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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1917-12-20, Page 7` $y Agronomist ronomist` AG' This De artment'is for the use , of ourw, farm readers o want the adylce i expert f an e A c uestion s Of s.on any question regarding, soil, send, crops, eta' If Your q if ufficienteneral Interest, it will be answered through this column, attarnped and addressed'envelope Is enclosed with` your letter, a <compi.ete 'Answer will be mailed:to you. Address. Agronomist; cre of Wilson Publishing Co„ Ltd.; 73 Adelaide St. W, Toronto, NEVER ,BURN MOW" Too many of us are quitethought- les s about the use of fires on the farm. fires, on the average: farm, do far more harm than good. Everyone who burns stuff in the field• or woodlot does it because he be- lieves he is destroying either" weed seeds or useless 'rubbish. This atti•• itude, is all right, provided we revise. our definition of rubbish and get a clearer notion of the methods by which, weed'seeds are distributed. It is quite rare to find any amounts" of weed seeds, especially of the more obnixieus weeds, still in the seed heads and up from the ground sufficiently to be burned hy the usual :airing fire. In fact, one of the chief reasons why- certain weeds have •bzeen dubbed "noxious" is because they have devel- oped, during many generations, the ability to survive the various adverse conditions and rough treatments to which the farmer has subjected them. Usually -the amount of, vegetable matter destroyed when stubble or oth- er growth is burned over in the spring to kill weed seeds would do far greater service: if plowed under to help the corn or other crop to outgrow the weeds. Do Not .Rob The Land I have known of many cases where stubble ground which was' to be put into oats or some cultivated crop was burned over for the soI purpose of making plowing, appear easier! The man who robs land in that way, even if the land is his own, ought to be in- dicted for robbery and prosecuted to the full extent of the law! Such wil- ful destruction of the most vital ele- ment in the maintenance of soil fere tility and tilth is certainly criminal, not-• only e against ,the present but against future generations. It is'this disregard for the preservation,. and turning under of humus- making ma- terials which has done more than, any- thing else tp cause the abandonment of so many farms in older sections of the country—this is what causes the land to "run down," "run out" and become worthless for agricultural' purposes until the humus is restored: It is very fortunate thtit public rientiment is being educated and un- dergoing marked changes in this, mat- ter. Most everyone who was raised in ,the grain growing section of our co -:antra: can well remember' when it was the regular custom to burn near- ly all of the stubble land, large stacks of straw, and thousands upon thous ands of acres of ,cornstalks. Now most of us see that such wholesale destruction was sheer wastefuhiess. Early Spring Lamb, Early spring lamb, as 1 understand it, i$ an animal finished in :lanary and February, says x21 exopr't. It must be young and tender and tooth- some. 1 breed early lambs from the meat grades, I prefer Shropshire' and Hampshire etves 'of good d conform- ation and a Southdown ram, This cross has always produced a lamb of quality for me that commands a top price.all "It has: been clearly demonstrated; that the good dairy cow " is a More economical producer than any other farm animal," says Prof. E. S. Archi- bald, Dominion Animal Husbandman. "Not only does she actually yield more product from a given amount of feed, but she does that alt the least cost and the greatest profit." "Notwithstanding these facts, the prodltction of ''milk and fat from the average cow is exceedingly low, being' approximately 3,800 pounds of milk wild 130 pounds of fat per annum, which'' in value is less than the total cost of production. Nevertheless, it has been clearly demonstrated that by better feeding and management this average may be easily increased from 30 to 80 %a with an increased cost of feed and labor of only 10 to 20 per cent,; the niar'ginwould be largely profit'. Such an increase is not only a financial necessity but the patriotic duty of every dairy farmer." Do not allow dirt to accumulate in the manger or under the water -box. It soon becomes foul and causes the animal to lose: its appetite. Hes$ farmer. The net profit is get on the capital invested, and the work of caring for the sheep conies after the outside labor is over and the sheep are, sold before the next' year's work begins. 