The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-04-13
FIELD n HOME.

ticle by Prof w. o. Atwater, OF Weslej an
University, publishedi in the A~griculturist
we condense the following seasonable IN
formation: The proper time to cut hay
and clover depends upon WHAT'S wanted
of the crop, namely, its value as food, the
size and quality OF the after-crop, and
the value of roots and stubbles left to en-
rich the soil for next years crop.
The value of the crop as food depends
first upon the quantity gathered, and
next upon its nutritiye properties. The
researches of DR.. Wagner, Superintend-
entof the Experiment Station at Darn
stadt, Germany, have given some valu-
able data in this direction. He selected
a portion of a clover field where the
growth was uniform, and measured off
three equal plots. These were cut sue
cessively /; the first on May I'D, just be-
fore the clover wa in blossom. This
yielded eighty-fve pounds of pure hay.
Number two was cut June IL, in full
blossom, and yielded one hundred and
fourteen pounds. Number three, cut
near the end of blossoming, yielded n
hundred and twenty-eight pounds. This
indicated a gain of about eight hundred
pounds per acre in forty days.
Analyses were made to ascertain the
relative value of the cuttings, and found
that the young clover was rich in nourish-
ing properties (~albumenoids), and of
scant fiber, while the older cuttings re-
sersed the record. In forty days the total
weight of nourishing matter increased
from sixty-four to one hundred pounds,
thirty-six pounds in all, but of this grain
only one pound was albumenoid, while
the crude fiber nearly doubled. During
the last half of the time the albumenoids
gained scarcely at all, while the fiber
rapidly increased. Tabulated and res
duced to a money value, the result was
as follows:
Cut Just before blossoming, IS pounds.-.. u cts.
Cut in full bloom, la pounds.---.---....--..Sl 05 cts.
Cut near end of blossom, 12s pounds.-.- 81 cts.
This brings us to another considera-
ton, namely, the digestibility of the diff
ferent crops, and DR.. Wolff, another Ger
man experimenter, gives light in this d.
r%ection. Of every one hundred pounds
of organic substance in the young clover
the animals to which it was fed digested
nearly seyenty-fye pounds, or nearly
three-quarters. As the clover grew older
it became less and less digestible, until
in the most mature crop only ffty-eight
and one-haif pounds IN the hundred were
digested. The youngest clover was nearly
as digestible as meal or potatoes, while
the old clover was not much more
nutritious than straw. A comparison of
the two statements makes a poor show
for the later crops, for the lndigestible
portions increase far more rapidly than
do the digestible portions. Prot. Atwater
concludes that "as far as the feeding
value of the crop is concerned the most
Rlon'aoie llns iol nalvesun ing IlDsss = = 7
ns TSs aJnsr;mepta mon other grasses
hove mot bean 90 extensive Int az far ID
49, hove heen followad m thav ;nst;fv
'n9 AZ aEaa. NJ. .~onth
ny e I"a Ipo aaS a:e es.t w.
;sis esi ! sna S ne r;m rl ~ ueannJ Sage
- = MS;aI - uo.saa4 ;tsaIf M oh;aoe =
~ mnion ~ pea 81 II LII -
sne Ho T. 4 s. uPu - ; ;te mast nrtr;t;an.
cuIe Sne niss otoP a. 10 nios ~ aws
pean;.aS sar az dnna9eng al pO of Az aao
o5 aroa T - oorr.spnnJ. ss nsarig .,
S- ILoP. IT, 49, "a Laso~a f1m I1os
nay 5e,.o aG : tos o"n.aSla Co. ~,
6rst cntt;nr
rho fba only oh;act;on n eorlr
a. sn4 ia 49, = 10 =
1870 r.ttsr; ~ 1919 80 wb;eh wor1c
otsarm;sa Nv 20 .ho chm Of uav-
yeas cro5 When tbe-asors clover
IL n he nlowsJ in . n-ostnona
msnt IF e%,,tt;nn secnresa iaroer JaJeIon
mont - .o~4 s,h;oh 80. .e anr;oh II,
III ~ uI~. no 81 MnLo. ~
sor az n ;nso.;S. - I p1isa - u.s. az h MaAss y
~.
FARMERS AND PoUITRY.-lt is no ex
aggeratlon to say that not one farmer II
ten IN the unstedS States lakes the interes
n poultry keeping It's Importance de
mands. Some are TOO careless 10 axe
successful; others TOO lndinerent 70 un
aertaKe IL, ana otners' sui, tnlnK IL TO-
insignificant to occupy the attention 0
.nl-grown man:
On very large farms wnere there ares
many tniDgs 70 look alseI. q Pouiery
Il mere Is any mas 70 sniit !or user =
tne majority OF cases, ana Is generall
voted a nuisance, as 1t is under such Gu
cumstances.
Many a farmer VINO does not hesltat
to invest in fancy cattle, or horses, 0
swine, loses all patience II fancy poultr.
is suggested to him. 10 this, however
there are many honorable exceptions
The time Is coming, not Tar distant
when exception will o be- the rule. 4
general waxing up &c q importance Q
improved poultry is spreading amonI
farmers. In a few years the farmer VIII
does not keep improved preeds OF poul
try, and furnish them with good care AM
accommodations, VIII be considered al
old 1ogy.
Perhaps not one man IN ten Thousand
has any idea of the magnitude and valu
of the poultry interest when taken in tn
aggregate. twill doubtless startle som,
people to be told that in all the Eastern
and Middle States the aggregate value 0
poultry is greater than the aggregat
value OF any other l OF stock IN thos
| Cfafoc Nr N nfharFnf them faEon oon