WITTE IRON WORKS CO

Safeguarding the Potato Crop

The Best Potato Insurance is Thorough Spraying with Mixtures Which

This Article Tells How to Make and Apply

By W. H. Jenkins

Receptacles for making stock solutions of Bor- deaux mixture

PRAYING potatoes with Bordeaux mixture should be regarded as an insur- ance against the fungus which causes the blighting of the foliage and rotting of the tubers. In a dry season potato-blight may do but little damage, but sufficient fungus survives until the next year, and if the season is wet it in- creases so rapidly as often to destroy the foliage of season and ruin the crop.

the potato early in the

The early blighting of the foliage cuts of¥ the food- supply. It should be understood that about ninety per cent, of plant-foods are the gases in the atmosphere, which are absorbed by plants through the pores of the leaves, and that it is just as important to preserve the leaves of the plant healthy and intact as to apply plant- food to the soil to be taken up by the roots. When the blight destroys the leaves of the potato early in the sum- mer its main supply of food is cut off, and the tubers stop growing before they attain their full size, and ripen, and therefore there is a small yield of soggy potatoes. Records have shown that there is a wet sea- son at least four years out of every ten, and that the potato crop will be much injured by the blight unless thorough and timely spraying is practised.

Spraying is the Only Practical Known Means of Preventing Potato Blight

We should practise both early and late spraying with Bordeaux mixture, because the soft rot of the tubers is a different manifestation of the same disease which destroys the leaves of the plant. If the potatoes blight this year the bacteria which destroy the foliage will be carried over in the seed-potatoes and cause rotting of. the tubers that are produced from them next year. The extent of the rot will depend on weather conditions. If we plant seed containing the blight fungus, and a wet summer follows, it will develop, and the result will be the rotting of the tubers.

There is but one way to prevent the blighting of the foliage and the rotting of the tubers, which, as has been said, are the same disease, and that is timely spraying with Bordeaux mixture.

The early spraying of the potatoes with Bordeaux makes it possible to destroy beetles with small additional

Two-horse sprayers in use in a thrifty potato field in New York

cost; in fact, only the cost of adding arsenate of lead to the Bordeaux mixture, for two or three early spray- ings, or until the beetles disappear. The writer has found that three or four pounds of arsenate of lead to fifty gallons of Bordeaux mixture is not any too much, and the paste arsenate of lead should be diluted in a small quantity of water. If it is not, it may form a hard lump that will take a long time to dissolve. There are some good reasons for using arsenate of lead instead of paris green. It makes the Bordeaux more valuable as a fungicide, sticks to the leaves better, does not burn them, and being white is a marker. The making of Bordeaux mixture is so well known I will only briefly describe the process.

Formula for Bordeaux Mixture

Copper sulphate (blue vitriol), six pounds; quick- lime (unslaked), four pounds; water, fifty gallons. Dissolve the copper sulphate in one barrel, suspending it in a loose bag, and slake the lime in another by pour- ing on water slowly. Dilute each to twenty-five gallons, then mix. Before using, strain through fine brass-wire strainer. None of the ready-made Bordeaux mixtures on the market is as good as the home-made Bordeaux. Neither can lime-sulphur solution be profitably substi- tuted for Bordeaux in spraying potatoes.

To destroy bugs or flea-beetles, add poison to the Bordeaux. Usually this is necessary in the first two applications. With each fifty gallons of Bordeaux use one to two pounds of Paris green, or three to five pounds of arsenate of lead.

It IS better to make a considerable quantity of the stock solution early in the season, and it will be effectual if the strength varies somewhat from the standard formula. If there is a prospect of a dry seaSon the spraying should be done just as regularly and sys- tematically as in a wet season, as an insurance, for reasons stated. Begin when the tops are six inches high, and spray at intervals of ten days, or two weeks, perhaps six times in all. To be absolutely sure of a good crop spray to the end of the growing season.

