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Agricultural Experimentation
in Box Butte County
c
3 PROF. E. W. HUNT, Director
:i
Present Outlook for
the Potato
Crop
As far as genera! agricultural conditions
go, tho outlook for the crop Is somewhat
better than usual at this time of the year.
Tho fields as a rule are in a better con
dition, are freer from weeds, with soil In
a better state of cultivation. There are
however some notable exceptions to this
general statement. It would seem as
though after the farmer had gone to the
labor and expense of planting a field, he
would see that his interests would be
better served by carefully tending his crop
than by letting the ground become hard
and baked and permitting rank weeds to
choke tho growing crop. Such farming as
this hurts not only the negligent farmer,
but every other farmer as well, for it in
jures the reputation of the country for ag
ricultural production, and this injures the
apparent market value of the land.
Most parts of the county havo now had
adequate rainfall. Some of tho growers
of corn and potatoes havo followed the
rain in the fields by cultivation in order to
save tho moisture that had fallon. But
such are in the minority. Most of tho
fields are hard and dry on the surface,
moisture is being rapidly lost by evapora
tion, and tho weeds are growing at the ex
pense of the crop. Harvest timo will show
that this neglect has been expensive. I
have heard it argued by somo farmers that
it injures corn to cultivate it after the ears
have set, and that it will not do to touch
the potatoes after they aro In bloom. Of
course any one can kill a crop with a cul
tivator if ho wants to do so. It all de
pends on how it is done. Propor cultiva
tion is a benefit to any crop at any time.
I have known cultivation of corn, even
after the silks on the ears had died, to
make differences in the yield of from sev
en to fifteen bushels to tho acre. Propor
cultivation will give the same results with
potatoes.
I have been inexpressibly surprised at
the capacity of this soil to hold moisture.
I visited one field which had not had a
drop of rain since early in July and ex
pected to find it dry as a bone. On dig
ging a hill of potatoes to examine it for
disease, I found the ground in which the
tubers rested so moist that it would ball
in tho hand. Proper treatment of such
soil as this would give immunity from
drought. Nature has dono her part by
this country, it remains only for tho farm
er to do his part.
As to potato diseases, the outlook is not
so favorable. It is well known that we
havo potato disease here, and we might as
well look the facts squarely in the face.
These words are written exclusively for
the benefit of potato growers and it is due
to them to know the facts as they are.
Nothing will be gained in the end by either
withholding the truth, or by attempting to
pervert it. Every attempt is being put
forth to get the mastery of these diseases.
This mastery can be gained, if at all, only
with the intelligent co-operation of the
growers. They cannot intelligently co
operate unless they are made acquainted
with conditions exactly as they exist.
Early blight has already made its ap
pearance in most fields. If the weather
should continue favorable to the develop
ment of this fungus, it mtiy materially les
sen the amount of production. At Mr.
Lorance's farm, north of town, a thorough
trial of spraying with Bordeaux mixture to
control this disease is being made. Mr.
Newberry kindly furnished a four row As
pinwall Sprayer for this purpose, and the
field is being sprayed every two weeks,
leaving certain rows unsprajed to show
the difference, At the end of the season
we shall be able to give results, and an
opinion as to the effectiveness of spraying
to control blight.
Scab. This disease Is a poser for every
one, scientists and laymen alike. It used
to be thought that this disease was caused
by a fungus, and there has been a marked
difference of opinion whether this fungus
lived ou the potato only, or in the soil.
But the fact is that the real cause of this
disfiguring disease has never been discov
ered. Scientists have assumed that it is a
fungus, but if so, this fungus has never
been isolated. Herman and French spec
ialists who are competent and have given
much time to investigation are inclined to
the belief that the disease is of bacterial
origin. But the bacterium has not yet
been isolated and identified. Generally it
is regarded as necessary to know the cause
of a disease before attempting to prescribe
a remedy. But scab, it was said, was the
one exception to the rule, While the
specific cause was not known a remedy
was known that was sure to prevent at
least 90 per cent of scab. And it certainly
does prevent 90 per cent of it, in some
soils. In Wisconsin, in New York, in
Connecticut, on the writer's own farm in
the glaciated soils of the eastern part of
the state, the treatment prescribed by the
government is certainly effective. I am
amazed at its comparative failure in Box
Butte county. At this writing I cannot
see mucn aiuerence, as tar as scab is con
cerned, between the product of treated
and untreated seed. Some fields in which
treated seed was planted are very scabby,
and others are comparatively clean. The
same is true of fields whero untreated seed
was used. I do not know what to say a
bout it. It is up to the specialists in plant
diseases. I shall not be surprised ulti
mately to learn that it is an ulcer caused
by somo unknown constituent of the soil.
