Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-03-06

STRAW AS Foop-Be careful of straw. 1t
is not very long since straw was regarded as
worthless upon half the farms in the country.
OF late years different opinion has prevailed,
and it is now generally recognized as an i'm
portant assistant in the wintering of stock.
Mr.. Horsefall, great authority on Agricui-
tural matters says,-''I am satisfied that the
most economical use OF food rich in albumin
GUS matter is together with straw or other
materials which are deficient in this ele-
ment." Mr.. Mechi, another great authority,
says,-'I have long since adopted straw as
food, and should consider myself foolishly
improbable to waste it uselessly in open and
and wet farm-yards." The Rural World
says Straw when early cut and properly
cured, not dried, has somewhat the quality
of clover. But, Oh how neglectful are we
about the curing of straw when it is one of
the finest employments There is fra
GRANGE about such straw, and the pale green
tint, which make it valuable and most
pleasant fodder Straw may be fed with
advantage to all kinds of stock. 1t is excel
lent to mix with meal, or feed with carrots,
beets or turnips. If straw was properly
economical, hay would be much cheaper.
Poor STocK.-Sell your poor stock and
keep the best. Sell your poorest even if you
get but trifle-give it away rather than
keep it, if it is quite poor. This will seem
strong language; but it is all in the seeming.
Are you not persuaded yet that it will cost
as much to keep poor creature as a good
one? Are you not persuaded that it will cost
more to keep poor than a good brute? You
ought to be, for this is the fact. And when the
season is over-the season of risk with your
poor COW, your frail colt, and your weak
sbeep-and you thank your stars that it is,
with the loss of but a few head, pcrha ps-
what have you then-what but poor stock,
hardly able to walk to pasture? And you
know well enough that it will take all Sum-
mer to get this stock in a passable condition,
with little growth, the strength mostly go
ing to support life, and bring up the normal
condition. Such stock is Improbable, wheth-
er milch cows, or sheep, or horses, or swine.
Why, then, keep it? Why keep the useless
expense? Simply because it is the habit to
keep them-the habit of those who know no
better those who know better have no such
stock you can pick them out here and there ::
they always have what is good, and they are
always prosperous while on the other hand
the men of poor stock are unprosperous, more
Or less, relying on something else for success.
Off with your poor stock, then; do not
Winter it do not Summer it let those do
it who have a hankering after carron. Give
the food you intended for this to the rest of
make them better-and what you capnot use,
SELL You will then have deuteronomy in
your pocket, and money for your stock, with
such an improvement in the Spring will
surprise you. Such milk and butter, and
such growth, and pastures as you will have
Then buy for the money you have, and get
good. Buy any time when you can get it
and have fodder and stabling or
pasture enough.
Or, if you prefer, run the risk of dead cat
tie in the Spring. You will probably have
some calves that will go-certainly some
abundance of lambs-and we leave
the rest for you to mention--Rurdl World.