The Seaforth News, 1919-03-13, Page 7sminmene
13y Agro
This bepartmenf Is, for the use of
of an cxport on -any .question regarding
is ofsufficientgeneral Interest, It will
stampedand addressed envelope Is a
gnawer will be mailed to you. Address
Co.,.J,td.,'73 Adelaide St. W., Toronto.
Smut of Oats.
our farm readers who want the advles
soil, seed, cropa, etc. if your question
be answered through this column. 11
nclosed with your fatter, a'complete
Agronomist, care of Wilson Publishing
entire length of the fifty -six-foot
house and is connected at the farther
end with -a pipe which carries the''.
water off beyond the yards. ' A stiff"
brush is used to clean the trough,
making it possible for the hens to
have plenty of fresh water at all
times without any trouble to the poul-
try keeper.
A galvanized tank is set in front
of the engine. This vela a hot water
tank, discarded because of a small
leak. During the winter the tank is
connected with the engine in such a
manner that the exhaust enters it
below, leaves' itatthe top and passes
through a pipe reading along the ceil-
ing, down the wall and thence through
the wall to the rim of the horse
trough outside. There the pipe is
connected with a rectangular frame
of gas pipe resting on the floor of
the trough. An elbow over the nim
permits the exhaust to escape into
the air. When the engineis running
there is sufficient heat .generated by
the exhaust and radiated from the
tank to raise the ternperature of the
room to a degree which prevents the
storage „batteries from freezing, and
also warms the drinking water for
the cattle. By this simple device a
waste eroded is made of practical
use—which is carrying "conserva-
tion" to its highest efficiency.
The oat crop of Canada is estimat-
ed at about 400,000,000 'bushels. The
,average loss from oat smut, usually
placed at four to six per cent., means
the destruction of about 20,000,000
bushels, a loss which can easily be
prevented by seed treatment. •
Oat muftis easily recognized as it
•destl'oys the kernel and hull and
sometimes the chaff, changing them
to a black dusty powder composed of
'millions of.spores, which are scatter-
ed by the wind and which lodge ore
the sound oats in the vicinity. When
this grain is sown the -smut spores
germinate and infeot the young seed-
.Ikng's. , The,senut.develops..insnde the
growing plant and reduces elle kernel
to a mass of spores instead of sound
grain.
Tine object of seed treatment is to
kill the spores lodged on the grain.
The safest and best method is to
treat the seed with a solution of
formaldehyde by one of the following
methods:
Dipping method. --Mix well one
pint of formaldehyde (formalin) -,in
forty gallons of water, putting the
.solution in barrels or casks. Put the
seed in coarse bags that the solution.
will readily ,pass through and dip into'
the casks, allowing to soak for about
'five minutes until every grain is wet.
Remove the bags and allow to drain
•on slats into the casks, as the solu-
tion may be used several times. Then
mile the grain on a clean floor and
'cover with sacks or canvas for two
'or three hours. Dry the grain by
spreading on a eloan. floor and stir-
ring now and then., Stay . the grain
as soon as it ••will- run freely or, if.
necessary ':to store, .dry thoroughly,
ate damp seed will mould or sprout.
Sprinkling •method.—PIle the grain
0e a clean floor or grain wagon. and
sprinkle the manin with. the solution,
using m sprinkling can, shovelling
the seed from one pile to another so
that each kernel will be thoroughly
wet, About a gallon of solution will
be required for each bushel of grain.
Cover tine grain as in the clipping
method and dry.
Do not allow the web grain to
freeze as ft might injure germination.
When the grain has been treated and
is damp. and swollen the rate of seed-
ing should bo Increased about three-
fourths of a bushel per acre. Any
bags or receptacles used for holding
the treated grain should be disinfect-
ed in the solution of formaldehyde.
Dry method: -This method has
been recently introduced but requires
more caro. A solution consisting of
ons pint of formaldehyde to one pint
o£ water is sprayed on the grain while
it is being shovelled over on a clean
floor or canvas. A speinlding can
must not be used as a sprayer that
will deliver the solution in the form
of a mist is •necessary. In this
method there is no clanger .of freez-
ing. and no drying is required. It
should not be used for wheat except
in an experimental way. One quart
of the solution will treat about fifty
bushels of seed.