'fhe ice of lamb an rnut- L. P lmbad ton is high, and will renin above the old figures for a long time, 1 am sure. the public is getting to prefer. 'lamb to finitton, and it ufi ;to us farmers to encourage their appetite and supply the demand, • S -MAKING MATERIAL Raising early lambs is e.p rof table But we have not yet learned to con- vert the rubbish which accumulates about 'the -place into crops. Moat of us simply burn it. Rubbish''may be defined as any sort .of material, gen- erally considered unsightly, useless and worthless, which is lying yaround z s, the premised" It: may "range from scrap iron and brickbats to dead. grass and leaf mold. It goes without say- ing that rubbish consisting"' of Mor - garlic stuff like stones, iron, etc., could be most°•efficiently used in concrete Work; but the organic material, with the exception of pine knots and some other things .. aicl.' rot very slowly, will quickly decompose to suitable condition for plowing under. Value of Compose Heap, There should be a compost heap on every well managed farm. Several. tons of organic rubbish should be placed on the pile avery ye: r. _ It is really a rick or tong pile, the new ma- terial not being thrown onto the old rotten compost but should be made into a long pile. Whenever some es- pecially well rotted,' rich material is wanted for hot -bed, garden, etc., the n.atel-compost is ready. Thousands of dollars worth of or- ganic matter 'which should go into the compost heap are burned every year in Ontario/ Any manufacturer who would bees() wasteful of a by-product would deserve to fail. • Other thousands are ost by the burn- ing of.the vegetable mold, leaves, and: twigs which are present in newly cleared land. Fire, because of its terrible power to destroy organic -mat- ter, has been used from the earliest times in clearing land. Undoubtedly fire is doing much more good than harm when,one uses it to burn large log heaps, or big brush piles, but great care should be taken to burn these at a time when it is damp enough to pre- vent the fire from spreading and burn- ing;, the leaves, twigs and leaf mold over'`''the entire clearing. By allowing the fire' to cover the entire clearing one may destroy as much plant food in the form of organic matter as he caw replace by rotating crops for the next eight' or ten years. No fire should be started on the farm unless its purpose is quite de- finite and useful. By exercising the proper care along the lines outlined. above Ontario farmers, may, instead. of- wantonly destroying it, turn mil- lions of dollars worth of humus -mak- ing materials into gold that will clink in their pockets and aid in swelling the profits of the farm. Pam' Every year at the beginning. of win- ter many poultry " keepers are disap- pointed and puzzled by the failure of. apparently well grown pullets to lay according to expectation. They can not understand why early pullets that seemed to be developing nicely and show the usual signs of being near laying should remain at that stage. for weeks and sometimes for months. Where the conditions are as de- scribed, the most common cause of de- ferred laying in an insufficient ration. Underfeeding in the early fall oc- curs oftenest through the , failure of the poultry keeper to increase the food given to pullets on range as much as is necessary to make up for diminution in the supplies secured by'foraging. Underfeeding after the pullets are put into wintdr quarters is usually due to excess of care to prevent them from becoming too fat to lay. In either case the remedy into feed the birds all that they will eat of a substantial ration, furnishing in pro- per variety the food elements requir- ed, taking care at the sante time to provide for as much exercise as will keep them in good condition under heavy feeding. While 'pullets remain on range the only changes in diet usually necessary as cool weather comes on are to in- crease the quantities of :food given, es- pecially corn and corn products, and if green food ,on•.the range is running short to supply what is 'required to make up the shortage. It is desirable to have pullets in their winter quarters about a• month before they are expected to begin lay ,ing. Moving them at that stage