The Sonora Sun. (Sonora, Tex.), Vol. 3, No. 47, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 13, 1906 Page: 3 of 8
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EVOTOMflAKD^AMffiN
DEVICE FOR WATERING PLANTS
Conducted ]>q
M J yWUAt&G
Automatically Regulates the Supply of
Moisture.
Two Ingenious methods of watering
plants auloinatleally arc shown in the
accompanying Illustrations. The es-
sential part of the first device is a
long untwisted wick such as is used
by lamplighters. These wicks are
about five feet long and the threads
of which they are composed are easily
separated. The wick is protected by
glass tube about three feet long
and about one-quarter inch bore,
which Is bent in a flame Into a siphon
or U-shupe with one leg very much
longer titan the other. The wick la
[Mr. Wragg Invites contributions of nny
Ideas that readers of this department
present, and would be
ser correspondents desiring
l subjects discussed. Ad-
Wrugg. Wauliaa or
Ideas
wish
Pleased tc
lnformatl<
may wish to present,
pleased to answer
atlon <
dress M J.
Moines, Iown.]
rule
'undents deslrlnt
Ad
ires
SAVING OF SEED CORN.
ADVANTAGES OF FARM LIFE.
"I am well aware that farming is
not considered a very desirable occu-
pation by many people, but they are
those who only look at the surface.
They do not realize thut one-half the
people In cities haven't enough to eat,
while the other half are engaged In
a constant struggle to outshine their
neighbors.
"People who are doing well In the
country frequently imagine they will
better the condition of themselves
and families by moving to town. In
nine cases out of ten it proves a bit-
ter and costly mistake. The superior
education which the parents imagine
I he children are acquiring generally
amounts to but little, but it invari-
ably gives them a distaste for the
farm.
“That town life is the worst pos-
sible training for young people is
proven by history. Nearly all of the
great men of the world have come
from the farm. The reason is quite
plain. The country boy, if he is the
right kind of a boy, spends his time
building himself up mentally and
physically. The city boy too often
spends his days in idleness and his
evenings at saloons or theaters. He
is not prepared for the battle of life
tind Is left behind by the country boy.
"Another advantage of farming is
(hat the farmer can be absolutely true
to his convictions. The lawyer, doc-
tor or merchant must study the
whims of clients, patients or custom-
ers. The farmer has no one to please
hut himself. He is a free man.
“Still another advantage of farming
is that the farmer never becomes
either very rich or very poor, neither
■of which is desirable. Extreme pov-
erty degrades and great riches have
nn equally bad efTeet in creating ex-
travagant habits and general selfish-
ness.
"Farming is all right as an occu-
pation, but could be made much more
pleasant than it is if farmers would
lake more pride in it themselves. The
farmer has as much right as nny one
to wear a good suit of clothes and
adorn and beautify his home. Irt fact
It is his duty to do so. It is also part
of his duty to furnish good reading
matter for the family. We should
strive to so elevate and dignify the
business that any man could b~ proud
to say, ‘I am a farmer.’ ”—Extract
From an Essay.
While oats Is. undoubtedly, the lead-
ing grain food for horses, there are
other grain foods that, may he fed to
them sometimes with advantage. Es-
pecially in cold weather horses will do
well on a ration of corn, wheat, bran
and timothy hay. The corn and bran
tnay be fed in about equal propor-
tions by weight. If clover hay is
used, a much less amount of bran Is
necessary. If both clover and timothy
hay are not on hand, corn fodder may
bo made to take the place of cither,
more especially when the grain fed
w’_»e-s of corn and wheat bran.
There Is nothing of more import-
ance to the farmers throughout the
corn belt of the United States than
the quality of seed corn. The Bu-
reau of Plant Industry of the United
States Department of Agriculture
states that in the northern part of
this area special precautions are al-
ways necessary in saving seed which
Is fully matured. In a season like the
present these conditions hold good
over a larger area than usual.
Most of the corn is iti the field at
the present time and. if not imma-
ture, it at least contains n large per-
centage of moisture. If this moist
corn is left in its present condition
until after cold weather the freezing
Will kill u large part of the seed and
fhe planting of this poor seed will
mean a thin stand next year.
