Model Farms

The attention soil cuitareis receiving in the west determined the Burlington coinpany to establish a number of experimental stations, or model farms, in order to demónstrate the advautage of most improved methods of soil culture and lead farmers of Nebraska and Kansas to new efforts in this direction and enable thein to become independent, even in so called "dronght sections" and "dry years. " Incidentally the company expects returns f rom its investments in inoreased and regular crops, necessitating heavy freight and passenger trafile work on the Jines of the west. In this connection the Frisco Chrouiole reports as follows: Something was done in this line by the company last year, and with irnmensely satisfactory resnlts. The farms consist of 40 acres in each station under the immediate supervisión of practical and tried farmers of the neighborhood. Each farm will be visited frequently by one of the corps of Professor Campbell, who aro ekilled ia the new methods. Nebraska and Kansas farm staples, corn, wheat, rye, oats and potatoes, will be produced. The farmiug at the experimental stations is conducted primarily on the theory that the rainfall of the west is ampie and abundantfor all practical farming purposes, but owing to capillary attraction the moisture escapes before itperforms its proper and desired functions. The 'new ruethod will contribute to retard the action of uature's law at critical moments and retain the moisture. Experience has demonstrated that the virgin soil of the western prairie is dry and hard to an unknown depth. However, where the surface has been dis-turbed and capillary attraction interïered with the same soil under exactly similar couditions otherwise is moist and mellow as desired by farmers. On this theory the small grain will bedrilled in lines far enough apart to permit cultivation. The surface will be regularly cultivated to a depth of oneor two inches, capillary attraction will bring the moisture this near the surface, where the attraction of the molecules is destroyed, and the unlimited store of moisture is distributedgradually to theroots of the grain instead of passing rapidly into the atmosphere. The professors and experts will spend the remainder of their time in speaking at farmers' institutes in this and adjacent states. Points In Potato Culture. A Michigan correspondent tells in The Orauge Judd Farmer that potato growing in the uorthwest has within a few years increased from the i to4acre garden patch to the 4 to 40 acre field erop. During these years all methods havo been tested, and a uniform method adopted which givea satisfaction. If barnyard manure is nsed, spread it ou the ground in the autumn, plow in the spring, harrow thoronghly, rniirk both ways, 3G to 44 inches apart each way. Use the medium sized potatoes, rejecting the rough ones, cutting them as xieurly one oyó iu a piece as you can without making the pieces too small. In this way four to six bushels of seed per acre aro used. There are machines which are practical and will soon tako the place of the tedious work of cutting by hand. In planting, the pofcato eyes are carried iu a sack hung over the shouldcr, held open with a carved stick or barrel hoop. Plantea with a hand planter, a good practical hand will plant two acres per day without difficulty. Ailer planting harrow the ground thoroughly. When the plants are np suffieient to see the rows, cultívate, keeping tho grouad as level as in cultivating coru. Keep out the weeds and use paris green and land piaster for the bugs. There is no digger giving botter satisfactiou thau the fork. Koot Catter. The soasc:i kas arrived when on hnndreds of farms tho erop cf beets, turnips, carrots, etc. , will begin to be fed out, and on m;iny of (hese farms the roots will Lo prepared for the catite by laborions hand cutling. A root slicer can be bonght that will do good work, but tbe machines cost somemotiey, and in theso uiuua luuiiuy is not too abnndant ou most farms. A bomemade cutter that will tlo good :iud rapi(3 vrork i.sdescribed as follows iu the New York Tribune: A framework is mado of boards, asshowii, with a handle j framed iuto the top ' and crosspieces at each Bide, f irmly nailed or screwed. Set into the lower edges of the sidcs are four knives, made : from oíd, stont saw blades, or fashioried by a blacksniith from thin platea of steel. The knives should be stout enough so they wil] not spring either sideways or up when struck down npnn a solid pile of j roots. Go over the slices uutil they aro reduced to pieoes that cannot possibly choke an animal. Odd Mention. Professor Morrow of the Oklahoma j statioü says that tho most practical power for lifting the water in the vast majority of cases in that state ia a ,wind wheel. The chicory industry promises to become quito important in the west, especially where faetones r.lready exist. One feeding law for dairy cows may thVLB be tersely stated - the animal should never bemade fat orcoustipated. Thronghont muoh of the upper Mis Bissippi and Missouri valleys severo sickaess amoug swino has prevailed. ïhis year sonae hogs froni the aorthwest will again reach westera markets.