Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-09-05
FARlIER'S \ DIP PARTNINT.
In what direction do we need
Progress.

\ Ct0 w.
Farmers are now generally satifod that
to make their business profitable they must
use their utmost endeavors to make not
only the soil produce to its utmost capacity,
but al55 to obtain from that produce the
greatest possible value. They are alive to
the benefits tn be derived from improved
implements Of hushandry. Good ploughs
and cu.ivators aud harrows, and drills, are
recognized as indispensable for the proper
preparation of the soil, and putting in the
seed. The moving machine and harvester
arc finding their way to every farm. The
increased attention paid to thorough drain
ina, shows that farmers arc beginning to
appreciate the Importance of protecting
their land MS far as possible from the con-
tinguency of the seasons. They begin to
see that in order 10 make the capitrl already
invested in their land more productive, it
is necessary to put more capital with it.
Some have even made the important dis
eovcry that they can make money by
improving their own land at home.
Great improvements have been made
during the last ten years in all kinds of
stock. But there has been a corresponding
improvement in feeding, or preparing them
for market We fear not. 1t that respect,
we are no further advanced than we were
fifty years ago. In that, Improvement has
stood still. We NOV our grass and dry
it, and it is put into the barn as hay, and
in that dry condition is fed out to our stock
during the long cold winter To the hay
we add stalks and straw, and unless to
this be added some grain the condition of
the animal is rarely as good in the spring
as the proceeding autumn when it csme to
the yard--half of the year it has stood still
in its growth or retrograded, and at the
same we have been at the most trouble and
expenses on its account. Here, then, is a
most important point to commence improve
Inent, and it is to this more than any other
that attention should be drawn, and progress
made.
We turn our animals out to Craze in the
spring and they will fatten upon the her.
bage, dried and fed to them in the winter
will by no means keep them in the thrifty
condition. The reason is SO obvious that
its rather a matter of surprise that farmers
have so long neglected to avail themselves
of it's suggestion. We have only to place
the dried hcrbage in the same condition OF
the green, or as nearly as possible, to obtain
to tie best possible advantage all its nutri
tive properties. This can be done in the
most perfect manner only by cutting and
cooking. In this mode by little more
labor farmers can nearly or quite double
their winter forage.
Fortunately we are not without examples
on this subject. In England and Scotland
within the last three years, the practice has
been, among some Of the most successful
farmers, to cut and cook all the feed foi
their horses and cattle. In Holland the
practice has been COMMON for nearly O
century to cut and cook the food for their
cattle, especially their COWS. In neither
country, however, does the necessity SC
strongly exist as here. Their winters are
shorter and milder, and they can keep md
feed to q much greater advantage Than oul
farmers, roots and other succulent food.