Farm Machinery.
Conservation is the watch -word of
Canada. to -slaty. Conservation has
always been the aim on a certain
farm known to the writer. A des-
cription of- one or two little "saving"
devices which have been in satisfac-
tory use for the past five years may
be of soma assistance to those who
are now, more than eier, feeling the
need of getting more service out of
their farm machinery.
In the centre of the engine house
on this particular farm ..is the gaso-
line engine, to the left, the air -com-
pressor tank and the dynamo, the
corn-sheller and feed grinder on the
right. At the extreme left is the
well -pit. On the opposite side of the
room are the storage batteries and
a workbench,
The five horse -power engine is run
for half an hour might and morning.
It is capable of filling the air -com-
pressor, running the dynamo, which
chargers the: batteries for a thirty-
five -light electric plant, and shelling
and grinding corm all wt the same
time, The air -compressor furniahos
the motive, power for an air -pump iin
the six-inch well, supplying fresh
water, direct from the well, for all
parts of the farm, including three
residences. In this system there are
four fully equipped bathrooms, three
kitchen amus,two launrY tubs, and
various out -door faucets for lawn -
sprinkling. Four residences, the
barn engine room and henhouse are
electrically lighted. The owne'r's
house is installed l with is Most
a..electric
and washing machine. The motor for
the latter also suns the churn.
The well, which is over ninety feet
deep, overflows during tkle greater
part of . the year.. And at all, times,
the exhaust from the air pump
throws a small stream of water into
the pit. This surplus .water is piped
do the henhouse, where it flows
through a cement -trough. Thie trough
is bnuiit along the front, of the house,
just beneath the windows, end is of
proper height to make it easily ac-
eessible .for the hong. ;It rums' thej
Plow Early for Corn.
Most farmers realize that in prepar-
iug,land for corn the earlier the land
can be plowed ii the spring the bot -
ter. There are, of course, • 'excep-
tion'al .years :when very early plonving
•is .not, desirable, but these .exceptions
are rare. •Consequently it is gener-
ally mdse.. practice to plow • the land
as early as possible. The fact that
many -farmers fail to get this done is
not:so:much because they do not be-
lieve -in earlyplowing as it is because
of a failure to organize their work
properly. Of course, there are sea-
sons when no man can plow early,
but again it may be said that these
seasons are rare.
Early plowing makes possible a
good seed bed. The soil is given time
to settle together below, which is a
very important principle, the weeds
are held back and the farmer has
more time in which to prepare a thor-
ough..puliiosized surface, Late plow-
ing means either clods or thb neces-
sity of turning under a large growth
of weeds too late for its proper de-
cay. Usually it means both of these
things and the impossibility'of pre-
paring a good seed bed.
The only cases where early plow-
ing is not desirable are on those sea-
Sons and on those soils in which the
land suns together after plowing. A
soil lacking in organic matter may
readily be beaten down by spring
gains after it is plowed, so that it
becomes very harts. On the average
soil, however, such a condition is not
to be expected, and the early, plowing
means 'a much better seed bed than
can possibly be prepared where the
plowing is done late.
Facts Worth Jotting Down.
A fowl consumes about three
ounces of .mush in the morning, two
ounces of grain at noon, and four
mime of grain at the evening meal.
Guineas, bike geese and pigeons,
pair when the number - of males and
females is equal.
The turkey does not fully mature
until two years old, and is at its best
at three years.
One pound of feathers can be se-
cured from five ordinary fowls, or
from ten ducks or from four geese,
For producing strong chicks two-
year-old hens are best, and well-de-
veloped yearlings come next. There
is a risk with pullets under nine
months of age.
Nine dozen eggs a year is the egg
record of the average hen. The re-
oerd,for a turkey is two dozen; a
goose; three dozen; a, duck,` eight
dozen; a Guinea, eight dozen.
Young gobblers may be distin-
guished from the females by being
heavier, more ma c
Ileo in appear-
ance, more naked fleshy growth on
the head, and a development of the
tassels on the breast,
A "chicken" is a young fowl, usu-
ally under six months of age. It be-
eo'ma a "fowl' 'after that period. In
the dame manner a young reale under
twelve months old is a "cockerel''—
after that. a "welt"; and a young :fe-
male until a year old is a "pullet"—
after that a "hen," A "baby chick"
is one just hatched.