does not retard laying, while` if they are moved shortly before or after beginn HIGHEST PRICES PAID, trtor POULTRY, GAME, EGGS & FEATHERS 'Please write £oz. . particulars.. P. POULIN 8600„ , 08 Bowseooinrs Market. kontreel HIGHEST PRICES PMD For RAW FURS and-� GINSENG No SiLvaft eo .St, renal Sts LPc serontraa63, P.Q; Reference, Union till, o1 Canada • ing • to la the change maythem set back several ve al heels. Pullets that will not begin laying before winter sets in may be left in the coops which they occupied while growing as long as the weather per- mits them to range. When the pullets are in winter quar- ters and -are dependent upon the feed: er for all.green food and .aminal food as well as for grain, one of the follow- ing rations will supply the variety re gilired. The proportions indicated are parts by weight. • Ration No. 1. Dry mash 3 parts bran. 2 parts middlings. 4 parts cornmeal.. 1 part beef scrap or fish meal, Green As .tivailable, in Ration Dry mash 5 tarts mixed feed (bran and micl- dlin ;s). 4 parts cornmeal. 1 hart beef scrap or fish meal, Ration No. 3. Dry mash Scratch feed. 6 parts cornmeal. wheat. 2 parts bran Green feed. 1 Dart beef scrap, or Sprouted oats, caber fish meal, base," or man - gel, beets. Ration No. 4. Dry mash- 'Scratch feed. 6 oarts cornmeal, i-ieavy oats. 3 parts bran. Green reed. l,part beef. ' Scrap or ' Sprouted oats. fish meal. Ration No. 5. Dry mash Scratch ,'feed. 3 parts cornmeal. 2 parts crac1;:ed 1 part beef scrap. corn. 1 »art oats. In deciding upon a ration a poultry keeper should be, governed largelyby the availability and cost of foodstuffs in his locality. The common 'grains do not differ exti•eniely in composi- tion and food. value. Uses for Salt. Sprinkle a little salt in the skillet Scratch feed. - 2 parts cracked 'a.ioo 1 part wheat, oats, or barley, or mixture of the three; feed. constant supply., No. 2. Scratch "feed. Cracked corn. Green feed. Cabbage in con- stant supply. before placing the fish in it to fry and it will not stick to the pan. Make a little salt bag and rub the griddle with it; pancakes will not stick' and there will be' no smoke or odor. Calces may be prevented from burn- ing by sprinlclmg. a little salt in the bottom of the oven, When grease or milk has been spill- ed on ti hot stove the ;odor arising from this natty be removed by sprinkling with salt. .Egg stains on silver can be removed by rubbing with a little salt and a damp Cloth., business on any Qntario farm, The lambs are finished and marketed early and the ewes are sheared during April.• At that season the fleece is in first-, class condition and willcommand a good price in the wool market. The wool helps to pay for the cost of feed. And the manure is a rich fertilizer that is worth all the straw and rough- age used to make it. I consider it costs to about two cents a dayto feed a sheep, because I. raise all the rations and roughage on the farm. Under my system of rais- ing sheep, I buy the ewes at the stock- yard in July, and the same animals are conditioned for market. and sold the 'followiiil g March° or April. Indications paint`to high prices for early lambs this coming spring, and ewe sheep will cost considerably more than in 1916 arid 1917, but I believe; the price of hothouse lambs will sell in proportion to the cost of production. My method of handling sheep should appeal to the busy farmer who has. limited pasture land- - and little waste ground. It gives an incentive to raise sheep because the system has many features that must appeal to the busi- DlPop:orn. Delicious D1S��S 0� . This year because of the scarcity of sugar we must use less for our Christmas candies. Every pound of maple -sugar; honey or molasses that We use instead of white sugar means more for food for the British and French children. If we can, in addi- tion, spread':the candy we make over the surface of pop corn kernels, an even' greater saving of sugar will re- sult, Pop corn, salted, buttered, ()remixed with molasses, is a wholesome and un - expensive confection. Pop corn cake. may be molded in the form of sol- diers, canton, dolls and other shapes. Fancy boxes or =net bags -filled with prepared corn will delight the little folk. Combinations of dried fruits and nuts may take the place of candy in filling Christmas boxes. The following are excellent recipes Pop -Corn Balls Mix 21/2 cups molasses and 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter