THE OKLAHOMA FARMER, WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1910
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All Communi-
cations on Farm
Matters will be
welcome here.
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ALFALFA WILL GROW
EVERYWHERE
While experts have heen declaring
that alfalfa would only grow in cer-
tain soils and in certain climates, it
has proven adaptability to nearly all
climates and almost all soils. It pro-
duces with a rainfall as scant as four-
teen inches, and in the Gulf states:
flourishes with sixty-five Inches, ft
gives crops at an elevation of 8,000
feet above sea level, and in Southern
California it grows below sea level to
a height of six feet or over, with nine
cuttings a year, aggregating ten to
twelve tons. An authenticated photo-
graph in possession of the writet
shows a wonderful alfalfa plant raised
in the (Irrigated) desert of Southern
California, sixty feet below sea level
that measured considerably more than
ten feet in height. Satisfactory crops
are raised, but onjimited areas as jet,
in Vermont and Flt^lda. New York
has grown It for over one hundred
years in her clay and gravel; Ne-
braska. grows it in her western sand
hills without plowing, as does Nevada
on lier sage-brush desert. The depleted
cotton soils of Alabama and rich corn
lands of Illinois and Missouri each re-
spond generously with profitable yields
to the enterprising farmer, while its
acumulated nitrogen and the subsoil-
ing it effects are making the rich land
more valuable and giving back to the
crop-worn the priceless e'ements gen-
erations despo'ted by a conscienceless
husbandry.—From Coburn's "The
Book of Alfalfa."
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of the most prosperous in the history
of Oklahoma"
1910 BOOM FOR
OKLAHOMA FARMERS
Oklahoma is said to have better
prospects for good crops this year
than it has ever had before. Even the
city folks are not worrying for fear of
a failure. Everybody, Including the
town grouch, is expecting a big yield
of everything, with quality first class
As a result of all these fine pros-
pects, a big boom is looked for. Here
is the Gage Record's prediction and
basic figures to substantiate the
claim:
"The present season, according to
the prediction of local railway men
and real estate dealers, will be one of
the best in the history of the bringing
in of new settlers, and it is believed
the year will see 100,000 new residents
in Oklahoma. It is perhaps an under-
estimate to say that the average
amount of money these newcomers
will bring into the state will 'be $200
yet at that figure the aggregate would
amount to $20,000,000.
"No amount of capital legitimately
Invested in Oklahoma at this time will
he misplaced. Oklahoma offers a
grand opportunity to investors. Its
development may be said to be yet in
the initial stage. It will present extra"
ordinary opportunities for twenty
years to come. Less capital is now
required to operate profitable enter-
prises, however, than will be required
later.
"One of the most gratifying exhibits
presented by the last report of the
territorial board of agriculture, was
that showing the Increased crop acre-
age due to the opening up of new
farms will steadily continue, and this
means increased agricultural produc-
tion and consequent increase of pros-
perous conditions. The secretary of the
state hoard of agriculture predicts,
for instance, that the farm production
of Oklahoma will this season double
that of last year when counted in dol-
lars and cents. This is significant of
the trend in Oklahoma. Urtless all
signs fait, the year 1910 will prove one
MECHANICAL EXAMINATION
OF A KERNEL OF CORN
(By W. A. Graham, North Carolina
Department of Agriculture.)
A kernel or grain of corn consists
of 9 parts:
1. Tip cap, which covers the tip or
base of the kernel and comprises only
about 1.5 per cent of the grain.
2. Embryo root.
3. Tip starch.
4. Germ. The germ occupies the.
central part of the kernel toward the
tip end. It comprises about 11 per
cent of the kernel (more in high-oil
corn arid less in low-oil corn.) The
germ contains from 35 to 40 per cent
of corn oil or from 80 to 85 per cent
of the total oil content of the corn
kernel.
5. Embryo stem or stalk.
6. Horny gluten. The horny glut-
enous part (aleurone layer) lies un-
derneath the hull surrounding the ker-
nel. It comprises from 8 to 14 per
cent of the grain (being more abund-
ant in high protein corn), and it con-
tains from 20 to 25 per cent of pro-
tein, being the richest in protein of all
the parts of the corn kernel.