Hens lay best in dream westher
r
even during winter. Ib'will be notic-
ed that they are more pralific during
showery spells than they are when it
is dry. The theor¢ is that moisture
produces expansion and growth,
whereas cold or dry warmth con-
tracts.
In salting the -mash dissolve ,safe
tcient salt in .the water veldt which
the mash is to be moistened. In this
way the salt Will be move -evenly dis-
tributed, Alt ounce of'sa'lt is about
right. for 100 fowls,
An attractive table fowl .is Tong nit
body, wide in tiacic, full in, breast, and
plump over the keel-- i:Mk tg meat
,w,ld el
e, asida•
i . ' .e :�::�
vv
"lttaking two Blades grow whece only ' one grew before!' 'n
8Don t �Sit With c o r t..ffl + .' . -
s
Let the other fellow risk his season's crop and living -you stick to the
tried and preemie winnOiii,;Gunn's "Sh'iir:Ga;ln." NO r fertilizers fa,o;'ypu
at every turn,'hut rem'em'ber, for a completely,balahced soil Recti made
by Hien with many years' oxperlence with Canadian 'farm needs, you
can't beat
Shur
Fertilizers
Gat your requirements in at once before it is too late. Gunn's Shur -
Gain Fertilizers not only, mean an early,start for your crepe, but a
steady stream of 'plant food right through the growing period, meaning
strong, full -headed, disoase-reeisting growths. We have a mixture to
suit your soil and crop. ,
Ask your dealer about danh s "Shur -Gain" to -day and write us for
Interesting Booklet, "Bumper Crops.'
G17NNS LIMITED WEST TORONTO, ONT.
all over. Taking the lege as a emitter'
more body should be shown in front
than ,behind.
The sex of •geese can generally be
told by observation. The gander
grows larger than the goose. The
goose is deeper in body, a trifle 'Slim-
mer in' nock, and smaller in head. The
call of the gander is loud, long and
shrill, while that of the goose ie
merely alt answer "to it. The male,
too; is more. aggressive.
The male Guinea' is larger than the
female, and more aggressive. The cry
of the female sounds like "Comeback,
come back," .while that of the male
resembles: "Tick, tick." The red ear-
lobes:ere larger in the cock.. than in
the hen.
The hatching periods required .for
eggs of domesticated fowls are:
Chickens, twenty-one days; ducks,
twenty-eight days; turkeys, twenty-
eight days; geese, thirty days. The
dhinese goose egg requires five
weeks to hatch,' -
To plump a dressed fowl first dip
1t for ten •seconds in water nearly,
but not quite, boiling hot, and then
immediately in cold water. After-
ward hang in a cool place until the
animal heat is all gone. ?tun -Aping
adds to the appearance of the dressed
poultry.
In ancient times the country now
known - as Portugal was nailed Luai-
tania. The present name is derived
from Porto Calle, the original appel-
lation of Opporbo,which, has - ever
been the chief commercial city of the
country.
THE FARMER'S LIBRARY
By C. B. Ford
You perhaps are the one farmer in
a hundred who appreciates the value
of agricultural literature and spends
more or less money every year to add
to his collection of agricultural books.
You may realize the advantage of
having at hand the collected ideas of
other men who have made a study 'of
managing a farm, and yet it is likely
that you do not regard what again
cultural literature you have in the
light of a library, and yet I believe it
does give added importance to it to
allow it that dignity. And more than
than, if yotu habitually view your
business literature from that stand-
point, you will be more likely to ,give
it the care -and attention it deserves.
