VOL. LVII.
INDIANAPOLIS, NOV. 1, 1902.
NO. 43
Value of Asric ilture to the Country.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
In response t<s an invitation from the
Maryland Bankers* Association, George
Wa Hill, chief of the division of publications of the Department of Agriculture addressed that association at their
annual convention on the work the Department is doing for the farming interests of the COs»atry. Prefacing his talk
with the remark that according to the
census, the investment in farm values
(exclusive ..f stock, etc.) amounts to 201?.
billion dollars, four times greater than
the capital invested in manufactures and
that there are five and three-quarter million farms in the United Sates, he called
attention to the evident fact that the prosperity of hankers must depend upon the
prosperity of the farmers. Farm labor is
paid $1,000,000 a day including Sundays
and holidays. In the decade ended last
June the United States exported in round
numbers 11 billion dollars' worth of
products of which over 7 billion dollars'
worth tame from the farm.
Assuming that some of the bankers
were politicians, Mr. Hill stated that between 32 and 35 millions of the American
population were farmers and their families, of whom about 7 millions were voters.
II.: then showed how the work of the
Department of Agriculture has added to
the wealth of the country. First, by
seeking to substitute domestic for foreign
grown products which we now import,
amounting to over ?200,000,000—such as
simar $110,000,000. raw silk over $30,000,-
000, hides $30,000,000, tobacco $15,000,-
000, Egyptian cotton $8,000,000, or more
an.l miscellaneous articles such as macaroni, nuts, preserved fruits, flowers, bulbs,
etc., perhaps $25,000,000, products which
<*an 1-e larger or entirely grown in the
United States. Rice growing he cited
as a practically new American industry,
largely fostered by the introduction of the
new improved Japanese seed secured by
the Department. Six years ago we grew
only one-third of the rice consumed; to-day
we produce more than our total consumption. We will Isegiti to export it. Since
the introduction of macaroni wheat by the
Department, macaroni making is becoming
an American  industry.
Second, the Department is working constantly to increase yields of various products. The fultz wheat introduced by the
Department is an instance. Thirty years
ago the average wheat yield was 12 bushels per acre. Now it is about 14 bushels.
The oat an.l grass crops have been largely increased through the introduction of
improved seed. And third, the government looks to the prevention or riddance
of diseased plants and animals by keeping
them out of the country through systems
of inspection, by stamping them out nnd
by discovering nnd importing parasites to
keep them in check. An instance of the
good effect of the quarantine is seen in the
prevention of the importation of the
mongoose by certain enthusiasts. The
mongoose kills snakes but it also prefers
fowls and egga. It is stated that the
small islands of Jamaica annually spends
a million dollars on this post. Summing
up. Mr. Hill estimated from 75 million to
100 million dollars annually as a conservative figure of what the Department
sav.s   the   country   at   large.
Washington, D. C. G. E. M.
It is estimated that the bees of the
United States have produced during th?
season just closed $7,000,00 worth of honey and wax.
Care of the Mowing Fields.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
As the farmer has been securing his
crop of hay he has had a good opportunity f..r careful observation as to the physical condition of his fields, comparing those
that have produced a satisfactory yield
with others that have not, and in this
way deciding what was most needed to
bring the matter up to a profitable point
of production. Having come to the conclusion-, there should be no unnecessary
delay iu improving these fields in whatever
the process may consist, in order that they
may compare favorably with those of the
best productive order.
There may be a necessity for plowing,
devoting to some other crop, fertilizing
and again reseeding to grass.
.V properly moist soil, not too wet is
generally g*>od for grass. Where too wet,
it may be necessary to underdrain for the
best results, not only for grass but for
tillage purposes as well. There are often on most farms, fields or parts of ones
that are hardly adapted to the general
cultivation needed for other crops, but are
very well adapted to the production ot
good crops of hay, provided they are managed intelligently. If possible, such
fields should be made smooth for haying
machines, with a well set, uniform sward,
■.rowing desirable grasses. Where this
has been accomplished, then all that will
be necessary, at least for an indefinite
time, should be frequent top-dressings of
manure. This should be applied early
.very autumn in small quantities and be
made fine nnd even. This will be preferable to a single large application. If
there is not manure for the purpose, then
alternate with a good dressing of superphosphate or grass fertilizer. I am inclined to think that this would be preferable to either manure or fertilizer exclusively.
