is reported to have said at the late meeting of the State Dairymen's
Association that he had a very poor opinion of editors. In fact, that he
held them in about the same esteem as Ben Butler does. Now I don't
suppose it makes an iota of difference to any editor under the sun what
Butler or Babbitt think of him; what Ben and Clint need to look out for
is what the editors think of them. Big Ben got an inkling of this a few
weeks ago; Little Clint's turn may come next.
* * * * *
For some time I have been noticing the advanced style of writing in the
two or three "Down East" agricultural papers that come under my notice.
They bear evidences of "culcha" that are truly encouraging, but here is
a case that is actually exhilarating, or would be were it not somewhat
bewildering. It is from an article about the Jersey Lily, Mrs. Langtry:
"Who ever vocalized such a word with a more complex intonation, or with
a more marvellously intimate union with a more inextricably intertwined
relationship to the most exquisite sensibilities that accompany and mark
the infinite flights and reachings of the soul, as within its human
casement it burns with fire divine?" Now, I call that decidedly fine,
and were I the owner of a whole herd of Jerseys I should endeavor to
engage this genius to write them up for me. At any rate I think he
should be brought West to help on the Jersey boom.
* * * * *
I sent the editors of THE PRAIRIE FARMER, the other day, from
Springfield, where I was paying a flying visit to the agricultural
rooms, a copy of the Reynolds argument for a change in the awarding of
sweepstakes prizes on cattle. Mr. R. applied it to the Fat Stock Show
alone, and I believe the State Board adopted the suggestions. But for
the life of me I can not see why the principle is not equally applicable
to the State Fair premiums, and indeed to similar exhibits at all our
fairs. Next year I hope the State Board will extend the innovation to
the State Fair, and from this it may be it will extend to similar
organizations of lesser magnitude.
* * * * *
I notice that the National Academy of Sciences have decided that glucose
is not injurious to health. Well, this is good news, at any rate, but it
does not follow that manufacturers and merchants have the right to mix
it with cane sugar or sell it to us for genuine cane sirups, or real
honey, or pure sugar candy, or in any of the other ways in which we are
made to pay two or three times what it is really worth. It does not do
away with the great need of a rigorous food adulteration act, though
there is great satisfaction in knowing that when we eat it we are not
taking in a mild death-dealing potion. But, come to think of it, there
are other great scientists in the country besides those composing the
National Academy. Some of them have decided in a contrary manner. Is it
not best to have the question decided by a majority vote of reputable
chemists, and then stick to the good old things, whichever way the
decision may be? On principle I don't object to suine, oleo, or any of
the objectionable articles. All I want is to know when I am buying, and
paying for them in real genuine dollars. Bogus dollars are every whit as
respectable as bogus butter or bogus honey, though the law makes it a
little unhealthy to use them with any degree of liberality.
Letter from Champaign.
A light rain yesterday (the 18th) was the first for five weeks, and the
first sign of a January thaw we have had. But it began to snow at dark,
continued lightly all night, and has been snowing, blowing, and drifting
to-day up to this hour, 2 P. M. Coming soft at first, that part of it
will lay where it fell, and the uncovered portion of the wheat has got a
new blanket, which we hope will out-last January. We have had but one so
long uninterrupted spell of sleighing for these many years, and that was
in the winter of '78-'79. With the exception of the few very cold days
before and after the 5th, the month has been quite favorable for stock
and all the labors of the farm.
* * * * *
The damage done by the cold wave of January 4th to 7th is believed to be
greater than first reported. Growers tell me that Snyder blackberries
are killed down to the frost line, which proves it is not iron-clad, as
some believe. Accounts from the Cobden fruit region are of the gloomiest
character, everything being given up for lost but the strawberries. The
Fruit-Grower says they will have to rely on them and their truck patches
this year, and advises an extension of early potatoes, tomatoes, and
Japan melons. According to local records at Anna, there has been nothing
like it since the first week in January, 1864; and the estimate of the
damage done in '84 is computed from what followed in '64, rather than
from what is absolutely known. Let us hope that they are mistaken, and
that the Cobden fruit region will sustain its well-earned character as
the source of a perennial fruit supply.