In every farm home there ought to
be a growing collection of books, and
these . books ought to be kept tin a
suitable case or set of shelves where
they will be easily reached by any-
one connected with the farm. If the
fags is so small that the work is all
done by the owner, or with the help
of one hnan, this little library is none
the less important; perhaps I should
say it is all the more important. If
the farm is large and employes are
many, the library ought to be corres-
pondingly large, and perhaps divided
or duplicated so that the different'de-
partment3 of the farm will each have
a library. Whatever the farm, what-
ever the labor and managing condi-
tions, there ought to be good agricul-
tural literature within reach of the
help and of the employer. The help
will be benfited by reading such
books, and it will pay them to take
an interest in that bind of reading,
but the manager must read. He can-
not succeed in any large degree with-
out reading. On the small farm there
are times nearly every day when the
hired mean and his employer have
time to spare for et little reading. It
nay be during unfavorable weather,
dinner hour, or the evening. One
eanuot keep keyed up to hard' work
all of the time. Wlnen you let down,
instead of merely loafing read some-
thing out of the farm library. If a
man wants to get ahead he can do in
through agricultural (books. If he
does not want to get ahead -well, he
will not he reading this article. .,
The laboring positions on farms
are'tlled to too largo an extent with
people who are simply waiting and
hanging on. They are living from
week to week with nothing more than
e. vague hope that sometime, some-
how, luck will mane theirway. As
a
matter of feet, they give alrniost no
thought to what they -are going to do
t is perhapsfaun
or became. X the
of the employer that the help are not
shown that they have in the' ' own
n
bands the making of the future, and
that one thing that will do more than
glmoet anything else to develop their'
power and 'ability Is reading good
agricultural literature,
The editoe of any good farm paper
will advise a subsoraser ab any' time
as to what books are best for him to"
use in his farm library. In fact,.
practically all agricultural bgg'oke can
be. bought from the publishers of
farm papers. If you lcnow of a book
you want Etna know its price send tate
get the book without any trouble. My
advice to the farmer who has never
made a start toward developing a
farm library is to ask the editor of
this paper to name for him in im-
portance the twenty best books for
Ms library. W'hiile it is important to
buy the books, it is more important
to have them read. The attitude of
the farmer should be that both he and
his men should read the books. The
owner himself needs the books to de-
velop his ideals as much as the hired
canstand
r
men. The farmer e am n o more
still than can the hired man. We
are all on our wsy up or down. The
question as to which way is our way,
can be very nearly answered by not-
ing whether we are or are not read-
ers of agricultural literature.
There ought to be a willingness to
read agricultural books and papers,
and this willingness ought to amount
even to anxiety. We all ought to be
anxious to get ahead and anxious to
find means of doing so. The key to
succeaa is knowledge. Seine knowl-
edge we can get by bur own experi-
ence, but snore we can get from boolcs
and papers, The reading route to
success is so much easier than the
hap -hazard, pick it ,up as you.go
along way, that it ought to be the
only way. The farm library ought
to be a circulating library to the ex-
tent that everyone connected with the
farm shall he allowed to take any
book home to read. Employes ought
to be encouraged to do such reading
outside. They ought to be shown its
great advantage to them.
A most important feature of the
farm Iibrary should be the faun pa-
pers. It is got enough to read agri-
cultural books. There is much in the
agricultural papers that never ap-
pears in a book, and in addition there
is the news of the business that will
keep everyone connected wilt. the
farm up to date, and informed on
what is new in stook, tools, equip-
ment, methods and practice.
Some employes take the position
that it is not their business to keep
themselves informed, that they are
merely laborers, and all they have to
do is follow orders. put out by the
manager or owner of the farm. This
may be theoretically correct, but
when it comes time to raise wages,
or when it comes time to choose em-
ployes to be kept or promoted while
others are discharged, the fortunate
ones are those who have tried to see
how much they ,could learn
out the
business, rather than how little. And
when another farm owner wants, a
manager or herdsman,_ or when the
owner wants to advanee'a man, the
one that is capable of taking the' po-
sition, who have read books, studied
the farm papers and informed him-
self is the one that is selected. It is
not enough to take one agricultural
paper and keep it en file. There ought
to be papers taken representing every
phase of agriculture that is conduct-
ed, /when there is a special publica-
tion for that 'branch of the business.
The, foam .i - lbs 'ar be t -
ywitlhebig
gest paying ttivestinent the fernier
ever made, if he uses care and intel-
ligence in the choice of literature and
Money to the fans paper and .you will meth* for getting it read.
