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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 1900)
Celery Leaf Blights From tho Farmers' Review: Leali blight and leaf spot of celery, whlcjt? generally como In closo succcssloifpor together, are unquestionably thoimost BerlouB diseases that the celery-flower has to fight. Tho blight generally comes early In tho Bcason, nppcara first upon tho lower leaves, and prodjices Irregular brownish patches, with an ashy bloom on tho surface ot tho dead parts of tho loaves. Tho spot which cornea later produces similar effects, but In an equally advanced stago the. diseased parts of tho leaf bear minute black dots which contain tho seed' bodies of the disease. In both diseases tho leaves turn yellow, and, particu larly tho spot, will continue to spread ufter tho plants hav been banked up or stored. Recent experiments In a large' com mercial plantation In tho Hist go to show that In tho field Bordeaux mix ture Is Ineffectual; that potassium sul phide, owing to Its extreme solubility, Is In wot seasons not wholly reliable, though In normal years It will hold the diseases In che;:k; and that tho most effective fungicide for these affec tions is sulphur, vrnlch may bo cheaply and easily applied, and sticks to tho hast year I harrowed corn that was more than a, foot high, but It was listed corn. A lever harrow Is a good Imple ment, but to do good work tho teeth must bo nearly straight, that Is In plowed ground; It Is different In stalks. Another reason why the Blunting teeth don't suit me Is that tho tracks of the horses aro hardly covered up, and that looks ugly. loaves very tenaciously. How suphur would net In storage houses was not determined, It being thought best to market tho celery at once and thus avoid nil risk. Dut these and other experiments in dicate that tho prime cause of tho trouble may not be tho diseases, but weakness of tho plants due to various causes. Principal among these Is the practice ot level culture The old trench method more nearly approaches the natural habits of the plant, and Is less fruitful of disease. In the new culture tho plonts "aro made to too tho mark like" other vegetables," and It Is worthy ot note that those dis eases have become Important only since the advent of this cheaper, easier and in many ways better method of cultivation. Celery a surface feeder In cool, wet or moist soils demands protection of Its roots. Hut when grown by tho level method tho roots are greatly ex posed to tho changes of tomporaturc In tho surface soil. This has been further proved by mulching plants grown by the level-culture method. It has been found that mulches ot lawn clippings, marsh hay, coarse Utter and even the spore-bearing leaves of dis eased plants, in every case prevented , or checked the disease. It will there fore bo well for the celery-grower, who cannot bo blamed for not caring to return to the laborious trench method, to consider well the advantages of mulching to prevent theBe diseases and to regard sulphur nnd potassium sul phide in the light of remedies to be rolled upon only when, through con tingency, disease may appear In tho mulched plantation. M. O. KA1KS. Notrn on I'Hrklns Dairy Iluttpr. An article going the rounds of the press and credited simply to "ex change" gives some good advice on packing dairy butter. We mako the following extracts: A very good packer for putting the butter In small packages can be made by taking a common wooden potato masher, sandpapering until it Is smooth, scalding and cooling. For tho tubs one needs a packer, such as those used by creamery butter makers. Be fore putting butter In crocks, be sure that they have been thoroughly scald ed and cooled. Never use crocks which have held anything but good, pure sweet butter; as lnrd, yeast, plckle3, or In fact, almost anything will affect the glazing of tho jar enough to taint the finest of butter, If It Is left In a jar any length of time. In packing, only put In small quantities at a time, and press down firmly, so there will bo no pools of brine; continue in this man ner until tho butter is rounded over tho top of Jar. Even the top by tak ing' tho ends of a piece of twine (whlaa has been wet) in both hands, holding It closo against top of jar. With a sawing motion draw across, then hold ing Jar slanting over bowl or churn, carefully lifting the upper edgo of but ter from Jar with ladle, the air will get under the layer, which will drop off, leaving an oven surface, which looks much nicer than when smoothed off with a ladle, which Is apt to give a ualvy appearance. Place on tho top a circle or cap of butter cloth. (These circles may be procured of