The above directions look like a formidable task to the average farmer who has many things to attend to during the busy season, but his problem has been solved by modern invention. If he has sufficient acreage of potatoes to warrant the purchase of the new riding automatic horse-power sprayer, or can combine with neighbors in buying one, he can ride on a comfortable seat and let the machine do the work better than he could do it in the old way with a hand pump. When it is not possible to obtain an automatic horse-power sprayer good work can be done with a hand barrel- outfit mounted on a wagon, or even with a knapsack sprayer or compressed-air sprayer. The usual prices of different kinds of sprayers are $60 to $100 for a four- row horse-power sprayer, $20 to $30 for a barrel sprayer and outfit, $10 to $15 for a knapsack sprayer, and $5 to $8 for the compressed-air sprayers. These two latter sprayers are not advised if more than an acre of pota- toes is grown.

Take Good Care of the Sprayers and Nozzles to Get Best Results

When using the ordinary barrel sprayer on a wagon there should be three men to operate it, one to drive and pump, and two *men to handle the two pieces of hose. When sprayed with the horse-power sprayer the potatoes should be planted so the wheels run be- tween the rows, and three feet apart is just about right. With the horse sprayer use one nozzle per row in the early sprayings, which applies thirty to fifty gal- lons per acre. For the later sprayings, use two nozzles per row, which will applj^ about twice as much. There are both one-horsepower and two-horsepower sprayers to suit the need of the purchaser.

Most of the sprayers will do good work and not become clogged and hinder,' if they are rightly cared for, and the solutions well made and strained. The solutions should not be allowed to dry in the nozzle or pumps, but the machines should be thoroughly washed after each day's work.

Spraying is a Business Proposition Which Brings Good Returns

Agricultural scientists who have examined the leaves of the potato with the microscope say that ninety per cent, of the germs of the blight are on the under side of the leaf, so we may see the necessity of spray- ing both the under side and upper side of the leaves, hence a sprayer is desirable that has nozzles that can be set to this work. For satisfactory results in some way the work must be thoroughly done and all parts of the

The result of a spraying experiment at Geneva, New York. The rows on the sides were sprayed six times and yielded 304 bushels per acre. The unsprayed rows in the center yielded 1 48 bushels per acre

foliage entirely covered, and this cannot be so well done except by a high-pressure sprayer throwing a mist. Ten acres per day is a fair day's work with a two- horsepower sprayer, or one acre per hour, and perhaps about half as much with the one-horse sprayer. Some records at hand show the average cost of spraying potatoes to be $1 per acre for each application and about $6 for the season, and that eight years of spraying on one farm shows an increase of forty-four bushels per acre above the average yield of unsprayed potatoes, and a net profit of $24. To re-state the reasons for spraying briefly, spraying potatoes for blight and rot should be regarded as an insurance against these diseases that may almost totally destroy the crop in a warm, wet summer that is favorable to the development of the fungi. We do not entirely safeguard the crop unless we spray every year whether wet or dry, because some of the fungi will develop in a dry season, and these will vastly multiply when weather conditions are favorable, as in a wet season, and no one knows when a wet season will come and we will lose our crops. Some have figured quite accurately, basing their calculations on past records, that the potato-grower who does not provide this insurance will be sure to lose heavily four or five years out of ten, and scientists, basing their calculation on past records, are expecting 1913 to J^e a wet year.

What One Experiment Taught Me

Nevermore Will I Grow a Crop of Potatoes on the Trust-to-Luck Basis

By George .W. Brown

jyiANY farmers still question the practicability of appb'ing scientific methods in producing crops, and the teachings of farm science are steadily ignored. Men of this class jocosely say that science is a first-rate piece of furniture with which to grace one's upper story, pro- viding he has good common sense upon the ground floor.

Contrary to these opinions so often expressed, my experience and observation have proved to my satisfac- tion that onl}' by carrying out the teachings of our ex- periment farms and agricultural colleges can we hope to continue to harvest profitable crops.

An Elxjjeriment That Convinced

In potato culture the aids of science are particularly valuable from the operations of the commercial potato- grower down to the town-lot potato-patch. Indeed it is the small grower who can best afford to make sure of the best possible tubers for his own use.

Last season on Lyndale Farm we followed the advice of our experiment station in growing our main crop of tubers, and nevermore will we grow a crop of potatoes otherwise. The top row of potatoes in the illustration shows the result of our work against potato diseases.

The potatoes represented by the lower row were grown from seed from the same measure, but were not treated for scab or sprayed for blight. This row was planted as a check in the middle of our field, and the specimens of these potatoes photographed were the best we could sort out.