Ordinary dry rot, or side rot, This
is the disease that till this timo has done
the most damage to the reputation of pota
toes grown In this section of the state and
to tho tubers themselves. It is a disease
that generally develops slowly after the
tubers are stored. I know buyers in Lin
coln that laid in potatoes apparently sound
by the carload and during tho winter lust
as high as Co per cent by this disease.
The reputation of Northwestern potatoes
has been seriously injured by this disease,
and if we are to regain the ground we
have lost we must control it, and abolish
it. I am glad to say that we are now in a
position almost, if not absolutely, to con
trol it. It is a fungus disease, and the
fungus has been isolated, cultures made,
inoculations made with the pure cultures,
and the identical disease produced by the
inoculations. This establishes the identi
ty of the spore that causes the disease.
For all this careful work potato growers
are indebted to Miss Pool who now has
charge of tho laboratory In the city hall,
under the direction of Dr. Wilcox. Not
all of tho modes of activity of this fungus
havo been worked out. but enough has
been proved to warrant tho statemont
that practical, if not absolute, immunity
from its ravages may be secured if potato
growers will faithfully follow the following
directions:
1. Thoroughly disinfect nil collars
and places of storago beforo storing
tho crop.
2. Store only umvounded, unbruised,
mature tubers. Wounded, bruised tu
bers, and those with tho baby skins on,
which may easily bo rubbed off, aro
especially liable to infection.
3. llandlo tho crop at harvest time
In crates or sacks, and handle carefully
to avoid wounding. Do not use screens,
scoops or chutes, for many tubers will
bo Injured by them.
4. Stack tho crates or sacks in the
cellar so that air may freely circulate
between them.
5. As soon as the crop is in storngo
thoroughly disinfect ngain.
0. At intervals during the period of
stornge, sprinkle tho cellar with water
and leave a vessel of water continuully
standing there. It has been learned
that dampness acts as u. check on tho
disease.
M'i:m-i:n Diskamj. This is the dis
ease that gives ino tho greatest appre
hension because of Its effect on the
murltut reputation of tho potatoes
grown in northwestern Nobrabka. It
Is not peculiar to Box Butte county. I
lmvo found it, In a greater or less du
greo of prevalence, in all parts of this
section of tho state except in the sand
hills. I am told that it is not to be
found there, but I havo not had time
to investigate the truth of the report.
Tho danger to the murket reputation
of potatoes lies in the act that it
shows no outward sign of its presence
until tho disease has passed to its last
stages. A buyer buys an apparently
sound potato, which is nevertheless
diseased internally. It seems to devel
op on storage Those who have bought
such will be careful In their future
buying.
This disease is originally a disease of
the potato stalk. Tho tubers become
infected from tho stem to which tho dis
ease sometimes passes from the stalk.
Not nil diseased stalks produce diseas
ed tubers, because tho disease does not
alwuys pass to the stem. Sometimes
tho vine dies before it reaches the stem.
If any one will curefully split a dis
eased stem right down through the
tuber, ho will see how the disease
spreads from tho stem, nnd this is why
it Is called a stem-end disease, though
as It progresses it may involve tho
whole tuber,
The cause of this dlscaso has not yet
been definitely determined. In the
cultures that have been developed both
bacteria and fungi appear but the
specific cause has not been isolated.
Careful work Is progressing on all
samples brought iu, and It is hoped
that by harvest timo some definite
information may bo forthcoming with
reference to it.
RlIIZOCTOMA, Or ROSBTTK, or LlTTLK
Potatoks. It cannot bo said that this
disease is prevalent here, and still it
has made its appearance in several
fields here, and is more common north
and east of here. But it is a disease to
bo dreaded and should have careful
watching. In certain sections of New
York, Ohio and Colorado, it has com
pletely wiped out the potato industry.