anti- 1 nd 1 tablespoon vinegar and boil until it hardens when droppedinto cold water. Have ready 5 quarts of pop corn, free from any imperfectly popped grain. Pour this mixture over the corn; niix well. Dip the hands into cold water and press the corn into balls. Chocolate Pop -Corn Fudge b Cook together a pint of sugar, half a pint' of milk, 2 squares of bitter chocolate, 1 tablespoon butter, and a saltspoon of salt, until the soft ball stage is i eached, Then remove' from fire; add a teaspoon of vanilla extract with 11/ cups of coarsely chopped pop corn. Stir until the mixture is creamy but still soft; pour into greased pan, and when it,' hardens sufficiently, mark into squares..' • Maple .POP—torn Squares Boil together 2 lbs. brown sugar or maple sugar, 1 pint new milk, and 1/4. teaspoon cream of tartar. `y When',the• syrup makes a "soft ball in told water, add 2 tablespoons hotter; stir it gently and remove from the' stove; add a• teaspoon vanilla; set the pan in a ves- sel of cold water and beat until it be- gins to cool. Then pour into greased, straight -sided pans, and strew thick With pop corn, while still soft cut into squares, but cut again in the same lines when cold. Wrap the pieces in. waxed paper. Pop Corn Cake One quart popped•cern, 1 cup suar, 1// cup' corn syrup, 4 cup water, 2 tablespoons molasses, 1 tablespoon butter, '1 teaspoon salt. Pick over the popped corn, discarding all hard kernels, and finely chop the corn, or put through meat grinder, using a coarse knife. Put sugar, corn syrup and water in saucepan, stir until 'it boils, and cook to 270 degrees F., or until candy cracks when tried in cold, water; add molasses and butter, and Cook -to 290 degrees F., or until it is very hard when tried in cold water. Add corn, stir until well mixed, re- turn to fire a moment to' loosen it, then pour on buttered slab or tray and roll with rolling -pin as thin as pos- sible. Cut in squares or break in small pieces. -Molasses may be omitted , Maple Corn Balls Three quarts popped corn, 1, cup, maple syrup, 1/ cup sugar, 1 table- spoon butter, 1/ teaspoon salt. Pop corn and pick over, discarding kernels that do not pop, and put in large kettle. Melt butter in saucepan and add syrup and sugar. Bring to the boiling point, and let boil until mix- ture ill w -become br rttl •hen tried .t r t ed in cold water. Pour mixture gradually while stirring constantly, over cern which has been sprinkled with salt. Shape into balls, using as little pres- _sure as possible. Pop Corn Fruit Cookies Mix 1 cup each of fine -ground pop corn, sugar, and fine-cut figs or other dried fruit with till cup each of short- ening and mills and a beaten egg. Gradually ,add 1 cup each :of wheat flour and cornmeal, into which 1 tea- spoon salt, 1% teaspoons nutmeg and 4 teaspoons baking powder have been sifted. Roll 1-3 inch •thick; cut out and bake in a moderate oven. Fruit Nut Caramels 1 cup flgs,.1 cup dates, 2 cups wal. nuts. Wash and stone `the dates, swash figs and remove steins, and put with the nuts through food chopper. Mixatogether- thoroughly and press firmly ',; inch -thick into a small but- tered pan.Cut in squares, or shape in small balls and troll in icing sugar. CUT OUT AND 'OLD ON DOTTED a E® ;L.1NE5 • Pm ib& ga.a 4.6 ,a iPO4e i Q1,CJ ;FAArar , Got�rtva,r:oa ' ,.� ••••:RNKri1NoAIA?5mA'7i-1N?s*u•I+amem+mScn;u I' with I had a giant top, A big iron Scheer 10 it, And string as long as anything•,. Ohy,llow I'd love to spirt it, • 655eC1�J GOOD ATB QUESTJON BOX liy Joba. Li, l-itiher, M.A., lki•D. Dr.. hitter will emitter all sigaesl' letters portalnlpg to 41eaitb. > it 70". ccestiun Is el genera.` interest It will be aesuuered through 'these columos; 11 col, it will tie answered personally it stamped, adth-eesed envelope is err closed, Dr. Tuber will net prescribe' for ladividual,.c• see o make. dtagaollr- I ddresti jar. Johu 11, Huber, care oz` Wilson'1'ubllstiilg Co. 73 West. Adelaide tL. 