; 1 . n,'"S> _■ - J OF INTEREST TO FARMERS IiJTihi n in ■ ■ in ' ■ " FIRST MONTH VLTAL “Let me control a child’s sur roundings, teaching and care for the first seven years, and I won’t worry about what will happen after that,” a noted relgious leader said. The same could almost be said for rais ing chickens, provided you shorten the important period to a month. Of course, there are numerous dis eases and parasite that can kill or stunt or destroy profit after one month of age, yet success with poul try is more often made or marred during the first month than during the rest of the whole raising process Tliere are so many things that are tremendously Important during that time that lose their importance later. A fire going out in the brooder can snuff out the lives of 250 chicks if it occurs when there are a few cold days in March, but is only a minor inconvenience five or six weeks later on. A slight error in the ration or a change from sweet to sour milk and back again can create havoc when the chicks are Just starting in life, and be only a pleasant variation in feed two months later. Teaching good habits, such as roosting where they belong, eating and drinking out of contain ers only, keeping busy with food and litter instead of picking and fighting each other, come easy dur ing those first few weeks, but hard afterwards. Failure to get the brooder house cleaned and litter re newed every few days is vital those first few weeks, but is not a serious omision after the chicks are a month old, if they are properly trained as to eating, roosting and playing. Whether you have a uni form flock or lots of runts, a quick growing one or slow, a high per centage raised or not, depends most on how close to ideal the feed, hous ing and care were for the first month, privided good, strong chicks were used as the foundation. THE FERTILIZER OUTLAY In line with the reduced prices on everything the farmer sells, he is forced to make cuts on every thing he buys and naturally the item of fertilizer comes in for con sideration. While prices for com mercial fertilizers are down this year, especially the price tor nitro gen, yet it seems timely that a few suggestions in this connection be made. One way in which a farmer can save on fertilizer bills is to give more attention to the proper application of commercial plant food. Smaller amounts, properly applied, of the right fertilizer will give bet ter results than where twice the amount is improperly applied. At least this is true for many crops, especially so in the case of our special crops like potatoes, cabbage, tobacco, sugar, beets, and, in lact, to some extent is this true in the case of corn and small grains. Where possible, we like to localize the application of our fertilizers for these special crops, says a farmer who made soil study a hobby. Applied in the rows at the proper depth, that is, within the root feeding ra dius, the crop will make the best use of the fertilizer applied. And, of still greater importance, we have found that a higher percentage of our plant food will be held in more readily available form where local ized. Elaborating on this latter Seint, I wish to especially bring out re fact that phosphat and, in fact, potash fertilizers on many soils are very quickly fixed by the soil in forms that are not so easily brought into solution, and thus are not so readily available to the grow ing crops if they are applied broad cast. Therefore, the localizing, or even the concentration of our plant food, within certain limits, will cut down the amout of "fixing” by the soil. In other words, we saturate our soils fixing capacity locally and still have a balance of water ^soluble plant food within the reach of the growing plants. Nitrogen, of course, is easily leached, especially where it is applied in the lorm of nitrates or after nitrogen fertil izers have been changed over to nitrates, and thus, where we are supplying any considerable part of the nitrogen requirements of our crop in commercial ioim, we may have to make two or three special separate applications. The old idea ot fertilizing the soil and building up a high reserve of plant food has been overemphasized. It is true that we do try to maintain a high level of fertility, and especially do we strive to build up the organic matter reserves of our soils, but the plastering on of large amounts