' 851 
have concluded that alcohol as a beverasre is an 
economic foolishness and a debit item; The alcohol 
makers can supply a denatured article, which is one 
of the most useful chemicals and in increasing de¬ 
mand, but they will not much longer be allowed to 
supply alcohol in forms which hurt “some of the 
people all the time.” Whether any particular pl‘'nt 
will survive (Competition is more than we, or anyone, 
can say, but the argument that some should continue 
to make whiskey—with all that implies—because 
they cannot make money at anything else is not con¬ 
vincing any great number of voters nowadays. And 
if the English Government wants to buy up distiller¬ 
ies ,that is their own lookout, we are different over 
here, we have never taken kindly to paying anyone 
to stop hurting us. 
As to brewers’ grains, we shall continue to include 
them in our feeding formulas as long as they are on 
the market at a price which, compared with their 
actual food value, makes it pay to use them, and 
they will probably be on the market as long as al¬ 
cohol is made from grain. When this stops, the 
grain will be released to be fed as such with none 
ofj^he starch removed, f. d. c. 
Alfalfa and Crimson Clover in Virginia 
REPARING THE T.AND.—The seeding of the 
above calls for attention the latter part of Au¬ 
gust and September. The latter part of August is 
ample time for secHling Alfalfa. Our experience is 
that Alfalfa recpiires a rich, well-drained soil. If 
possible, land intended for Alfalfa should be broken 
deeply in July, then harrowed or dragged every 
week or 10 days, .so as to keep it in fairly good con¬ 
dition, and also to check the growth of weeds and 
grass, as sucli pests and Alfalfa do not thrive to¬ 
gether, the young plants being very ea.sily choked 
out. Just before you are ready to got the land in 
pei’fect order for .seeding lime should be .sown broad¬ 
cast at the rate of 800 to 1,000 pounds per acre, then 
disk in, and drag until the finest seed-bed possible 
is obtained. I know from experience that it is 
utterly useless to try to grow Alfalfa without the 
u.se of a good .supply of lime. It reiiuires from 18 to 
20 pounds of seed to sow an acre. 
VALUE OF ALFALFA HAY.—We find Alfalfa to 
be the best and most profitable kind of hay the 
farmer can grow, as it makes such a large quantity 
per acre, being cut five and six times during the 
season; comes in early, and is also a great soil 
builder. Our first experience was with about one 
acre, and the first Summer it supplied feed long 
enough to keep three horses all the season, feeding 
twice a day. They also kept in better condition than 
ever before during the working period, and on far 
less corn; as Alfalfa is a very strong, nutritious 
feed, requiring less grain while feeding it. We cut 
this acre five times the first season, each time secur- 
' OVtfC'R UR A L -N B W-^ 0;R 1C E R 
ing about 1,500 to 2,000 pound^.of good cured hay. 
CRIMSON CLOVER.—This is no doubt the great¬ 
est .soil builder of the present day. The South and 
East iK^l eover croixs' (and need them badly) and 
while we are growing .such it is but wise for us to 
select one which in its growth will add fertility, 
prevent washing and leaching of our soils, furnish 
some Winter and early Spring grazing for cattle, 
sheep and swine. It can be turned under for a 
green manure crop for the “land’s sake,” and can be 
cut for earlj' hay if desired. I find that Crimson 
clover meets all of the above requirements more 
fully than any other. 
BRINGING UP POOR SOIL.—We had a piece of 
land several years ago which would not produce 
_ » 
more than two barrels of corn per acre. We thought 
we would experiment a little, and seeded it to Crim¬ 
son clover three years in succession, turning it un¬ 
der in the green state in the Spring when first com¬ 
ing in bloom; then in about three weeks got it in 
fine condition and planted the corn. The third 
year this piece of ground gave nearly five barrels of 
corn per acre. This goes to prove what Crimson 
clover will do. It requires about 20 pounds of seed 
per aci’e in a finely-prepared seed-bed. 
