Various - The Prairie Farmer, Vol. 56, No. 2, January 12, 1884
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Various >> The Prairie Farmer, Vol. 56, No. 2, January 12, 1884
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11 PRAIRIE FARMER
A Weekly Journal for
THE FARM, ORCHARD, AND FIRESIDE.
ESTABLISHED IN 1841.
ENTIRE SERIES: VOL. 56--NO. 2.
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1884.
PRICE, $2.00 PER YEAR,
IN ADVANCE.
[Transcriber's Note: The Table of Contents was originally located on
page 24 of the periodical. It has been moved here for ease of use.]
THE CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER.
AGRICULTURE--Dew and Soil Moisture, Page 17; Specialty in Farming, 17;
Public Squares in Small Cities, 17-18; Farm Names, 18; Diogenes In His
Tub, 18; Field and Furrow, 18-19; Agricultural Organizations, 19; Didn't
No. 38 Die Hard, 19; A Grange Temple, 19.
LIVE STOCK--Items, Page 20; Swine Statistics, 20; Iowa Stock Breeders,
20; The Horse and His Treatment, 20; Items, 20-21.
THE DAIRY--Winter Feed for Cows, Page 21; Churning Temperature, 21; Seas
of Milk, 21.
VETERINARY--About Soundness, Page 21; Questions Answered, 21.
HORTICULTURE--The Hedge Question, Page 22; Young Men Wanted, 22;
Possibilities of Iowa Cherry Growing, 22-23; Prunings, 23.
FLORICULTURE--Gleanings by an Old Florist, Page 23.
EDITORIAL--Items, Page 24; Illinois State Board, 24-25; Sorghum at
Washington, 25; The Cold Spell, 25; American Ash, 25; Wayside Notes, 25;
Letter from Champaign, 25.
POULTRY NOTES--A Duck Farm, Page 26.
THE APIARY--Apiary Appliances, Page 26; What Should be Worked For, 26.
SCIENTIFIC--The Star of Bethlehem, Page 27.
HOUSEHOLD--How the Robin Came, Poem, Page 28; After Twenty Years, 28;
Will Readers Try It, 28; The Secret of Longevity, 28; How the Inventor
Plagues His Wife, 28; Recipes, 28; Pamphlets, etc., Received, 28.
YOUNG FOLKS--The City Cat, Poem, Page 29; Amusing Tricks, 29; Bright
Sayings, 29; Compiled Correspondence, 29.
LITERATURE--The Wrong Pew, Poem, Page 30; Yik Kee, 30-31.
HUMOROUS--"A Leedle Mistakes," Page 31; Sharper Than a Razor, 31; A
Coming Dividend, 31.
NEWS OF THE WEEK--Page 31.
MARKETS--Page 32.
DEW AND SOIL MOISTURE.
Bulletin No. 6 of Missouri Agricultural College Farm is devoted to an
account of experiments intended to demonstrate the relation of dew to
soil moisture. Prof. Sanborn has prosecuted his work with that patience
and faithfulness characteristic of him, and the result is of a most
interesting and useful nature.
The Professor begins by saying that many works on physics, directly or
by implication, assert that the soil, by a well-known physical law,
gains moisture from the air by night. One author says "Cultivated soils,
on the contrary (being loose and porous), very freely radiate by night
the heat which they absorb by day; in consequence of which they are much
cooled down and plentifully condense the vapor of air into dew." Not all
scientific works, however, make this incautious application of the fact
that dew results from the condensation of moisture of the air in contact
with cooler bodies. Farmers have quite universally accepted the view
quoted, and believe that soils gain moisture by night from the air. This
gain is considered of very great importance in periods of droughts, and
is used in arguments favoring certain methods of tillage.
Professor Stockbridge, in 1879, at the Massachusetts Agricultural
College, carried on very valuable and full experiments in test of this
general belief, and arrived at results contradictory of this belief. He
found, in a multitude of tests, that in every instance, save one, for
the months from May to November, that the surface soil from one to five
inches deep, was warmer than the air instead of cooler, as the law
requires for condensation of moisture from the air. That exception was
in the center of a dense forest, under peculiar atmospheric conditions.
After noting these facts, ingenious methods were employed to test more
directly the proposition that soil gains moisture from the air by night,
with the result that he announced that soils lose moisture by night.