Of the potatoes from which those in the upper row were selected, we could measure out bushel after bushel, and even better specimens than those could be shown. It will be noted that even the smallest tubers are without blemish.

The soil was fertilized with a liberal application of animal and poultry manure deeply plowed in, and fine compost harrowed into the surface.

The Seed Was Given the Formalin Treatment for Scab

The tubers used in planting the main plot were im- mersed for two hours in a formalin solution, using fifteen gallons of water and one-half pint of formalin. The entire plot was cultivated often, the check plot included. Arsenate of lead was used upon the entire plot as a bug-preventive, and Bordeaux mixture was sprayed on three times for blight on the entire plot, save the check row. This row was subjected to the same abuses which most of us practise in growing our crop of tubers for family use. It plainly showed the results! and serves to tell the story of small and poor qualityj in thousands of potato-patches.

Consider the Housewife Too

The question is, will we continue in the same old rut, or will we lift our operations out this season, apply our brains to the task and reap a harvest of tubers next autumn that will be a pleasure to harvest, and at the same time considerably lighten the task of the house- wife in peeling and preparing them for the family table?

The top row were average specimens from a field scientifically managed. The potatoes in the bottom row were grown from the same seed but not treated for scab or sprayed

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I Crops and Soils

Reviving an Old Combination

By Florence L. Clark

F YOU had a small tract of land and were about to go into truck-growing as a business would it ever occur to you to sow your land to pumpkins? Probably not. A few pumpkins in the corn just for pies, "the kind mother makes." is the extent of about nine tenths of the pump- kin-raising in the country. Yet there is one locality at least where of late years the farmers have turned to the pumpkin as a means of livelihood and are growing the big yellow fruit at a splendid profil.

In fact, so popular has pumpkin-raising become at Longmont, Colorado, that a "Pumpkin-Pie Day" has been instituted as an annual fall festival. At the outset no Longmont farmer regarded pumpkin culture any more seriously than he had back on the old farm in Illinois or New York. The few that were raised in the com were found, however, to be of such exceptionable quality that gradually more and more were grown. Then a pumpkin factory was brought to Longmont at the solicitation of the growers, and b,ecause of it pumpkin-farming was placed on so good a financial basis that many farmers began to specialize in pumpkins. So profitable has it proved since that a larger acreage has been sown each year. The 1912 crop assumed enormous pro- portions, and enough pumpkins were placed in storage to keep the canning factory busy for many months.

The Yields are Good and the Prices ^ Satisfactory

"There are many advantages in raising pumpkins," to quote a prominent Longmont rancher. "They require very little attention, are not susceptible to disease, grow rapidly unmolested by insects and thrive in shade as well as in sun."

Two crops, corn and pumpkins, can be raised on the same ground without the least detriment to either. Most of the pumpkin farmers in Colorado follow this system. The two are planted at the same time, and one cultivation does for both. The corn is al- ways ready to hardest first. After it has been removed the pumpkin-field is left for two or three weeks. We also sometimes plant them as a "fill-in" crop when we fail to get a good stand of sugar-beets, potatoes or grain. They can be planted as late as June, so ser\e excellently as a "filler-in."

The canning factory pays $3.50 a ton for the pumpkins. Grown in the corn, they yield as high as fifteen tons to the acre, mak- ing a return of $52.50. When it is known that seventy-five to a hundred bushels of corn are not infrequently harvested from the same acre, the Longmont farmer is justified in reckoning the proceeds from his pumpkins as every bit clear profit.

The Four Requirements of a Bumper Corn Crop

By Horatio Markley OBTAIN a large crop of com four things are of great importance : first, the seed; second, the soil; third, the season; fourth, the method of culture.

Good seed is seed that has vitality enough to germinate and send up a strong, vigorous plant; not less than ninety-eight per cent, should do this. Early in the spring three kernels of each ear of seed-corn should be put into a testing-box, and all ears whose kernels show a faulty germination should be rejected. This seed should be shelled by hand and carefully graded for the purpose of getting an even stand. With corn that will grow and with the high-grade corn- planters of to-day, that will plant true ninety- eight times out of one hundred with graded corn in the boxes, we should have ninety- five per cent, of a perfect stand.

