The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-01-17

MIXED FARMING.--The Rural Neu
Yorker has the following interesting ar.
ticle upon subject which is worthy the
consideration Of every farmer:
A large number Of farms. especially
in the North and East, are under So
acres. II we exclude woodland and
land not arabic, more than half the
farms in New England are under 25
acres in extent. 1t is singular that il
should have been taught by many agri-
cultural writers, and still more singu-
lar that farmers themselves should hold
the belief, that corn is not a crop for
small farmers to grow. Without saying
that no man should follow speciality
in agriculture, we are firmly convinced
that mixed farming is the most profta-
bic for the greater number Of American
farmers, whether their holdings are
large or small; and among the crops
that no farmer can afford 10 dispense
with Is the corn crop. We may make the
exception which proves the rule > in
behalf Of farmers on heavy clays. where
grass and small grains-unhoed crops
ARE in a great degree necessitated.
The farming Of that kind Of land Is a
specially by the fiat Of nature. But on
all loamy and sandy farms corn grow
ing is practicable, and when followed
with skill il Is eminently profitable
crop. There is no way in which so
much livestock can be kept from so
small an area Of land as BY making
corn the main feeding crop. II a man
Is TO feed 10 cows from 10 acres, the
year round, he must depend upon the
corn crop as his main reliance to do it.
This, and rye as IN early soiling crop,
with a field of clover and orchard-grass
TO bridge the time between the rye and
the early fodder-corn, make a complete
round Of feeding material-the rye to
be turned under as soon as the clover
field is ready to cut, and the land to be
then planted TO roots. Three-fourthso Of
an acre of corn will keep COW a year.
and keep her WELL but we would not
recommend it as the best way TO keep a
number of cows, or even one COW.
We would make corn the main
crop, but not the only one,
for various obvious reasons-the
principal one being that we should have
no green feed early in the season. Rye
and clover-with orchard grass and
from 90 to 100 bushels Of roots TO each
COW, ought to be grown. The chief OBJ
lection TO corn-growing among most
farmers Is that there is too much work
about it. But, rightly handled, there Is
no crop more easily grown, for its value,
than corn There is no need of using
any hand instrument in its cultivation.
The corn-planter, the smoothing harrow
and the horseshoe will do all the work
better than it can be done by hand.
and Smelling are dreaded Jobs,
and the curing and handling of large
crop OF fodder-corn is heavy task in
The eyes of many; but knowledge and
skill tighten labor, and it is worth while
tor every farmer TO master the art OF
handling corn, either for grain or fod-
Ter, in the quickest and cheapest man
her. II Is the great American crop.
When we make the right and full use Of
I, il throws out of agricultural compe-
ition with us any country where it can
lot be grown, no matter how otherwise
I may be favored in soil, climate, or
production.
WHAT KIND OF FowLsp-Farmers
hould restock their poultry yards every
wo or three years, for the old broods,
'eing bred in-and-in, soon run out and
'ccome improbable. 1t is not every
armer, however, that can afford to buy
fowls of any kind sufficient
o stock the place. In order to work
nto pure-bred chickens, there are sew
raj modes Of procedure, all very good,
ecausc very cheap. The first is TO buy
couple Of thoroughbred roosters and
urn them with the native hens. If the
.eghorn variety is selected, the progeny
nil be far better layers than the old
mes, partaking in very great degree
I the excellence of the new breed.
hen when the half-breeds commence 10
" sell off the old hens entirely, keep
~ only the half-bred pullets, also get
ng rid Of the half bred ROSTERS, for the
reed will not improve If they are kept.
eep the same thoroughbred roosters
Re second season, though it would be
stter to change every year. But under
. circumstances should they be kept to
'oss on their own progeny longer than !
e second season. The first cross will
, half-breeds; and IL none but
oroughbred males are used the
cond cross will be threc-auar
r. pure blood, which for all
'actical purposes are equal to the
oroughbreds. II, however, after the
st cross the half-breed roosters are
'pt, the grade will not improve and
Q chicks will only be half-breeds, and
'or ones at that. Hence, il is impor- ,
Mt that none but thoroughbred males
ould be used. Another plan Is to buy
trio Of pure bred fowls and keep
em in separate enclosure, setting the
Is under other hens as fast as laid.
MS will give pure blood fowls from the
art. Still another plan is to buy sew
al settings Of eggs; but this requires