Professor Stockbridge's efforts met with some criticism, and his
conclusions did not receive the wide acceptance that his view of the
question justifies. In reasoning from observation, Professor Stockbridge
noted that the bottom of a heap of hay, during harvesting, would be wet
in the morning, the under side of a board wet in the morning, and so of
the other objects named. In the progress of tillage experiments related
in his Bulletins Nos. 3 and 5, Prof. Sanborn's attention was again
called to this question, resulting in the prosecution of direct tests of
the soil moisture itself. When completed it is thought that there will
then no longer be occasion to reason from assumed premises regarding the
matter. The trials were begun late, and under disadvantages; and are to
be understood as preliminary to more complete tests during 1884. The
experiments were all conducted upon a soil bare of vegetation.
Prof. Sanborn concludes from his experiments thus far that the surface
gains moisture from soil beneath it by capillary action, but gathers
nothing from the air. This is made strongly probable, if not shown;
first, because the soil is warmer by night than the air. (He relies upon
other facts than his own for this assertion.) 2nd. Because he found more
moisture in the soil when covered over night than when left bare. 3d.
Because when hoed, thereby disturbing capillary action, he found less
moisture than when unhoed, in surface soil. Finally, he concludes the
position proven, for, when he shut off the upward flow of water to the
surface of the soil, he found not only less moisture above the cut off
or in the surface soil than where no disturbance of capillary action
had been made, but actually less moisture in the surface soil than the
night before. Strongly corroborating this conclusion is the fact that
all of the tests conspire to show that the gain of moisture in the
surface of the soil by night is traceable to one source, and only one
source.
[Illustration: AMERICAN ASH.--See Page 25.]
The facts of this bulletin accord with the previous ones in showing that
mulching and frequent shallow tillage economize the moisture of the soil
and add new proof of this to those already given.
SPECIALTY IN FARMING.
This subject in my estimation should begin to attract attention,
especially among the large land owners and farmers of the West. If we
study the whole catalogue of money-making enterprises and money-making
men, we find that the greatest success has been attained where there has
been the greatest concentration on a special line of work. True, it is,
that specialists are subject to unexpected changes of the times, and if
thrown out of their employment are not well prepared for other work, and
yet their chances for success as compared with the "general idea" man
are as ten to one.
For an example look at science. How has it advanced? Is it not by the
invaluable aid of men who have given their whole lives to the solution
of some special problem? It could not be otherwise. If every scientist
had attempted to master the majority of scientific truths before he was
contented to concentrate his time on some special branch of science,
science would have progressed little or none at all. Linnaeus opened the
way in botany, and the world profited by his blunders. But to be
brief--it seems to me that the most successful farmer in the future is
to be the man who can so arrange his work that he is led into the
deepest research on some one branch of farming. He must be a specialist.
He must thoroughly master the raising of fine stock for breeding
purposes, for practical profit and the shambles. Attend stock
associations, and hear witnesses testify on every hand to the
difficulties connected with properly rearing calves for breeding
purposes.
The honest breeder, though full of ideas, acknowledges he knows but very
little on breeding. His time in farm life, for twenty years or more has
been devoted to too many things. Is not the expert swine-grower the
successful man? Books are something, but practical experience is
something more. It matters little however practical the author of a work
on agricultural science may be, unless the man who reads has some
practical experience, his application of the author's truths will be a
total failure.
We insist, therefore, that the successful farmer must be a specialist.
He must devote his time to special more than to general farm work. You
ask me to outline in detail the idea thus advanced. You somewhat
question its practicability. To attempt it might lead to endless
discussion, but let us reduce to example. Farmer A. raises cattle, hogs,
and sheep for breeding purposes, devotes some attention to fine horses,
and keeps thirty-six cows for dairy purposes. Farmer B. devotes his
entire attention to dairying and has invested in dairy cows as much
money as A. has in all his stock. Is it not evident that though each
farmer began life the same year, the latter man will make the most
money, providing the section he is in demands dairy work? It seems to me
so. And if we further place limit on the dairyman's work, we should say
he can not afford, with fifty or seventy-five cows, to give as much
attention to the manufacture of cheese and butter as that work
necessarily demands. Even though he employs a specialist in creamery
work, he himself must be a specialist to some extent. We say to
investing farmers do not put $500 into horses, $500 into fine cattle,
and $500 into swine, but concentrate on one class of stock, and give
that your time.
J.N. MUNCEY,
Asst. Ag. Expts. Ag. Col., Ames, Iowa.
