I ROOT-KNOT OF COTTON AND OTHER CROPS
? 'i
ROOT-KNOT SHOWN ON A COTTON PLANT.
<Prepared by the United State* Depart- i
ment of Agriculture.)
Root-knot of rotton and other crop*
I* caused by minute eelworma, or uema
tndM,, which bore Into lb* root* ami
five there. The Irrttatlon of their pres
ence results Id the formation of Irregu
lar swelling*. or galls, varying in alze
from tiny enlargement* on the small
root* to knot* an Inch or more In dia
meter on the large one*. The male
wormii are too small to be seen with
the naked eye. but the female* when
full of eggs aaauine ? spherical shape
and may ufteo be distinguished In
freshly-broken roots as glistening
pearly bodies half the slxe of a small
ptnhead. Each female may lay several
Load red eggs, and thus the worms are
propagated.
How Raot-Knot Is Spread.
Root-knot may be carded from one
field to another by any agency which
will traasler some of the nematodes or
_ lhalr.egga.ln. exactly lbs sanw masaoe
that wilt la disseminated. Drainage
water !? perhaps one of the most Im
portant means of spreading root-knot.
In addition, a common agency for the
Introduction of the nematode Into new
territory Is nursery stock. Seedling
pecans, peaches, figs, mulberries, or
pi?eg lanataa, and yooag asparagus,
cabbage, eggplant, strawberry, tobacco
and tomato planta purchased from In
fested sections may carry the worms In
their roots or In the soil adhering to
them. In the West, where the nema
tode occurs quite commonly on the po
tato, the worms are carried In the
tubers.
Sandy Soils Most Subject to Root
Knot.
Rodt-koot Is essentially a disease of
light soils. Although the disease may
occar on heavier sods than wilt. y?t It
la not, as a rule, aeriotts on softs con
taining a large proportion of clay. In
general, the lighter the soH the more
severe the root-knot lajary. The places
of greatcat damage are usually light
sandy spots or ridges In Infected fields.
In gardens which have been highly fer
?OH led with xtHnic mannre root-knot la
often very severe.
Root-Knot Attacks Many Farm Crops.
Unlike wilt, rpot-knot attacks a very
large number of plants, many of which
ara important farm crops. Those sub
ject to root-knot Injury may be di
vided Into two groups, according to I
their degree of susceptibility. Some of
the crops most severely attacked by
root-knot are as follows:
Boa. SOT Eggplant
Bean, lima Klg- ?
Bast UttMt I
Cantaloup* Okra
Carrot Peach
Cet*ry Paiaa
ciov?r, bur Pomegranate
Clover, crimson potato
Cowpea (all varle- Ralsirv
tl** escept Iron. Squash
Brabham and Mo- Tobacco
netta) Tomato
CaoumW Wat*rm*loa
Plants leas severely Injured by root
knot are the following:
Alfalfa Pea. garden
Asparagus Potato. *we*t
Iwn, snap P*dl*h
Cabbage Fplaach
Clov*r. *w**t Strawberry
CoPard P'tgar csne
cotton Vetch, common
Mulberry Vetch, hairy.
(MM
A few common w*eed? are snbject to
nemqtode Injury an A should therefore
he eradicated where the attempt Is be
ing matte to reduce root-knot In fields.
The most severely Injured are the bal
loon vine, the msypop or passion flow
er. and the papaya or melon paw-paw.
Weed* less severely affected by root
knot are mayweed, pnralane ami sweet
fennel.
Same Farm Crop* Resistant to Root
Knat
Fnrtunatety. a few farm crop* are
largely or entirely Immune to root
knot By employing these In suitable
rotations, nematodes may be starved
out on Infested fields, so that snare^t
Ibia crop* ran he grown until the
worm* Inrresse sufficiently to cause
damage. when another rotattoo la nec
essury.
The following crop* are largely or
entirely Immune to root-knot: | I
Barter Or wee* (nearly all)
Bean, velvet Kifr
Be^carweed. Flor- Millets (nearly all)
I'hufke (>utj. winter
fern Peanut
Cowpea. Brsbbam It>?
f'owpea. Iron Sorghum
Cowpea. Monetta Wh,*t '?
