Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-02-28
FARMING AND STOCK.

make ourselves use:ul, and the spare time
profitable? 1t is little too dry to pillow for
the most Of us. Spring is coming on fast, and
will coon be here, and If We are to have rain
TO ensure crop it will come by the frst
of the month, and the question IL, how much
will We have, and what crop can We put in,
that will be OF the most benefit to Us? II our
rain fall should be light, how can we man.
sge it to the best advantage, and retain its
effects On our dry soil the longest.
We all have q theory, but that theory
often fails. Ny theory is that the farmers,
and stock raisers should organize themselves
into convenient club, or associations and in
terchange views and theories, and one learn
from another many experiences, either OF
success or failure.
Times are slsck and the weather generally
fine, and an afternoon spent in talking these
matters over and interchsnging views is
much more probably spent than going to
town and lounging on the streets, or about
the saloons to see what is going on, We can
learn more in one afternoon spent as farm
er's club or sheep or cattle mans association
than we could learn in week on the streets,
and spend less money. The people of Paw
nee county have come 10 that conclusion,
and clubs and associations are forming quite
rapidly, and we find them very instructive
and interesting, and will prove profitable
10 all parties. Deep and thorough blowing
is advocated by all, and more especially in
dry seasons, but l find thar deep blowing
without thourough cultivation, pulveriz'
ing and rolling down, is of but little use.
The harder land requires the most thorough
work, the finer the soil is made, and the
more the surface is rolled or packed the
longer il will retain moisture. The winds
dry the soil far more than the sun, and the
mellow damp surface prevents hard dry
crus. from forming at the bottom of the fur
row. My wheat ground was plowed deep,
well cultivated and rolled, my wheat came
up strong and thick; has grown right along
except during the cold weather. Oar sheep
L
stool that is suffering from dry weather.
Daring these heavy winds there ia little Or
no dust fiying on il, while the fields joining
are in a perfect cloud OF dust, and IN some
places the root of the wheat is bare. and in
ether places the wheat is covered with the
dust and Sand. | attribute the cause to roll
ing, aud the constant tramping OF the sheep
But the me for sowing wheat is past, and
the question il, what spring crop will be
best? Millet seems to be the favorite be-
cau,e il IL a sure crop, and the most con-
venept TO harvest and handle. Corn is a
iavorite with me, drilled or planted thick
in rows, and cut while green. 1t is not so
conveinen. TO handle as millet bur Is much
better for stock Of any kind. We have fed
il two winters, and prefer it especially in dry
weather. II it is drilled with grain drill 5
10 bushels to the acre il can be cut with
machine, and left in gsvel- few days to
wilt, and then bound and shocked in large
shock, aud stacked when perfectly dry. II
planted in rows drilled in rows) and cul-
iiya,ed there will I've good many small ears
which if they should not be destroyed BY
worms, are good for horses, cattle Or sheep.
some have raised sorghum in the same
way, and prefer ii to any other kind of feed
| intead trying few acres of corn and sor-
ghum mixed. Corn will produce two toler.
able crops in one year. if the fra. il cut
early enough, but if cut too green lie
harder 10 cure, aud the feed il not so good.
have no good opinion of the pearl millet.
tried small patch, and nothing has eaten
it yet, green or dry. Then, what shall we
plant or what shall We COW to male the
mos; oat Of, and what shall We do with it
when We get it? Will We all get sheep and
feed it. Where can We get the sheep? 1
think you will ell say go to Mexico, and 20
early. say go later in the season, or wait
until they are brought up. Ny experience
in the trade Of twenty-five years that We can
buy sheep cheaper here in Sentember. than