Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-08-07
From the Springfield Republican,
A Chat with the Farmers.
THE DRoUrH-run Hay onop-ruRx1p

THE DR0UTH-THE. HAY CROP-TURNIPS.
The almost unprecedented dreuth of
the past two months has greatly dam
aged the hay crop throughout this sec
tion of country. On the low grounds,
however, the crop has harvested well
but on the highlands far less hay has
been cut than the spring rains led one
to anticipate. Those farmers who had
planted several kinds of grass are now
reaping the advantage, because on the
farms where the dependence was chiefly
upon timothy and red-top, but small
supply has been cut, as the drouth had
materially shortened their growth, while
those who had sOwed orchard and June
grasses, and various kinds of elovers,
which are ready for the scythe two or
three weeks earlier, and had made agood
start before the want of rain was so Sc
verely felt, have obtained fair crop of
fine feed for their stock. ea ...s
Now if our farming friends will but
read this lesson Alright, and let another
year find them blessed with flourishing
fields of various kinds of grasses, it will
not be prOfitless to them. But the ques-
ton now is-What can be done to repair
the loss of the hay crop? We answer
Plant your embrowned fields with Hun
garian grass or millet Plough your
fields, harrow them well, and plant one
bushel of seed to the acre, rolling it in
hard and smooth; and, if the season is
as late and favorable as we have every
reason to expect, you will harvest fine
crop of fodder, which your stock will
consume with satisfaction. And al
though it may not be as good as fine,
well-cured English hay, it will answer
your purpose better than to have scant
supply or to be forced to purchase guam
titles of hay at high prices, or to sell
your stock at low prices for the lack of
fodder. If you can harrow the land at
intervals of two. or three days before
planting the grain of grass seed, the crop
will do better, because you will thus
destroy hundreds of weeds But time is
precious in these latter days Of July,
especially if they are wet, and there are
but few days to spare at any rate. Put
in your crop, therefore. as soon as prac-
tIcable, and if your land is poor, scrape
all the manure which you can obtain
from your stables and yards, and spread
it over it, narrowing it in; or apply
superphOsphates enough to. make your
crop pay for the time and labor expend-
ed upon it; it will make a quicker
growth for the growth of the roots As
a reserve crop, in a season when the
grass has been partly destroyed by
drouth, either the Hungarian or millet
are of essential service to the farmer.
Nor is it too late to plant turnips for
a root crop, even the last week in July,
especially if you have piece of warm,
sandy land. and will scatter a plenty of
supcrphOsphate over ii TO feed the roots
well. They make a very excellent des-
sert for stock, who will enjoy munching
them in the cold, frosty, wintry days,
after they have had good wisp of hay
to feed upon. And the milk will not
taste of them if the cows arc fed upon
them as an after course at breakfast and
dinner time They certainly are rel
ished by all kinds of stock, and can be
grown in large quantities, even at this
late day in the summer. But be careful
not to sow your seeds too thiCkly; if
possible, leave four or even six inches
between each seed, and the result will
be far better. To be sure, it is more
troublesome to raise turnips, store aud
care for them, than to cut hay, but when
a short allowance threatens, it is well to
try turnips, even if they cannot have
time to grow to a large size.
1t is also well to take far look ahead
just now, and while western grains are
in depressed condition, to purchase
stock for the coming season; wheat
shorts and corn are very low, at this
time, in Massachusetts, while a short
corn crop throughout the Western States
viii make all kinds of produce high by
next November and December He is
surely a wise farmer who buys when the
markets are depressed, and sells his
stock and produce when they are ele-
waited.