Ores*. crab
Root-Knot Increased by Moat Varletlea
of Cowpeas.
Such varletlea of cowpeas a* the
Whlppoorwlll, (lay, FJJack. Unknown.
Red Kipper. New Era and other* are
?o susceptible to root-knot that not
only are they seriously in'nred. but
the growing" of them on nematode-In
fested fields greatly Intreaaes the num
ber of worms In tTtt^jnll gllll ronsn
(luaiilj Uie (lihiage to~subsequeot tot
ton or other susceptible crops. It 1*
a common complaint of farmers in wilt
sections that the wilt Is noticeably
more severe after a < rop of cowpeas
of a variety which la susceptible to
root-knot. This Is doe to the fact that
the nematode* make points of en
trance for the ?ilt fungus, which then
kills or further Injures the plants. A
few varieties of cowpeas are highly re
?Istsnt to nematode*. Including the
Iron, Brabham, and MonWta. These
*hould be the only cowpeas planted on
land Infested wl(h root-knot.
How to Recognize Cotton Root-Knot.
The detection of cotton plants affect- I
ed by root-knot, except by an exam
ination of the root*. Is much more dlf- I
flcult than In the ca*e of wilt. Badly
diseased plsnts are distinctly stonted
but not appreciably deformed, a* in
wilt, and both leave* and stem have s
peculiar sickly yellowish green color. I
Measures for the Central of Root-Knot.
The rotation and diversification of
crop* are of fundamental Importance
I to southern agriculture' everywhere
and become?absolutely necessary
where the root-knot nematode Is pres
ent.
ft has been repestedly demons! rn ted
by many farmers that root-knot can tie H
controlled by the use of proper crop H
rotation*. The principles on which
such rotations are haaed are (1) the use
of crop* Immune to nematode attacks
until the nematodes are sufficiently re
duced so that susceptible crops may t>e
profitably grown and (2) the entdlca- I
Hon of all weeds subject to root-knot. {?
The use of crop* that will return a H
profit nnd the building up of the fer
I tlllty of the *oll are also Important con
siderations. ltvery farmer must work
out (or himself the particular rotation*
suited to his farm and his type of
farming.
If land Is very badly Infested with
nematode* as well as wilt, a two-year
or three-year rotation -.with immune
crop* Is recommended before suscepti
ble crops. Including cotton, are grown.
and they should not be grown for more
than one or two years thereafter l>e
fore the eolation with Immune crop*
should be repeated. When the Infes
tation Is less severe, a one year or two
year rotation will do much to put the
land In condition to grow tlij crops de
sired.
In planning rotations for land In
fested with iMMfcof. susceptible
crops, such ss tobacco, sweet potatoes
cotton, cnntijloopos, okra. and tonia.
toe* should never follow one another.
The damage Increase* each year *o
long as susceptible crops are planted.
If the' first crbp should escape serious
Injury, the nematodes will Increase In
the soil to such an extent thai the sec
ond crop will be almost sure to show
a deeded toss. Immune crop* shonld
always he Alternated with susceptible
ones nnd the nematode Injury thereby
reduced td a minimum
Attend Poultry 8howa. *
Attend the poultry ahowa In your
neighborhood end If you lieve any ei
tra fine blrdi take them along. They
may not win, hot your Interest In them
wilt prompt you to learn what a really
good bird Is. i
Having Faith In Pewit.
Having faith In your fowli will
help matterx along wonderfully, If
tbla faith U backed up with the *?li
atantlal things neceaaary to keep the
faith.
CauMa for tcenre.
8<-onrH ?re ctiaaeil by three thin*" 1
filthy quarter*, unclean drinking Ten
win nrnl overfeeding. Prevention la
better than a cure. ? r
Keep Bear Thrifty.
The boar ahoDM be kept thrifty dar
ing the Hummer, but rtiould not be al
lowed to fatten.
Kill Chloken* and Egg*.
Rata at* xre>t destroyers Of chl<*V
ena and egg*. *~ _
? ?
LIVE STOCK-FRUIT-D AIR YIIB-RIR0ERIRO-F1ELO CROPS ? SILOS-PI8S
Nrw WrlnklM FARM Making th?
