Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-08-07
What il the Cheapest Food on which
10 Winter our Stock.


This question has recently become one Of
great importance TO the American Farmer.
especially in the Eastern States. Hay has
never brought so high a price within the
memory Of the oldest inhabitant, reaching as
high as City to sixty dollars ton in some Of
the Eastern cities.
Cannot our farmers Gnd something 10. par.
tally at least, take the place Of hay. We be.
lieve they can to a great extent by the in.
PRODUCTION of root culture aud the importa.
ton of new grasses for forage crops, such a.
Lucern, Ryegrass, Alsike, etc. In view Of
the immense importance Of the hay crop, il
ii not worth while for our agricultural ex.
perimenters to go over the ground again and
see what may be done for the improvement
of our farm grasses, and whether some hardy
variety may not be found which will prove
still more advantageous than those we have
While taking view Of English farming
last summer, we were particularly impressed
with me care and foresight Of the English
husbandman in always securing a full supply
Of all kinds Of food for his stock. The in.
crease Of population aud competition has
raised the price Of most English lands TO a
point where the farmer cannot afford to en-
poy two acres to accomplish under slipshod
system Of agriculture. what could be secured
from under a more thorough and rational sys-
ten, on one Intelligent thought, care and
systematic operations are required to secure
from such high priced lands a return corre-
spending to their rental value.
Our American farmers will soon find thai
the farm can no longer be permitted to rur
at loose ends" unless its owner expects Il
land himself or his children in the poor house
but must be conducted with reference to rend
ering each acre as productive as possible
The productive qualities Of the soil must b,
sustained and enlarged and for this purpose
abundant supplies Of manure are required. -
To supply this manure, and to secure tn
largest possible returns, more stock to tn
acre must be maintained on the farm and I
do this, our farmers must devote more atteu
ton to the culture OF forage aud root CROP
Aud in whatever aspect these crops are re
garded, their economy is so marked that the
must commend themselves to the careful an
intelligent husbandman.
1t is remarkable that while agriculture
societies have offered premiums to encourag
the Improvement of everything, from r,
trap to a thrcshing machine, forage aul roc
tFOIt nave pttu dlinbSA oNtTiOohtus ti tue
importance is scarcely second to that Of tn
human food supply, for without our domesii
cattle, we would be badly off indeed.
or forage crops their culture is compare
lively simple, and returns reasonably certain
Their yield is enormous and where the,
form an important portion of the winter
food, the number of animals which can b,
sustained on a given area is very largely in
creased. Lucern can be mown over three Il
four times each season, and we saw some field
in Great Britain on which twelve TO fifteen ton,
to the acre of cured hay had been cut each
season.
Roots as food for stock are not only to
be commended as one OF the cheapest articles
within the reach of our farmers, but becaus,
they maintain the animal system in that condi.
ton ofperfect health which enables il to assiml-
late with greater profit and success the othe,
and heartier foods which, under any system
will be given in greater or less quantities -
As to their oheapDess those who have givei
the subject much thought, and who have had
an experience which qualities them to Judge
range 10 their estimates from to 81 cts. pei
bushel Of 60lhs which does not seem i'm
probable, considering that from 1000 to .,
600 bushels per acre can be produced.
Most farmers will also find soilug cattle i
summer to be very advantageous especial
where land is very high. 1t is not half tn
trouble most people imagine it to be. Fal
sown rye, sown twice as thick as ordinary an,
in rich ground, will give asuppy of green foo
in early spring till orchard grass and clov
or, mixed, are ready for moving Oats should
also be sown, four bushels to the acre, as ear.
ly as the ground will admit, to come in after
the first eating Of grass aud before the sowr
corn. This latter will he found to be tn,
great staple crop Of the soiling system. TIT
first sowing in drills, feet apart and at tn,
rate Of three bushels to the acre should b,
on or before the first week in May, aud sue
cessive sowing should be made ten days O
two weeks apart. Sown Indian corn is
wonderful provision OF nature as food 70
stock. An immense weight of it can ;
grown on an acre it is eaten greedily aud
most nutritious, promoting the secretion @
milk mtre than any other kind of food
abounds in saccharine matter. Any excei
Of it, not consumed by the cows green, ca
be cured for winter provinder. and is bette
than any kind OF hay Stock Journal