It is produced by tho Rhixoctouia fun
gus and this fifngus infects tho soil,
and is very dlfllcult to eradicate. It
produces a cluster of little, unmarket
able potatoes just below the surface of
the ground, and bears little tubers
above ground whero the stem branches.
The peculiar filaments of this fungus
have been isolated and identified at
the laboratory, and now it is up to the
potato growers to prevent the spread
of the disease. They should carefully
inspect their fields, and carefully dig
up and burn all lhfccted plants.
1 do not bcllcvo these diseases nreln
dlgcnous to tills soil. If they arc, the
end of tho potato Industry hero Is not
far off. If they nro not indigenous
here, then they must havo been brought
hero at some time In infected seed,
Tho only safe method for the planter
to pursue Is to plant only uninfected
seed In uninfected soil. To be sure
that his seed Is nctually uninfected,
none should bo planted till it has been
inspected by a competent expert and
pronounced free from infection. Until
rigid precautionary measures nro uni
versally adopted, it is idle to hopo to
be freed from disease,
With the Funny Men
"la she wearing black for her last
husband?" "No, for her next. She
lookB stunning in it." New York
Tribune.
She (to future son-in-law) 1 may
tell you that, though my daughter is
well educated, she cannot cook. Ho
That doesn't matter much, so long as
she does not try. Philadelphia In
quirer. "You look so pale and thin, What's
got you?" "Work, from morning to
night and only a one-hour rest." "How
long have you been at it?" "I begin
tomorrow," Success.
"I'd like to get a job on a newspap
er." "Had any experience as a jour
nalist?" "None." "Then what could
you do on a newspaper?" "Seems to
me that I could dish you out excellent
advice of some kind." Louisville Courier-Journal.
Mrs. Naggs John, have you read
this magazine article entitled, "How
To Be Happy, Though Married?"
Naggs 'Of course not. I know how
without reading it. Mrs. Naggs Well
how? Naggs Get a divorce Chicago
Daily News.
The kind lady had just handed the
hungry hobo a sandwich and a hunk of
pie. "Poor man!" she said, sympathet
ically. "Are you married?" "No'm,"
answersed the h.h. "Got dis hunted
look from bein' chased from place to
place by dcr perlice." Chicago Daily
News. vc--ww.
Ten Years Hence
8EI2E GOVERNMENT FLOUR
Deputy Marshal Nabs 300 Sacks at
Fort Des Molneo.
Des Molnos, Aug. 20. Deputy Unit
ed Stntes Marshal Frank Nlohal,
armed with a warrant sworn out by
United States Attorney Templo nt tho
Instigation of Food Inspector Artemus
Brown, seized n ccrload of bleached
flour at Fort Dos Molpes.
The shipment contained 30,000
pounds, tho flour being contained In
300 socks, weighing 100 pounds each.
It Is tho output of tho Updike Milling
company of Omaha, of the samo brand
of which shipments were seized at tho
girl's reformatory at Mltchellvjllo and
at Muscatine. Ab rapidly as the Up
dike Milling company makes up Us
carload lots of this bleached' product
which the government Is attempting
to cull out of tho market, tho food In
spector gets after tho stuff and stops
Its delivery.
Mills all over the country which
prepare their flour In the Bamo fash
ion nre being given tho same dose.
Whether bleaching flour by tho drug
process Is a violation of the national
puro food law will be tested at tho
next term of court here.
CHARTER CITY RAI8E8 POINT
Davenport Seeks to Escape Operation
of Moon Law.
Davenport, In., Aug. 21. The point
that tho Moon law does not apply to
special charter cities Jn Iowa was
raised In the district court when At
torneys FJcke & FIcke of Davenport
filed' a brief on behnlf Of Ernest Vu
zel, a Davenport saloon keeper, who
Is being. prosecuted by tho Civic Fed
oration. Tho attorneys call attention of
the court to tho fact that tho Moon
law Is not by title or otherwise nn
amendment of tho bo called Iowa
mulct law, but Is a law by Itself, and
that no provision was made by tho
legislature for Its application to Iowa
special charter cities, Davenport, Du
buque, Glenwood, Keokuk, Muscttlnc
and Wapello.
If the courts sustain tho' contest tho
Moon law regulating Iowa's saloons
will not apply In those cjtles.