* * * * *
It appears the cold wave did not reach its minimum in Central Florida,
lat. 27, till the night of the 9th, ice having been found on the morning
of the 10th, near Enterprise, three-fourths of an inch thick. Oranges on
the trees were frozen through, and the leaves killed so they will drop.
But though here and there a branch may be frosted and will die and have
to be removed, little permanent damage to the groves has probably
resulted. Central Florida is distant, as the crow flies, from Central
Illinois, about one thousand miles. Suppose the cold wave moved steadily
southwest, it follows, then, its rate of speed was not far from 200
miles every twenty-four hours. It is easy to comprehend how a complete
signal service might warn of the approach of cold waves in time to take
every necessary precaution to meet and disarm them.
* * * * *
But as much of a stinger as the late cold turn was, it was a mere cool
breeze compared with that which fell on Florida and the entire Southwest
in the winter of 1834-35. Then snow covered all Northern Florida, and in
Central Georgia it lay on the ground some days, a foot deep. The young
orange trees were all killed to the ground, and few of the aged trees
escaped without the loss of most of their branches. But they soon
recovered--sprouting from the roots and stumps with great vigor, as they
will again do after the late freeze. And this is one of the strong
points of the orange. It will sprout from the stump or root when the
trunk is removed, as surely as the young hickory or chestnut, and when
transplanted young and trees of considerable size, will bear mutilation
with about as much indifference as the Osage orange or soft maple.
* * * * *
Those who expect Congress to do anything that will hurt German and
French importers, by way of retaliation for prohibiting pork and pork
products, will be pretty sure to be disappointed. Senator Williams is
responsible for the statement that the reason why agriculture is treated
with so much contempt, is it sustains no lobby. But you may be sure the
importers will not fail in that respect, as millions will be spent to
prevent legislation which will seriously interfere with the enormous
profits of the foreign importing houses in New York. Perhaps Senator
Williams will inform us what it will cost to keep up a well appointed
lobby in Washington, and how much the average one-horse lawyers in
Congress expect, in money down, in the way of a retainer. Huntington
could tell, and so could Jay Gould; but both are silenced for the
present, and Villard too.
* * * * *
"Put your thumb down there." That the trees on low lands which bore big
crops in 1874-75, are just the trees which bore crops equally in '83,
and the very trees also which have made the most vigorous growth both
previously and last year. The whole matter is a question of nutrition.
B. F. J.
* * * * *
REMEMBER _that $2.00 pays for_ THE PRAIRIE FARMER _from this
date to January 1, 1885; For $2.00 you get it for one year and a
copy of_ THE PRAIRIE FARMER COUNTY MAP OF THE UNITED STATES,
FREE! _This is the most liberal offer ever made by any first-class
weekly agricultural paper in this country._
* * * * *
[Illustration]
POULTRY NOTES.
Poultry-Raisers, Write for Your Paper.
Chicken Chat.
Somebody says that "Plymouth Rock pullets are not always early layers,
for they often grow for ten or twelve months before laying, though some
lay as early as six months after hatching."
Well that's news to us, and we have kept Plymouth Rocks quite a while,
too. We have had Rock pullets commence laying at six months, and once we
had a few that didn't do a thing toward earning their own living till
they were almost eight months old; but seven months is nearer the
average, and that is what we count on when selecting the pullets that
are to be kept for winter layers. The pullets that are hatched from the
first of March up to the first of May, commence laying all along from
the middle of September to the first of December. Pullets that we want
to commence laying in February, are selected from those hatched in July.
It would really be very gratifying to me if the people who know no more
about the Plymouth Rocks than they do about the fate of Charlie Ross,
would keep their twaddle out of print.
* * * * *
One of my correspondents is very anxious to know if the Langshans are
the "coming fowls." Hardly. Fanciers who have tried them pronounce them
the "best birds that were ever imported from China," which is pretty
high praise, but all the same they are not popular with farmers. They
will never hold the place that the Plymouth Rocks hold. Since you wish
to buy fowls of the breeds for which there will be the greatest demand
next season, I should advise you get Plymouth Rocks and Wyandottes.