of phosphate, in fact, even lime, is now questioned, especially in the light ol the farmer’s present pocket book limitations. The newer attach ments for our seeders, drills, and planters are being redesigned with the idea of proper placement of the fertilizer. In the case of tobacco we have data to show that 500 lbs. of the commercial fertilizer applied in the row has given better results than 1,000 lbs. applied broadcast ol the same mixture. In the case of potatoes the ideal method now seems to be row application with greater depth of application, but separation irom the seed piece. The newer attachments for potato planters are designed in such a manner that the fertilizer is applied in two streams to the side of the Beed piece, but to the same depth as the seed, and the fertilizer is mixed with the soil at this level. For corn, best results are secured from small applications where the fertilizer is hill dropped, but prefer ably sprinkling along in two bands on either side of ihe seed, stretch ing out these bands to six or eight inches permits of greater distribu tion with less Injury to the seed, and less danger of summer firing. Even in the case cf small giam. our experiments show that best re sults are seemed where the fertil izer is drilled with the seed rather than all applied broadcast Kx crpUon to this mav be made in the euae of th« light snndv soils where. It may be better for the alfalfa or clover seeding if flic fertilize* Is applied broadcast, at least hi part. But under any conditions, where CONSERVING HAY Many ccrn belt farmers are con fronted with the problem of not having enough hay to carry tlair tattre and sheep through the tt a m-n Or the hay may be poor in quality or rompoird largely cl tim othy. In fetxUns trlai* with tatten 114! cattle, dairy cows, calve* and ewe* it ha* Leen found that econom ical rr.tons requiring UttU- i Simla tu clever Imy can t< woiken out when grain Is ecmparatlvtly low in nice an compared with legume h* i, wane some low-value lui-IP- aurit ns corn luluer, straw w Uii.i ti*,’ m ' aifebit• The method la a* follow* First p> ov.(!i a Uni Jtat amount ol inch made legume fertilizers for small grains are ap plied broadcast, it is of greatest importance that these fertilizers bt applied before seeding, and should then be worked into the soil by discing and dragging previous tc seeding. And now the tnird way in which we can save on our fertilizer bills is by using the higher analysis fertilizers. There Is no economy in paying freight on filler, chiefly foundry sand, from fertilizer fac tory to farm. In fact, a 4-24-12 con tains twice as much plant food as 2-12-6; and a 3-18-9, for instance, contains 33 per cent more plant food than a 2-12-6. The extra cost of sacks, mixing charges, and in fact, the fertilizer manufacturer has to go out and buy the filler, and thus the price to the farmer in cludes these items of freight, cost of filler, extra costs of sacks, and mixing charges. Greater care, of course must be exercised in the application of these more concen tiated fertlizers, but the newer at tachments on our fertilizer dis tributors are fast taking care of this item. The big thing that stands out before us now is shortage of cash, and yet, in my opinion, we will make a serious mistake if we cut out fertlizers. Our only hepe seems to be in the field of lower production costs, and this can be accomplished only by intensifying our agriculture. Let's grow better and bigger crops from fewer acres. It doesn't pay to wear out expen sive machinery or waste cur efforts on poor soils. Let’s make every .acre do its best. And right now let’s make every dollar's worth of fertil izer give the highest possible re turns. Let’s handle our manure so as to get as much of its plant food back on the farm as possible. WHY OF CHICK PRICES One of the biggest leaks in the poultry business, perhaps the big gest, is caused by eggs that never hutch. Over $100,000 worth ol eggs put into incubators annually are a dead loss because they never hatch. No chick responds to the call of the hatcheryman and this loss must be included in the cost of the chicks that hatch. "This is the season.” says an extension poultryman, why pcultrvmen who buy chicks must pay about two cents a chick more than they would if all eggs hatched” Here is a loss which affects every one in the poultry business. It can be