?? L AND
Profrawlv* I IP V T*V IwHmm
Agriculture A IULU ProflUW.
TOLD II AR IRTERESTIRR MAIMER EXPRESSLY IT)R ON READERS
APPLES PICKED FOR MARKET
Tims of Gathering FruK Varies Cm
alderabiy With Variety-?Grading
ll Moat Eaaentlal.
Apple marketing plana ahoald com
prehend picking methods. grading and
alstng methods, kind or klnda of pack
ages to use, typea of pack If box pack
age* are contemplated, ahlpplng meth
od* and facilities, storage and methods
of marketing the fruit to the beat ad
TBOtuge. . _ !
The time of picking applea vartea
conald. rnMy with the variety. In any |
ease, however, fruit should be matare
before any picking la done. Time of .
picking should be determined In part,
alao, by the use to which the fruit la
put.
Grading and airing may be done by
machinery. Home form of grading la
Mceasary to realise the highest profit.
-
Fruit-Weighing Apparatus.
A. Shoulder hiraeil; B, spring balance:
a. scale for weighing a maximum of 50
Kunda. b, ecaie calibrated to Indicate full .
* or paruaf Imi la lew Ilia. s. pMiiBr;
a. tJ. mpe>. and e, e, ateel hooka.
Through proper grading one New Tork
firm received two years ago a mlnl
rauni of a barrel for lta fruit and
S8 high as $6 a barrel for the best
grades. One experiment In honest gra
ding and packing la usually sufficient
to convince any grower of the policy
of the practice.
The advantages of the various types
of storage and the type best suited to
his conditions must be determined by
, .the Individual. For the commercial
grower Iced storage Is by far the best.
For the average farmer or the man
entering to a small market, a different
form of storage la essential.
The co-operative plan of marketing
apples has been very successful In some
sections.
!
MORE MULCHING IN GARDENS
Roots of All Planta That Li* Juat Un
der 8urfaca Suffer From Freezing
and Thawing.
I
It would be greatly to our advan
i tage to do more mulching In our gar- j
dens and about our shrubs and fruit j
trees. Roots of all plants that lie just
under (he surface suffer from the al
ternating freeze and thaw of our bro
ken winters. The soil lifts as It thaws; i
consequently there Is a misplacement ,
of the roota. Their close contact with
the soil Is broken and their delicate
root connections are often strained
apart. Even our hardier plants would
make more steady growth for mulch- j
Ing. I I
Careless mulching, however, may
prove an Injury rather than a benefit.
If applied before the ground has fro
zen about bulbs and fleshy roots It
offers shelter to the burrows of field
mice and Invites them to * good feed
sripply as wall. If applied after the
ground freezes It Insures cold storage
for the root system until time for a 1
safe start In the spring, as It retards ;
the thawing of the frozen soil.
SET OUT ORCHARD IN FALL
Generally Net So Much Praaaura and
Hurry of Work?Ralna Will
ftettla the Soli.
In the fall there la generally not ao
much preaaure and hurry of work aa
IS the cnae In the spring. and this la a
good time to aet out an orchard. The
ralna of fall and winter will wt the
earth among the roots ao that growth
ran begin at the earliest moment In
the spring.
PRUNE SMALL BUSH FRUITS
Work May Ba Done on Currants and
Qooseberrlea Soon .aa Laavaa Pall,
or In Spring.
Currants snd gooseberrlea may lie
pruned aa soon aa the leneea fall; or
the work may be left until enrly spring.
Cut bark one-third of this year's
growth, and tMn oat surplus, diseased
or unthrifty shoots. Old bushes may
hare two-thirds of the present year's
growth removed. '
Avoid Pall Planting.
Fall planting of fruit treea Is not to
be recommended In localities where
the winter temperature drops far be
low aero.
Join With Nelghbora.
Mi with ynor neighbors In Iraylng
sprujlng materials and thua get the
benefit of wholesale price*.
GIVING MILK TO DAIRY CALF
Quaaawork In Apportlonm?nt li En
penatva In Mora Way* Than On*
?Good Rule la divan.
