The Portland daily press., 1879-01-31
AGRICULTURAL.
SOilinR Stock.

The question of song and cutting green
feed is one OF increasing interest, and when
We have thoroughly compared notes it will be
found that in thousands of cases where it has
never yet been tried, it will prove to be, all
things considered, the most economical as
well as the most profitable, method of carry
ing our stock through the summer season.
Last spring fitted up a small piece ofland-
very rich and in splendid conditon-and
sowed It, April 12, with about one-third peas
and two-thirds oats, mixed in drills twelve
inches apart 1t was cultivated once, with
hand cultivator between the rows, came on
very rapidly, and made an immense growth.
In fact, when we began cutting it, which was
just as the oats had fairly commenced to head
out, it seemed to be almost one solid mass
from four to five feet high. We fed it to both
horses and mich cows. My horses are kept
up the year round; the cows feed upon a
large marsh prairie, the grass OF which is
coarse and hard, not OF first-rate quality for
either milk or butter.
Both horses and cows ate the cut feed with
avldity and did nicely upon it. do not
know how many tons of feed per acre can be
grown in this way, but certainly a large
number. Mine was sown in a convenient
place to get at with the team and we used to
cut sufficient for from one to three days at
time, and haul it to the barn, and in that
way quite large stock may be fed at light
expense. In fact, If the stock are Kept well
bedded, the extra manure will about pay for
the extra labor. When cows lie out at night
we OF course lose the manure, and fear he
is poor farmer who does not take that into
consideration. l am satisfied that l had
twice the feed that the same piece of land
would have produced in red clover. Another
advantage is that it is off in time to raise
large crop OF turnips on the same land.
now have piece OF rye in fine condition,
which purpose cutting early, before oats
and peas are of sufficient size. After the
last named are gone, corn may be had of
gooc size for green feed.
After we had taken of a nice crop of peas,
we ploughed the land and furrowed it in rows
thirty inches apart. 1 should not have
deemed the furro wing necessary, only it was
sandy piece of land, and wanted the seed
planted little deeper in the soil than my
hand machine would plant it. The seed
was sown in the furrows July 10. 1t was
cultivated twice with horse cnltivator.
Before frost came we selected day when
both sky and barometer indicated few days
of pleasant sunshine, and cut the corn and
laid it upon the ground and left it there until
there were indications OF storm. 1t was
then bound up In small bundles and set up
in punches OF four to six in bunch and a
band put about the top to hold them together.
Thew stood in this way until winter came on.
If they are carefully set up they may safely
be left out until wanted for immediate use
When cured in this way would rather have
them for milch cows than any hay I ever
used, unless it is the best of clover grown.
If our farmers would give the subject of soil
ing a fair trial, and then raise plenty OF root
crops for winter feed, they would very soon
find that much larger number of animals
might be kept we'll than in the old way
]. III. Smith, Wisconsin, in the Ne,o York
Tribune.