The Best Yields Take Longest to Mature

Next to seed that will grow, is the va- riety that is suited to the soil and conditions given the crop. One mistake sometimes made is in growing a small, early, low- yielding corn on land capable of growing a larger, later and better yielding crop. For several years here in Ohio we grew acre plats of corn of varieties requiring different lengths of growing season, and in every cas_e the yield was nearly in proportion to the length of time required to grow the crop. That is, a corn that ripened in ninety days was a much lower yic-lder than one that required one hundred and twenty days to mature. So marked was this dilTcrcnce that we decided against a variety that will ripen in less than one hundred and ten days.

Cora shows have been great educators. More farmers know what good corn is to-day than ever before. It has been a great in- centive to do better work and has been of very great advantage in many ways. But in one way it has possibly done harm. Buying a prize' ten ears of com grown on very rich

Farm and Fireside. May 10, 1913

soil under ideal conditions and taking them to a distant county and on poorer soil and less favorable conditions has often resulted disastrously, and maybe for two or three years we have grown an immature, chaffy and comparatively worthless product. To avoid both these extremes select a corn that will ripen every year under conditions you can give it. but that will take about all the growing season.

The second factor, the soil, is very impor- tant. Because of the amount of work re- quired to grow a crop of corn, it is unwise to plant a poor field to this crop. There are fields where a corn crop never can be grown at a profit, because with everything else fa- vorable there is not enough fertility to grow a paying crop. These fields should be used for crops that are not so expensive to grow. Even with fertile soil everything should be done by use of clover, manure and, if needed, commercial fertilizer to make the soil very productive for this crop.

Good Management Makes Up for Bad Seasons

The third factor of the season is not di- rectly within our control, but the wise farmer can make himself very largely independent of the season by doing the things that are possible to counteract bad seasonal condi- tions, thorough drainage of the soil to regu- late the moisture, early plowing and thorough preparation to conserve moisture in the dry season and abundant fertility to push the crop along in an unfavorable season. All these will help in a bad com year, especially one which is very dry. Every neighborhood has a few men who rarely, if ever, fail to grow a good crop of com, showing plainly that seasonal conditions are not so bad but what intelligent and skilful farming will overcome them. The fourth and last factor, the method of cultivation, must differ some- what on soils that are radically different. For most corn-fields where the land is level or slightly rolling, certain things are best. First, have a rotation which allows a clover- sod for corn, because it contains a large amount of available nitrogen, for which the corn-plant is especially hungry ; also, an ap- plication of from eight to ten loads of manure per acre, because com is a gross feeder and will make more use of manure than any other crop. Other points are : fairly deep plowing, from seven to nine inches where soil will permit ; thorough working to prepare a good seed-bed, so as to allow of an even depth of planting; fifty to seventy-five pounds of commercial fer- tilizer per acre, used in the hill, to give the young plants a quick start, so as to get them out of the way of insects and large enough to cultivate a day or two sooner : free use of Weeder and harrow between time of plant- ing and the coming up of the plants, and after

Growing Watermelon for Seed

By C. E. Beckwith

W/E HAVE a contract from a seedsman each year to grow watermelons for the seed. The seedsman fvimishes us with what he calls "stock" seed, for which we pay when we deliver the crop of seeds in the falL

The ground is prepared very carefully, as if for com. The seed is planted June lOth to ISth, pains being taken to put enough seed in each hill to get a good stand.

As soon as the plants have been cultivated once or twice, the weeds are cut out with a hoe and the hills thinned to three vigorous vines. The better the cultivation, the better is the crop of melons.

The Seeds are Marketed as Soon as Thoroughly Dry

The melons are left on the vines until all are ripe or until the frost kills them. They are then forked into _a wagon-box. Two teams do the drawing. We use horse-power or gas-power to run the grinder. It took two and a half days to draw and grind the ten-acre field of Sweetheart watermelons that this photograph represents. Then the seeds are put on drying racks, and if the weather is favorable they are set outdoors to dry. They should be raked three or four times during the day with a common garden- rake, and by night they will be dry or nearly so. .'^s soon as dry they arc sacked and sent to the seedsman and our work ends.

Ten acres of Sweetheart watermelons

This field averaged about 260 pounds of dry seeds per acre. They sold for twelve cents per pound, or better than thirty dollars per acre, for the entire ten acres.