'
"Guesswork In apportlonlac milk
to the dairy calf la expenslve both
from the (act that Irregular amounts
often cauae dlgeatlve troublea and be
cause more milk than neceaaary la fre
quently fed." Thla statement la quoted
from Circular No. 202, published by
the Illinois Experiment station. Ur- j
hana, IlL
A general rule la to feed one pound
of whole or skimmed milk to each
eight pounds of lire weight, rarely
feeding In excea* of 12 pounds of
either. The achedule of feadlng nsed
by the Illlnola station eaUa for four
1
I 1
Splendid Dairy Type.
pounds of whole milk to a Jersey calf
the flrat two day*; six to eight pounds
from third to twenir-eighth day;
three to four pounds of both skim
milk and whole milk from twenty
eighth to thirty-fifth day; eight to ten
pounds skim milk from thirty-fifth to
fifty-sixth J*y._and?taa~<? - t?Hn
pounds from fifty-sixth to ninety-first
day. A holsteln calf Is given some
what more milk at a younger age,
though rarely does the total fed go
above 12 pounds.
PROPER GROWTH OF CALVES
Puzzling Question to Gray Heads In
Calf Business?Much Depends
on Ration Furnished.
How fast should my calves grow?
Is a puzzling question even to grny
beads In the calf-raising business. This
will depend to a large extent on the
kind of ration fed, bat in order for any
ration to be considered a definite suc
cess the calves should show a gain of
at least a pound a day each day for
the first six months. Many ordinary
dairymen are getting a pound and a
half gain dally.
In height these same calves should
Increase from one and one-half to two
Inches per month for the first half year.
The height and weight have a definite
relation for average sized calves dur
ing this first period. After six months
this relation gradually changes and the
weight outstrips the height. At one :
month of age a normal calf of any
breed weighs, approximately three
pounds for each Inch in height, but at
the end of the six months' period the 1
weight has Increased to six and one
half pounds for each Inch Ui height.
Prom that time on there is a continued
widening In the relation of weight to
height until maturity.
BUTTER MAKER SHOULD KNOW
Must Handle Cream and Chum In
Such Manner That He Will Make
Beet Quality of Butter.
The fnrm batter maker should
know how to handle hla cream and
churn in each a manner that he will
bake the beat quality of butter from
It The cream must be ripened even
ly and then churned "at the piroper *
temperature. If too warm the butter
vrlll come quickly, but will not ba
firm and granular. If too cold It
will take longer to churn. Generally
churning will require from 80 to 3fi
minutes when cream la at the proper |
temperature.
BARREL CHURN IS EXCELLENT
Permits Concussion of Cream Agalnat
?idea Separating Pat Globules?
It Is Best Way.
It has been found that the type of j
churn that permits concussion of the
cream agalnat the sides of the churn |
la best, because that la the easiest 1
and best way to sepnrnte the fat glob
ules of crt-am, so they may ba col- I
lected. A good example of this typa i
la the barrel churn which la common
ly used in some modified form.
Purebred Bull Improves Hard.
Almoat nny purebred bull with good 1
milking ancestry will Improve a herd
of grade or scrub coyps. ' That does
not Infer that the bait bull la not de
al rabla.
' ~~r
No Profit In Bad Hay.
Not a bit Of profit In feeding bad
hay to a good cow. Results show how
the cow la fed, so be careful.
Identification Marks.
Marks for Identification should b<
plain without disfiguring ths animal
- J
p**? I ? I ? ?' ? ? " 1 ? I ?M? I I I ? I I
RAISING GUINEA FOWLS IS PROFITABLE
1 - ? - j j _
GUINEA FOWLS STEADILY INCREASING IN DEMAND.
from the United State* Department of
Agriculture.)
Guinea fowls, which hare lulcm)
unpopularity with farmers because of
pronounceti propeuaitlea (or noise
making during the sleeping hours of
humans, are likely to rise above this
objection In vfew of the steadily In
creasing demand for their delicious
flesh, In the opinion of a poultry spe
cialist of the United 8tates depart
ment of agriculture. VVJth Eastern
markets offering 75 cents to $1.50 a
pair for these fowls, guinea-fowl rais
ing now la a profitable aide line on
Eastern farms, and many offer oppor
tunities to the commercial poultryman
In a few cases. In Farmers' Bulletin
858, "The Guinea FWl." the apeclallst
discusses the guinea business from the
starting of a flock to marketing the
produce, which la largely the meat.