any dealer In dairy sup plies for a few cents per thousand In sizes to fit any package.) On top of cloth put an oven layer of nice, clean butter salt, over which sprinkle a little water, and you will have an air-tight crust. Cover this with fresh clean manlla paper; faBten on by passing twine below rim of Jar two or three times and tying with single bow knot. Trim paper evenly from one-half to three-fourths of an Inch below twine, nnd you will have a packago which will find ready sale. Hmembcr, It Is the outside of the paiRngo which tho consumer sees first. never realized until a short time ago how many good butter makers there wero who were enrol ess In this one respect. PorhapB by mentioning one or two cases, thereader will not think ' that I am a craaU cn this subject, or, eg I have been told, that there was too much red tape nftctu bMtt mailing. While in n grocery store not lojig ago, an old gentleman came In Ith fifteen pounds ot very nice butter rsln prints, wrapped In hand towels. The dealer offered him two nnd one half cents per pound less than they were giving for butter In crocks. Tho old gentleman was quite Indlgnnnt, but was told that they had no place whero they could keep print butter free from taint. After the old gentleman went out, being n little curious over the but ter, I watched to sec what was done with It. Tho dealer took It from tho towel, placed It on n platter, covered it with clean, fresh-looking paper, called an errand boy, nnd sent It to a hotel near by, remarking to mo at the time that -Mrs. So and So had left an order for good butter, and was willing to pay n little extra. I knew that he had refused to pay within 2V4 cents as much as crock butter was bringing, only n fow minutes before. Ab it takes so little for nn excuse to drop on tho price, It stands us In hand not to leave any Bhow for tho excuse. Never use any cloth about butter, which has tho suspicious look of coming from somo worn-out garment. How (o Knits Cow Ten. From Farmers' Review: As I have recently received quite a number of In quiries about raising cow peas, and tho crop in general, and as the crop "cow peas" docs not seem to be very ex tensively understood, 1 wrlto the fol lowing article: First, tho reasons why cow peas should be bowu Is to enrich the ground for any crop you wish to put on tho ground tho following year. Second, tho cow peas make good feed; any animal enjoys them and thrives much better during winter than It fed on hay and corn alone. They aro far superior to corn fodder or clover. For sowing cow peas, pre pare your ground as you would for corn; sow any time from May 15 to June 10 or 12, according to tho sea son; do not sow In ground which Is wet nnd secpy that is, if you are. sowing for hay; It for fertilizer, sow whero and when you want to. Sow with a wheat drill, stopping up every other hole In the drill box. All wheat drills will not sow cow peas; somo cruck the peas too much. For sowing with a corn drill, straddle the rows, straddling tho first row twice, nnd so on. Cow peus can also bo broadcasted and harrowed In. From three pecks to one bushel Is the right amount to sow. Cut with a mower and rako with a hay rake, sulky or sliding dump-over rnke. If you cut for hay, cut when you seo hero aud there a few pods drying; the vino will yet Do green ana sappy, it you cut for seed, cut when pods aro dry, but In all cases beforo frost, and In all cases let peas and vines dry well be fore putting In stacks, sheds, or barns. When cutting, cut tho stubble as long as you can. Thla adds to tho fertilizer for tho crop following, lop the Btacks with hay to turn the rain. Cow peas aro Just the crop to sow on your worn-out land; try it and bo convinced. There nre quite a number of varieties, but of them all the "Black pea," sometimes called "tho poor man's pea," Is without doubt tho best all-around cow pea In existence. It Is exactly all right. H. F. Hnrrlson. Clay County, Illinois. Snmu Ooocl ltorlpen. Jennie Anderson's Cookies. Butter, two-thirds cup; sugar, one cup; but termilk, anc-hulf cup; soda, one tea spoon; one teaspoon grated nutmeg. Roll thin, sprinkle with sugar ami bake quickly one egg. Molasses Cookies. Eggs, two; su gar, ono cup; vinegar, two table spoons; molasses, ono cup; ginger, one teaspoon, ditto soda. Mix quite stiff; roll thin; bake quickly. Receipt for a Farmer's Fruit Cake. Chop lino halt a pint ot dried apples; cover with half a pint of cold water and let them soak over night. Tho next morning add a cupful ot golden syrup; simmer gently for ono hour. Stand aside to cool. Beat half a cup ful of butter to a cream; add ono cup ful ot granulated sugar. Dissolve a teaspoonful of soda In