I Garden and Orchard |

Scale Foes of Our Trees

By C. M. Weed

Oysterrshell scale

HE scale insects are well named. You see a lot of brown scales upon the bark of a twig. You pry one off and find that it is an in- sect. So of course you call it a scale in- sect.

As a rule you need hot look long to find the scale - infested twig. Most kinds of trees and shrubs are liable to attack by these insects. They are among the most destructive pests of fruit-trees and are very often trouble- some on shade and ornamental trees.

The oyster-shell scale is one of the most characteristic and abundant species. It in- fests apple, pear, plum, quince and other fruit-trees, as well as maple, poplar, birch and several other forest-trees. Its appear- ance is shown in the above picture. As will be seen, each scale looks like a minia- ture oyster-shell, hence its name.

Eggs are Laid Beneath the Scale

Pry up one of these miniature oyster- shells in winter with a needle-point, and look at it through a lens. You are likely to see a lot of small white eggs in the cavity on the under side. These are the eggs of the _ scale. They remain in position until late spring or early summer.

Then each hatches into a tiny whitish insect — the scale larva — provided with legs by which it crawls out from its hiding-place and wanders over bark or leaf for two or three days. Then it thrusts its beak into the tissues to suck the sap and settles down to a stationary growth. It increases in size very gradually and slowly secretes the scaly covering. By autumn it looks like a little oyster-shell and the eggs are laid beneath the scale.

The oyster-shell scales are nearly always grayish or brownish in color, resembling in a general way the color of the bark upon which they rest. There is another kind, however, found upon apple and pear trees which is whitish and so is very conspicuous against the darker bark. This is called the scurfy scale. Its life history is similar to that of the oyster-shell scale. The small eggs to be found in winter are reddish pur- ple. The species is often seriously destruc- tive to large and .small fruits.

The cottony maple bark-louse is one of the most abundant scale insects and is widely distributed, being on the whole the most serious pest of maples or shade trees. In late spring it occurs upon the branches in the form of round, brown, leathery scales which are raised more or less from the bark by a fluil'y mass of cottony down.

Amongst the fibers of this down there are nearly a thousand tiny white eggs which hatch in summer into small active scale-lice. These scatter o\ er the bark and leaves for a short time. Then each fixes itself on the

Scale insects on pine-needles

lower side of a leaf by putting its beak in among the cells. Here they begin to suck the sap and remain in position for several weeks.

Late in summer part of the scales mature into winged scale-lice, which are active and fly about. These are the males. But the rest remain quietly on the leaves until autumn. These are the egg-laying females. Shortly before the time for the leaves to fall off these females crawl onto the twigs and branches, and insert their beaks into the bark. They remain here until spring and gradually develop the cottony mass in which the eggs are laid.

The San Jose Scale

In recent years the most widely destructive insect affecting fruit-trees has been one of these scale insects. It is called the San Jose scale because it was first noticed in injurious numbers in San Jose, California. It came originally from China or Japan, but is now

distributed in most fruit-growing regions in the United States and Mexico.

In the case of this insect the individual scales are much smaller than in any of those heretofore mentioned. So they are not likely to be noticed until they become so abundant as to affect the health of the host plant. The tree or shrub begins to wilt or die, and when one looks at the bark it is found to be cov- ered with a scaly crust consisting of millions of the scales of these insects. Each scale forms a tiny circle less than a sixteenth of an inch in diameter, with a dot in the mid- dle.

This insect passes the winter in the form of an immature scale that becomes mature in spring or early summer. Each female scale then gives birth to many young, sometimes three hundred or four hundred. These young are tiny insects that are able to crawl about for a day or so before they settle down on bark, leaf or fruit, inserting their beaks to suck the sap. Each soon begins to secrete its scaly covering, which is formed by the matting together of waxy threads se- creted from the skin of the young insect.

The San Jose scale has been widely dis- tributed on young trees from nurseries, though now there are inspection laws that largely prevent further distribution in this way. It is desirable, however, that all young trees should be examined for the scale before they are set out.

How to Kill Scale Insects

Like the aphides, the scale insects suck the sap from the inside of -their food plants. So they must be destroyed by means of con- tact-killing insecticides. These are generally applied either in early summer soon after the young have hatched or in winter when the trees are dormant. The solutions used can be made much stronger in the latter case.