GOODIEALTII QUESTION .1,B0/[
13y,Andrew P. Currier, 1hL.71,
Dr. Currier will answer all signed letters pertaining to Health. If your
question is of general`` Interest it Will be answered through theme columns;
if not, it will be answered: personally if stamped, addressed envelope is en-
closed. -Dr., Currier will net prescribe for irldlviduaicases or Make diagnosis.
Address Dr. Andrew F, Currier, caro of Wilson Publishing Co., 73 Adelaide
St. West, Toronto.
Lumbago,
Recent medical ivrite.rs fight shy of
this terns, hut like (rick -in -the baek,
homely and expressive tial supposed
to mean the sante thing, it has long
been used by plain people and .may
not readily be displaced by a more
scientific or exact term.
It means pain ,in the lower or lim-
bar region of the back and seems to
be seated in the muscles of that re-
gion
Youmay call it a neuralgia if you
like, just as every painful trouble is
a neuralgia, or you may call it mus-
cular rheumatism, as many do,
though it is unlikely that it is an
infectious disease like the . rheuma-
tism which attacks the joints.
But whatever its cause it is a
mighty unpleasant thing to have.
It is one of the signs of approaching
age andfeebleness, for I never knew
of a ease in a person who had not
passed middle life, and the older one
gets the more susceptible to it he
becomes.
Thele does not seem to be any out-
growing it as there is with some
aches and pains, it may go away for
a few weeks or months but it in-
variably comes hack again no mat-
ter how careful you May be to get
rid of it.
It is far less prevalent in summer
than at any other season,' and is not
always troublesome during the . clean
cold days of winter but at all other
seasons of the year particularly in
the early spring and fall it flourishes
causing great pain , and misery.
It has seemed to me from a rather
careful study of it,in my own person
that the most important influence in
pausing it is the 'atmosphere_
When the air is heavy, the haeo-
metric .pressure low, the atmosphere
nearly saturated with moisture and
the wind south, south-east, or north-
east an attack of lumbago may be
expected by those who are suscepti-
ble to it, no matter what precautions
they may take to keep it off.
It begins with stiffness An the taus-
cles 0.11 one or both sides of the lower
portion of the back, which rapidly
144,144444334
become more and naoio annoying,
more and more painful.
When got
r 1 get down to a chair or
v
the bed it seems' as if you could never
get sip, and when you get up it is
some seconds or minutes before you
can get so limbered up that you can
move' with any degree of comfort or
freedom from pain. I
After being around a few hours
during the day your back is 50 painful)
and all motion is so difficult that it
seems as if you could never again get
down to a chair or get into bed.
Not infrequently there idinvolun-I
tary cramp or spasm of small por-
tions of the muscles which is ex-
tremely painful.
Usually it is possible to :get into a
position in which the pain is only,
moderately acute, sometimes a'
-change from one position to another'
e•eerhs only to start up a new kind
of pain.
Other causes of this trouble are
exposure to cold and dampness, vlo-ry
lent exercise of the muscles, intens°,
emotion, etc.
It is made worse by constipation,)
by overwork and fatigue, by improp-1
er eating and drinking, by loss of,
sleep and many other causes,
An attach may last a few days or,
several weeks, varying in its sever -I
ity with the weather and with the
treatment of the case.
It is frequently mistaken for dis-,.
ease of the kidney or spine or other'
organic diseases which seern to bei
located in the back.
Heat is perhaps the best and most
soothing remedy we have for this
ailment, a hot water bag at the feet
and another at the back.
Itis often 'helpful to cover the back,.
with flannel and demi it vigorously
with an iron as hot as can be borne.
Blistering, capping, massage and,
electricity' are also useful. Itis best
to avoid the use of drugs as far lie
possible, with the exception of such
as may be n000saary t0keep the
bowels freely open.
The clothing must always be suffi-
cient to guard against chilling the
surface.
Many trainers make the mistake
of hitching the colt to a wagon be-
fore teaching ;nim to delve with har-
ness without a load. The "bitting"
harness should first lee used. This
consists of an open bridle with a
snaffle -bit, aheok and side reins and
surcingle with crupper. The side and
chedk reins should be left contpara-
tively Ioose ,wines the "bitting" har-'
Hess is put on, and the colt turned;
loose in a small yardfor an hour. The,
reins should be slightly tightened I
the second day, and the lines put on;
the third day. One man should lead I
the colt while anat'her walks behind,'
thus accustoming hint to driving.