two tablcspoon fuls of water and add it to half a cup ful ot buttermilk or sour milk; ndd this to tho batter; add two teaspoon fuls of cinnamon, halt a teaspoonful of cloves and one egg well beaten. Sift two cupfuls of flour; mid a little Hour, a little of tho dried qpple mixture and a little more Hour until you have tho whole well mixed. The batter must be the thickness of ordinary cake batter. Pour this into a well-greased cake pan, and bake In a moderate oven for one hour. Exchange. Tlie Wild anil Woollf Knit. The far West accepts as just tho general verdict that it is given to ex aggeration, but in Justice it should bo said that its efforts In this line aro usually confined to descriptions of tho products of tho country, which fre quently furnish a vory good excuse for larso tales. Wo think, however, the following extract from a Now Zealand exchange Is quite equal to any of our Western inventions in thnt lino: "A correspondent willing from Guna on the 14th ultimo says: Investiga tion on tho spot hus brought to light all tho particular) of and some curious facts about the phenomenal Hoods which occurred at Bara and Its Imme diate neighborhood on Saturday night, tho 8th, and carried away a consider able portion ot the Gunn-Bara rallwny embankment. Tho tremendous fall ot rain, which appears to havo been qulto local, registered fifteen Inches In three hours, and the downfall was terrific. In tho narrative of the sta tion master of Bara, nnd of natives who were caught lu it, the drops ot rain are descrlbd as being the size ot watermelons." Condition of Show Animals. (Condensed from Farmers' Review RtenoKrnphlc Report of the McoIImk of the American Association of Fulrn ami Impositions.) Mr. A. J, Lovejoy ot tho Illinois State Fair read the next paper which was entitled: "Tho proper condition of show animals." He said In part: "Lot your mind travel back to the days when the Duke ot Richmond, tho greatest show bull of his day was al ways in tho highest condition every day In the year. Did the carrying of great flesh Injure him ns a breeder? Never. Again, tnko tho great cow 'Abbess,' un Angus, the World's Fnlr champion It I mistake not, also tho great Mary Abbotsbmx, alsc loaded with flesh, and every year a breeder. Take hor great sire, Young Abbots bum If you will, or the wonderful Hereford bull Nave, tho all around champion of a score ot great shows. Both of these wero regular breeders and sires of winners. And again tuko the Hereford bull Ancient Britain, or Mr. Sothnm's grand bull Thickset or the $5,000 bull. Did they lnck breed ing quality? I think not. Let us not ioso our heads and drop this great evi dence of the meat producing nulmals. Do you think a judge will ever bo found that will overlook thorough de velopment for high flesh for ono of medium condition? I think not. "The man that wins tho blue is the man thnt known Just the kind of nn animal to start with and that knows just how to bring him or her out In Just that condition to best represent the breed. An animal should nlBO be shown In nn appropriate manner. What would you think to see n ponder ous pair ot Clydesdales coming Into tho ring for draft teams in harness hitched to a pole buggy? They would bo entirely out of plnce. Tho sumc might bo Bald of a pair of gentleman's drivers. Instead of being fitted to the highest point as most of the draft teams arc, they should bo In condition to perform tho kind ot work they nre intended for, viz: fast road work. They should be In good-fair ilesh but not fat. Tfiero is a vast difference be tween flesh nnd fat. This pair should have style, action nnd speed, the moro speed tho better. They should be well mated aud full of spirit. "Take tho beef breeds If you will. Thero Is probably ns much skill shown in the feeding of beef cnttlo as thero i-3 In tho painting ot a sunset. The man thnt can bring his herd out in perfect bloom nnd not overdo it Is a thorough nrtlst in his line. I have seen cattle come to our fair in not even good furm condition and ngnln havo seen beef herds so overdone that they were practically worthless. Neither of these extremes are proper. Tho beef animal that wins on Its merits should be in full flesh at every paint, nothing must be lacking in llesh, hnndllng qualities, or ability to walk with ease. They should show lota of breed char acter. "In Bhowlng u dairy herd a very dif ferent condition Is proper. The dairy herd should show i;ojJ caro at every point and be up-to-date In every way to best represent the breed to which they belong. "In tho sheep pouu ono will also find there nre artlstB. It Is right that sheep, especially tho mutton breeds should be brought out In full flesh, nnd like