These, in addition to the Light Brahmas and Brown Leghorns that you
already have, will give you the four breeds that are the most popular,
and if you have good stock, and let people know that you have eggs to
sell for hatching, you will probably have orders for all the eggs that
you will care to sell.
* * * * *
Another correspondent wants to know the meaning of the word "strain," as
applied to fowls, and I don't wonder that he asks the question, for the
word is used "promiscuous like" by every tyro in poultry breeding.
When any poultry-raiser has bred fowls of any breed long enough to fix
his notion of what constitutes a standard fowl of that breed upon them
permanently, he may claim a "strain." For instance: Smith believes that
the Light Brahmas should have very short legs, and he breeds for short
legs until they are permanently fixed, and everybody who knows anything
about Light Brahmas knows one of Smith's short-legged Brahmas at sight;
then, but not before, Smith may claim a strain of his own, and it is
proper for others to speak of "Smith's strain" of Light Brahmas. But
Johnson, who buys of Smith, or of some one who has Light Brahmas of
Smith's strain, this year, should not next year talk about "my own
strain" of Light Brahmas. It takes years of steady, judicious breeding
after a certain type to establish what may truthfully be called a
strain, and it can only be done by breeders of rare skill and long
experience in mating fowls for breeding.
FANNY FIELD.
Chicken Houses.
I often read inquiries about the best plan for building hen houses. My
plan is, for 100 fowls, to build a house for them to roost in, eight or
even ten feet wide and sixteen feet long, one story high with tight
floor of yellow pine flooring. I prefer a tight floor because it is
easily cleaned out, and every time it is cleaned out and swept the floor
should be well covered with slaked lime; one cleaning a week is often
enough.
A building of the same size should be built with a dirt floor, or close
one, as preferred, about ten or fifteen feet from the roosting house for
the hens to lay and sit in. A petition may be made of laths dividing the
house into two compartments, the front arranged for the laying hens and
the back compartments for sitting hens; then the laying hens will not
disturb the sitting hens. A closed passway should be made, say one and
one half or two feet square leading from the roosting house to the
laying house with a sliding door at each end to be used at pleasure. As
it often happens in cold, snowy weather in winter it is not desirable to
let the fowls out, then the slides at each end of the passway can be
opened and feed and water placed in the laying house (because the floor
in that house will always be cleanest), and all the fowls will soon
learn to go in there to eat and drink, and lay if they want to. It is, I
think, bad policy to force fowls to roost, lay, and sit all in the same
room.
The boxes that contain the nests should be made so that they can be at
any time taken out and the nests turned out in a pile, set on fire and
the boxes held over the fire to kill any lice that may be sticking to
them.
B. F. C.
HIKE'S POINT, KY.
* * * * *
A person signing himself a "Nobleman's Gardener," says in an English
paper that it is a mistake to use poultry manure as a top-dressing for
garden crops; for farm crops also, if the poultry and pigeon dung were
in any considerable bulk. This, however, is not usually the case, and a
hundred weight or two would not make much of an impression on a farm.
The manure in question is a powerful fertilizer, containing ammonia,
phosphates, and carbonate of lime in considerable quantity, also uric
acid, all of which are valuable ingredients for the support of crops.
The simplest method of preparing the manure for use is to partially dry
it, then mix it with perfectly dry sifted soil or ashes in sufficient
quantity that will enable the entire mixture to be rubbed through a
half-inch sieve. A man can do this comfortably with the hand inclosed in
a thick leather glove. In this finely powdered state it can be stored in
a dry shed till wanted for use. It is an excellent top-dressing for
onions, strawberries, and, in fact, for all vegetable crops that need
assistance, also for fruit trees and lawns. It is best applied in
showery weather in the spring--for lawns at the rate of two ounces,
vegetable crops and strawberries three ounces, and fruit trees four
ounces per square yard. If in very large bulk and needed for use in
fields it would scarcely be necessary to pulverize it, as mixing it with
dry soil, etc., and turning the heap over a few times would suffice for
its ready application.
* * * * *
The strength of the donkey mind lies in adopting a course inversely as
the arguments urged, which, well considered, requires as great a mental
force as the direct sequence.