PUBLIC SQUARES IN SMALL CITIES.
BY H.W.S. CLEVELAND.
A respectable looking, middle-aged gentleman called upon me not long
since and told me he was a resident of an interior city of some eight or
ten thousand inhabitants, and at a recent public meeting had been
appointed chairman of a committee on the improvement of a small park,
which it was thought might be made an attractive ornamental feature of
the town.
On further inquiry I learned that the proposed park was simply a public
square with a street on each of its four sides, on which fronted the
principal public buildings, stores, etc. It was a dead level, with no
natural features of any kind to suggest the manner of its arrangement,
but they thought it might be made to add to the beauty of the town, and
he had called to ask my advice in regard to it.
As the arrangement of such areas had occupied my thoughts a good deal in
a general way, it occurred to me that this was a good opportunity to
ventilate some opinions I had formed in regard to prevalent errors in
their management, and accordingly I addressed him substantially as
follows:
"It is very rare that the people of any town show a just appreciation of
the value of such an area for ornamental use. Such a piece of ground as
you describe in the very business center of a town must of course
possess great pecuniary value, and the fact that it has been voluntarily
given up and devoted for all time to purposes of recreation and ornament
would lead us to expect that they would at least exercise the same
shrewdness in securing their money's worth, that they do in their
private transactions. They have given this valuable tract for the object
of ornamenting the town by relieving the artificial character of the
buildings and streets by the refreshing verdure of trees and grass and
shrubbery, and that it may afford a place for rest and recreation for
tired wayfarers and laborers, and nurses with their children, and a
pleasant resort for rest and refreshment when the labors of the day are
at an end.
"Its arrangement, therefore, should be such as to set forth these
objects so obviously that no one could look upon the scene without
perceiving it. The trees should be so arranged in groups and in such
varieties as would afford picturesque effects when seen from the
principal points of approach. The paths and open areas should be so
arranged as to prevent the possibility of saving time by a short cut
across, and so provided with seats under the shade of the trees as to
invite to repose, instead of this, in nine cases out of ten, the trees
(if any are planted) are simply set in rows at equal distances, without
the faintest attempt at picturesque effect, and the paths are carried
diagonally across from corner to corner for the express purpose of
affording an opportunity for a short-cut to every one who is hastening
to or from his business. The consequence is that at certain hours the
paths are filled by a hurrying throng whose presence would alone suffice
to banish the effect of repose which should be the ruling spirit of the
place, while at all other times it is comparatively deserted.
"Perhaps these ideas might not be satisfactory to your people, and I
have therefore set them forth somewhat at length in order that you may
understand what I conceive should be the ruling principle of
arrangement."
I perceived that my visitor was somewhat disturbed and it was not till
he had told me, in a kind of half apologetic way, that he did not know
"but what I was pretty nigh right," that he finally informed me that the
square in question was already divided in the manner I described, by
diagonal paths, and moreover that the paths were lined on each side by
rows of well-grown trees.
I could not help inquiring what further laying out it required, and it
then came out that there had been no thought of a re-arrangement of the
component elements of the park in order to give it an expression of
grace or beauty, but they had thought I might be able to make it
attractive by the introduction of rustic arbors and gateways, or perhaps
a fountain or "something of that sort to give it a stylish look."
I gave him an advertising pamphlet containing designs and prices of
garden ornaments, and told him they could select and order whatever they
liked from the manufacturers,--but declined to give any advice which
should connect my name with the work.
I have told this story as the readiest means of setting forth my ideas
of the capabilities of such public areas, and also as an illustration of
prevailing errors in regard to landscape gardening, which most people
seem to think consists solely of extraneous, artificial decoration, by
means of which any piece of ground can be made beautiful, however stiff
and formal may be the arrangement of the trees, shrubbery, and lawns
which give expression to its character as truly as the features of a
human face.
Such squares as I have described are the most common and simple forms of
public parks, and they might and should in all cases constitute not only
a chief ornament of the town, but a most attractive place of resort for
rest and refreshment. Nothing beyond the materials which nature
furnishes is needed for the purpose, but it is essential that these
should be gracefully dispersed, and that they should exhibit a
luxuriant, healthy growth.
Above all we should avoid the introduction of artificial decorations
which are intended to "look pretty." If arbors or rests are needed, let
them be placed at the points where they are obviously required, and be
made of graceful patterns; but do not put elaborate structures of rustic
work where no one will ever use them, and where in a few years they will
be only dilapidated monuments of a futile effort at display.