If a meadow does not promise satisfactory returns for the outlay necessary
to put them in a proper condition for the
purpose, then it would seem better to
turn to pasture, and devote extra attention to what the whole was previous to
the change. All surface obstructions
tliat can be removed without too great cost
houlsl be gotten out of the way for convenience in work of cultivation ns well as
the harvesting of the crop. In all these
ways mush may be done to improve the
meadows  and  their  products.
The Farmer Sewing Machine.
Editors  Indlsns   Farmer:
Have been trying the new machine,
which we received yesterday. It works
like a charm. I had no trouble in using
the attachments; all work perfectly. As
far as we ca usee, it is as good a machine
as the agents here sell for $35 nnd $40
each. Many thanks, I am almost as proud
of the machine as I am of "Topsey,*'' the
Cluster White pig.
Been having much rain; pastures are
f.ne, turnips, late cabbage, rye and wheat
all growing nicely.
Mis. Emma Clearwaters.
Our Department of Agriculture at
Washington is sending out annually hundreds of thousands of doses of black-leg
vaccine which has reduced the losses from
this once devastating disease to a minimum. Any farmer desiring black-leg
vaccine to insure his cattle against the
disease can obtain the same upon application throngh his Congressman or to the
Secretary of Agriculture.
Letter From Kansat*.
Editors Indians Farmer:
Wc have ha.l a very wet season. Had
s.i mnch rain when the wheat was tilling
thai il blasted the grain so that it did not
half till. It averages from 3 to 10 bushels
per acre and weighs about 55 pounds
per bushel. While plowing we had rain
enough all the time to keep the ground in
good condition. Just as we got to drilling we had several .lays of rain that
■topped work for 10 days. We are now
having nice, clear, cool weather. Nearly
all the wheat is sowed. The early sowed
is np, so it covers the ground. We have
had two light frosts. Vegetation is green
yet. There is not as large an acreage
sowed iir wheat as has been for the last
few yeara. Most every one has left
some gronnd for spring crops. Oats was
an extra crop; corn good; wet weather delayed thrashing; not near all done yet;
the stalks have been too wet nearly all
the time.
Nearly all the ground is sowed in
wheat and thrashed "ii the ground it
grows on. As goon as tin* machine leaves
they s*t fire to the straw and burn it.
Wherever a stack is burned there is a spot
that can not produce anything for a few
years.
In the towns the manure from the
stables is hauled out and thrown in the
river, and yet there is no country where
manuring   does   more   good. We   have
seen the crop on virgin sod largely increased by a load of manure. It will
show  where  every  fork   full  is  left.
Rome, Kans. D. M. A.
American Meat ln Germany.
Editors Indlsna Farmer:
On  April   1st,   1903,  the  new  German
Meat   Inspection     Daw   goes   in-to   effect.
Under this act 5(1 Inspection stations will
be  established,  of  which  29  will   be  at
various ports of entry. It is believed that
the  inspection   will  materially  retard  the
importation   of   meats.        For   the   year
1901,  the  imports of food stuffs and  live
stoek   for  food   purposes  had  a  value  of
ov.r  SloO.OOO.OOO,  an  increase  of  nearly
775,000 tons over similar imports in 1900,
this notwithstanding a fine yield of rye,
wheat and  oats.      The butchers'  associations,  in  Germany  reports  Consul  J.   E.
