Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-06-13
Summer Feed for Cattle.

For several years we have earnestly
recommended our readers to plant or drill
in corn or millet for "soiling" cattle that
is, for cutting up md feeding while the
crop is green. Every succeeding year
has confirmed the profit of this course. -
During the dry season, and especially in
case of drouth, there will always be a
period of short, dry pasture, and then
nothing comes in better than o quantity
of green succulent food, just such as grow
ing corn cut up and fed two or three times
day, either in the field or stable. Cattle
will thrive upon it, COWS will continue a
full supply Of milk, working oxen keep in
good heart and be ready for heavy Fall
work, and animals to be fattened will
continue in good flesh, and instead of losing
they will show the good effects of such food
when fat carcasses are desired. All neat
stock, thus got well through the worst part
of the Summer, will be better prepared for
the Winter campaign. We say then, again,
drill in half acre or an acre, or several
of them If you have large stock, and our
word for it, you will find it valuable two
months hence. 1t is best to sow, say one
third of the plot very soon, one-thrd ten
days after, and the remaining third ten
days later still or small portion may be
reserved for sowing about the close of
June. This will provide continuance of
green food until full growth of Fall grass.
Sow the corn thiokly, in d rills wide enough
apart to admit the cultivator or plow
between them, and keep down the weeds.
ANY portion not required for green food
may be cut while still green, and dried
for Winter forage. One who has not
tried it can have scarcely an adequate
conception of the great bulk Of rich cattle
food that single acre of corn will produce.
Millet sown broadcast answers similar
purpose, and is by some preferred. It
can be treated, green or dry, similarly to
Timothy or clover. Oats, when sown late,
and very thickly, makes good material to
cut up and feed green, and especially 10
gather and dry late in the season. Should
they head out, all the better. The great
amount Of rain we are having :his Spring,
indicates dry Summer, and care should
be taken to provide for any such emer-
gency.
CHINESE SUGAR CANE FOR soILING.
Though holding this new plant somewhat
"as arms length" until more Thoroughly
tested, we think it well worth while to give
1t pretty full trial this season as green
and dry food for cattle. We do this the
more freely now, as there appears at last
to be pretty good supply of seed offered
at reasonable price. During the winter,
we could scarcely get enough at any price
to furnish even little to each Of our sub
scribers for trial. Large supplies of good
seed, not then known to be in existence
have since been obtained from France, and
there.is enoughto meet al present demands,
offered ats cents per pound.
The sugar-cane, on account Of its large
and rapid growth, and its solid, sweet pith,
promises to excel corn for cattle food. 1t
may be planted for feeding, almost any
time during June-probably the earlier
the better. Sow it thickly, in drills, say
three feet apart, covering the seed not
over half an inch in depth, unless likely to
be very dry, in which case it will be best
to put it deep enough to prevent parching
out when itfirst sprouts. 1t will germiuate
in very few days. 1t is said to do well
even on poor soil, but we advise giving it
as good treatment as Indian corn. We
are slow to believe that a plant growing SO
large and vigorously will not do best on a
generous, rich ground. For drilling
hiekly in rows, not less than three pounds
of seed to the acre will be required, and a
larger quantity will be still better. In
hills three feet apart, with eight seeds to
the hill, which would allow of part of the
stalks being removed if all the seeds should
grow, pound would plant half an acre
or one pound would suffice for an acre, il
only four be allowed to the hill; but as with
corn, it is far better to use an abundau ce
Of seed, and cut out uperfuous stalks
when they are well started. When seed
san be procured for rs cents per pound, il
is better in drilling to drop seed every
two or three inches. One seed to the three
inches, in rows three feet apart, will require
about "a to 3 pounds of seed to the acre
ss there are trifc over twenty thousand
seeds to the pound.
SRgy.cane Jor Fattening Cattle.--Al
intelligent and reliable friend, who visited th