The Village Improvement Societies which are everywhere springing up
should devote their earliest efforts to the tasteful arrangement and
care of these public ornamental areas, which should form the nucleus and
pattern of the graceful expression which should pervade the streets.
FARM NAMES.
Since the call of THE PRAIRIE FARMER for "something new" I have been
afraid to follow any of the old beaten paths so long traveled by
agricultural writers; and have been on the lookout for the "something
new." Something that does not appear in our agricultural papers, yet of
interest to the fraternity. It matters little how trifling the subject
may be, if it begets an interest in farm or country life; anything that
will make our homes more attractive, more beautiful, and leave a lasting
impression on the minds of the boys and girls that now cluster around
the farmers' hearths throughout this vast country of ours.
There is a beautiful little song entitled, "What is Home Without a
Mother?" which could be supplemented with another of equal interest, to
wit: "What is Home Without a Name?" I answer, a dreary waste of field
and fence, there being nothing in the mind of the absent one to remind
him of his distant home but a lone farm-house, a barn, long lines of
fences, and perhaps a few stunted apple trees; and when he thinks of it,
his whole mind reverts to the hot harvest field, the sweat, the toil,
and the tiresomeness of working those big fields! Nothing attractive, no
pleasant memory. Nothing to draw the mind of the youth to the roof that
sheltered his childhood. No wonder boys and girls yearn for a change.
Then what are we to do to change this for the better. I say give your
country homes a name, no matter how homely or isolated that home may be.
Give each one a name, and let those names be appropriate and musical,
short, sweet, and easily remembered and pronounced, and then, when you
go to visit a neighbor, either on business or pleasure, instead of
saying, I am going to Jones', or to Brown's, or Smith's, let it be, I am
going over to "The Cedars," or, to "Hickory Grove," or, to "Holly Hill."
How much pleasanter it would sound. There would be no mistake about your
destination, there being perhaps half a dozen Jones, Browns, or Smiths
within five miles of your home, but only one "Hickory Hill." Then, when
young folks make up their surprise parties during the long, cold, winter
evenings, in place of notifying each other that they are going to
surprise the James', the Jones', or the Jackson's, it would be, we are
going to surprise "Pleasant Valley" "Viewfield" or "Walnut Hill." Every
member of the surprise party would know the place intended, and the
squads and companies of sleighs with their closely packed loads of
laughing girls, and well filled baskets of good things would begin to
marshal on the several roads that lead towards the trysting place; and
when the merry-makers reach the well trimmed walnut grove from which the
farm takes its name, and march up to the dwelling, instead of shouting:
Mrs. Brown, we greet you, or Uncle Brown, etc., it would be: "Walnut
Hill" we greet you, which would include all the Browns, old and young.
One of the brightest spots in my memory is the remembrance of "Rose
Valley" my childhood's happy home. Every pleasant occurrence of my
boyhood clusters around that never-to-be forgotten name. It has acted
like a guide, a land mark for me through my life; and my great aim in
life has been to make my own home just like dear "Rose Valley." To begin
the work, I have set my own house in order; and the following names
given to the farms under my care will practically illustrate my plan.
-----------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------
FORMER OWNERS. | FARM NAMES. | PRESENT TENANTS.
-----------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------
Thompson Place | Hickory Ridge | A. Maddox
Home " | Elmwood | Mr. Houck's home
Doutey " | South Elmwood | D.Q. Renfrue
Horroll " | Gravel Hill | T.H. Miller
Conran " | Cedar Grove | A. Miller
Casebolt " | Millbrook | C. Blettner
Harness " | Burnside | A. Tunge
Heller " | Pleasant Hill | J.H. Kempf
Lewis " | Woodlawn | W. Lewis
Oaks' " | Castle Rock | Noah Neff
Held " | The Glade | W. Reubelman
Jackson " | Beechwald | G. Edwards
Bottom " | Deerfield | . . . . . . . . . . . .