MANY ENORMOUS LAWSUITS
ChuR-chugl
Br-r-rl br-r-rl
Honk-honkl
Gilligillug-gilligugl
The pedestrian paused at the intersec
tion of two busy cross streets.
He looked about. An automobile was
rushing at him from one direction, a motor
cycle from another, an auto truck was
coming from behind and a taxicab was
speedily approaching.
Zip-zip! Zing-zingl
He looked up, and saw
him a runaway airship in
There was one chance.
ing upon a manhole cover.
ing it he lifted the lid and jumped into the
hole just in time to be run over by a sub
way train. Boston Courier.
K?VNSAVVVVVsVSr-fVNVVVV.
1
directly above
rapid descent.
He was stand
Quickly seiz-
KING EDWARD'S
SUMMER
DIET.
Horaco Fletcher, tho food
scientist aud dietary reform
er, brings from Europe tho
news that King Edward of
England has adopted his ideas
on eating as a means of com
bating the summer heat.
"It is wonderful," ho said,
"the change which has oc
curred in Europe, and espe
cially in England, in the past
six or seven years regarding
summer diet.
"I found that everybody is
dieting today. King Edward is
the strictest of them all.
"His mnjesty today eats
only the simplest of food and
just enough of that for
health. Ho abstains largely
from fatty meats and starchy
foods and holds to a diet
chiefly of vegetable foods,
which do not heat the blood."
When asked what his meals
cost in summer Mr. Fletcher
consulted his expense book
and stated that HIS FOOD
FOR THE PAST FIVE
DAYS HAD COST IIIM
$3.08. It consisted of twenty
six quarts of milk, $2.08, and
twenty boxes of crackers, $1.
This expenditure, ho stated,
provides food for jgvo grown
persons and two meals for
five hungry children. King
Edward sometimes follows
this diet, he say's. According
to Fletcher, THE IDEAL
FOOD FOR THE HOT
WEATIIEll IS MILK AND
CRACKERS, and he declared
further that a healthy labor
ing man could eupply himself
with plenty of good, nourish
ing food for 11 cents a day.
National Monthly
A Democratic Magazine for Men and Women
PRICE, ONE DOLLAR A YEAR
NORMAN E. MACK, Editorand Publisher, Buffalo, N. Y.
Aggregating Claims for More Than a
Million Dollars.
Council Bluffs, la., Aug. 23. Suits
for damages aggregating nearly $1,
000,000 havo been filed In the district
court here for the fall term, a record
that Is unprecedented. The raco be
gun weeks ago was kept up to the last
moment, when two personal Injury
damage suits for nn aggregate of $75,
000 wore filed.
Mrs. Jones, whose husband was re
cently killed while at work for tho
Illinois Central railroad, began suit
for $25,000 against the railroad com
pany. Joseph Mllllgan, who appears
as plaintiff in a $50,000 damage case,
wants tho Union Pacific Railroad com
pany to pay him that Bum. Mllllgan
was Injured by falling from a pole in
the machine shops. Ho is an elec
trical worker.
FIVE HURT IN AUTO WRECK
Car Pitches Off a Bridge, Hurling
Occupants Out.
Marshalltown, In., Aug. 23. FIvo
men were Injured, two seriously, In nn
automobile nccldent near St. Anthony,
when a car driven by Lewis La Plant
pitched off a bridge. The occupants
were hurled thirty feet, landing on
tho opposite side of a creek bank.
Tho seriously injured aro: David
Blackburn, farmer; Harry Buck, bar
ber. The party was on Its way home
from State Center, whero Its members
had attended a funeral. The car waB
badly wrecked.
HYDROPHOBIA FROM SNAKE
Dog Bitten by Reptile Bites Man In
Turn, Causing Rabies.
Dubuque, In., Aug. 20. Ed Christ, a
Wnukon operator, passed through Du
buque after taking treatment at tho
Pasteur institute, Chicago, for hydro
phobia. Ho was bitten by a dog two
weeks ago. An examination of the
dog was made nnd as a result It devel
oped that the dog had been bitten by
a rattlesnake and tho pojson commu
nicated to Christ In this way. Chicago
medical authorities declare that tho
case Is the most remartaalilo on record.
TWO IOWANS ARE KILLED
Their Automobile Was Struck by a
Train at Coin.