When the seed corn has not already
been obtained, it should lie selected
at once. Pick out only thoroughly
matured, take the ripest to be had.
Huck and put in a dry, well ventilat-
ed place, kept at a temperature of
front 75 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and
let them remain there until the seed
is thoroughly dried and cured. After
it lias been dried it should be stored
where it will remain reasonably dry
and cool. It is only when the seed
contains a large percentage of molat-
ure that the germination is injured by
freezing. If a little trouble is taken
now in selecting and caring for next
year’s seed, the stand and the conse-
quent yield will be greatly increased.
In ail cases seed should be tested
for germination a short time before
planting, and only such Beed planted
as is found to be in the best condition.
Seed tests can be made easily and
often more conveniently at home, but
the seed laboratory of the United
States Department of Agriculture, so
far as its working force will allow, is
prepared to make tests for corn grow-
ers without charge.
Important points to be observed:
1. Select fully matured seed, or at
least the ripest that can be obtained.
2. Bring the corn from the field be-
fore freezing weather and keep in a
warm, dry place, with ample ventila-
tion, until thoroughly dried.
3. Store In a dry, cool place.
\. Test for germination -before
planting.
THE CONDITION OF FARM WORK.
The greatest efTort should be made
to square up farm work before the
coming winter. Work generally is In
a had shape, and not of necessity
through any fault of the farmer. The
season has been so wet iu many places
that the farmer simply could uot keep
work even. The harvest time was de-
layed and the threshing time was put
hack so as to interfere with the plow-
ing season, and now the plowing has
to he done In time that is too cramped
for doing it well or, perhaps, for com-
pleting it. Every effort, however,
should be made to complete it. For
grain crops, full plowing in nearly all
the northwest is certainly the best.
Therefore, strenuous efforts should be
made to plow all this land before frost
binds the earth. It may cause close
and faithful work on the part of man
and team, hut it ought to be done.
Usually it Is considered good policy
to plow the land early, but the neces-
sity for this does not exist the present
season. The arguments in favor of
early plowltigs are chiefly that the
land may gather more moisture and
become more dense in the seed bed.
But the amount of moisture is so
great in the soil since those great
rains, that these arguments do not
apply now us they do sometimes.
It Is to be hoped that the winter
wiil not come early. No one knows,
however, when it will come, and labor
should be performed with the expec-
tation thut the winter will come as
usual. It would he unfortunate, if it
could be prevented, to have labor be-
gin next spring with the handicap of
being behind.
It would not be easy to name all
the lines of work In this connection
that need attention at this season.
Preparation should be made to protect
the live stock in good form, where
such protection has not been made.
The aim should also be to have ail
implements In place before winter.
All chinks that require it should be
stopped and due preparation made for
feeding live stock so that they may
be fed without waste.
To secure the largest profit the but-
ter maker needs to have as few per-
sons as possible between hint and his
patrons, for every person handling
this product must have a consideration
for his work.
POOR LAYERS.
The farmer's orchard differs, or
should differ from the commercial
orchard In that, the first and principal
consideration, In the former, is to
grow a suitable and abundant sup-
ply of fruit for the use of the family,
and quality will be aimed at. while in
the latter the fruit Is grown for the
general market, and the varieties
which sell the best and bring in the
most money, although they may not
be of the best quality, will predomt
nate.
There was nn old girl named McDowell,
Who declared she'd Invent a new fowl,
FLOORS.
Ho she took from
A buxom young he
mated her u
tier pen
n
her up with an owl.
The progeny—people nil say—
From a piuctleal side didn't pay;
For they cackled all night
Couldn't see ley daylight.
Ami
Tho i
So when could they find time to lay?
I have in mind a farmer who has
several good scrap books which are
full of agricultural truths, and yet he
has never taken advantage of any of
lhem. He is no better in agriculture
now than when h8 saved his first clip-
ping. He can talk intelligently on ag-
ricultural matters, but has gained all
he knows by observation and by read-
ing. He likes to read and he does not
like to work.
DAIRY NOTES.
The money value of rich food as
compared with poor is largely increas-
ed when fed to rich cows Instead of
poor cows. It is a waste of money
to use poor food and it does not pay
to keep poor cows.