Demand la Increasing.
The Increasing demand for guinea
fowls, the specialist says, comes from
hotels and restaurants In the large
cities, which are always eager to buy
prime young stock. These they partic
ularly like to use as a delicacy In
banquets and club dinners, guineas be
ing a good substitute for game birds
such as grouse, partridge, quail, and
pheasant The present supply comes
largely from small farm flocks of 10 to
25 fowls. Such flocks require little
care and expense to raise'! consequent
ly the marketing price Is largely profit.
And as for that uudeslrable cry of
the guinea fowl, the department spe
cialist admits that this Is a rather ob
jectionable habit, but declares that It
might often be listed as an asset. It
gives warning of marauders in the
poultry yard and also, backed by a pug
nacious disposition, constitutes an ef
feillve gliuw OT~ngfiT~agaln*t hftWltg
and Other enemies;- In fact, says the
poultryman. some farmers raise a few
guinea fowls with their turkeys and
allow them to roost together so that a
warning will be given if any theft la
attempted during the night.
Devalop Private Trade.
Guinea fowl raisers who are near the
large Eastern markets or who have de
veloped a trade among private custom
ers are now receiving pricea that make I
this Industry very profitable. One poul
tryman near a New England summer
resort has raised as many as 400
guinea fowls In one seafeon, selling
them In August when they weighed
about one pound each at $1.25 a pair.
Wholesale prices In New York usually
range from 75 conts to $1 a pair for
dressed Spring guineas weighing two
ponnds to the pair, and from $1.25 to
$1.50 a pair for those weighing three
to fotjr pounds to the pair. Old guinea
fowls are not wanted and seldom bring
more than 50 or CO cents a pair. I
Of (he three varieties of guinea fowl
?pearl, white and' lavender? peart la
by fur the moat popular. It ha* a
purplish gruy plumage regularly dotted
rfr "pearled" with white and la ao
handsome that frequently the feathera
are used for ornamental purpoaea.
Breeding stock of the varloua varie
ties usually sella for <2 to I3J50 a pair,
or from $S to $5 a trio. Kggs from
purebred birds for batrhlng can be ob
tained for 75 cents to |1 for XS. Dur
ing the laat few years a limited market
for guinea eggs has developed among
commercial butcheries which have an
outlet for a few day-old guinea chlcka
along with their ordinary chlcka. duck
lings, goslings, and turkey poulta.
While guineas can be kept In the best
condition upon free range, they can be
confined If necessary and satisfactory
results obtained.
Marketing Guinea Fowls.
The marketing season for guinea
fowls la during the latter purt of the
summer and throughout "he fall. At
this time the demand In the city mar- ;
kets Is for young birds weighing from
one to two pounds each. At about two
snd one-half months of age guineas
weigh from one to one and one-half
pounds, and at this size they begin
reaching the markets In August. As
the season advances the demand Is
for heavier birds.
The usual practice In marketing
game birds Is to place them on the \
market unplncked, and in most mar
kets guinea fowls are si I In this way.
They are more attractive with the
feathers on and sell more readily.
When dressed the small size and dark
color of the guinea are likely to prejo
lice the prospective customer, who may
BeTluftliilllai ulilithe bird's caci'llcut
eating qualities. For hotel and restau
ra?t trade, however, guinea fowls
should be dressed In the same way aa
common fowls. Before shipping any
birds to a market It la advisable to In
quire of the dealer to whom they are
to be shipped whether the feathera
should be removed.
Removing Feathers.
If the guinea fowls ar? to be mar
keted with the feathers on, all that
should be done Is to bleed them by
severing the vein In the roof of the
mouth, allowing them to hang head
downward until bleeding Is complete.
If the feathers are to be removed, thl*
should be done by dry picking. The
rein In the roof of the mouth Is severed
first, to Insure thorough bleeding, and
the knife then thrust through the
eroove in the roof of the mouth Into
the brain. When the brain la pierced
the feathers are Inoaened by a convul
sive movement of the muscles and can
je removed easily.