Benna " | The Mound | R. Oliver
Williams " | Blacklands | W. Mitchel
McGee " | Lone Tree | Tom Miller
Johnson " | South Park | Owen Bush
New Land | Cedar Cliff | Peter Heller
" " | Cypress Grove | Geo. Surlett
Old Homestead | Middle Park | Johd Meintz
West of City | West Park | Dave Meintz
East of R. By. | Spring Park | Jas. Ballinger
Manning Place | Longview | Aug. Klemme
Cox " | Meadow Hill | H. Stinehoff
Davis " | Lilypond | Chas. Davis
Renfroe " | Beechfield | I. Renfroe
Ruble " | Sycamore Springs | Mrs. Sarah Miller
Bair | Clover Hill | W. Gunter
Edmonson " | Riverside | J.H. Relley
New " | Cotton Grove | W.H. Henson
Garaghty " | Wheatland | J.H. Relley
Price " | Roundpond | W. Miller
Jordan " | Parsonage | Wm. Jackson
Bird " | Richwood | Mrs. Jackson
Laseley " | Richland | W. Lackey
New " | Lakeside | D. Edmunson
New " | The Island | Geo. Laseley
Sexton " | Beech Hill | J.H. Irving
Martin " | Creekfield | Joe Bair
Miss Co " | Catalpa Grove | Geo. Burns
Cramer " | Hubbleside | . . . . . . . . . . . .
Miller " | Spring Grove | A. Miller
Brown " | East Gravel Hill | J.H. Miller
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I give these as samples to guide my brother farmers in selecting names
for their homes. Every one of those farms can be identified by some
local peculiarity, prominent and visible. For instance, Davis place is
situated close to a large pond covered with white lilies. Standing on
the doorsteps of the Manning place you can view a ten-mile stretch of
the Mississippi river, while Mr. Relley's place is situated on the banks
of that great stream. Such names can be multiplied to an indefinite
extent, and duplicated in each county.
If such names were generally in use, it would greatly assist postmasters
in their difficult task of knowing which Smith or Brown was intended.
Now brother farmers, I have moved the adoption of appropriate names for
every farm in the land; who will second the motion? Give your wives and
daughters a chance to name the homestead, and my word for it, it will be
both musical and appropriate. Let us give our children something
pleasant to think of after they have left the dear old home. To afix the
name, paint it on a large board and nail it over your front gate.
ALEX ROSS,
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.
DIOGENES IN HIS TUB.
Allow me, Messrs. Editors, to give you notes of what I see, and hear,
and learn, and cogitate, and endeavor to inculcate, from my snug little
home in my Tub--will you not?
Well--having your assent, I begin by wishing you all--editors,
correspondents, typos, and "devils"--a Happy New Year, and your
excellent paper unlimited success in 1884, and a long life thereafter.
Next, permit me to advert to the contents of some
RECENT NUMBERS.
First, to the pro and con of pasturing corn-stalks. That is a subject,
like many others, on which much can be said on both sides. Mr. Stahl (in
No. 50) quotes Prof. Sanborn as saying that a ton of corn fodder,
"rightly cured and saved," is worth two-thirds of a ton of good timothy
hay. That may be true; but to be rightly cured and saved it must be
protected from the rains and snows as the hay is; otherwise it will be
as worthless as the corn left standing in the field. Most people who
have cut their corn and left it standing in the shock during the fall
rains, know by experience that large portions of it are rendered
useless. And if we deduct the waste of corn by wet, and by rats and
mice, and the waste of fodder, added to the cost of cutting, it would
seem that a "Subscriber" (in No. 52) has at least a strong side of the
argument. But these men are both right, in a degree. In the East in
cases where the crop is not large, or in the West, and where the
producer has large barns or sheds in which to store his fodder, it had
doubtless best be cut and utilized in that way. But where no such
facilities exist and the crop is large, as usual in the West, I can
conceive of no better way to utilize the product than to feed it where
it grew.
HOW TO RAISE WHEAT.
Prof. Hamilton (see No. 52) has hit the nail squarely on the head in his
essay. I doubt if there has been a more valuable article on
wheat-growing in the public prints, for many a day. It gives a new view
of the question, and in my opinion illustrates, at least in part, why it
was that in the early days of wheat-growing throughout the prairie
States, the crops were so much better than now. Wheat was then sown for
the most part on newly broken prairie sod, and its character was such
that the grain could not be deeply covered, nor could the ground be
heaved so much as in later sowings, when it has been mellowed by deeper
culture. Prof. Hamilton's essay ought to be read by every wheat-grower
in the country. Other valuable articles in No. 52 are those of J.H., on
Corn, Prof. Hall's lecture on Schools, and many others--not omitting
what the two talented ladies say about hens and bees.
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