After he is quieted au2fncientI', the
one who as leading can bo dismissed.
When the colt is ready to drive
double, select a horse with which he
is flamiliar,'hitch the two together,
drive them about the yard in a circle
for about half an hour, first in one
direction, then in another. After-
ward hitch a light wagon and, with
an assistant leading the colt, drive
about, being sure that the brakes
keep the wagon from running on to
the Boit. Use a short stay chain on
the old horse so that the colt will
POTATOES
50 New varieties can posttiv$�a.y be
Lown from one Paoket of Stybr -
ead Potato So�4ds, Every hili will different, All colors, Shapes and
sloes Dray be worth a gold mine.
Don't moss these rarest and most
wonderful of Seeds. Paokot• with
Direotlons, 16a, 4 for SOo. 10 for
$1.00, wth our booldet, Making the
(,larder Pay,"
rea'rbh'1'fr a 8103D 8TO8t0
Dap% If 800 Dorchester St, w.
rdoaaTrma,n, Qum,
Varicose Veins
'so'zra e WEES
Pion-Alaatlo 1.s5fed atookzag
summits, washedas die), may
be or boiled.
9D.TIIFlT,&D?+11, laced lila
a legging: always His.
uoitcroremArreare,mad e,
to measure; light and
durable.
00034, OoatatnoNOOtUB-
1,500,000 SOLD
$0 rsonlogoa, cost $0.60
oao ortwofor the sameltmli, $0,60, postpaid.
Write for Catalogue and
Self-Moasurement Blank
OoxAtoS Dooiat
:rlmb8 ty0e.
514 ;Glow Mirka' B1da•,
Ogoutaaul, P.O.
to
Pale MUSKRATS
We pay the best price for Spring
Muskrats
Send any Fitts you hove. You are
assured of satisfaction in price_aud
treatment.
AIBBEY FUR COMPANY
310 St. Paul 8t. W., Montreal, Qua.
In buslnesa for 30 years
Reference; Bank of Hochelaga,
St. Henry.
learn to start the Load. Gradually
accustom him to automobiles, street
cars and railway trains, until he
learns they will not hurt him.
For To -Day.
Ilut off your griefs and your sorrows,
Laugh and be glad while' you may;
There are so many tomorrows,
There is but one today.
N.B. 'SEED POTATOES
fleece, 1tebrons, Cobblers, Delawares,
Green Mountains and Silver Dollars.
Strict attention large or small orders.
F. L. ESTABROOKS & CO.
iDealers in Hal', Potatoes & Produce)
BACKVILLE, N.B.
SKIM
MUSKR,
Y�4 ATS
$It 131g Demand
Highest Prices
Assured by
Sending to
agner,,, Rosier
COIllpauly
84 FRONT ST. EAST
TORONTO
Established 1907'
Send it Trial Lot
Results Will Please You
Cr
p Saver
Top -Dress Fall Wheat
With Fertilizers
'Posts and tl hws have done con-
siderable damage to vat Wheat by
heaving the soil.
Spring top -dressing is extent the
life-saver.
Top -dressing w
a
t
hInceases from
Fertilizers
Decrease In yields Ohlo Experi-
ment Stats
on for np cried of 2 3
years eves 13.2 bushels per acre.
Ontario
Agricultural College
e
Dreports an increase of 8,3 bushels
per acre.
QDrake sure of your gram eetch. end in- g,
crease your wheat yield this spdag br
feeding the weak plots.
rr PAYS TO 30010TZLZ C
Write for Pamphlet. Ne. 1—"Fretting for
FOod':
The Soil and Crop
Improvement ga Meana®]at Banreaaa
of the Conndlma Fertilizer Aasociatioa
11,1g&+ TEMPLE moo., TORONTO
44•431214 34433.41.31a443 4444311,44•24 4111.43* 14410114
Putting Tour 141ind On It
The Bey's Market ,Garden.