7. Horny starch. The horny starchy
part is the chief substance in the sides
and back of the kernel (the germ
face being considered the front of the
kernel.) This substance comprises
about 45 per cent of ordinary corn
but is much more abundant in high
protein corn and less abundant in low
protein. Although rich in starch, it
contains about 10 per cent of protein
(more in the high protein corn and
less in the low protein corn.) It con-
tains a greater total amount of pro-
tein than any other part of the kernel
8. Corn Starch. The white starchy
part occupies the center of the crown
end of the kernel and usually partially
surrounds the germ. It comprises
about 25 per cent of the kernel (less
in high protein corn and more in low
protein corn.) It is poor in protein
9. Hull. The hull is the very thin
outer coat. It comprises about G per
cent of the kernel and contains a
lower percentage of protein (about 4
per cent) than any other part of the
kernel.
When the grain sprouts, No. 2, the
embryo root, goes down into the
ground. No. 5, embryo stem, goes up-
ward out of the ground to make the
stalk.
For seed the grain should be care-
fully examined as to (1) shape, (2)
uniformity or resemblance. (3) germ
or viability, i. e„ sprouting.
Different soils and environment will
require different varieties and types of
corn. Seek that for which your farm
proves to he most productive of good
finality.
In nearly all of the states the fol-
lowing points are used in judging seed
com:
Uniformity, trueness to type, shape
of ear, color market condition, .tips
butts, uniformity of grain, shape of
grain, length of ear, circumference of
ear, space between rows and grain
proportion by weight of shelled corn
SHALL WE SOW RAPE?
A subscribed asks this question and
adds: 1 hold the opinion that you can
get more hog food from un acre of
rape than you can from any other crop
that grows out of the ground. If it is
sensibly pastured off I believe that it
grows so,rapidly under ordinary con-
ditions that it would not be out of
the way to say that it produces fif-
teen or twenty tons per acre during
the growing season. It makes a splen-
did pasture for hogs and I believe even
at the present price of grain, that it
is possible to bring hogs to 200 pounds
in weight at a cost not to exceed four
cents per pound, if both rape and grass
are sensibly used. It is a splendid feed
for young cattle and even for cows .if
the calves suck. Of course, you cannot
use rape where the milk is intended
for family use, because it gives it a
disagreeable flavor. I do not believe
that your paper can in any other way
do so much good as to encourage
every stock raiser in the central west
to sow a few acres of rape.—L. B.
This is a strong testimony, but we
do not believe that it overstates the
matter in the least. Futhermore, rape
is one of the easiest crops of the whole
list to grow, because all you need Is to
prepare a good fine seed bed and sow
at the rate of four or five pounds per
acre. It may be seeded any time from
the 1st of April up to the middle of
July.
Ordinarily rape should not be pas-
tured for a period of six or seven
weeks after sowing, for the reason
that considerable leaf growth is nec-
essary in order to insure a strong root
growth. After that the crop will stand
pasturing at the rate of ten or flfteer
hogs per acre, and it will ill all proba-
bility hold out through the entire sum"
mer and fall. Although rape is not as
rich as clover in flesh-forming consti-
tuents, it nevertheless makes a most
excellent food to use in connection
with corn, for the purpose of pork
V roduction.
Where rape -is used for pasturing
cattle, a little care must be exercised
ir the beginning because it is apt to
cause bloat, but after cattle become
thoroughly used to it the danger of
bloating is very, very slight.
A STABLE DOOR CATCH.
Cut a slot in the door 1 1-2 inches
deep and 6 inches long, so that plug
D will slip back and forth. Nail two
pieces of 1-inch board 2 1-2 inches
wide and 11 inches long each side of
slot on door. Drill a hole in a piece
of 1-inch board three inches wide and
eleven inches long and make a round
plug 5 inches long and put it in the
hole, leaving half of the pmg project-
A
/ To Tlie
I COTTON FARMERS
£ Who With the Best
£ We wish to invite your atten-
tion to the importance of plant
J inj{ the best need, it is one ot
^ the ^foundations' to success-
it t'ul fanuig.