Two things are essential to get the
top of the market for butter, one is
to make the butter that the consum-
ers want and are willing to pay for
and the second is to get as close to
them as possible In selling the butter.
An advantage with winter dairying
is that the cows are carried through
the winter at the season when butter
and milk command the highest prices.
From this time on in nearly ail
cases the cows will do the better
with a light ration of ground grains
and bran with good hay or fodder
given night and morning.
Carelessness in keeping churn
clean is often a cause of the butter
having a bad flavor. It is as im-
portant to thoroughly cleanse the
churn as any other vessel used about
the milk.
As food is indispensable for the
production of rich milk there only re-
mains the necessity of adjusting the
ration to the ability of the cow to di-
gest it, and convert it into a profit.
Ixtng milking Is essentially a habit
of domestication which has reverted
from persistent breeding to that end
and the natural tendency is to a re-
version to an earlier and more nat-
ural condition.
To get more cream and butter with
the same feed and care first find out
which are poorest cows and get rid of
them as soon as possible and then
give those that are kept a little extra
feed and care.
NOTES ON FROST.
The subject of frost protection as
It. relates to agricultural products of
the country is one of great import-
ance to farmers, fruit growers and
gardeners. As a means of furnish-
ing in popular form the necessary in-
formation in relation to methods of
protecting crops from frost, the United
States Department of Agriculture has
prepared Farmers’ Bulletin No. 104,
entitled "Notes on Frost.”
This bulletin describes how frost Is
formed, the seasons of frost, tells
when to expect It, discusses methods
of protection, and describes devices
for preventing rapid radiation of heat,
for charging the air with moisture,
nnd for adding moisture to the air.
The bulletin says that experiments
and observation seem to establish the
following facts: The danger of dam-
nge from frost ran be materially less-
ened by placing early nnd tender
plants on high grounds and crests,
and hnrdier plants in low grounds and
hollows. When ground can be select-
ed in the lee, or to (he south and east
of considerable bodies of water, the
danger will be further lessened.
In the dry climate of the citrus
fruit region of California and In the
promising fruit districts of Arizona
small and numerous fires, preferably
of coal burned in iron baskets, have
been found to be the most effective
device used for protection against
frost: second in point of utility may
be placed irrigation: and the practi-
cal process which affords the least
protection in that respect appears to
be smudge fires.
In the orange growing districts of
the south irrigation affords the most
effective protection against frost,
while in sections where this process
cannot be employed damp smudge
fires properly handled are best adapt-
ed to general use.
At no season of the year should as
much care be exercised as to the con
dition of the floors of poultry houses
as in winter. It is during the winter
and early spring months that the
fowls are more liable to take cold than
at any other time of the year. By
colds other diseases may come and
endanger the flock. It Is Rafe to say
that a majority of the diseases which
come in winter come from damp
floors, whether of dirt or boards. In
preparing a floor for the poultry house
the first thing to do is to raise
above the level of the ground on the
outside ro that it cannot become damp
from snows. If made from dirt
should be tamped down firmly and
covered with several inches of dry
sand and a board floor may be cov-
ered with sand in the same man
ner. The sand insures dryness, and
in order to have a good warm sub-
stance for the chickens to stand on
should be covered with chaff or straw.
A floor kept in this manner will be
dry nil winter. The chaff should be
removed as often as once a month in
order to keep the house clean There
Is a good deal in a dry floor and one
ought to have one of this kind.
CLOSEO BRIDLES.
There is a divided opinion regarding
the advantages to be derived from
the use of the closed bridle and prob
ably the majority of farmers use It,
though some may have no good rea-
ons for doing so. The advantage
claimed for it is mainly that it pre-
vents the horse from seeing objects
that, might frighten him and forces
his attention only to what is before
him.
Now we strongly oppose the use
the closed bridles in the majority
cases. From experience we have no-
ticed that many a horse which drives
well with the open bridle is constant
ly shying when driven with the blind
ers. The reason for this Is that he
sees some unfamiliar object or some-
thing of which he Is suspicious and
the horse having to pass quite close,
shies as soon as the blinder obstructs
the view. While the horse can see the
object, he Is alt right, hut seems
druwn through the tube with the aid
of a flexible wire, and is allowed to
protrude at both ends. It takes up
water slowly at first, and the tube
containing the wick should be left
over night in a vessel of water.
