THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



33 



with an ordinary corn planter. 



The check-rower is used when it is 

 desired to cultivate both ways or planted 

 in hills but drilling is the general custom, 

 as the ridging leaves the furrows in bet- 

 ter shape to run the channels or stream 

 of water between each row of corn 

 which is necessary. If the corn has 

 been cross cultivated it is more difficult 

 to get an even channel or run of water, 

 as the ridges are imperfect and in case 

 we have rain at the time of watering 

 and the fields are not properly drained 

 there is danger of getting too much 

 water in the low places which is a detri- 

 ment even in dry western Nebraska. 

 Another point in favor of planting in 

 listed furrows is this: In this country 

 we are subject to high winds about the 

 time of the crop growing season and 

 where the ground has been ordinarily 

 plowed the corn growing on this loosened 

 soil after a thorough wetting will be 

 blown over first one way then another 

 until the brace roots are broken or pulled 

 loose. We had a field of corn planted 

 on plowed ground that was very promis- 

 ing, just when we had the ground well 

 soaked we had a storm accompanied by 

 high wind which bent the corn to the 

 ground, the following night a high wind 

 blew from the opposite direction, laying 

 it over the other way, pulling up the 

 brace roots and tangling badly. Another 

 field planted on listed ground withstood 

 the wind with little or no evil effect. 



In regard to watering the second time: 

 do not let the corn suffer or even get 

 dry before applying the second time or 

 even the third watering. We had a crop 

 mature fully that was planted June 1st, 

 and watered late but the water was kept 

 running till the corn showed signs of 

 maturing, while another field planted 

 May 10th, watered as soon as laid by 

 July 1st, was then let get dry before the 

 second watering, took on a second growth 

 after the second watering and did not 

 mature fully before the cold nights and 

 frost caught it. The corn was loose on 

 the cob and of a chaffey quality. We 

 also find that by listing out the stubble 

 and thoroughly watering and then as 

 soon as the ground can be watered, clos- 

 ing or filling the furrows with a disc 

 harrow, we have a splendid seed bed for 

 the sowing of winter wheat which will 

 come up quickly and get a good growth 



before winter sets in thus covering the 

 ground and retarding the evaporation of 

 the moisture during the dry season of 

 early winter. 



American Imports. Sugar is our larg- 

 est article of import. Last year the 

 total reached nearly $90,000,000. Coffee 

 comes next, with $85,000,000; wool $33, 

 000,000; raw silk, $27,000,000; woods, 

 $21,000,000; hides, $20,000.000; india rub- 

 ber, $17,000,000; goatskin, $14,000,000; 

 tea, $13,000,000; vegetable fibres, $11,000, 

 000; chemicals, $10,000,000; gums, $7,000, 

 000; soda, $7,000,000, and other raw mat- 

 erials amounting to a total of $370,000, 

 000 last year, upon which no duty was 

 paid being 47 per cent of our entire im- 

 ports. In 1895 49 per cent was free. In 

 1894 58 per cent. The raw materials 

 which with the exception of sugar, con 

 stitute the free list of our tariff came 

 from Brazil, $71,000,000; Cuba, usually 

 $80,000,000; Japan, China and the 

 West Indies, Mexico and the countries 

 of Central and South America, which 

 tax every ounce of our products that 

 passes through their custom houses. 

 They have not asked us to admit their 

 products free. We have done so volun- 

 tarily; and have thereby thrown away 

 the opportunity to secure similar con- 

 cessions in return. 



Fighting 1 Poultry Lice. The best 

 time to fight poultry lice is during the 

 winter, when they are dormant. The 

 larger sorts can be killed with insect- 

 powder if it is sprinkled among the 

 plumage of the fowls. The insects that 

 produce scaly-legs can be killed by greas- 

 ing the shanks thoroughly with any 

 kind of vegetable or animal oil. This 

 should be rubbed into the legs thorough- 

 ly, and worked down until it gets under 

 the scales, where it will reach the insects 

 and kill them. For the red mites heroic 

 measures are necessary if they are pres- 

 ent in any considerable numbers. The 

 perches and all nest-boxes or other inside 

 furnishings should be removed, and 

 then the whole inside of the house should 

 be drenched with boiling-hot water, 

 after which it is a good plan to paint 

 the inside with kerosene, and then 

 thoroughly whitewash the house inside 

 and out. The perches, nest-boxes, etc., 

 should be treated in the same way before 

 being replaced. 



