Garden
VOL. LVI.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., OCTOBER 26, 1901.
NO. 43
CORN MF.AI. FOOD IX EUROPE."
Ii is interesting to note il*«' rapid growth
>>r the popularity of *■<>_■__ men] in Foreign
countries. Only ghoul 20 fears ago it
was .'iliimst unknown* as nn article of hu-
111:111 food in Europe, lint BOW it has become :i part of tin* daily *li*'t in Belgium,
where nearly 1J.ikhi.ikki bushels of our
corn were s**l*l last year, .-im! where eleven
large mills have been erected for grinding
corn meal. In some *>r tin' bakeries corn
bread is kept regularly "ii Bale. It is
enongh better than the black rye bread
which is the common food of the poor, but
■ .ui- people would not eat much of it cold.
'I'** be real good it must come hot from the
oven, nnd miisi be well spread with good
sweet butter. Taken in tliis way it is
popular with ns in almost  any  form; tin*
simpler the mixture tin* better with some
* .
lovers ni' corn bread, who declare that
there is nothing more palatable than plain
•liilinny cake, made of fresh corn meal and
water, slightly salted.
Export statistics show that our shipments ul' corn have increased from 24,278,-
117 bushels in 1888 to 200,348,273 bnshels
last year, when 192,519,785 bushels of this
amount were sent to Europe.
Much of this increase has resulted from
the * ITurls of our agricultural department,
through a wira meal diet enthusiast, Col.
Murphy, lo popularize this food in Kurop-
i-an count ties by means of corn kitchens at
fairs an.l other public gatherings, where
samples of coin bread, enkes, puddings,
etc., were distributed free I" all comers.
In this way hundreds of thousands of the
people learned to know ami like this cheap
and nutritions diet, who had only heard
nf ii before. The demand thus created
has had not a little to do In keeping up the
price  nf  our great   western   cereal.
BCGAR STATISTICS.
According to Messrs. Willed & Cray.
sugar statisticians, New York, the i**lal
consumption- of sugar In the United States
last year was 2,219,847 tons, nnd based
on the average increase of 0.34 per cent
during the past 111 years, the consumption
this year shonld be 2,300,585 tons. Of
this quantity I.ikki.ikki tons in round figures will come from American Bourees,
say Louisiana being able to produce 350,-
ikki ions. I'uitcil Stall's beet factories 150,-
ikmi. Hawaii, 350,000 and Porto Rico 150,-
ikki. all being free of duty, leaving 1,300,-
585 Ions to conic from other sources and
our which duty is paid.     The average duty
assesseil  is $86     per 1**11. or a  total of $84,-
981,080. The prii f all the sngar consumed, however, being enhanced to the
extent of the duty of $36 per too or n
total of $84,081,000, it is evident that $36,-
ikhi.ikmi additional is paid by the people in
order to provide the Governmefil with 4!)
millions lot revenue, of which the Government is nol tow iu need. If the duty is
taken ..IT Onbii sugar, the benefit of 85
millions goes to the people. On October
Nth, the quotation for Cuba Centrifugal
sugar 96 degrees test, free on board Cuba
was 1.90c per pound, duly mi same
amounts to 1.1(850 equivalent to 86 pet
cent ailvalor m. That is to say. 86 per
cent **r what our sngar costs us. is for
revenue onlv.
RAPE ( LLTl KK.
A subscriber asks for information about
rape and its culture.     Rape is of the same
family Of plants with the turnips, but has
been cultivated for years in Europe, but
generally for its seed, from which an oil
is made, rather than for forage purposes.
Mnch of the rape seed "il is \i^,;\ to adulterate olive oil. The yield is from ls<Ki to
2.oiH.  pounds of seed  to the acre,  making
from 600 I** 800 pounds of oil. The seed
are sown in drills about two feel apart
and thinned out to four inches apart in the
rows. The soil should be deep and rich,
and the cultivation like that for cabbage,
clean and frequent, but shallow. Onr
correspondent does not say whether he
wauls lo grow the plant I'm- seed or forage.
If the latter lu* shonld sow tin* Dwarf
Kssox variety. Sow it thinly broadcast,
anil in May. Il makes excellent past ure
for sheep, especially in the dry months,
when other pasture is exhausted.
THE DECEMBER SCHEDULE.
Correspondents of the Division of Statistics   will   be   requested   lo   report   in   the
schedule returnable December 2   upon the
following subjects:
1. Production1 compared with last year
of corn, wheat, oals. barley) rye. buckwheat, potatoes, sweet potatoes, hay ami
rice.
2. Area sown this fall as compared with
the fall of 1900 of winter wheat and winter rye.
8. Condition mi December 2. 1901, of
winter wheat and winter rye.
4. Average farm price on* December 2.
1001, of corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye,
buckwheat, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tobacco, cotton, hay ami  rice.