To use this device for watering pot-
ted plants, three or four pots nre
placed near together, and a pall of wa-
ter is put near nnd above them, on a
bench. The short leg of the tube is
Immersed in the water and the flow is
started by sucking at the other end
The strands of the wick are distrib-
uted among the pots, being placed in
contact with the earth but not with
the stalks of the plants. One or more
strands are assigned to each plant, ac-
cording to its need of water and, of
course, the entire flow may be given
to one pot, in which ease the end of
the tube Is Inserted in the soil. In
very hot weulher it is advisable to
cover the pail and wrap the tube with
wadding to prevent the wick drying.
The German Inventor of this device
says that he has always found it to
work perfectly. It was designed for
watering house plants during the ab-
sence of their usual caretakers, but it
seems adapted to garden use as well
The second device, patented in Ger-
many a few years ago, is still simpler.
It consists of a pear-shaped glass bulb
drawn out to a point at one end. The
point itself Is closed but near it is
lateral opening, through which the
vessel may be filled with water.
When filled it Is thrust Into the
earth near the plant, to which is sup-
plied the proper quantity of water for
several days or weeks, as the water
flows from the hole with greater
less rapidity according to the dryness
of soil.—Montreal Herald.
Increasing ths Egg Yield.
We have found It somewhat difficult
Increase the egg yield per hen.
though we have taken a great deal of
painB in the matter. With Just a farm
Hock It is not possible to use some of
:he devices that can be used by the
men that make a apeclulty of poultry
raising and have men always at hand
to do any kind of work required. There
the trap nest. It serves to show
how many eggs a hen will lay and
when she lays them, but It is of no use
to talk about using that kind of an
arrangement on the farm, for the roa-
3on that people are too busy to attend
to It We can’t keep the children at
home from school to watch the hens
and let them out of their prison when
they have laid an egg.
However, I am certain that the trap
nests are only approximately correct.
They only show what eggs the hens
lay in the trap nests. I was visiting
not long ago an establishment where
they use trap nesls. I asked the man-
ager what was done with the eggs
that were dropped outside of the trap
nests, and he said those did not count.
Some hens will lay only in a certain
nest, and when they cannot have ac-
cess to that nest on account of some
other hen being there, they simply
drop their eggs where they can. The
trap nests increase the number of
eggs dropped. It may be that some
of the hens that have failed to reach a
certain standard laid their eggs else-
where than in the trap nests. I think
the trap nests are a great help to the
person that has enough leisure to look
after them, hut I do not think that they
tell the whole story.
On most of our farms nothing Is
done to increase the egg yield. I be-
lieve that the most practical method
for us farmers to use is to employ
egg bands and then make sure that
we kill off all the fowls that have
passed their most useful years and
fill their places with young pullet*
Just in the prime of their laying abll
ity. I also believe that we can in-
crease the egg yield by feeding less
corn and coming nearer to a balanced
ration.
Union Co., Ohio. Warren Wilson.
When to Aerate Milk.
For a great many yearB an opinion
prevailed that the aeration of milk
was a necessity. It was believed that
In the milk was some kind of an ani-
mal odor that could only be taken out
by exposing the milk to the air. In
the factories where the cream was
handled for butter-making or milk for
cheese-making, large aerators were
used in some eases. More often, how-
ever, this was done In bottling plants
that supplied milk to adjacent cities.
The milk was run over colls in which
circulated brine or ice water. On the
farms the aeration was done by taking
the milk out of doors and pouring it
from one pall (o another or stirring
It with a great ladle. While aeration
Is still practiced to some extent, it is
not practiced to the extent It used to
be. Especially is this true on the
farms. Among the better class of but-
ter-makers there is at the present time
about as much opinion against aera-
tion of milk as there is for It. The
old idea of animal odor in the milk
has about been dissipated, and It is
concluded by some of the deepest
thinkers and experimenters that the
so-called animal odors were Impurities
arising from outside sources. When
the milk is properly protected from all
Impurities, there is no danger of there
bolng animal odor In the milk. There-
fore the need of aeration does not ex-
ist. We believe, however, that In
some cases milk should be aerated,
because we are conscious of the fact
that in many Htables odors do get into
the milk. Milk absorbs odors, as do
many other kinds of food products.