cut in two if those producing hatching eggs will take the job se riously Intelligent care of the breed ing stock, male and female, will in crease greatly the number of eggs that hatch and the vigor of the chicks hatched. The first step is the selection of vigorous hens ar.d roos ters for the breeding pen. This vigor should manifest itself in a bright, snappy eye, an alert carriage, a breast bone well covered with muscle as hard ns iron, and a body free from excessive fat. The second requirements is exercise. Exercise alone should increase hatchability 20 per cent. This exercise should be gin with the starting cf the molting season, in the case of hens. Not ior a single day throughout the hatch ing season nor for two months be fore, should breeding stock be al lowed to loaf. The method and place cf exercise is not important. Outdoor range, when it is in such condition that the birds keep con stantly on the move, is fine. When range is not of this quality, exercise must be provided ,n the house. This means plenty of room, about four square feet per bird. It means clean, dry Jitter, four or five inches deep, end it means keeping the litter con stantly in this condition. After ex ercise. and with it, comes feed. The chief item to be remembered are the vitamins, though minerals and proteins must be present in the proper amounts. Corbohydrates and fats are in superabundance in all rations. Vitamin A comes first. Its chief source is green feed. Dry greens, especially dry alfalfa, must be added to available succulent greens during the fall and winter. Dehydrated alfalfa, because of its greater ricnness in vitamin a, is recommended. The aim should be to keep the yolks too dark to get into the grade know as extras. In ad dition to vitamin A, the mash should contain mineral and cod liver oil. or some good substitute, to make the minerals available. The man producing hatching eggs should take no chances on the presence of vitamin D. Any oil used should be biologically tested lor potency in the required vitamin. Milk should form some part of the breeder’s ra tion. The mash should contain at least five per cent of powdered milk. If the price justifies, 10 per cent may be used. Two pounds of semi-solid, daily to each 100 hens, or three quarts of liquid skimmilk or pure buttermilk will be equal to five per cent powdered milk in the mash. Eggs can and must be made to hatch better. PROTECT NAVAL COED One of the first steps after the calf is dropped is to disinfect the navel cord with tincture of iodine, using a small brush cr a piece of cheesecloth. In case iodiZM It not available, use a five per cent solu tion of a coal-tar disinfectant. Hold a cupful of this solution up under the calf so that the raw, ?xpoeed part of the navel cord is submerged. Repeat the treatment daily until the rord becomes dry. Proper disinfec tion of the navel prevents disease germs from entering the body the calf at that point. GIVE ’EM A CHANCE One cannet know whether he should buy feed for every cow in his herd or not until he har given them a fair opportunity to demon strate how much milk tniy can pro duce. In this case a lair opportun- I ity means comfortable housing, j gentle handling, regular leedmc ; and milking, adequate water, and j most of all well balanced rations in adequate amounts GET BENEFIT NEXT SPRING Rub your plow shares now with llnseed-nll, mixed with whiting, sc 1 they will not rust. hay. With steers, dry tows and | young cattle, tills means two to four pounds per head daily. Dairy I rows need slightly more. Provide : bulk In the ration by gr.nd.ng ear j corn and oats for the grain. With steer: on feed, the oats are not * essential Provide Ute extra protein j required by the add.!.on r»t one to three pouru.r of rottcn*e alien, I rattle will do nearly as well ar.tr, they eat lb U) X pounds it alfalfa | daily. I Out Our Way By Williams f \J voo a& LuMi rollint' across the fh id tov/ard lum He set to work rapidly transferring ids goods to up Itet moms and putting the chickens Mw.nKINE.SH IN UNDHiRAU lair of buviet srtmUietn, iu Urbee of lLit I*uMd Oriedrich RieOurg ui the tirank furu*r ft-it u nr Motiem Uerungrud enu*n the fu ture of the boviet Umon «.