The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-06-07
agricultural department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.
If the present dry weather continues

If the present dry weather continues
much later we must have short hay crop,
and all should soon recognize the extreme
necessity of immediate attention of pro-
viding in every way to raise such substi-
tutes as all may be able, to take the place
Of our most important crop. if that should
prove of insufficient quantity to carry over
the stock of our county. A vast deal
more can be accomplished in this way
than would seem possible upon first
thought.
A good quantity of corn fodder can be
raised from a moderate area of land, even
if the drouth should continue, and if it
should not, we believe that it is very
profitable crop to raise for summer or
winter feeding.
Millet and Hungarian grass both make
very profitable crops when raised either
to cut green before the seed is mature, or
at later day when the seed has formed
and so far matured as to become ripe
enough to thresh after it is cut, but while
the stalk is still green enough to make
excellent hay.
We have raised "a bushels seed per
acre of Hungarian grass, and about one
ton of hay that all kinds Of stock ate with
better relish than the best hay we had of
common kinds. When it is left to ripen
its seed before it is cut, it must be
threshed before being fed, as the same
consequences must follow as when grain
in the sheaf is fed in immoderate quanti-
ties.
Another crop we would mention, that
should be raised more extensively, is the
Swedish turnips. They are not near SO
extensively raised nor used as they should
be. They are more easily and cheaply
raised than any other root crops, and can
be sowed at much later time in the
season. We have used these roots extern
sively in feeding nearly oil kinds Of stock
and think we'll of them. We are con.
WINGED that six quarts of oats and two of
Swedes per day will do horse more good
than peck of oats, we have proved
this by actual trial, and are less convinced
that all animals require and do well on
much less hay where they have daily
allowance of these roots. A very large
or heavy feeding of roots is not, we think,
desirable or economical, but steady dali
ly allowance will certainly save great
deal Of hay, and ensure much better
condition of the animals so fed
From actual test we think the Swede
German turnip decidedly the most nutri-
tious of the Swedes and the most desirable
to raise. Where corn fodder is raised
any variety of sweet or sugar corn is the
best, and if that cannot be purchased, a
good sound western is better than north
ern, as the stalks will be softer and cattle
eat it better. But every. farmer should
raise small piece Of sweet corn to supply
him with seed from which he can raise
supply of corn fodder, as it will furnish
much more nutritious and palatable arti-
Gle for that purpose than any other. 1t
should be sown in drills mot broadcast)
about thirty inches apart 1t will yield
much more per acre this way, and is cas-
Ter harvested. About three bushels per
acre lie required, which should be scat
tered in the burrows about 20 kernels to
the foot, and covered with a harrow or
cultivator, running lengthways of the
rows