Cain. In., Aug. 23. Louis Wler nnd
Glen Hutchison, prominent farmers
residing near this place, were instant
ly killed when an automobile In which
they were riding was struck by a Wa
bash passenger train. Tho accident
occurred at what Is known as Dead
Man's crossing, where the Wabash
and Burlington roads cross each other.
Tho automobile waa thrown 200 feeL
Red Oak Chautauqua Ends.
Red Oak, la., Aug. 20. Tho fifth an
nual assembly of the Red Oak Chau
tauqua association closed after a suc
cessful nine days' session. The hot
weather of the fore part of the assem
bly held down the attendance, but the
bly held down the attendance.
Keokuk Woman Kills Self.
Keokuk, la., Aug. 21. Mrs. Anna
Bresnahan Croak, aged thlrty-threo.
committed suicide by taking morphine.
She had been lending a life of dissipa
tion. Her husband, whom she recent
ly married, died Sunday.
Pleasantvllle Mills Burned.
Pleasantvllle, la., Aug. 20. The
mammoth Pleasantvllle roller mill
burned' to the ground, entailing a loss
of $15.00, partially covered by insurance.
O
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
NE of the largest and handsomest illustrated magazines
published in the united States. Each issue contains c
a mass of valuable information for Democrats ini
every locality, and articles by well known leading. Demo
crats throughout the country. The NATIONAL MONTHLY
will keep every Democrat thoroughly posted upon all the
leading issues of the day. It will also contain a mass of
Democratic news and current comment from the leading
Democratic newspapers throughout the United States. In
addition to the political features above mentioned every issue
contains a large amount of interesting fiction and good read
ing for the entire family, thus making it a doubly welcome
visitor in every home.
One of the thousands
NATIONAL MONTHLY:
of letters received commending the-
Hits the Nail Right on the Head
HON. NORMAN E. MACK,
Buffalo, N. Y.
Dear Sir: I herewith enolose you my check and ask my name
to be enrolled as a regular subscriber to your National Monthly. I
have just finished examining the first numbor. It is a publication of
stupendous merit, and it will exert a great influence for good In our
country. It ranks with the best magazines that aro printed in all
respects, and Its genuine Democracy gives it distinctive superiority.
It will succeed for the Democracy is not dead, but very much alive.
It will help save the country from capitalistic greed on the one hand
and from the dangers of socialism and anarchism on the other. I am
heart and soul with you In your new enterprise. Yours truly,
FRED J. KERN,
Mayor of the City of Belleville, III.
Subscriptions received at this office and liberal clubbing
terms are offered by this paper.
arn
euleuce Hi I -v e x v I
II. 1?. COURSEY, Prop.
(Successor to C. C. Smith)
Good turnouts, strict attention to our business,
ONE 111 CK WEST OF
THE NK V Z11INDEN
UUILIKJVG. 'Phono
and courteous treatment to all has won for us the
excellent patronage we enjov. Trv us.
N.
Livery
and Feed
connection
FROHNAPFEL
Hemingford, Nebraska
If Funerals
attended
with
Hearse
mUL
$wLz&ttmnm
Automobiles WmMmm
h& HMtt& M&fl&i which you have the greatest in-
l - ' terest the home news. Its every
issue will prove a welcome visiter to every member of the family. H
should bead your list of newspaper and periodical subscriptions.
MORE FREE LANDS
Write your friends back east and tell them about the 1909 crop pros
pects and the increase in the value of lands, and the wisdom of their coming
out west and entering one of the 320.ACRE MONDELL HOMESTEADS in
Colorado and Wyoming, also the need of taking up early a government irrigated
homestead in the BIG HORN BASIN; the Burlington's new line through cen
tral Wyoming traverses the Big Horn Basin and puts that locality in immediate
touch with the best western cities and markets. With the oil, coal and gas
discoveries in the Basin, together with its magnificent irrigated land and its
new railroad facilities, that whole country is commanding attention and draw
ing to it a rapid up-building and settlement. The Basin will be a fine locality
for new stores and industries. GET IN EARLY; have your friends write me.
Our personally conducted excursions on the first and third Tuesdays' to
this locality.
iiiimM
D. CLEM DEAVER,
GENERAL AGENT
Land Seekers Information Bureau,
Omaha, Nebr.
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