• a sort of corpse It seem* tu it uie pro rreiBuve and construct* v« trade macs that are apparent m Uie nUior great cities of Uie Soviet Union hod inmost given up tfu ghuat In n-. The faded gilt of tile palace.., tin* -roe raw of many nobble pale;. the ■lun red of ivrUuii giuun uul tiridg* • do no: fit into Uu picture dl tU Ulilt; ClMi- trui Umi Hucuiuu Into the upper compartment of their coop and mov ng some rose-bush,is up out of the pobable reach o' tho oncoming water. Then the gaic-ocouraged flood was all around the house. Mason herd ed his wife and the neighbor’s daughter and Nell indoors and up stairs. None of the humans expected anything beyond the former high water invasions. But Nell whimpered In growing uneasiness. Higher and higher swelled the flood. Shacks and then farmhouses sons were half-swiinming, half-wad ing, around tho* upper rooms of their home, sick with tenor. As the gale slackened and the flood receded a little, Mrs. Mason collapsed across a table, utterly exhausted, and shaken by a con gestive chill. Her husband and the young neighbor could not get to her. But Nell could. The hound swam to the table and climbed on it, nestling close against Uie swooning woman, and warming her by the heat of her own furry body. All night, Nell lay thus, half on and haif-aloug i side the shivering sufferer. | Doctors said afterward that the protective heat of tire dog's body saved Mrs. Mason from pneumonia if not from death. There was uo other means of keeping the chill from striking through to the wo man’s lungs. Morning dawned on a scene of hideous devastation. The water had gone down somewhat, hut was still high and would remain so for days to come. Everywhere floated, debris of houses and barns, along with dead humans and livestock. Trees had been snapped off or tom up by the roots. The farm was a useless wreck. A driftng boat was nested by began to drift past. So did dead bodies. For u time, the Mason home stood fast. Then the waves and the tempest lifted it bodily lrom its strong posts and set it adrift. Across the dooryard It careened, bumping Into treos, and coming to anchor at last, tilted sideways against a strong barbed wire fence wiiicii caught and held it. The Ma Muson, who rowed Ills wile to Moon; Haven for refuge. He knew tncre would be looters uud sneak thieves tallowing In the wuke of tile hurricane, and that he ought not to leave his home unprotected. Ho he bade Nell stay on guard Next morning, Mason rowed bock to ms flooded lam There demands steel gray, concrete gray, iron gray, but Ht Petersburg still s t mi utters wtUt Ur colors or an cient iron/, {tainted on wood Lenin grad strives vainly U achieve tu> icy, energetic gray, hut Instead of wotking iu. will it attains only the gray oi ugc. despair and misery The tmun street stretching end lessly Irani Ute Admiralty ui Ur Moscow station Is thronged with life, but It is a diilitonl life irom Uuit ol Uiucew Profile Imre at < less aggn-aaivr, Suss ea«rer to laugh ins;, niivrutun Uiut they ait uaen h mg at hr forefront ol humanity Tim beautiful buildings oi ayguim as he approached, he saw Nell hurd at work over something on the upper porch. As he drew near er he saw she had found a dead hen, drowned In the Inundation, and she was carefully picking all the fowl's feathers from It Slowly and carefully Nell worked, until the last feather had been re moved from the wet body. Then taking the denuded hen between her Jaws, she swam to the garage with her burden. Mason followed, arriving there Just in time to see her deposit the carcass on a shelf, alongside the similarly plucked bodies of 11 oth er drowned hens. Par some reason, best known to herself, Nell had found and plucked all 12 of these chickens and then laid them in a row on the garage shelf—whether ns possible later food for herself or for her owners, or merely through some unexplained twist cf mentality, I don’t know. A few days before the hurricane, Mason had bought a quantity of bacon and other kinds of food, to store away for winter. He brought tlie.se out now and laid them on the porch, cutting them to pieces. its if speaking to a human, he told Nell she must stay and guard tiie farm, and allow nobody to en ter the house until he should re turn. He showed her the food he had cut up, and made her under stand it was hers. Then he rowed back to town. His wife’s iiJness and other af fairs kept Mason busy for the next nine days On the 10th day he floundered through the mire to his farm At sight of the oncoming man, Nell roared like a furious wild beast, and