tho beef ctdtlo, should show their ability to cairy u. large amount of high class meat In the most valuable part of tho carcss3. To do this and not lose tho breed character is tho proper condition for sheep. Tho man that brings sheep to tho fair in what la called 'fold condition' will never win a prize. "While tho hog Is a meat producing animal and should show his ability to make pounds of meat ot the highest quality in tho shortest tlmo on the most economical basis, he should not be a carcass ot blubber or an animated lard keg. Ho should show good Arm flesh, just a little mellow to the touch and be well filled at every point. To do this, show animals should be se lected with care and only tho best specimens shown. Tho selection should bo made early enough in life to make the proper otart. I think tho reason so many .fail of success in the show ring is on account of their lack of Judg ment In making proper selections nnd then falling to feed in such a manner that every animal will have developed evenly and by fair time bo in full bloom, I have acted as Judgo In every swine department In nearly every state fair In this country and know how lew hogs ever como Into the ring in proper condition. To win in the swlno clnsfs tho animal must be in prime condition and every point fully rounded out, tvl they must bo of tho popular type, ti.t Is the typo that shows early develop ment. They must stand up well c. their toes, bo able to walk easily anu gracefully. Tho cout should bo bloom lng and of flno appearance, tho aklt clean which Indicates a healthy con dition. The head should bo uniform in typo ns far aB possible, and full of tho churnctcr they represent." Mr. Lovejoy nlso spoke of tho con dition In which poultry should bo shown but said ho was not a poultry man and would thereforo confine him self to n few general Htigge3tlono In regard to brightness ot combs and plumage, clean legs nnd feathers. During the discussion which fol lowed tho paper, Mr. McKerrow said: "Most ot the animals you havo men tioned put on flesh on account ot their training and feeding so that they wero In condition to bo tnken homo and brought down, and nil were In the hands of master workmen who could not only bring them up but bring them down again. Where animals are brought up to the highest condition and then sold Into tho hands of men who arc not nrttsts, they are apt to go to plccc3." Mr. Lovejoy admitted that the more critical thing was to tnko them back nnd get thnm down to use ful condition without Injuring them. Mr, Leggctt thought that judges In the ring should Judge n3 they would If buying tho animals. That he believed to bo tho only wny in which this mat ter of overdone nnlmnla could bo remedied. Mr, McKerrow endorsed Mr. Lcggett's position hut sold: "An nnl mnl might come Into tho ring that was a perfect model and yet his ngo would prevent his being bought In prefer ence to n young, Inferior nnlmnl. And again somo Judges are willing to buy an animal carrying n largo amount of flesh because they know they hnvo tho ability to bring him down In such n wny as to get tho best out of the ani mal. Another Judgo may bo nfrald of nn animal carrying n great amount of flesh, becnuso he don't know how to handle such nn animal, nnd If ho Judged ns ho would buy ho might work nn Injustice." I'urtlirr 1'root of Ilia Tltitc Theory. In ono of tho roports ot tho Missouri Stato Bonrd of Agriculture, n gentlo mnn by the name of Edson brings for wnrd arguments to disprove the tick theory of Texas Fever. Ho is nnswered by J. W. Connuwuy, veterinarian of tho Missouri Experiment Station, who says In part: Tho southern cattle become Infected witli .tho germs, of the disease when young at n period whon they nro nat urally most resistant to tho dlscnso, nnd as they grow oldor they acquire tho power of preventing tho deadly no tion of these parasites. Tho animal Is said to hnvo become "Immune," thnt is, tho cells of tho animal body havo ac quired tho power to protect themselves ngnlnst tho parasites that havo In vaded the blood, nnd as long ns tho nnlmnl celle retain this resistant power tho health ot tho animal remains good. It sometimes happens, bewuver, thnt the vitality of an Immune unlmnl Is lowered from some cause and tho colls aro unable to maintain the fight against tho Tcxna fever parasite, then tho animal succumbs to Texas fever Just as tho northern unlmnl does. Such enses, however, aro qulto rare. It Is only under extraordinary conditions that this occurs. Mr. Edson mentions having seen n case whero six or eight southern cnttlo dlod of this dlceaae. A very Interesting case of this kind fell under my observation. In the early part of last winter I