San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-09-28

loss can not be estlmateu Dy what II
costs to have them repaired. The
farmer may have large number of
men around him whose idleness will
cost him from one TO two dollars per
hour.-Cor. Country Gentleman.
How TO UTILIZE THE STRAW ON
THE FARM.-If we should undertake to
carry our stock through the winter on
straw alone VIC wonld surely find that
straw used in that way had no value,
for the stock would be worth no more
in the spring than in the preceding fall,
and the material in the barnyard would
be worth no more than the straw in the
stack. lam of the opinion that the way
now most common in our section, of
running the straw direct to the yard
from the machine as thrashed, is good
practice; putting the oat and barley
straw at the bottom, so as to place it
within reach of the stock, and the wheat
straw on the top of that in such shape
as will best protect it from the weather,
then allow the cattle free access to the
stack, and they will feed upon it as their
appetites demand. As fast as they work
into the bottom cut down from the
top enough of the wheat straw sufficient
to keep the stack trim and the yard well
Uttered. l have adopted the plan, for
the last four years, of leaving portion
of the old stack-say three or four wag-
ON loads, about eight feet high, in such
position as to come under the center of
the new one, stacking around and over
it, and find that it keeps the center of
the new stack always full, as the sides
and ends settle more than the part d.
rectly over the old straw. Another adj
vantage is to prevent the cattle from
eating through, and it also acts as a
brace for keeping it from topping over,
if the stack should become too heavy.
We should put our yards in such shape
that no loss of the liquids or droppings
should occur from leakage; then we
should put stock enough in our yards
and around our straw stacks to con-
sumo all the hay, corn-stalks, corn,
small potatoes, and screenings from
the different grains, and feed
literally with them, enough to keep the
stock growing and fattening, without
depending upon the straw as help in
feeding at all. lam of the opinion that
all kinds of cattle can be fed cheaper,
and kept in condition for the dairy,
or put in condition for the butcher,
and make the straw of more real profit
by feeding clover-hay sparingly, with
liberal feeding of cOrn-meal, and some
lighter grain or bran in about equal
proportion, having the feeds at regular
intervals, and making no account of the
straw in the calculation. 1t is a fact
that the more hearty the meal fed the
stronger will be the appetite for the
straw, and the better it will assimilate
with the heartier food, and in that way
produce results that can not be obtain
ed by giving cattle an appetite for straw
by starving them to it. In keeping cat
tie enough to feed the clover-hay and
corn-stalks, with the corn, and barley
OF oats enough to reduce it one-half, or
wheat-bran, if cheaper, for diluting the
corn-meal, you will find that the straw
will be utilized for feed and litter in
such way as to put back upon the farm
enough real manure to keep up the ro-
tation of the crops, and make the land
better and more productive, thus afford
ing a larger profit to the farmer than
can possibly be done by starving the
cattle so they will eat the straw, and in
that way starving the land and every
thing else on the farm. To recapitu.
late so that all may understand me, let
me say that the value of the straw for
feeding purposes, or for manure, is just
what we make it by feeding moderately
of hay and literally of corn-meal and
other lighter grains, ground and fed in
about equal proportions by measure,
with the chance for cattle to run to the
straw-stack and eat of it as they may de-
sire, and using the rest of it in such way
as to take up the liquids and droppings,
and hold them in the yard until drawn
to the field and plowed in for the crops
to follow The Husbdndmdn.
The Desert to Have Steam Wagon.