dashed forth to drive him back. She was true to her trust. When she recognized him, the hound almost went crazy with de light. Her lonely vigil was at an end. On the porch, where Mason had loft the food, were a few morsels of taucau und cheese. The wise old dog had apparently had sense enough to ration herself, eating every day Just enough to nourish 1 her, instead of gobbling the whole fonst. rms, to my mind, was the clev- : ere«t of all the clever things she ' did, during that time of stress. A newspaper correspondent vis ited Moore Harbor, in 1930. He found the Masons had prospered tremendously and were making more money from their farm than before the hurricane. He found okl Nell there, too, still well and vigilant; and the idol of the entire family Mason and his wife had never forgotten her heroism in Uie ! black days of peril. __ t I | DIVERSIFIED PHILOSOPHY The man who tried to hide behind The skirts that women wear, Would blush himself to deutn before He could get hidden there. "look out I" I'm told, "for counter feit In new ten dollar bills;’’ Tirol compliment has furnished me Pull huh a dozen thrills. Most guys who're on the ether now The world might benefit. If they would only change their stance By gwing under it Great financiers are coming down To pencils and a cup— The which senns very fitting, when Naught but the jig Is up. If A1 hod only fallen off His new big building tall. Compared to what has liapucned him. He'd scarce been hurt at oil An optimist no money has. No not a single penny; And pessimists are just a* bad, Pot they won't lend you any _ —Sam Page days seein to have no connection with the present and exhale a silent imperceptible weariness that lies tike fine dust on men and tlung> alike. DIDN’T HURT BVBB1.KK Nortnan. Okia.—rwvt<~r fnr~ --- nr— rx~w~ rm BABIES AND CARS ft takes the proverbial cake the way young married people lx > nne* uroiiml with their babies thesd days. Bounce Is right, although I mentioned it in u general way. I am thinking more specliIcaLly of motor car::. Oh, yes. I know Jim had to sell his and couldn't buy another, or he was just ready to get one when ho Inst ills job. Bui someday, sometime, one may drop from heaven and then will come up this question in your mind about tha car and the baby. And in th* meantime there arc hundreds of thousands of young couples al over the country who go l>y rid ing with Algernon or Clementina m>t two months out of the blue, Will it hurt those babies to rk!9 nr will it not? * Ttic best place far a baby is at home in Ids own bed, Ills much as possible and keep the Sliced down. During feedings 'lop the car and do.hot.,start .iguln for half an hour i his for long rides. Otiiorwis® time feedings so that they do |l0* occur during the Journey. Cold wind should lx carefully guarded ngahet, or anv strong wind at any time of year. Never close a car up with tho eimine running if the bahy Is in side. fry to avoid long rides as much as possible, and k*ep out of car l»on monoxide fumes »u heavy traffic. N*ver leave an active baby hr the buck seat of an open car alone, or a closed car with m indewv down. California’s Mexican Birth Rate Decrease* Bacramento, Cal. — ((.rp; - CaU (ernln.s large Mexican population W decreasing rapidly. ! This Ls the interpretation given birth statistics by state and federal officials. The figures show that there was a decrease of 2,82‘j birth* in the state last year, ol ’Thieh !, 586 were Mexican. In lOifO. state records show, there were 14 472 Mexican births, or 112 per cent of the total wHU last year the percentage dropped to 15,« The reported departure of 4arg* numbers of Mexicans tc if,dr home country "h tug, iy responsible for ttie bulb durouxc,” ttx tide report i pointed ‘out *» WHIN TlfK ROW START** "Dot- your Wir. get angry if yon don t talk to her?" "No, only U f ii*t tbitevi to *v*i* RYRIT HUN MAI URiiANIXK Ohardnn, Ohio — Uff'1 — Mupi* syrup producer*; are IhttiHnv of or ganlKing like the fru'l growers fa Ohllfornln and Ptmlda N«-*-d of urgaulaution to exploit the profit-* able maple syrup Industry Is seen In tlie Muneri.u- titter- tee. ly.-d from all |xirU ot tt*e OnUt-d gluten* fpfiutxtthig shlpiiM nts. ♦ » ravine for It. hnw rawing (’hew. M-igi ti.di : fk volt broke htln 6 tfrttuuo shop lift to get a lit II, cig.ii Thenwhat w< r« xm drill*; at the s-.t- Mpk "I was puiTina In tin dntte *