Richmond democrat., 1881-08-04

II.. f|.'f''''"f /" 80 -" 80 - - L
Thossauds of the farmers in tho
Northern States are now lcuking anN-
iuusly forward 10 the time when their
live liurk cam be turned cut TO pasture.
because the hong cold winter has told
severely on the stores Of food laid up for
the use OF their animals last fall. In
some paris Of the country il is usual TO
let cattle i1iu ont 20 pasture portion
of the winter moaths. II not during all
Of them, and obtain a part VI the food
required iO Keen them IN good condition;
bui che present winter has hcon so Sc
,erc that very little pasturage was avail
able, even IN regions where II usually
uiore or less abundant, losses Of stock
have bccn very great in most of the
Western States and Territories, owing
TO negligence On the part Of their own
crs To provide food and shelter, and the
animals which TO survive must ncces-
sarily come out IN spring in very poor
and weak condition, and require extra
care and . generous supply of food In
order 10 restore health and put flesh on
their bones, Perhaps the coming sea.
son will be 50 favorable TO the growth
uf the native and introduced grasses
thai no extra effort will be required in
the production uf food for stock, but
as it seldom happens that the farmer or
stOckman has surplus Of food. II may
not be Time wasted 10 make preparation
FOR raising an extra quantity.
Cattle frequently suffer for food
during tho months of August and Sep.
tembcr, especially II dr9ughts occur,
and as a matter OF safety preparations
should be male for making up any de-
iiciency likely 10 occur II the crop
raised for feeding in summer is not re.
quired 1t is an easy matter TO curo Il and
lay IL aside for winter use. II those
farmers and stockmen who are now SO
bitterly lamcnting the scarcity offodder
had sUwn some of the annual grasses
last summer OF spring aud cured them
for winter use they would now have no
cause OF complaint What has occurred
may occur again, and we shall probably
have long summer droughts and severe
winters IN the future as in the past,
aud as no one can tell in advance the
date of their coming, the only safe plan
IS TO be always prepared for them when
they do come. The stockmen ON the
plains could have had m abundance Of
fodder gathered for their animals, and
shelters prepared for their protection
from cold, but thoy neglected these
precautionary measures, trusting TO
luck, and it has turned against them.
IL is not their first loss and in all prob
ability will not be their last, any more
than short supply of fodder among
Eastern farmers is anything new, or
ltts.H. a.. h. 80. ...pIess.,, -
affairs IN The future.
But the severe droughts of last sum
mcr and the severity of the present
winter ought 70 serve rs a lesson TO all
OWNERS uf live stock and make them
more diligcnt in the raising of fodder
plants of all kinds. Their safety is in
what aru usually termed the annual for
age plants, as many of these thrive in
seasons and ON soils where the perennial
kinds utterly fail We would not Of
course, advise any man TO neglect his
meadows and pastures, but in addition
put in few extra acres of drill corn.
millet or sorghum, to be fed out during
the late summer months IL needed. or 10
be cut and cured fer feeding in winter.
An aOie OF cora sown thickly in drills
will yield far more food than when
planted in hills and left to mature the
graiu. The sorghumS Of various kinds
are nearly II not quite equal TO corn for
this purpose, while millet can usually
be relied upon for sowing a little later
in the season, rs il comes forward rap
idly during the hot weather, yielding
heavily, and, if cut early and well-cured
making fair quality OF hay.
The sorghunis are alleNcellcRt fodder
plants, bu, the largo seeded varieties,
which have recently beon disseminated
undpr the names uf rice corn aud pam.
pas rice, are probably better adapted
! 10 dry soils than the smaller sorts;
bat the farmer can scarcely tail
TO produce valuable forage from any
of them, II they are sowu at the
| proper season and in moderately rich
soils. One acre in soTghums will yield
five ~ ten times as much fodder as the
same area IN The ordinary perennial
| grasses, and while tha fodder produced
| may not he worth % much per ton, II Is.
to use common Western phrase.
ivory iilling.' and a great way ahead
/ of straw stack or nothing.
The farmer should take this fodder
! question into consideration the coming
| spriug while laying out his plans for
/ the summer and reserve piece Of land
somewhere on the farm for these annual
! forage plants. II he has no field that
can be spared then he should use all the
small patches here aud there about the
j farm for this purpose, putting In some
early and others late. In fact, sny plo,
Of ground that can he spared or niowed
up, alen IS latp as tbs nrst of Jgly, may
DO suwn with ourn, and If the season /.
ut oil favorable. . good heavy growth
,Hn usually be secured before tho FIRST
J trusts of autumn. Corn will usually
come forward mort rapidly than tho
millets or sorghums when sOwn late, or
in dry weather, as the grain is larger
| consequently lkei4 Is more substanof
from which TO produce 2 Young plant
With the hundreds Of excellent foras,
! plants in cultivation, and our cheap snt
| Tiah lapds aud favorable climate, Il is 3
| disgrace To the uwnprs uf stock Of al
| kinds that an animal should ever wani
or suffer for food at any Time or seasop o.
the year. Ii Is not at all necessary tina
fodder should all be consumed during
the year in which il is put up, or in the
following, for weli-cured haymag 10 lep
| IL goog coed,tioe iQr several years; Nn,
tiils ~ another gUod TrsSOn Tor laying
up "a supply when it il abundant for ;
time of need. We hope every farmei
viii think Of this during the coming
season and not neglect any CnpOY;Vnitl
thai mhy otter far ihcteasing hiy stool
Of hay and forage generally, ~ y