A combination of lime and sulphur or of lime, salt and sulphur is very generally used for destroying scale insects. It is called the lime-sulphur v/ash. It is commonly applied while the trees are dormant. Various oily substances are also used against scale insects.

A New Pest of House-Plants

By C. M. Weed

r\L'RING the last ten years the greenhouse white fly has become so generally dis- tribvited that it is now troublesome in a large proportion of northern plant-houses. It is a tiny white insect from tropical regions that finds life congenial in conservatories, although it apparently is unable to live out- doors through the winter.

This little pest is now invading houses that have window-gardens, and is likely to become the most serious enemy that house- plants have. It is likely to fly in through the open windows in summer or autumn or to be introduced on a new plant brought in from outdoors or bought from a florist. It seems especially fond of rose-geraniums, which should always be examined carefully before being placed in a window-garden.

In large greenhouses the white flies are killed by fumigating with hydrocyanic-acid gas. but this is such a deadly poison that I cannot recommend it for general use. Good results are secured by putting the plants in a tight box and fumigating with some good commercial tobacco decoction.

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ADDRESS . . STATE

Young Chicks

Atthis time; when millionsand millions of littlechicks, turkeys and ducks will be incubated into tiie world, every available human agency will be employed to combat the deadly influences of Gapes, Cholera, Indigestion, Legweariness and hundreds of other fatal poultry diseases. Success depends upon your ability to conquer these diseases. Dr. Hess(M.D.,D.V.S.), just twenty years ago.waspuzzhng overthis same proposition and the prescription shown herewith is his solution. It represents

DR. HESS POULTRY PAN-A-GE-A

and no one can dispute the absolute, positive value of the remedy for the above-named poultry diseases, because the best authority on earth recommends them. Don't lose your flock after it arrives— insure and protect the lives of your little chicks with poultry Pan-a-ce-a. Our Proposition. Feed Poultry Pan-a-ce-a all spring and summer.

If you are not satisfied beyond a shadow of doubt that it has cured ^ your chiclts of gapes, cholera, legweariness and the like, the dealer is required to refund your money. I'A lbs. 25c (mail or express prepaid, 40c) ; 5 lbs. 60c: 12 lbs. $1.25; 25-lb. paU $2.50. Except in Canada and the extreme West,

DR. HESS & CLARK tisMsndp Ohio

Dr. Hess Poultry Pan- a-ce-a contains: Potassium Nitrate. An

Eliminant. Kmc Vomica. A Nerve Tonic

Qnaasia. A Bitter Sto- machic and Appetizer.

HyposTilphite of Soda. j^Ji Internal Antiseptic.

Iron (Snlphate) . A Bleed Builder.

Iron (Ked Oxide). A Blood Builder.

Carbonate ot Lime. An Antacid and sbelt forming.

Godltun Chloride. AnAp* petizer and Cleanser.

XTnder tlie supervision of Dr. Hess (M.D.. D.V-S.) the above 13 carefully com. pounded and blended with just enough cereal meal to make a perfect mixture.

Dr. Hess Stock Tonic puts horses, cattle, hogs and sheep in the pink : condition. After the long winter on dry feed stock need a tonic. Besides, Dr. ; Stock Tonic saves feed by increasing digestion. By the old methods of feeding

let the hogs follow the steers in orderto save some of the grain wasted through non-digestion. It is re a part of this by strengthening the digestive organs. Sold on a liberal money-back guarantee. ?5.00; 25-lb. pail $1.60 (except in Canada and extreme West and South). Send 2c for

Dr. Hess Stock Book. FKEE. Dr. Hess (M.D., D.V.S.) will at any time prescribe for your ailing animals free ot Charge il you wilt send him full details. Mention this paper and send 2c stamp. 96-page Veterinary Book also free.

INSTANT LOUSE KILLER KILLS LICE

It Takes The Pain Out Of Painting

IT'S certainly a painful process to keep on painting a roof every two or three j'ears — you feel it in your back and in your pocketbook.

Amatite Roofing never needs painting — sounds almost too good to be true, doesn't it.

Just lay it ^\ ith an ordinary hammer, and you've solid roof comfort ahead for many years to come.