If we believe that odors have been
taken Into the milk and there is a
good place in which to aerate the
milk, it should be aersted. The win-
ter season gives purer air for this than
the summer season.
To Relieve Overworked Fathers.
Surely one of the most curious pro-
fessions that physi-culture and hygl-
eue have called Into existence Is that
of the “foster-father." Yet, when we
learn the dullcs expected of this pa-
tient creature, we realize that he is
among the "long-felt wants” proceed-
ing from the modern domestic prob-
lem.
The foster-father takes the 'first
steps in molding what In nursery par-
lance are known as '‘little gentleman.”
His duties are to drill boys and take
charge of them out of school hours, to
display an active Interest in their rec-
reations and to assume responsibility
for their neatness and good behavior.
There must be thousands of those
helpless individuals known as "harass-
ed parents” in all classes of society,
who would gladly shift the anxieties
of teaching the young male Idea on to
the shoulders of an able deputy.—
Lady’s Pictorial.
Industrial Future of Mexico.
The prophets foresee in Mexico a
manufacturing country of the first
rank. This because of abundant
hydro-electric power, cheap and un-
organized labor, stability of climate,
nnd geographical situation. To these
are added the recent discoveries of
mineral oil or petroleum, and the de-
velopment of the coal fields in the
northwestern sections, which will
supply the required fuel. The amount
of power In use in Mexico Is estimated
as 66.008 Indicated horse power steam,
32,147 Indicated horse power water,
17,828 Indicated horse power electric,
all of which are probably below exist-
ing figures. In developing the last
Mexico Is making marvelous strides,
and there are power plants now in ex-
istence or in the course of construc-
tion which will rank second only to
those of Niagara.
How Msny Eggs Per Fowl?
How many eggs should a fowl lay
to make her profitable? I think on
most of our farms the hen that lays
100 eggs a year pays for herself. I
believe, however, that we Bhouid not
be satisfied with hens that lay less
than 200 eggs a year, for we want to
get reasonable pay for the labor we
put upon them. At the present prices
for eggs 100 eggs will bring at least
82, and they have not cost more than
$1. But there Is another element that
enters into the cost of eggs, and that
is the number of fowls that are lost
from various causes. It is possible to
lose so many fowls while they are
growing up that this will reduce the
profits of the ones that live. Some
men figure out that they are making
a profit of a dollar a year off their
fowls, but at the end of the year can
find no profit. They cannot under-
stand why, tf their birds are making
them a profit of a dollar each, they
should not have as many dollars in
profits as they have birds. The fact Is
that they had a large number of fowls
that were fed for from one month to
six months and then died. In some
flocks the cholera appeared, and in
others the roup was the devastator.
In others skunks and cats reduced the
size of the flock. It is the vanished
cost of supporting these that reduced
the profits on the eggs to about noth-
ing. The longer I take care of poul-
try the more I realize that success
with fowls consists very largely In
keeping them free from fat, lice and
disease.—Mary Pickering. Elkhart
County, Ind., in Farmers' Review.
The Buff Color In Breeds.
Some one asserts that the huff color
in fowls shows a strong tendency to
become lighter from generation to
generation. We doubt if this ap
plies to all fowls. The original
Buff Cochins doubtless hold their
color very well, but many of the
newer breeds have white in their
make up. that is, the ancestors of
these huff birds have many of them
been white birds, which will explain
the tendency of the buff birds to
change to white. It is probably true
that the buff color will remain In the
breed in which it has been the pre-
vailing color for centuries.
Course in Socialism.
During next term at the Washing-
ton state university a special course
have doubts regarding what may hap-] In socialism wilt be given, it will In-
clude anarchism, communism, social-
pen when It is out of sight, though still
near by. Of course there are horses
which seem to drive better with the
blind bridle but they are comparative-
'v few
Ism in Its three branches—state, agra-
rian and single tax—and religious or
altruistic, as taught by Waublngton
Gladden.
