The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-09-04
VaNTEIe sTOCK FOOD.

Reports from most portions OF the
Northwest represent the outlook for
winter food for stock as anything but
promising. Fortunately the reports
from different sections are not call one
way" else there would be great cause
for alarm. AS rule, however, up
land hay, including the product of wild
and cultivated grasses, is light; while
the product of the low lands, the boys
and MARSHES, is very much below the
average of former years. The season
is now too far advanced, and the ground
is too dry to expect any improvement.
There is little hope of a crop OF after
math from "meadows brown and sear'
that have resulted in short crop of
grass have caused the straw of spring.
sown grains to be also light. In most
sections the extreme dryness of the
season prevented the ordinary amount
of Hungarian and millet from being
sown. Corn lacks length of stalks and
fullness of foliage.
As to root crops, always neglected
in the West, there is a poorer showing
than in past years. The season has
been bad for sowing turnips and worse
for transplanting them. Pastures are
in bad condition, and there seems to be
no doubt that cattle will come to the
barns thin in flesh. Feed has been
short, water scarce, aud only insects
abundant. That more than ordinary
care and judgment Will be required to
winter the usual amount of stock seems
certain. How to husband the resour-
ees the farmer has in order TO carry
his stock through the winter, will re-
qnire much thought and good manage
ment.
In the first place, attention should
be given to the stack and ricks of hay
already made. They should be exam
ined to see if they are in condition to
shed rain. If they are not, a new COW
ering of Iowland grass should be placed
on them, for every year large amount
of hay is lost by the stacks not being
| in 4 condition to shed water. The
straw should also receive attention. In
too many instances it is thrown into q
heap from the thresher and suffered to
remain in that condition. 1t should be
stacked with as much care as hay, 9th
erwise much of its value viii be lost.
Corn fodder will be in reduisition tbs
coming winter, and every palms should
be taken to make the most of it. II
many parts of the West the practict
prevails OF allowing the stocks with
A
grew, only harvesting the ears of corn
OF course it is an easy way of doins
things, 10 allow stock to range through
the fields in winter and gather tn,
leaves. The practice, however, Is {
shiftless one in the extreme. Stock de
rive some nutriment from corn leave
that have been frozen, thawed, washes
by rain, torn by winds and bleached b.
the weather, but they are as inferior il
value to corn fodder that has bee
properly cut, cured and stored, as gras
that has dried on the spot where /
grew, is inferior to that which was eu
at the proper time, cured and stored il
q barn.
Three ways of harvesting corn fod
der are in vogue IN different parts Q
the country. In the South, IN SLAYER
times, st least, the practice of gather
ing the leaves from the stalks wa
quite general. It was the work 1
! children, or men and women not aiap:
: ed 70 hard field labor. The leaves weI
: simply pulled from the stalks by hans
E laid on the ground in punches till the
] were wilted, when they were bounl
4 mp in bundles and then placed in etael
! or under sheds, or in barns. No foo
Is more highly relished by stock of 3
kinds than this. It is excellent Il
producing milk; young stock Thrift
on it exceedingly, while horses wi
leave q Manager of oats for taste [
these sweet leaves. OF course Il
6 amount OF labor required TO hsrye
9 the fodder in large field in this maj
ner is yery considerable.