Keil,  at  Stettin, are  being alarmed  over
the constantly decreasing supply of home '
live   stock,   but   notwithstanding   this,   at
the   instigation   of  the   Agrian   party,   re- j
stri.tions have been placed  upon  the im-;
portation of cattle with a view to prevent- j
ing  American  beef gaining too  strong  a
foothold  in the Empire.      As a  result of
this scarcity of meats. Consul Keil states, j
since last January the price of meats has
risen   perceptibly—the   price   of  live   hogs
in June ]0o2 was 298-10 per cent higher1
than  in June  1900.      In  laboring circles
use of ment due to high prices, is dimin- j
ishing. resulting in an increased consumption of fresh and smoked fish and herring.
G. E. M.
PI Kill F. I X1VK1.-.1TY SCHOOL Of
AGRKTI.T. I.E.
The  School  of  Agriculture of Purdue
University offers:
1.—A graduate course of four yeara.
2.    A   special  course of two years.
3.—A   winter course  of  two     winter
terms.
The class room instruction, in the scientific and technical subjects of these cours-
. s, is supplemented wilh laboratory and
fiel.l work in llie study of: ll) soils, drainage, tillage, manures nnd fertilizers; (2)
Identification, propagation and destruction
of noxious woods; (8) propagation, Improvement ami adaptation or tin* different
varieties of grains, forage plants, fruits
and vegetables: (1) germination, growth.
planting, cultivation, harvesting, and curing of field, orchard and garden crops; (5)
handling, feeding and improving dairy and
butchers' stock; (0) Insect pests, plant ami
animal diseases, ami methods of combatting the snme; (7) methods of handling
milk an.l cream ami making and marketing
butter and cheese; (8) methods of laying
out and construction of systems -of field
drainage; (9) testing the draft and efficiency of farm implements and vehicles;
(10) arrangements of cultivated fields, pastures, lots and lanes of the farm; ((11)
planning an.l arrangement of farm dwellings and barns; (12) sanitary, convenient
and tasteful grouping of farm buildings;
(IS) laying out and embellishment of rural
school and home grounds etc.
The Winter Course trains young men
and women to be more successful and more
helpful on the farm and in the homt. In addition, it fits youngmentoobtainanil earn
higher wages ft8 farm employees, herdsmen,
dairymen aud creamery opentives. Most of
tin.ss* students return to the home farm.
Those who desire it have no difficulty iu
securing positions in the lines named
above.
The Two-Year Course gives added training in the applications of the sciences to.
practical agriculture. Those who have-
taken this course are successfully conducting farms, which they rent or own.
The Tenth National Irrigation Congre-s
was largely a jubilation convention of
western men assembled to celebrate the
passage of the national irrigation act.
The representatives came from all sections of the west—irrigation farmers from.
Oolorado and New Mexico fruit irrigation-
ists trom Arizona and Southern California and stock raisers who irrigate fine
fields of alfalfa from Washington. Montana
and Utah. The name national irrigation
congress is a misnomer. The congress is
attended by men from western states,
where farming is carried on almost exclusively by irrigation. Its only national
feature is that it advocates government
aid to irrigation which is a national question.
Milk is heavier than water. In diluted
milk the water will largely rise to the
surface. Thus 100 gallons of average
new milk will weigh as heavy as 103.02 :
of water. Separated milk will weigh
more than whole milk since the lighter
weight fat is abstracted from the former.
London has  over 500 railway  stations,
exclusive of goods depots.
Mrs. Cornelius VanderbQt has placed a
Window in Trinity church, Newport, as a
memorial to her husband. The window
represent! a Christian knight seated an 1
holding in his right hand a sword, and in
his left a shield, upon whieh is a cross,
resting oh the left knee.
John W. Springer, president of the
National Live Stock Association delivered
an address to the Irrigation Congress at
Denver in which he attacked the "beef
trust" at Chicago, which he declared was
preparing to enter into an agreement
which would absolutely fix the price that
would be paid for cattle on the hoof and
nt the same time regulate the retail price.
The price of meat which the people of
the United States would eat would be
manipulated by one man. He would decide what the difference would be between
the buying and the selling price and tha
people would have to pay it if they ate _
meat.