METHOD OF SOWING.—When Alfalfa and 
Crimson clover is sown by hand I find the best im¬ 
plement for covering to be the pea weeder. The 
hay rake will also act well. Either should be run 
over the land lightly both ways. If the soil is dry 
and it does not look likely for rain in a day or so, 
it is es.sential to run the roller over the Alfalfa and 
clover patch, as this firms the soil, holding the mois¬ 
ture and also causing it to idse, therefore the seed 
germinates and comes forth more quickly. 
CURING HAY.—We find that it is a rather diffi¬ 
cult task to cure both of the above proi>erly without 
several days of good weather. We cut in the morn¬ 
ing after the dew is off well, and about the middle 
of the following day rake into windi’ows and let re¬ 
main until the afternoon of the next day, when we 
put it up in small cocks or pile.s. Let it remain in 
these piles about two days; it is then usually ready 
to be housed or stacked. We find it is always the 
best plan to bale hay for marketing purposes. It is 
then more easily handled, and larger loads can be 
carried. w. i:. iiarkison. 
Virginia. 
A Massachusetts Man’s Notes 
H AVING found many a stepping-stone over hard 
places, through reading the experiences of 
others in The R. N.-Y., I am giving a few of my 
own experiences, which may fit into some one’s else 
problem. 
The problem of dealing with lice on chickens, 
such a (’.amp season, can be met by using powdered 
tobacco freely in the nests and coops. It costs 25c 
for fi-ve pounds; while the powders sold, which are 
-A.*-* 
largely tobacco, cost 2.5c a pound. I coat the eggs 
under setting hens with a handful every few days, 
and also put it direetly, on newly-hatched chicks 
with no bad effects. Th^makes a dollar stretch 
further. 
The woodchuck plague can best be met by put¬ 
ting strong traps at the mouth of every hole before 
the gardens are stripped of bean.s, peas, etc. This 
work pays better if the “critters” are skinned and 
fed to the hens and growing chicks. Just take an 
ax and chop them up, bones and all, and the hens 
will turn them into eggs, and it will take the place 
of pounds of scraps, which cost aI)out J^c a pound. 
It will aLso save many hard words, when one finds 
his hard-earned crop stripped. 
I am feeding mixed feed, meal, woodchuck, apples, 
turnips, carrots and grass to my hens, which are 
shut in, and they are laying finely and are never 
sick. When burning rubbish gather up a pailful of 
charcoal and give it to the hens and chicks, and see 
how they like it, showing their need for it. 
I stored my apples, Baldwins, Greenings and Rus- 
set.s, in bulk on the cellar floor, and although the 
thermometer went down to 24 and 20 degrees many 
times during the Winter, I am still using and selling 
Baldwins (.Tune .3). I ventilated my cellar when it 
was cold outside and keep it tight shut warm days 
and nights. Of course, this unusual cold, backward 
season made it easier to store so late, but my neigh¬ 
bors seem surprised to find me having apples so 
late. These were sprayed, hand-picked fruit, not 
hand-picked off the ground, as most thoughtless 
people do. 
I have traded work with a neighbor this season, 
helping him get out and spread his manure, and he 
in turn plowing and harrowing for me. I have 
acres ready for use, partly planted, over 100 chick.s, 
some a month old. This is a small amount, but hav¬ 
ing to do it all, even the caring for the chicks and 
getting it in between showers, it has kept me busy. 
This war time is showing many hardpan, and is a 
blessing in disguise, as the real men and women will 
l)e .shown in contrast with the empty-headed, cream- 
skimming shirkers, who have been' too ready to 
leave the disagreeable but necessary drudgery to 
conscientious workers, while they coolly take all the 
ea.sy thing.s. But as always happens those who 
stick it out come out ahead in the long run. Our 
best work is not seen for many years; like the oak, 
it grows slowly but lasts. joiix a. slade. 
Massachusetts. 
The reports show fewer eggs ni cold storage this 
year than a year ago. But do not forgot the thousands 
of crates which have been bought by housewives and 
put into water glass. 
Gathering to be Photographed When the Barn-raising is Over. Fig. 350 