mndo a post mortem ot eight head ot southern cattle that died from tho fever and saw twenty-five or more yet alive nnd nffected with the disease. Tho circumstances that brought about this result wero us follows: The cnt tlo, yearlings, wero shipped from southern Texas whero It was yet qulto warm, to north Missouri, where winter had sdt in. The young cattle wore not In u thrifty condition they wero fatigued from the long Journey and they wero still furthor depressed by dipping in a cold oil bath to kill tho ticks. All theso circumstances com bined to bo lower the resisting pow ers of the cnttlo that tho blood para sites got tho upper hand and caused In qulto a number of tho cnttlo, ncuto attacks of Texas fever. The typical slgim, ns enlargement ot the Bplccn, clogging of liver, bloody urlno, etc., were present. Mr. Edson further observes: "Tnko cattle from Iowa horu and uluo out ot ten nro sure to dlo with It." This shows that thero Is something on tho south ern soil that is closely connected with the dlscnso. That something has been proven to bo tho southern cattle tick, which Inoculates the cattle Imported from the north with tho germs of the dlscnso. Northern cattle will not dlo from the fever when taken south if tho germs aro kept out ot their blood. The experiment has been made by. putting northern cnttlo on southern meadows where no cattlo have been for several years, nnd consequently nro frco from ticks. These. nnlmnlB live and thrive in the south under such conditions, showing not tho least signs ot tho fever. Theso cnttlo are nttacked by the black fly and other Insects, drink tho sume kind of water, cat the same kind bf food nnd are exposed to nil the condlttona ns other cattle, with the ono exception that they aro free from ticks and they romnln frco from tho fever. They soon contract tho fever when turned on tick Infested pastures. In regard to curing tho dtaoaso, this Is of much less importance than keep ing it out of tho stato, and it the ef forts of tho state board of agriculture have at any time been unsuccessful, tho lack of success is duo in a great measure to tho wrong notions held by many stockmen nnd farmers In regard to tho disease. If all will accept tho fact that the southern cattle-tick Is tho carrier ot tho disease and will join with tho bonrd of ngrlculturo in their efforts to prevent tick infested cattle finding their way to Missouri pastures, thero will bo no need of a euro. Mr. Edson'a observations on Texas . ever nro qulto correct even If IiIb ln jrprctatlons nro wrong. I think I ii.tvo satisfactorily brought all his ob servations Into harmony with tho true ctv.ea of tho disease. Ho makes ono statement that is incorrect, namely, tlity, tho ticks lay their eggs on tho animal. Llco propagato in this way, but' (Jio ticks do not. Tho ticks hatch thclj young on the ground, it Is this fact dint makes pastures and cattle trails clangorous soveral weeka after the southern cattlo havo passed along. Somo men havo to sit down and think In order to ascertain whero they stand. Tastes differ. Somo people can see bentity in a looking-glass,' while others can't. A Horseman's Experience. Wo republish tho following from tho Spirit ot tho Times: Uncle George Fuller, writing from tho government stud ot Russia, tho trotting department of which ho is tho superintendent, says: Tho government hns enlarged tho plant from time to time, nnd has un dertaken tho systematic breeding ot heavy draught horses ns well as trot ters, and today the barns on the plnco cover moro thnn twenty acres of ground nnd furnish accommodations for 1,000 horses. Tho plant Is under tho control of military officials, about a dozen officers, Including a general, whoso hendqunrtors nro nt St. Peters burg. At present the stud employs 270 men to tnko care of tho horses. Tho stables nro nil built of brick with walla from threo to four feet thick, while tho windows nnd doors arc ot doublo thickness nn admirable nnd nccesxary nrrnngement to keep out tho cold In winter. During tho winter Benson tho horses nro kept stabled, but In tho spring nnd summer are driven out upon tho steppes In droves of 50 nnd 100 head, as cattlo aro herded on the western plnlns of tho Unltod States. Tho "Orloffs," us a rule, nro good Individuals, with shapely heads and neckB nnd henvy tails, which latter are docked so that tho ends strike Just below tho hocks. Whllo thoy do not possess tho speed ot tho American trotter, thoy nro equally ns well if not better gnltcd, and their power of en durance Is Bomothlng marvelous. After spending two weoks In St. Petersburg, In company with tho general In charge of the Imperial stud, I procoedod to Krenovol, which Is 800 mile