Tin* great carnival held here last week
proved a financial puccess. The total attendance was about 113,000 ami the receipts were near J-14,000, while 'lu* ox-
poii-i's were abont the sain*'. The 'ow
rales on railroads brought many thousands t.i the city lo set* llie fun ami foolishness, and sunn* things that were nol funny
anil more wicked than foolish. The ministers of different denominations at their
weekly meeting on Monday last, generally
expressed tic hope that there would not
he another carnival held here, as they considered many features very objectionable.
The Hessian My has appeared in the
wheal in our southeastern counties, and
is ruining the wheat. The farmers are
sorry now ihal they did not delay sowing
till colder weather.
Sniall-p**.*: prevails as an epidemic at
Glencoe, six miles southeast ol' Washington, Daviess county. Twenty-seven of tin
sick have 1 n put in quarantine.
Wm. Dudley Fonlke, of Richmond, has
bees appointed a member of ihe civil service commission by  President   Roosevelt.
•
Corn is close to wheat in this market; the
latter brings TOe, and "1*1 corn 03c.
Protection from Ligbtmcg
Editor. Indiana Farmer:
Iii a  recent issue of the Farmer was an
articl    lightning   rods  claiming   their
utility ia protecting bnildingsand their contents against lightning, all of which I
believe was true, but being written by one
who has rods to sell, 1 rear ii will have
but little effect on the average reader, for
there have been so niati-y swindlers in the
lightning rod business that many people
have become prejudiced against lightning
rods on that account.
But, nevertheless, facts and experience
prove to us that they do protect onr buildings against lightning, for the elftrical
currents are very partial towards buildings
Ihal are not rodded as statistics show.
There are millions of dollars worth of
property in the United Slates and Canada
destroyed by lightning each year, where
buildings are not rodded, ami but few if
any are destroyed where the buildings were
rodded. Also the experience of insurance
companies proves (hat there is selii.,in if
ever a  loss by lightning to a building  that
is rodded. in 1'.hh» the Farmers' Mutual
companies of Iowa, paid over $34,000 insurance ou ruined huildings ami contents
that were destroyed by lightning, but paid
no losses on rodded buildings. The
Farmers' Mutual Insurance company, of
Woodford I'**.. 111., which has been doing
business for over 25 years, publish in
Iheir annual report thai they never have
had a loss hy lightning mi a rodded building, while ihey have had many mi 1111
rodded buildings. This has been the experience of our own company. We bave
been doing business for live years, and we
have never had a loss by lightning where
buildings were rodded, but we bave had
several bnib.ings destroyed by lightning
thai were not rodded. I presume the experience of all insurance companies is
about the same ill this line. It being
proven that rods do protect our buildings
aud their contents against lightning; linn
why is il that so many neglect to rod their
buildings'.'
The answer for some would be that they
are mil fully convinced of their ability;
for others they would rod if il did not
1 ost to** much. To such I would say get
you some No. II copper wire and make your
own rods al very small expense. Take
about four strands cut the length needed
to go over your building from one side t*>
the mher ami go eight feet in the ground
mi each side, twisl them into a cable, put
it on as above slated ami fasten directly
to tin* building with strips ot zinc; this
wilh the ground will form a circuit ami
make n good conductor. Cot commercial
polnta if you can. if not. put up wooden
staffs, so they will not be over '2(1 feet
apart or mole than 10 feel from 111*' outside of tin* building. I'se same size cable
for your lateral rods, and connect them
wilii your main conductor, and use the
sain*' for points on* tin* wooden staff; in
this   way   a   large  biiildiii"  can   be   rodded
l*.i-   a   few   dollars  ami   will   have  as   g I
protection as they would with a commercial rod that would cosl 30 coins per foot.
and perhaps save themselves a great loss
of property and life, and their neighbors
Ihe expense of paying iheir Insurance.
Thoughtful farmers who have mail*'
careful observation have rodded their own
huildings. not one of whom ever bail hail a
building destroyed by lightning, and they
arc beginning lo complain of the burden
of continually paying for unrodded buildings: so 1 think the lime is near when
farmers' mutual companies will refuse to
taKe   risks  on   unrodded  buildings.
Again, a vast amount of stock is killed
by lightning each year in the Slate of
Indiana alone, ami in our company; which
I   presume  is  a   fair  sample  of  all   insur-
ane ipanies.   on  this  line   fully   75  per
cent of the animals killed have been in
contact or near a wire fence. Farmers
ami stockmen can prevent loss from (liis
source largely by pulling in a ground wire
every 15 or 20 rods around pastures and
along lanes or feed lots. This they can
do rapidly and cheaply. Take a half inch
steel rod, eight feel long: have a hand-
holt  turned one one end and  tl ther end
sharpened. With this and the aid of
water, pul in the hole occasionally, one can
soon go down seven.feet. I'se about a
No. '.I wire of any kind. Cut it long
enough io go i*. bottom of hole and reach
I** ihe lop of the fence; Iranip Ilu* earth
around it ami fasten the wire on the post.
so as to come in contact with all Ilu- wires
on llie fence. This will keep the electricity
conducted out of llie wires 011 Hie fence, so
they will never be charged, which will lessen the attraction, ami should the fence
ever be struck the deadly current will go
into the ground at the nvare.sl ground wire
and stop il from harm. We have paid for
slock killed TH roils from where lightning
struck ihe feme, it being conducted ill a
deadly form that distance on the wire
fence. I hope that the managers of
Farmers' Mutual Insurance companies in
the State of Indiana will give this subject
careful thought, and bring il before the
Slate Mutual I'nion m*xt winter for discussion, that we may get all our members
I** thinking, then our losses from lightning
will gi-ow less each year insiead of increasing each  year, as now is the case.