Color of Feed and Flesh.
There is a popular superstition
among breeders of fowls that If
yellow corn Is fed to them for a
very long time it will produce
a yellow color In the flesh. This
has never been proved, and most of
us will question if it is so. We know
that the color of fowls depends large-
ly upon the breed. Most of the Euro-
pean birds have white flesh; most of
the American birds, yellow flesh If
any of our readers believe that they
have been able to effect a color of
flesh by feed, we will be glad to hear
from them. ______
Floors In Poultry Houseo.
The old wooden floors in many
of our poultry houses make It
possible for the rats to destroy
the chickens. A wooden floor Is
all right If it Is properly built
and is raised a foot or more from the
ground, which prevents (he rodents
from gnawing a hole through It. Many
of the poultry house floors are laid
within two or three Inchea of the
ground and almost without exception
such floors become shelters for ro-
dents.
Stringy Milk.
Now and then a farmer Is puzzled
at the appearance of stringlnoss in the
milk a few hours after it Is drawn.
He at once imagines that the cow
Is sick or that some certain cow has
given this milk and begins a hunt for
her. Sometimes the slrlnglness is
due to a case of garget, but in most
caseB it is due to less Important
causes. There are certain growths
of a minute nature, found sometimes
In the pastures but often in the hay,
that produce this strlnginess. There
is only one way of getting rid of it.
and that is by excessive care when
the milk is drawn. Generally the
trouble begins with the stirring up
of the hay before milking, and the
filling of the air around the cow with
a vast number of particles that have
In them the power of development,
in developing in the milk these at-
tach themselves one to the other nnd
make the white strings so annoying.
When the thing occurs persistently in
the stable, It Is probable that th<e(8
spores exist In great numbers in the
hay. We can only advise In Huch
cases that the hay be not given the
cows until after the milk is drawn and
taken away.
To 8ecur« the Best Cowe.
The practice with regard to the
maintenance of dairy herds In this
state Is varied. Some of our farmers
try to breed their own herds, saving
the calves from the best cows, and
thus, by a process of indirect selec-
tion, Improve the annual yield of milk
and butter from year to year. Many
of our fanners buy cows as they need
them, disposing of thoRe that have
proven unprofitable to the local butch-
er. While dairying is a growing in-
dustry in Virginia, it has not made
as much progress as the legitimate
prices obtainable for milk, butter and
other dairy foods would seem to war-
rant. There is an Increasing desire
for information along dairy lines, and
our farmers are beginning to realize
that they must have better cows, and
one of the most certain ways to secure
these Is through breeding them them-
selves.
Andrew M. Soule,
Dean Agricultural College of Virginia.
Ths Unpcdlgreed Dairy Cow.
Some of our very best cows are
those that have no pedigrees; in
fact, the greater number of cowl
now in the dairy are of this
class. Such men as M. B. Cur-
ler say that they pay no attention
to breed when going to select a cow.
They simply pick the best rows they
can find, judging by the usual marks
of the dairy cows. A man can go
through the country and on multitudes
of farms find cows that give large
quantities of milk rich in butter-fat,
and yet of no known breed. These
cows, though having no pedigrees, are
not scrubs. They are the best kind of
foundation stock for the development
of the common dairy herds of ths
country. Many of them are worthy to
receive more attention than they have
received at the hands of dairy experts.
Rusty Cans.
No rusty can* should be used
for the holding of milk. Rust
soon creates a sponge-like, honey-comb
condition In the texture of the Iron
and in these cells the casein lodges.
If hot water is used, It merely coagu-
lates the casein, and If cold water U
used. It does «ot remove all of the
casein, which Is In turn coagulated
when hot water Is placed In the can
after the cold water. Only Ihe best
kind of tin should be bought, and
that should be so carefully handled
that rust cannot start. When the can
begins to rust. Its usefulness for tbs
carrying of milk la at an end.
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Woodruff, D. B. The Sonora Sun. (Sonora, Tex.), Vol. 3, No. 47, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 13, 1906, newspaper, January 13, 1906; Sonora, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1018067/m1/3/: accessed July 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .