The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-11-08
Let Nothing Be Wasted.

A TRIP around the country recalls to
one accustomed to severe economy a
good many large channels of waste.
At this period Of the year there is the
gathering Of crops, and where there are
so many in the country wanting the
the necessaries of life, it seems a great
pity that any of the harvest should be
wasted. And again in many instances
it is the gathering of odds and ends
that really gives the margin on any
crop.
To the farmers who keep few cows
for their milk and butter there is OPP
portunity to save a great many things
that would otherwise be wasted, and
that, too, in a manner that will count.
The feed in the pasture begins to short
en-, and, to keep up continuous flow
of milk, it is necessary to supplement
the pasture with regular morning and
evening messes. These can be made
up of the poor apples, the open cab
bages, turnip tops, soft squashes, green
pumpkins, and twenty other things that
are accounted all but worthless in the
fall gathering, with little bran or meal
to stimulate the appetite.
In nearly every cornfield are some
stubs that have settled over on one side
or tipped completely over, in such a
way as to hold all the rain that falls on
them; the stalks are soon completely
spoiled and the corn injured very much.
1t pays to save these either by giving a
few hours work in Strengthening them
up or husking out the corn and fixing
the stalks in bundles to shed water.
Everywhere through the country are
seen, as yet ungathered, large quanti-
ties of beautiful pumpkins and squashes.
We have not had very severe frosts but
we shall have very soon, and it is a
pity to see these fruits of the farm in
jured and in many cases destroyed
when little time put in now gathering
the crop and housing it from frost
would preserve perfectly every speci-
men. Pumpkins for stock can be pre-
served in chatf until January in an o.
binary barn. Squashes should be kept
in open shed until severe weather, when
they can be put in warm chamber or
attic for the winter. Nearly every COM
mon cellar is too damp for their safe
keeping; like seed potatoes they need
to be Kept very dry and where it is not
cold.
There is source of much waste even
in the straw-stack. 1t is far better to
use the straw the coming winter as an
absorbent, under the cattle and horses,
than to have it hooked out into the yard
at this season, tramped under the feet
of stock and mixed up with the mud to
no purpose. Straw is not rich in food
elements, and makes poor manure in
in itself, but if employed with economy
in bedding for stock, makes very use
full medium tor holding and preserving
the manure from the stables. What is
cleaner and more wholesome for sta
bic than nice, bright straw?
One other source of waste very COM
mon is in the management of the ma
nure. The stables are cleaned, and the
manure thrown out in the yard where
the rain beats upon it, filters through it
and runs off with the principal part Of
it into the road or some neighboring
hollow. There are two ways of avoid
ing this, through the employment of a
very small amount of extra labor.
Either throw the coarse manure, as
made, upon the wagon, every few days,
and draw upon some field which
needs both manure and the mulch, or
make, in one corner of the yard, a COM
post heap. If much is ut hand, start
the pile with heavy layer of muck,
and follow with another of manure, al
ternating them as the manure accumu-
lates. There will be no waste, because
muck will absorb the richness of the
manure and hold it, while, if the proper
proportion of each is used, it will de-
compose with no stirring over, and
make fine heap of rotted compost. If
the muck cannot be had conveniently,
take this refuse from the farm, together
with soil, and alternate with the ma
nure. Whoever acknowledges that
manure is an important stone in the
foundation of successful farming will,
upon consideration of the matter, adopt
some similar. method to these in saving
from waste the "mother of the meal
tuh ''-DcfrOif Free Press