Costs less than similar roofings of same weight. The mineral surface is also fire-resisting.

Sample showing the pitch waterproofing and real mineral surface free on request.

Barrett Manufacturing Company

New York Chicago Philadelphia Boston

St. Louis Cleveland Pittsburgh Cincinnati

Kansas City Minneapolis Seattle Corey. Ala.

Farm Notes

The Handy Section Ladder

By E. H. Fox

HAVING had c o n s i d - erable experi- ence with different kinds of ladders in my work at paint- ing and paper-hang- ing, I will describe how the common section ladder can be used to the best advantage on the farm.

I had my ladder made to order by a carpenter. In addition to the usual length, I had him make two short sections, or half- lengths. I find these very useful. The whole sections are six feet long and twenty inches wide. The inside lengths are seventeen and one-half inches wide, but the rounds extend through the side pieces to the full twenty inches. The side pieces are made of three by one and one-quarter inch spruce. The ends of each side piece are riveted to prevent splitting. The rounds are one and one-eighth inches in diameter and are turned from seasoned oak. The last few rounds of each section are made so as to fit the holes rather loosely and are used for fastening the different sections to- gether.

I use these sections for scaffolding in paper- hanging. and by using a

short length when necessary can make a platform suitable in length for almost any room. By placing boards on the ladder, I can make a good stiff scaffold. For outside work in painting buildings where a long lad- der is required. I can raise five sections at once alone. If more are required, I get the ladder in a position so that the top ex- tends above the eaves, then I take the required number of sections up the lad- der and place them on the top. Then by turning the ladder over a few times I get it where I want it. After having painted down as far as the top of the ladder,

1 go down and take off the bottom section and put a half-section in its place, then paint down to the end again and then take the half-section off. By doing this the work is always above the ladder, which does away with all ladder marks, and the painter is in a good position to work.

For high buildings and roof work I find this ladder the most convenient of any I ever used.

Fig. 1 shows this ladder arranged as I sometimes use it for painting the gable end of buildings where there is an annex. Ladder A from ground rests against the eaves of annex. One end of ladder B. for the scaffold, rests on ladder A. The other end is supported by short section C which rests on roof of annex. The foot of ladder D rests on a board placed on the rounds of B, thus making a platform. Fig.

2 shows how two of the sections may be

^^Your Cow

Will produce 100 pounds of milk GO per cent cheaper on our farms in the Sacramento Valley California, than she will in any of the Eastern States, ana butterfat she produces will bring 4 to 6 cents more a pound.

The skim milk and the manure from , the dairj' are products that are seldom rated at their full value. For raising poultry, hogs and calves, and for maintaining and increasing the fertility of the land, and thus adding to the value of the investment, dairy by-prod- ucts have a higher value every year. Another strong argument in favor of dairying is that it forms a most satisfactory basis for diversified farming. With the monthly cream check as a foundation, and the chickens and hogs to consume the by-products, everything is turned to the best accoimt.

Being able to harvest six crops of alfalfa a year you will realize that. Let us tell you of the wonders of Spineless Cactus that supplements ALFALFA as a dairy feed, it costs only 7.5 cents a ton to produce.

Write us to-day and learn the great results you may accomplish on our email farms.

KUHN IRRIGATED LAND CO., Dept. 1S7A

511 Wood Street. - PittsburgK. Pa. 412 Market Street, San Francisco, CaJ.

Here is one man's experience, but let us send you our new booklet "Sett lors' Stories" giving name§ of many men who have met with great success on Kuhn's California Project.

I am milking a small herd of common grade cowa — part grade Jcrsoya and part grade Dur- hams, and my cream check amounts to $15 per head per month.

Those cows are getting alfalfa pasture and wild oat hay. One of the cows will calve in a month — two were fresh in January and two arc heifers under two years old in llu? lot.

I am familiar with farming conditions through- out the West ami know that dairy- products can be produced cheaper ben- and a higher price se- cured for them than any place I have ever been-

I can keep dairy cows here for from three and a half dollars to four dollars a month the year round. It might co.st a little more in the Winter but would run as low as Sl-.W per month per head in the Summer. A good dair.vman can eas- ily make $100 a head clear each year with grade cows.

Yoiu-3 sincerely,