* * * * *
MISCELLANEOUS.
Cheapest Farms for Sale in Illinois.
BEST FRUIT REGION IN THE STATE.
Send for my List of Farms and timbered Lands for sale.
DEWITT C. SMITH, Land Agent.
Stone Fort, Saline Co., Illinois.
When you write mention THE PRAIRIE FARMER.
* * * * *
MARKET GARDENERS,
AND ALL OTHERS who want the BEST Cabbage, Onion, Beet, Carrot, Parsnip,
Cucumber, Tomato, and other Seeds, DIRECT FROM THE FARM, at the LOWEST
PRICES, can now get them at wholesale rates. Catalogue, with directions
for cultivation, FREE. Address JOSEPH HARRIS, Moreton Farm, Rochester,
N. Y. Seeds for the Children, 25 per cent discount. If you do not want
the Catalogue, let the Children send for it, and send at once, as this
advertisement will not be repeated.
When you write mention THE PRAIRIE FARMER.
* * * * *
BLUE STEM SPRING WHEAT!!!
The best variety of Prairie Wheat known. Yields
largely and is less liable to blight than any other variety.
Also celebrated Judson Oats for sale in small lots.
Samples, statement of yield, and prices sent free upon
application to
SAMPSON & FRENCH.
Woodstock, Pipestone Co., Minn., or Storm Lake, Ia.
When you write mention THE PRAIRIE FARMER.
* * * * *
EUROPE
EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS
1884
COMBINING UNEQUALLED ADVANTAGES. Send for Descriptive Circular, Free.
_Register early._ E. TOURJEE, FRANKLIN SQ., BOSTON.
When you write mention THE PRAIRIE FARMER.
* * * * *
FOR SALE--One-half interest in a thoroughly equipped CREAMERY located in
one of the best dairy districts of Wis.
J. G. SNYDER & SON., Mt. Hope, Wis.
When you write mention THE PRAIRIE FARMER.
* * * * *
CUT THIS OUT & Return to us with TEN CTS. & you'll get by mail A GOLDEN
BOX OF GOODS that will bring you in MORE MONEY, in One Month, than
anything else in America. Absolute Certainty. Need no capital. M. Young,
173 Greenwich St. N. York.
* * * * *
FARM IMPLEMENTS. Etc.
THE "NEW" BIRDSELL CLOVER HULLER.
[Illustration: MONITOR JUNIOR]
SAVES all the Seed, CLEANS Ready for Market as Threshed.
[Illustration: THE BIRDSELL COMBINATION SPRING WAGON.]
Besides manufacturing the "NEW" BIRDSELL Clover Huller, for
which we have the sole right, we make a specialty of HALF
PLATFORM and THREE-SPRING WAGONS.
Send for illustrated Catalogue and prices. Address
BIRDSELL MANF'G CO. SOUTH BEND INDIANA.
--> When you write, please mention this paper. <--
* * * * *
SEED CORN
FOR SALE.
A large quantity of first-class, selected Iowa seed corn, in
large or small quantities. Address
_MITCHELL, VINCENT._
Onawa, Iowa.
Please state you saw ad in this paper.
* * * * *
[Illustration]
THE STANDARD REMINGTON TYPE-WRITER is acknowledged to be the only
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Madison St., Chicago, Ill.
* * * * *
SEEDS
ALBERT DICKINSON,
Dealer in Timothy, Clover, Flax, Hungarian, Millet, Red Top, Blue
Grass, Lawn Grass, Orchard Grass, Bird Seeds, &c.
POP CORN.
Warehouses {115, 117 & 119 Kinzie St.
{104, 106, 108 & 110 Michigan St.
OFFICE. 115 Kinzie St. CHICAGO, ILL.
* * * * *
FAY GRAPES
CURRANT
HEADQUARTERS
ALL BEST NEW AND OLD.
SMALL FRUITS AND TREES. LOW TO DEALERS AND PLANTERS.
STOCK First-Class. Free Catalogues. GEO. S. JOSSELYN, Fredonia, N.Y.
* * * * *
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AND 92,532 OTHER USEFUL AND VALUABLE PRESENTS RANGING IN VALUE FROM
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