south west of St. Petersburg. Wo wore met at tho railway station with tho regu lation winter conveyance n low sleigh with threo horses hitched abreast, a trotter In the center and n runner on each side Thon commenced the Jour noy to tho stud, and never will I forget that trip. After wo were seated lu tho sleigh nnd wero comfortably wrapped up In tho fur robes the driver, who does his teaming standing upright, gavo an In dian war whoop and wo wero off. Tho first Jump took my bronth away. Tho snow flow in every direction, nnd is wo whizzed around comers the sleigh would ride on one runner, nnd I ex pected every moment to bo spilled out nnd have my neck broken. Tho driver never ceased his whooping, nnd alto gether I think I rodo fnstor on that trip than I over did beforo In my llfo. When I Anally landed at tho Btud, moro dead than alive, I said, "No moro Rupslnn sleigh rides for Uncle George." A Russian rnco track is n funny thing. First thero is n bit of track, Just wido enough for ono sulky, then parallel a strip of turf a foot and a halt high and two foot wldo, then an other bit ot track, and so on. ThlB is dono so that ono horse cannot in terfere with another; So you seo foul driving Is unknown lu Russlu. At St. Petersburg I was much Impressed with tho falrncos nnd system with which tho rnclng was conducted; indeed, tho promoters ot racing in tho United States could with ndvantngo to tho Bport copy in many rospectB from tho Russlnns. In all contests abHoluto fairness Is demanded. Slnco I hnvo been hero I hnvo had u track built on tho American plan, and my classes are Instructed over tho new track. Every Juno a rnclng mooting 1b given nt Krenovol, and usually a number ot government horses aro Btnrted In Bomo of tho races. Heretofore it was tho custom for the head trainer to do all tho driving, but this year I put up the ndvnnccd students. This proved a popular Innovation, especially as out nf five starts tho government horses won four first moneys and ono nccond. I was congratulated on all sides on tho success of tho change. I am very well plcnscd here, and I think my em ployers aro cqunlly well satisfied with the way things nro going. Hlilramllk for Inpr Flulfb. The Pennsylvania Stato Collogo bul letin thus describes the process ot pre paring aklmmllk for paper finish: Tho sklmmllk Is run Into a vat and cither treated with sulphuric acid to coagu late It or raised to a tomperatura ot about 140 degs., when tho milk will coagulate. The whey Is then drained off and curd drained on racks' covered with a coarse curd cloth. After drain ing a sufllclcnt length of time, the curd Is put Into a press and pressed in a mnnncr vory similar to tho old fash ioned way of pressing cider pomaco. Whon the free whoy has been cx pollcd in this manner, tho cakca ot curd aro put through a peculiar shaped curd mill, consisting ot a hopper so arranged that the curd Is forced through a sheet ot galvanized Iron perforated Ith holes about tho size ot a pen. It Is then put on wire cloth trays, about 30 Inches square, In u thin layer, and tho trays piled on small trucks and put lu tho drier. Tho heat Is supplied from the boiler, nnd la maintained at as oven a temporature as poflslblo during tho tlmo tho curd Ih being dried, which Is from 18 to 24 hours. When dry, tho curd Is scraped off the trays Into n bin, whero It Is Backed, stored and shipped once a month. Three and n half pounds ot curd, worth at present C'c p?r pound, uro produced from 100 pounds ot sklmmllk. Tho cost of putting In n drier curd plant In n creamery hand ling 10,000 lbs. of milk per day Is about $150, and It requires ono hand to handle thnt nmount, and additional help whon the yield Is above that. Tho editor ot a Tennessee town, who stated lu hla paper that the new cen tury would begin Jnn. 1, 1901, was rid den out of the town on a rail, Homo Fact ItvgnrAIni; Ilroomcorn. A circular from tho University of Illinois says: Tho extremely high prlco ot broom corn has aroused public Interest In this crop to such nn extent thnt tho de partment of agronomy of the Univer sity of Illinois is preparing & bulletin upon "Broomcorn Raising nt a Sult nblo Industry for Illinois Farmers." Among tho facts that will bo brought out nnd tho conclusions reached the following nro somo of tho most im portant: Broomcorn is n close relative of In dian corn and flourishes on tho nnmo soli nnd under tho sumc conditions. Therefore, Illinois Is naturally well adapted to the production of broom corn, especially through tho mlddlo ccctlon of tho stntc. Tho preparation ot the ground nnd tho cultivation nro much tho samo ns for Indian corn, only It must bo moro thoroughly done. To produco a ton of