just given, There may be two or even three such generations during the season, the last maggots doing the most harm to the seed. The adult of the clover send chal- cid (Bruochophagus funebris) is a tiny black wasp which - measures about one-twelfth of an inch in length and whose wings are practically vein- less. These adults appear in early June to deposit their microscopic eggs in the soft seeds of the wither ing florets. The maggots develop from these eggs and work their way into the center of the seed on .h-mcd tney feed. When fully grown they pupate within the seeds and later appear as adults during August. These place their eggs in the second growth of clover heads and by tho time tho late crop is to be threshed for seed the insects have emerged. This leaves the seeds hollow so that they are easily blown out in threshing, although the heads in this case may bo well filled. As with tho midge there may bo two or three gen erations during the season. Both of these Insects are widely distributed wherever clover is grown for seed, and both of them at times prove very destructive, affecting from 20 to 80 per cent of the seed crop, states Professor A. L. Melander, en tomologist of the Washington Agri culturist Experiment Station at Pull man. Fortunately the pests can be con trolled by harvesting the first crop of clover two or three weeks earlier than usual. Tho cutting should be done before the bloom withers, as at that time tho young maggots would be unable to mature on the cut heads. This destruction of the first brood carries with it a decided lessening of the late broods, so that when prac ticed the seed crop may be almost en tirely saved. The early cutting of the first crop for hay hastens the development of the second cutting, so that when the second brood of adults appear there are but few green heads for them to work on. To guard against tree repair fak ers, or quack tree surgeons, the Massachusetts Forestry Association will Inspect the shade trees belong ing to its members, free of charge. FREE-BOOKLET-FREE "The Use of Explosives in Agriculture" How and why to subsoil, how to get out stumps, how to ditch, how to break up boulders. Written by an expert. This is a modern farmer's handbook on up-to-date methods. Sign blank below and send today. Name Address CALIFORNIA TROJAN POWDER CO. 307 Railway Exchange BWg. PORTLAND. OREGON the Farmer K i J- AURIUUL 1LRIST9. Proper Feed and Care of the Pregnant Mare ON many farms in Washington' there are mares at the present time which are with foal. So far, the mare's need of additional nutrients to develop the unborn youngster has not been very great. From this time on the amount of nourishment that the fetus will demand will constantly Increase, since the greatest growth is made during tho last few months ot pregnancy. Hence the present is tba time to pay attention to the ration which the brood mare is receiving. At this season, a pregnant mare represents two animals. Overwork at this stage is equivalent to starving the colt before it is born, states Pro fessor William Hlslop, animal hus bandman of the State Experiment Station, at Pullman. If the mare is forced to do a large amount of work, one or the other must suffer. Of course exercise is essential. Furthermore, the pregnant mare can and should do some work, for entire cessation would be likely to cause digestive troubles. As long as the mare is not overtaxed, she may be worked moderately to within a few days of foaling with no bad effects. Bocause grain-is high there is a very common disposition to save it and to supply the deficiency by using entirely too much "filler" a3 found in straw and timothy hay. There is too much indigestible fiber in such feeds, and as a result tbe maro has a staring coat, dull eyes, low spirits, and a shoddy appearance. , The mare should bo "humored" in her feeding at this time. The full ness of tbe abdominal cavity calls for concentrated feeds, rather than bulky ones, and briugs out the Importance of feeding three times a day instead of twice, which may be all right for idle horses. Good, bright alfalfa or heavy mixed clover and timothy hay, wltb oats, bran, and oil meal, fed in tbe pro portion by weight of six, three, one, make a most desirable ration. Pro tein is highly essential during the latter part of the gestation perfod, while bran will tend to prevent con stipation in the mare. A quiet but roomy box stall that is well bedded and free from draughts should be provided for the act of foallug. The loss of a few hours' sleep in assisting tbe mare to foal, If necessary, is but a trifle, so bo on hand when the critical time arrives. Awful 'Sponsiblllty. Two women were absorbingly en gaged In an Intimate conversation on tho street car. No wonder another woman was much Intm-pslert Tihon she overheard the following: 'Got a letter from my ol' man. Hadn't heard from him for a long time, Says he's comln' home," "Now, ain't that too bad," said the other consolingly. "An' you got such a good start." "Yes, I hate it. ' Was getiin' along so well." "My experience was th' same. Was makin money and llvin' easy, when my ol' man come back. He set aroun' and et until my easy time was over." Then the woman who had received the letter heaved a sigh. "It's an awful 'sponsiblllty on a woman, havln' a husban' at home," she said. Tndlanapolis News.