8 We have a limited amount of
"Simp/tins Prolific
Gotton Seeel
on hand, which we quote you at
$1.00 per bushel f. o. b. lialeigli.
& Let us book your order now for
J future delivery.
$ Write for testimonial* if you
J do not know of its merits. Our
8 book "ZHow to Glow ZTivo
fBales of Cotton per -Jiere"
£ will be sent upon application. ^
Reference: Any bank or <f
p business bouse in Raleigh- ^
+ W. A. SIMPKINS, Raleigh, N.C. +
/ OriginiUr Md Utrtductr of £
/ "SIMPKINS PROLIFIC COTTON SEED" A
a bushel and there is no market for them
at that, and the farmers are wondering
why they should have all thought of the
same thing at the same time.
The chances are that next year, no
one will raise any potatoes, and the
price will soar again.
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The census of 1840 showed 92 pel
cent of the population living on farms
or in villages of less than eight thou-
sand population. Today probably not
more than 65 per cent are living un-
der such conditions. With fewer men
relatively producing food and with a
much larger population consuming it
prices naturally have soared. In time
these rising prices must check auto
inatically, the shifting of the popula-
tion to the cities. Laborers, for in-
stance, will find that they can bettei
their situation by working as farm
hands, instead of by picking up' jobs
in town. The more energetic of them
will become independent farmers
Farmers' sons who have been tempted
to leave home for the cities will bt
attracted by the profits of farming ti
stav in the country.
The "college farmer," sneered at a
few years ago as a mere theorist, un-
able to make a living off the land, is
much in demand nowadays, says a
daily paper. Prof. George Severance
of the agricultural department of tin
Washington state college, was drawing
$3,000 a year for his duties as in-
structor at the college, but has re-
signed to become a farmer. He is ro
take charge of three farms just be-
yond the boundary line in Canada
and is to receive a salary of $3,000 a
year, with all of his expenses paid
and is also to have an interest in tlie
profits. An automobile is to be pro-
vided for 1 is use in running round his
work on the farms.
ing out on both sides, hen put piece
A between the two pieces on the door,
having the plug projecting outside the
door. Nail a 1-inch piece 2 1-2 inches
long on both ends shown in the cut.
This makes the lock solid on the door.
Cut a hole in the casing so piece A
will catch in it.
THAT POTATOE FLUKE.
Two years ago a farmer In northern
Wisconsin planted a lurge lot of unoc-
cupied land wih potatoes.
The soil is light and he only ran ove*
it with a shovel plow, made a furrow,
planted his seed and in the fall, dug
them up and hauled them to market.
He sold them for a dollar a bushel
and made enough to retire and spend the
rest of his days in comfort.
Thereupon, everybody In northern
Wisconsin put in a crop of potatoes.
Last fall they were offered forty-five
cents a bushel, but with the experience
of the farmer in mind, they refused to
take it.
Now, potatoes have fallen to 15 cents
Of a certain list of 1,000 successful
men chosen without respect to thell
origin, 300 were found to have been
farmers' sons, 200 messenger boys, 20il
more had been newsboys, 100 were
printers' apprentices, 100 were factory
apprentices, fifty began :it the bottom
of railway work, and but fifty had
wealthy parents to give them a start.
A monument to cost $1,000,(>00 is pro.
posed In honor of the old black "mam-
my" of the South. The sentiment which
prompts it is fine; but the "mammy"
will have to be satisfied to regard it as
an abstract honor, even if It shall be
made of concrete.
"One of the observers says Haliey's
comet has whiskers," says the Scranton
Tribune. Somebody should hand it a
safety razor as it b-ushes by pretty soon.
It would be Interesting to hear what
that Maryland auctioneer has to say
when he auctions off those Rising Sun
old maids.