Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-12-27
farom The Neg. England Fnrmeis.

since introduced, and by some few claim
ed some small share 81 attention, is, per-
haps, susceptible of as much improve
ment as any one branch OF agriculure.-
| aiiude to the subject OF cutting hay,
straw, &c. for fodder and other uses.
Il the FIRST place, II Is eviden, beyond
doubt, thai great saving may b. made
by cut;in6 hay--as by this means it is
more generally mixed togelhee-i. e. the
best locks With the popresl--lhe heads,
! seed, leaves, stalks, GIe. become a gene
raj miXlure--so, hat the animal Cannot
! select The best lot Ks, aud tread the re-
mainder under foot, as is frequently the
! case especially when you would keep
them Toll o. feed and in high flesh. As
| no farmer can avoid having diHlreni qua
lilies OF hay, he can cut small quantity
OF good, with some of his poorer, indil-
fereni quality, and thus mixed it viii
be as readl eaten as the best wlthou,
lcutting---or even take washed hay with
a tritie of brine spripkied upon il, or
when 1t is to be had, small quantity of
salt nay cut with il; and II Is equal to,
and will go "a far as the average quality
| OF hay Ted IN the common way. And il
hay is scarce, as is often the case, add
POI ton of cut straw with the best quality
OF hay, and wher well mixed together II
will go much farther by the addllion oi
the straw.
think that no one of any experience
or observation in feeding stock, will al
! tempt 10 deny these facts, and that these
alone would at least warrant the expense
of an experiment. But Notwithstanding
the evident importance OF what has been
SAID respecting hay, 1t is still more evil
dent that with the article of straw still
greater savings and impro, ements ma,
be made. In the first place it is univer-
sally admitted that cut straw mixed with |
meal or prosender is an excellent sub
sitnte for hay, and in many cases super
sedes the use of hay TO bose who have
their fodder 10 buy, because the same |
expended for gram and straw Gas the
prices for hay and grain usually are) will
60 further than it would ii expended for
hay--snd prove better to those that raise
their fodder because more can be raised |
wiz A'iS oHhit A)SuoC.
But besides the utility of using il for
fodder, il may be used with much more
prob Tor manure, by cutting it, than il |
can without---tor instead OF throwing it, |
IN large quantities, into the yard, as is
usually the case. TO undergo decompo-
siilcn by beng exposed to The wet and
dry weather through the summer season,
thereby losing one half or more OF is |
real worth, which is carried away in The |
atmosphere 10 enrich The distant hills |
and mountains. say instead OF his, cuj
the straw line and sirew it ibera,ly into
your stables--it affords soft and agree
able bed Tor your cattle, which is very
necessary IN cold weather; i, also alb
serbs and retains all the valuable ,nois-
ture OF stall and dropplngs of the cattle,
and prevents it from FIRE ezing in large
and Troublesome heaps to the floor, and
Is easily shoyelled out and mixed with
the stable manure, and no doubt adds to
the manure exclusive of the atld ion of
the straw, end is much more fiji for use
IN the spring by reason OF lis fineness and
Capable of being more equally spread and |
mixed with the soil, esdes being dou-
bled IN quantity and Quality by the add |
ton OF straw, or ii more is raised than
can be disposed of in this way, supply
your hog-styes with il; or even ii thrown
into the ward, it abundanily pays the ex-
pense of cutting; for by sprinkiing
small quantity OF brineupon it, your cattle
will eat more Of it, than ihev would if it
were whole; and the surplus is ready in
the spring to be applied as manure; bu; il
thrown out whole, il is almost impossi.
bic to take i, from the yard or spread il
upon the LAND on account of its tough and
entangled state.
1t may also be used with great advan-
tage by sowing it at broad casts over the
fields either in grass or pIoughng lands,
the latter of which is pref rable. 1t has
valuable effect, as by spreading it even
and by ploughing i, IN, it mixes evenly
with the soil, and renders it light and fer
tile.
Il furnishes an excellent manure for |
potatoes; put halia peck or more of Gu,
straw 20 bill, and your crop will be
greatly increased, and the land improved
for he next crop in consequence of it.
That straw is worth five or ten times
more for manure by being applied before
rotled, is evident beyond doubt, from
the fact that stubble when turned in i'm
mediately after reaping, will not only
support long succession of crops, but
will actually improve the soil. But when