The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-06-14

four barrels of corn TO the acre. Grass never
suffers from drought when thus mulched with
straw. Two tons of straw TO the acre would be
fair dressing. You will see the benefit in three
weeks afterwards. 1t is useless to throw much
of it in the barn-yard. Don't feed it. You rob
the straw of its chief value for the land and then
you rob the cattle by feeding it to them.
Mr.. Allen agreed that Mr.. Moores' plan was q
good one, but thought cattle relish straw, and
that it would do them good.
Mr.. Moores suggested that clover hay would
do them more good.
Jamet Lee said he used straw for bedding dur
ing the winter aud never has any spread out
He don't feed any of it, but thought if cattle are
running out and fed on fodder, it would be better
to have straw in a rack for them to run to.
Il. Harris Archer agreed with Mr. Moores and
said the best thing to do with it is to put it back
on the same quantity of land from which it was
taken. 1t is worth In this way IS an acre. A
very small quantity of straw will serve for bed
ding through the winter, if housed and kept dry
Don't put any straw out in the weather except
what is spread on the fields. Straw is great
fertilizer.
George R. Glasgow generally ricks his straw
and would like to have u rick in every field. Cattle
will leave the best clover or natural grass and 90
to straw rick. 1t will prevent them from purg-
ing when turned out on young grass in the spring
If he spread straw would prefer to spread it in
winter, then it would not smother the grass
No doubt it helps the land.
E. NJ. Allen said he had seen great advantage
from spreading straw, and thought it strange
that 1t was SO much neglected No common
thing should he allowed to prevent it. Mr.. Allen
also said lie would like to impress upon farmers
the importance of sowing their corn fields with
clover and blowing il under for wheat BY this
means they could enrich their lands at less ex-
pense Than in any other way. Sow the seed be.
fore the last cultivation and work the seed in
Glover will come up from greater depth than
most people imagine.
Geo. L. Silver suggested that it might be better
to let 1t stand two or three years to let get good
roots
Other members thought clover would not take
in corn one year in five. Last fall was an excep.
| tional one.
James IL. BALL thought straw was of consider
able use i'll helping to fill up cattle, even if it did
| not make much beef. He had seen cattle win
tered Oh straw and perhaps little meal and thew
| looked well in the spring. Straw is good fer
| tilizer-not because 1t shades the ground for the
sun was intended to shine upon The face of the
| earth.
5. NJ. Lee agreed in the main with Mr.. Moores.
that there Is little nutriment in straw and it is
poor ccOnom, 10 force stock to eat it. They
might pick little at their will, to advantage
He regarded 1t rs very valuable, however, us an
| absorbent of liquids in the stable which are a c
valuable II fertilizer as the solid excrements.
Henry s. Gorrcll also agreed with Mr. Moores
rs to The Importance OF spreading straw. 1t will
| 90 great deal further by using il directly from
the machine than if allowed to get wet. Last
spring lie had but little manure and spread some
straw ON the field he planted in corn. The differ
encc in its favor was pcrceptiblc all the season.
and it increased the yield at least three barrels
to the acre. 1t ought TO be applied as far ahead
of the crop il is intended to benefit as possible
DR.. W. W. Hopkins enquired the commercial
value OF straw used us indicated, when compared
with artificial manures Mr.. Moores thought il
worth $40 a ton to spread on grass.
VIM. Munnikhuysen said he had spread great
deal of straw and had seen as much benefit from
it as from anything he ever used. Last Septem-
Der he spread some and believes his corn is better
there than where Phosphate was used. -Four
weeks ago he hauled some on pasture field and
the grass has nearly hid it already
Il. John Rogers conceded generally with
Mr.. Moores Cattle will eat it and it will do
them no harm. Likes to use plenty of it for
bedding. Has seen astonishing results from
spreading 1t on land. 1t is of great benefit on
hard claycy places, us it has tendency to tighten
the land. In blowing land where straw has been
applied you Will find it more mellow than else.
where. He would give cattle all they are inclin-
ed to eat, but never could get his cattle to eat
much OF It. lie admitted that he had never had
Il stack of clover they would not cal. 1t is very
injudiCious TO allow straw to lie in the rack and
rot down. 1t ought to DC hauled out and spread
OH grass.
S. NJ. Bayless had never found straw of much
advantage to cattle They will not eat enOupb
of it TO do them any good. 1t is great thing
to spread on land The best place to put if Is
on an old pasture field
Thomas A. lays said he had no experience in
spreading it on land, but intended to follow MIR,
Moores plan.
Mr.. Bail enquired if it would not be better 70
return the straw to young grass on the field from
which it came. Mr.. Moores replied that it NIGH,
interfere with moving if the field was to be
moved.
Mr.. Moorcs said his attention had first been
called to the value of straw as mulch and fer
tilizer in 1858, when he had spread quantity OF
straw on grass to get rid Of it. His neigh6ors
told him he had ruined his grass, but it made an
excellent sod that remains to this day. Nothing
J else has been applied to it.
Sas Silver remarked that if he had more straw
than he needed for litter he would spread it or
grass. Early grass when shaded will spring III
and grow more rapidly than where not shaded
Straw plowed under for corn will make it ca,
well. At the time the corn is caring the straw will
be decaying and furnish fertilizer for the corn
Has not succeeded in getting cattle to eat mucl
straw.
George L Silver thought straw not profitable
feed for stock, but was best used as an absorbent
and top-drcssng for grass. 1t will retain mois
ture under it and tighten up the soil.
f Johns ii. Janncy, Uhc President said he had
noticed where he had put straw to kill Sodom
apple the corn was twice as high rs on any Other
place in the field
Adjourned to meet at r. John Rogers's on the
10th of July next when the question for discus
sion will be, "What crop should wheat follow 81