'lorauco. ` Consuniption----Death's direct door to Most- lard students ;_divines 1� hilas opliersphysicians, deep lovers zealots in religion. --Old Saying. FROM THE SECONP ,;`,f'() TIE' TIIIII.D YEAR. Three square meals and a little ex-self-directed .envelope 1 will mail tra for baby . as 1:gllows: U the information you desire, Breakfast: 7' to ,8 o'clock: Oat T• 8,,t in Tiib .rcrtlosisr' meal hominy, cracked wheat (each „-:,• , ,What d« you meal' by rest in tuber- cooked'4 hours the da before the are 3.., y , 3 used) cutosrs? served with milk and sugar° or.. , Butter and sugar,' soft boiled egg,Answer--Such a.sufferer must rest. A ,There is otherwise no hope' for 'his hashed chicken. Staleb •eadard but- ? emaciated" b tty, an organism on• the ter.. Bran biscuit and;butter. A i.. clink of mil Verge of bankruptcy. Here is, of r k, you orange course, a 'factor difficult of manage At `10 am. the juice cf one Jment especially among the poor (who may be given, Dinner: 12 o'clock. Strained soups and broths, rare- beefsteak, rare roast beef, poultry,fish. Baked.' potato, P ,eas P string beans, .squash, mashed cauli- flower,'mashed peas, strained stewed tomatoes stewed carrots, P s mach, as- paragus tips. Bread and butter. For dessert; Plain rifle or plain bread pud- ding, stewed prunes, baked or stewed apple, junket, custard or cornstarch. Supper•, 5;30 to 6 o'clock, Farina, creani of wlieat, wheatena (each cook- ed two hours) from 1 to; 3 tablespoons All, served with milk and sugar or butter and sugatr or butter and salt. A drill: ofmilk. Stale bread and but- ter, Twice -a week custard, corn- starch o.rjunket may be given. Oc- casionally malted milk or weak cocoa, With three meals a child has a bet- ter appetite, much better digestion and thrives far better in consequence, than those children -whose stomachs are constantly working overtime. Yet some especially delicate children can- not do annot.do without a luncheon at 3 or 3.30; then a glass of milk and a. biscuit or a cup of broth are right. Or a child may at this time relish instead a scraped raw apple or a pear; this ds particularly judicious for constipat- ed children. Children recovering from with sleep.Insomnia with fatigue serious illness, will require, according > to the `doctor's directions, more and over exertion, have predisposed. fre- quent feeding. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. M. W. S. If you will send me a stamped and furnish the majority of consumption cases), many' of whom feel that they must somehow work in order to main- tain themselves and their own. Anal yet there has to be rest, especially when there is fever; and at least un- til the sufferer has recuperated from the prime, predisposition to this dis- ease.., For the consumption germ fattens on devitalized tissues. The rest has got to be absolute if'. the bodily temperature reaches 100 degrees by the clinical thermometer; and the bed inexorably when the fever has gone above this: The rest should if possible, be outdoors—at least with open windows. When the air is cold warm headgear is to be worn; or the woollen "helmet" which comes down over the collar bone. And the foot- wear must be at least as ample and as comfortable as the headgear. Th) body must be abundantly ' clothed; there are sleeping bags mad', for such patients. The idea 'of sleep is involved in that of rest. Nowhere else should nature's soft nurs - be so sedulously` wooed, Insomnia is moot exhausting:' in such a 'disease as this, when it is so. necessary to conserve and build up. the 'strength. Nor has anyrestora- tive ever been invented to compare many to tuberculosis. We strive to induce sleep without medication if pos- sible; man among other ways, be induced by drinking of hot milk after the patient has been tucked away for the night. How To Wrap Xmas Boxes. Christmas packages are getting more attention this year than they did last.. Since gifts are to be more practical and not ' of the decorative type the outside of the package must be decorative. For the last two or three years people have used for wrap- ping tissue paper of various colors, generally' white; have tied a package with :red, green or holly ribbon, and have thought they had solved the prob- lem. This year givers must consider the individuality of every person to whom a gift is sent. - Again paper is scarce aril every scrap to be found about the home should be utilized. _ Almost every household has stored away intheattic w y ti t c or storeroom rolls or parts of rof1 s of wall paper. These pieces can be used for wrapping the Christmas packages to good advantage. For the round flat package contain- ing some soft fabric, yellow could be used tied with black ribbon, 'or if nec- essary one could purchase raffia in various colors for a small amount, much less than the cost of ribbon, and when tying the bow a small bunch of flowers, perhaps the best ones of a