broomcorn under fair conditions requires about threo acres cf lnnd. Tho cost of production undor tho best ot conditions Is $50 per ton; tho averngo selling prlco la ubout $70 per ton, though It han sold us low na $30. Th'8 Is n crop requiring nn ImmonBO forco nt harvesting, n thrashing gang numbering not I033 thnn twenty, and tho harvesting season attracts to tho community ns laborora or ns camp fol lowers, a swarm of most undcslrablo characters. Tho buslncsa requires n Bpeclal outfit of toola nnd Bhcds cost ing $800 to $1,000, that nro of little or no vnluo for other purposes. Tho crop Is a precarious ono thnt may bo ruined by n few days of bud weather, and ltn successful growth and harvesting ro qulro a high degrco ot knowledge and special skill. Tho world's consump tion of brush, according to the best authorities, Is about 30,000 tons, and there enn bo no sudden lncrcnso, be cnuso It Is used but for 0110 purpose. This 30,000 tuna Ih produced on nboul 112,000 acres, or les3 than five town ships ot land. Two-thirds of tho broomcorn ot tho world Is grown la four counties In Illi nois viz., , Douglas, . Coles, MouUrlo nnd Edgar, with Areola ns tho most Important shipping point, In fnvor ablo yearn theso counties havo pro duced 28,000 tons, or practically the world's supply. Tho territory nnd tho men already engaged In broomcorn growing could easily doublo tho pres ent production If warranted by tho do mnnd. Tho present prlco Is tho result, neither of nn unprecedented demand nor of n short crap, but ot a slight Increase in activity lu n limited In dustry, giving rlso to peculiar murkct conditions. Tho grower hns not real ized theso prices, nor could thoy havo been established until after tho crop was practically out of tho hands pf tho producer. Attracted by largo quo tations many novices will plant ex tensively the coming year; the result will be an enormous overproduction of brush, much ot Nvhtch will bo of Inferior grade. It In and will always remain a llttlo Industry, because the demand Is not only limited but umnll. Isolutcd Individuals nnd thoflo remoto from recognized methods aro at a seri ous disadvantage. Tho university Is Interested In tho extension ot every industry suited to Illinois conditions nnd that will diver sify tho ngrlculturo ot tho stntc, but it realizes that any considerable and sudden iucreuso in ono that calls for special knowledge and for which tho demand is limited is cortaln to result In loss to tho Individual nnd In a seri ous damngo to the Industry. This is not a favorable tlmo to embark in tho business, and whoever feels Impelled to undertake It should first visit tho broomcorn district nnd fully acquaint himself with tho particulars of tho Industry. ... . Tho Moiluru V'lr Fence. The ndvantago possessed by tho wlro fence over tho old-fashioned rail and bonrd fonco Is groat. Tho old fences took up n vast amount of room nnd woro tho harboring places of nil kinds of insect and weed enemies. Often tho amount of land kept out of cultivation by tho big sprawling foncea was it largo per cent of tho best land, Tho weed Leeds collected thora overy fall, and tho weeds sprung up thickly every spring and ut seed tlmu sent thplr myrlndB of omhryonlc plants oyer tho fields to spring up in turn In tho bowu field and harass the husbandman. Theso weeds by tho fonco woro nlwnyw well nurtured, for tho snows collected ovor them nnd In melting Increased the fertility around their roots. Often thoy received moro needod moisture than tho valuable plants In tho open Held, und so woro tho moro ready to take tho lead ot the procession. With tho advent of tho wlro fonco tho weeds got a backset. The fccytho could run right under tho wires, nnd tho weeds found tliemaclvc3 assailed on both Hanks. Tho snow does not ,nceumulnto much In tho protection of a fence wire, nnd tho weeds that remained got 110 extra coddling from that source. Tho man thnt has a first-class ami well-built wlro fence has something that will remain with him for years. Thero is 110 iiccsebIIv of nn annual campaign to put it In shape, m thero used to bo with tho board fence. When a heavy galo comes tho farmer does not have to go out In tho morning and begin the tnsk of righting half n mile, of fence hoards nnd posts. The old hoard fence disfigured tho farm, for it was too extcnslvo to keep white washed. Every mishap Increased tho disfiguration, Not so tho wlro fence. Tho gule comes nnd It stands. Tho rain and lco como and it bears up un der them, If by any chanco a wlro la broken tho fuct doca not camso a dis figurement to tho general wholo. Alto gether tho wlro fenco ia in every sonoo tho modern fence and Its presence, de notes progress. 1