Every farm boy should havo some
way to make 'his own spohding
money. Self-reliance is one of the
most noble traits *of character a •bby
or man may possess. It not; only
makes a boy feel independent of his
parents when he wants money to
spend, but it develops business traits
and gives him a knowledge . of the
value of things. All boys would not
make good gardeners,cattle breed-
ers, swine breeders, horsemen, sheep
men or poultry breeders, but eae'1 boy
has a preference for some one kind
of farming and he should try and ine
duce his parents to let hills start hi
some kind of a little busines', for
himself.
For -a boy 'who has only a few dol-
lars to invest, and whose home; is lo-
cated near to some large village, city
br summer resort, a `Well-managed
garden or truck patch can be made to
pay, flue profits. Such a business will
afford a good income during.the.:sure-
per and fall. For a, garden spot a
warm sandy sail is the best kind to.
select because it is easier to work;
the soil being loose, the roots of the
plants find it much easier to reach
out in -search of their food. Other
kinds of soil may be made to produce
good crops of vegetables, but as a
rule they are much harder to get is
good condition to plant and require
more cultivating and hoeing to keep
free from the weeds and in proper
physical condition to grow fine vege-
tables.
The soil must be properly fitted be-
fore it can become a congenial home
for the tiny plant roots to live in. It
not only requires plowing and pul-
verizing, but the surface must be re-
fined with a light harrow and rake.
This is to put it in shape to hold
moisture and to break soil lumps into
particles from which it is easier for
the plant roots to draw their food
supply. Also the roots must have an
ample food supply if they are to fur-
nish enough food to develop a fine
vegetable. As art as the seed
sprouts in the'ground the root goos
down and. the .stalk ponies upward in
the air. The root goes down because
of the food of the plant being in the
ground and it is the business of the
root to draw up this food so that the
plant may be nourished and grow. It
is a sort of stomach for the plant.
If a plant has no root it would not
grow any morn than 'a boy would if
he had no stomach in which to put
'his food. The root has numerous
email mouths or openings that resem
ble a sponge but as the plants feed
by them we may call them mouths—
but do not think of them as real
mouths. These are the fine parts of
the roots that you see hanging to the
main branches. When we transplant
a plant to another' part of the garden
we"mast be very careful not to break
oft these tiny roots, or mouths, or
the plant will die, just the same as
you would if you would stop eating.
The different plants grow in the
ground just the same as the different
people live from a well -supplied table.
Each plant chooses its -own food just
the same as a person. Sometimes one
plant requires different food than an-
other and will not do well in a cer-
tain kind of soil where the other
plant will thrive exceedingly' well -
When this is the case we must feed
the plant by putting in. the soil the
kind of food that it needs for all
plant feed must first be put in the
soil to be acted upon by the air and
water before it can be taken up by
the mouths of the plant.
Now is a good time to make plans
for your garden. Send for some seed
catalogues end study the descriptions
of the different kinds and varieties .of
vegetables and make a map of your
proposed garden. Make an estimate
of the amount of seed needed to plant
your garden, and order it eariy_.Send
your order to some reliable seedsrean
who has sped that is adapted to ,your
soil and climate.
Care of Caulk Wounds.
Conditionsare just, right now for
caulk wounds at the crown of the hoof.
A caulk wound should be thoroughly
cleansed at once by injections with a
mild antiseptic, such as common salt
—a teasponful to a quart of water.
A tablespoonful of chlorinated lime to
a quart of warm water, applied thor-
oughly twice a day to every part of
the wound, is also very good for
this
preliminary, cleansing. Either one
should bo applied cantinuously to
every part of the wound for at least
an hour before the wound is con-
sidered thoroughly and safely clean.
Strong disinfectants inay also bo
used. These give quicker results and
are in some cases more practical.
Tincture of iodine in full strength
may be used. Two or three thorough
treatments should given be •iv n th e fleet
t
day. " Plugs of cotton may be soaked
in the tincture of iodine and packed,
in the wound.
a
After this first thorough treat-
ment, use a drying antiseptic powder,
'composed of equal parts by bulk, of
iodoform, tannic acid and boracio
acid, applying lightly three times; a
day. It ,is of the utmost importance
to keep such a wound out of mud and
filth,
One of the peculiar properties of
iodine As that a seven -thousandth
part of it will give water a deep,
yellow color, and starch a purple.
When heated it rises a$ a dense, vim
let -colored tenor.