Benton Co.
twenty-five acres to cultivate. The reason is ihal in the latter case brains must
enter largely in io ihe management of the
farm. and il is always more satisfactory 1,1 use Ihe brains instead of the
lian.Is in accomplishing success. The
small farm must first "I' all be used for
raising only such crops which will give the
surest and largest returns, and every
square foot of it mnst lie cultivated to the
highest degree. ll is possible then to
make more than a living, ami hav*' on*' of
the finest and best farms in the country.
What a satisfaction thai is to any ambitious man you can  readily  imagine.
On a small farm there should be dairy
cattle, pigs ami fruit. This may iml
suit all farmers, and it may be disputed
by some as to whether it is a wise selection. Hut We will see. Suppose we plant
iu the tirst place several hundred fruit
ti**-* live hundred peach, apple or peat
trees according to the nature of the soil
ami climate. Then while these trees are
grow ing we will raise dairy cows and a few
pigs. Thi' cows in particular should le
raised   for  their  milk   and   cream. This
can be done profitably if there is any good
market near at hand or a creamery which
pays according to ihe worth of ihe milk.
Plant nearly all of the land left untouched
by the fruit trees with corn, leaving only
an acre or two for pasture or recreation
ground for the cows. When the corn has
reached the glazed stale cut ii for the silo.
and pul it all iu lor ensilage. Buy siilli-
cient wheat or bran or similar grain, and
feed it with th*' ensilage ihe year round.
Feed everything in the barn, and lei the
cows have the freedom of Ihe pasture lot
for exercise. The animals will produce
more milk and cream in this way than any
otber anil yon cau keep more to the acre
Ihnn if you attempt to raise grass ami
hay for them. They will soon- learn to
love ihe ensilage ami prefer it lo almost
anything else, and summer and winter
Ihey will do well on it if supplemented
with grain. A few pigs may Im* kept on
such a place and Ihey will thrive well 011
tm* skim milk obtained al the creamery for
a nominal sum. Indeed, the two go together very well, unless the milk is sold
outright to the city market, where there is
no skim milk returns. Then the pigs will
have 1.1 be dispensed with. Meanwhile,
the grove of fruit trees should be cultivated diligently, ami a few more acres set
with them every year. Of course one
will then soon need more acres, or ir be
intends to adopt fruit growing exclusively,
the dairy cows can be dispensed with
gradually as more land is planted with
trees. S. W. Chambers,
With a Few Acres.
Killtora Indiana   Farmer:
The farmer with a few acres has a
problem to solve quite different from
the man with hundreds. Th** latter can
raise almost any crop or crops he desires,
and do it with a certain amount of ignorance and carelessness which would
bankrupt Ihe farmer with a lew acres. Yet
iu many respects tin* latter has the advantage of the former, and of Ihe two I
should    prefer    the    farm    of    twenty    or
How to Destroy Trees.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
In answer to your corerspondent, W.
li. N.. I saw a statement once in some
paper that to bore a hole in a stump, and
lin it with coal oil and let it stall.I a few
weeks, anil then set tire lo il. it would
bum out. It proved a failure for me.
Hut I never failed to get rid of the silver
poplar, willow ami other obnoxious trees.
As sooa as the sap gets well up iu Ihe
spring in May or June cut around them
four feet from the ground, the higher the
lielter. and strip tin* bark down In the
roots as far as possible, four inches at
least.  Put   some salt  on the fresh stripped
w I   near   the  ground,   and   lei   the   tree
stand eighteen months, and I will insure
jou that you will have no more trouble
wilh thai Inc. only to remove il. All
timlier dies ami rota quicker if deadened
when the sap is at its bight. That is my
experience of lid years in deadening timber. Sail will destroy all vegetable life
if tiseil fn ely although I never used il
on llie willow, but have killed hundreds
of  them. I.   X.  Cotton.
Marion <'**.
••COMI.V THROUGH THE RYE."
It   is said  that  Robert   Burns'  famous
song. "Cumin' Through the Rye," did not
have reference to a ryelield. bill lo a small
river. Rye, in Ayrshire, which could be
lorded. In wading through, however, the
lassies had to hold up Iheir petticoats, ami
it was a favorite pastime of Bobbie Burns
and mischievous companions to lie in wait
lor the lassies coming through tin* Rye.
When they got in midstream the laddies
Mould wadi out ami snatch a kiss from
ihe lassies, who were unable to resist
without dropping their skirts in the water.