spray which has been used on a hat, could be slipped in the knot, The paper may be a little hard to handle. If` it is cut in shaped pieces use paste to keep it in place. A pretty bag for a young woman would look well wrapped in paper of a Dresden design tied with light blue er green ribbon. For a man a plain brown paper tied with red or green raffia is very sensible, since a man has no use for ruffles or furbelows of any description. Bright green er yel- low beads are fastened on the ends of the raffia, Most men like red and blue, and it would be a good idea to 'add a touch of color to the 'strings where it `harmonizes with the wrap- ping. With greenoared sealing wax the package is complete for the male friend or relative. Sealing wax can be made decorative in many ways. Green oared would be the best for Christmas, and if one has nothing else to seal it with use one of the new coins, or a thimble, but much. better would be a monogram. Pendent bows beaded are especially suitable for children, For the package :fox little folk the. shape ;should be disguised and it should be wrapped securely, Often- times their little eyes light upon things which mothers think aro safely hidden, and if the package is not safe- ly wrapped the' surprise is spoiled for Christmas morning, Little folk are very wise and can often tell by the Shape or a package what it contains. Covered with soft green or gray tis- sue paper and tied with bright green or red ribbon or raffia, with two little bells tied to the bow, an especially attractive package may be arranged for. the children, Often szna'll Santa 'Clauses tied ,ori the boxes for little folk make a:pleas- ing' impression, even through the chit- dren are curious to get: to, the inside.. With a round package. wrap the Crepe; paper about it loosely, bring thepaper, to the top to form a rosette kind tib with ribbon and with a spray of:£low- ers• or Holly in the centre. Good Action inDraft Horses. Size and power are of little value if the draft horse has not enough action to handle his big weight in an efficient manner. The action of the draft horse should be bold, clean, and somewhat stylish. The feet should be carried forward and back in a straight line without paddling, winging, or other irregul- arities of gait. It is necessary that the feet move straight and smooth in order to get the best and greatest stride with the least energy. Knee action in a draft horse is not • important. A long stride which covers considerable' ground is much more important than high knee ac- tion. Ability to cover ground is what is wanted in the draft horse. The walk is the important gait. It should be true and snappy and have a good length of stride. The action of all four leg's should be strong, and the movements of the knees and hocks free, without indication of dragging or stiffness. Although the walla`. is more import- ant from a working 'stat 4oint, it is necessary to note an nrnial's action in trotting because defects in action are more perceptible when trotting than when walking. In trotting there should be a clean folding of the knee and hock, the feet being carried in a straight line. The , hocks should work close together, for if they are carried too far apart it. causes an unsightly bandy-legged ap- pearance. . In many cases careful shoeing will improve the gait of the draft horse and tend to eliminate undesirable fea- tures. Every pen should be supplied with a box of air -slaked lime and wood -ashes, sulphur, charcoal and salt. The pigs seem to know when to take such cor- rectives and naturally crave them. A good way to begin in the hog business is to buy one or two sows, that have already been mated to a' good sire. You get results that way sooner, although it . may cost a bit more than to buy pigs and grow them up to breeding age. Now is the time to get ready for early spring litters. Make the far rowing pens now if new ones are need- ed -'spring and the last day before farrowing is not the time. Then some cold makeshift inay have to be used, anti a lot of pigs will be lost. • What Impertinence! The Scotch express had just reached the junction. . "All here for Edinburgh?" incuirec the giarcl. All replied .in, the affirmative except, one old woman, who kept silence, After the train had started., he—win/eta! the remarked, with a anile: "l wa.s just goin' tolGlasga mewl, but I wasna goin' to tell you inq uees i. Y q s� tive mon!" ,i 4 4 n 4 4