INCREASE OF POULTRY URGED
Demand Can Be Met Most Effectively
by Introduction of Better Stock
and Method*.
(Prom the United States department of
Acrlc?ilture.>
An appeal to poultry miner* to In
crease their production of poultry,
meat, and eggs ha* l>een Issued by the
American Association of Instructor*
and 'Investigator* In Poultry Hus
bandry. which met recently at Am
herst. Mans. These poultry experts. In
a resolution, state that there will be
an unprecedented demand for breed
ing stock and poultry products, which
can be met most effectively by the In
troduction of approved method* and
better stock and management in each
flock.
The association urge* particular own
ers of flocks not to sacrifice valuable
chickens simply because feed bas be
come abnormally high In price. They
point out that such n practice will
tend do reduce the aupply of breeding
stock and lead to aerlous reduction In
output. *
The member* of the association,
who are tlip experts In poultry luts
hnndry from the several state ayrlcul
tural colleges and the United Stutea
department of agriculture, stand teady
to help all poultry producers to get
maximum results.
IT PAYS TO FATTEN POULTRY
. T?
Agricultural Department of Oxford
Academy Makes tyandaoma Profit
on Imall Flock.
It pay* hnndaomely to fatten poul
try before killing. I.ast fall the agrl
cnltnrul department of Oxford acad
emy., New York, bought a few amall
chickens for (17 cents each, fed them
Ifl cents worth of milk and mash and
aold them three week* later for $1.19
each?a gain of 02 cent*. They gained
one pound four minces each, or 86 per
cent, it a coat of 14 cents per each
pound of gain.
Sweetens Atmosphere.
A little lime scattered over tha
dropping board. In the bottom of the
neat* anil on the floor of the house
sweetens the atmosphere and aid*
greatly In keeping down the ml tea.
Oood Place far Ashaa.
A good place to pat coal ashea I* In
one corner o( tile poultry house. Hen*
like to acrtftcli und dust themxelve* In
COOl usher
SEE TO REPAIRS IN AUTUMN
Get After Leak* and Crack* Bsfora
Cold Weather 8ete In?Damp.
neia la Worat Enemy.
Nothing la much more dismal than a
leaky hen houae on a rainy day; the
hen* huddle in the light spots; the
drip, drip of the rain splashes and
spreads; the Indescribable smell of the
damp dropping* pernieatea the air. j
After a few daya of aurh weather
conies the alckly smell of roup, and
the thought of getting eggs for eating
from such a place la anything but ap
petizing. Dampneas quicker thnn cold
will rob chickens of their "pep."
Get after leaks before the weather j
turns too cold. Make the houae warm
without being "cloae." Remove drop
pings and scour ground from a dirt
floored house. and acattcr welt-slaked
lime In the damp places. Be sure that
no lumps of lime remain. When the
house la patched, the windows cleaned,
and the floor renewed, the chlckena
become more alert; cheerful singing
accompanies the buay scratching to
which the hens betake themselves?
always provided they have neither lie*
by day nor ml tea by night.
FINISH POULTRY FOR MARKET
Most Satisfactory Method I* to Con
fine Fowls In Small Crate* Whin ?
?? Feeding I* Ea*y.
The moat aatlafactory method of
finishing chickens for market la to
cnnAne them to small crates where i
exercise will be restricted and to feed 1
heavily for ten days or two weeks on
a wet. aloppy tnaah made with tnllk.
The advantages of the crate meth
od of feeding over all other methoda
are that It la more sanitary, the fowl*
are more easily controlled, feeding I*
easier and greater gains are secured.
In addition. It Is easier to avoid die
ease since every chicken fed la under
Individual observation.
WOMEN MAKINfi MOST MONEY
Q*t Bigger Return* From Intelligent
Car* of Fleck Than Mm Oet
From Oeneral Farming.
No one will gainsay the statement
that there arc some enterprising farm
wives and daughter* who ar* making
more clear money every year from the
Intelligent car* of a flock of purebred
Itlrd*. and sometime*" mongrels, than
the hurtiand and father from hla gen
eral farm work.
