The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-07-01

1S dDDdItuU dI OuCC. IlC CARLY CUT grass
all the sugar, and the succulent
juices, and these not being washed out by
the rains, bleached by the dews or evapo-
rated by long exposure to the sun, were
all retained in the forage in it's natural
condition, and were not only nutritious
but palatable to the stock. On the other
hand, the later cut grass had the sugar
changed to starch in part, the juices had
evaporated in the process of ripening, and
thus the stems had become woody FIBRE
better calculated for fuel than food. The
rain and dew had also seriously injured
the hay, by substractingits most palata BILE
and nutritious properties, and the stock
eat only enough of it to sustain life. oI y.
THE BARN. -k .
It would thus appear to be. an easy
thing to reform our system OF haymaklng,
and at once raise the reputation of West
ern hay to the point to which it is enti-
tied. In doing so we shall improve our
stock, and at the same time, save an i'm
mense amount Of grain that is now worse
than wasted. Let us put an end to the
feeding of shock corn to all classes Of
our stock, and by a better system increase
onr profits in a corresponding ratio.
Under the charge of our very practical
Professor of Agriculture, we shall expect
some valuable lessons at the Industrial
Farm-thanks to the Trustees who gave
the Regent summer vacation in Europe
A series of experiments carried out at the
university, if done IN a practical manner,
would deservedly attract attention and be
one Of value to the whole West. I have
looked through The first annual report for
something of value, but am unable to find
it. The secoud annual report will be no
better for there was nothing but the clas-
sizes and classical literature, German and
French to report. After two years of
failure, public opinion has demanded q
change and we shall now reap the first
results of the practical lessons for which
the people have labored and waited.
On the Industrial Farm are over hun
dred acres of meadow that we trust will be
cut in time and cured in accordance with
the teachings of science. IT,.
The hay crop of Illinois for 1867 is esti-
mated at 100000 tons, grown on 1, $4,000
acres-or an average of one and a halt
tons to the acre. Indiana and Ohio are
put down at tenth of ton less; Michi
gan two tenths; Missouri two tenths
greater and Wisconsin, one tenth Maine,
New Hampshire and Vermont, one ton
each Massachusetts and New Jersey, one
and three tenths each New York, one and
one-tenth. This shows our capacity for this
crop to be among tie best. If we look
for a market, we find that Alabama pro-
duces only 80, 00Otons; Mississippi, 10000 !;
Louisiana, 10000; Georgia, $4,000; TEXAS,
$4,000; Arkansas, 5000. Thus six cot
ton States to the south Of us aggregate
263. 600 tons-abont one tenth of the crop
Of our state tl
Theyalue of our hay crop is set down
at $25, $40 or $9.73 per ton. [ have
no doubt that if this hay had been put up
in the best condition that it's value would
have been increased at least one third, or
resulted in saving of $8,647,OOO worth
of grain that was fed in consequence Of
the poor quality, occasioned by want OF
timely attention In plain English, had
we cut and cured this crop as it should
have been done, without cents increase
of cost, we should have been eight mil
lion dollars better off than now. With
this state of things, schools for the teach
ing of agricultural science might be multi
piled to some extent for our rural popula-
ton without trenching on the classical lit
erature of the learned profession. If our
colleges do not make better farmers, it is
the duty of the press to supply the need
and to gather up and disseminate thescraps
of useful information that will, in time,
accomplish the end. --. ...
ToP-DREssING THE MEADOWS.
The top-dressing of meadows immedi
ately after the grass is cut, IS a most
excellent practice, and will at least dou-
BILE the yield, and its good etfcts will be
apparent for years. In a former letter we
proved that the true rotation of crops was
that between the grasses and the cul-
tiyated crops; that the English system of
rotation only rested on the demands of
the market, and had no other real value
This we repeat and call the attention of
our farmers to the value ola meadow thus
TOP dressed, broken up in the autumn say
seven inches deep, and planted to corn
early the following spring 1t trenched
ploWed, all the better and If thrown
into land four rods wide in the direction
of the drainage, it may be safely planted
at very early period. Before planting,
the surfrce should be stirred with i've
tooth cultivator. When corn and grass are
the two great staples, as in Central Hi
nois, this mode Of applying manure de-
seYes our special attention, and has dou-
BILE value. It gives us an opportunity to
enrich the soil at the least possible ex-
pense; partly by manure from the barn
yard, and partly from the second growth
plowed under By this process we in
sure a large yield of hay, let the season
be good or bad, and the land in superior
condition for corn, wheat, barley or pota'
toes. blowing being done in the au-
tumn, so much of the spring work IS