?ROAD*
BOTIDIM
TIME FOR DRAGGING RO^DS
Much Dependa on Character of Read
Material?Ne Exact Rule Will
Pit All Caaea.
If clay la mixed with water and
-puddled" and then allowed to dry ?
hard, a I moat waterproof, and nearly
duatleaa material la formed. If ?
araooth, well ahaped road could be cou
nt ructed of thla materia) It would
uerer become rtrj muddy or very
duaty, and woold be an Ideal earth
road. Under ordinary condition thla
Ideal la not realised, becaoae, after
being paddled the earth driaa In rata
and hoiea which are roogh while dry
and which hold water Ilka dlahaa whan
It ralna. If the muddy road, after
Dragging Road in Fall.
being puddled by the horses' hoofs
and wagon wheels, can be smoothed
out and properly shaped before dry
ing then the Ideal la attained, and
this smoothing and shaping Is the
work accomplished by the road drag.
The water standing In pools and pud
dles Is spread out otst a larger sur
fed, so that It dries quickly, th? min
ute holes or pores In the clay are
smeared over and cloned, mating the
surface more nearly waterproof; the
ruts and boles are gradually filled
up and made smooth, and Joat enough
earth la mored toward the middle to
give the proper crown. The result Is
a smooth, hard, well-shaped road
which will shed water and never be
comes Tery muddy In wet weather
or very dusty In dry weather.
From the above discussion It can
readily be seen that dragging ahould
be done when the road Is wet, or at
least when It Is moist. The exact
time to drag any given road will de
pend'upon the character of the road
material, and no exact rule can be
given which will fit all cases. If tri
fle can be kept off from the* dragged
be dragged when It la very wet and
sloppy, but If wagons are going to
follow right behind thq drag, making
deep rata as soon as the old ones
are filled up. the dragging most be
deferred until the road baa partly
dried out. Good judgment and experi
ence on the part of the operator will
soon tell him what la the beat time to
drag any given road. Road* which
dry out quickly muat be dragged Im
mediately after a rain, while others
may be allowed to dry for several
daya before belrc dragged. Dragging
a dry road simply makes It dusty.
Dragging should be done. If possible,
after every rain, and as soon there
after aa conditions are right.
SURFACING THE FARM ROADS
Material* Ordinarily Ueed In Building
Roads Ara Toe Expanalva?Few
Good Suggestions.
Manf of the materials ordinarily
employed In road construction will be
found too expensive for use In Improv
ing the farm roads. One or more of
the following will, however, usually
be found available and within the
means of the farmer for surfacing his
roads and paths: gravel, mixtures of
aand and clay, cinders, brickbats from
old building*, brickyard waste and
quarry waste. The material selected
should, however, be hard enough to
withstand crushing under heavy loads
and possess sufficient binding power
to compact well and maintain a firm,
hard aurfnee under all ordinary weath
er conditions.
IMPROVE ROADS AND DRIVES
Wher* Any Considerable Amount of
Hauling la Necessary Surfaoo
Improvement I* Needed.
Roada and drive* Immediately
around the farmyard and barn* which
are used very frequently ^ara usually
of sufficient Importance to warrant
some surface Improvement. Very light
or extremely sandy soils cut up badly
In dry weather, while certain heavy
nnd absorbent aolls become very ageky
nnd soft during the rslrifr season.
Where any considerable amount of
hauling Is necessary, roada over soils
or this character may require to bo
surfaced.
$500,000,000 Lost Yearly.
The farmers of the United States
nave been allowing (300,000.000 In real
money to escape from their pockets
each year because of poor roads, ac
cording to the testimony of experts
who made a survey of the effect of bad
roads upon markets for the depart
ment of agriculture. .
Building Plank Road.
For the sake of economy and con
venience, a plank road constructed la
portable parts Is being laid across the
California desert.
Work In California.
The state of California has voted
IIS,000,000 to bo spent In perfect
ing the state highway s'ystem, and not
a single county tailed to give the em
powering measurs a majority.
Keep Machinery at Work.
Maybe your neighbor could make
good uae of some farm Implement that
you have stored away In a shwl, or
you could use an Improved machine of
his part of the time. Keep all avail
able machinery at work durlag day
light hour*.