The semi-weekly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1879-1882, 1881-11-24
FARM NOTES
WASTE OF WHEAT STRAW

WASTE OF WHEAT STRAW
Wheat straw is usually stacked in the
barnyard, no care being taken of IL
IS an article Of value on the farm
except as material for bedding OF
"pickings' for cattle. 1t may not be
a. nutritious az some other feed stuff
that goes 10 make up the bulk Of
what is given the stock, but it deserv.
81 better use than that to which prac.
tice now applies il. II is not an
evidence of thrift to waste feed in any
shape, aud wheat straw is really Of
more value, if rightly used, than
nay be supposed. It does not receive
. great amount Of damage by reason
Of being stacked, instead of housed,
bat once stacked, custom allows it o
place among the valuless articles
which are intended merely to be used
Is refuse, instead Of an addition to
material.
Wheat straw, if passed through a
feed cutter and mixed with cut hay,
will assist very materially in aiding
us through the winter when long
feed is scarce. Fed to sheep, even in
the coarse state, it is accepted, but it
is quite an article Of diet when cut
UP and mixed with little fine bran
aud fed to them. Cows delight to
resort to the straw stack and eat =
portion Of the straw before finishing
for the day, but when cut up fine
they soon begin to look for portion Of
it in their allowance. When meal or
bran is largely fed the main idea is
to give coarse feed to distend the
stomach, as we'll as for the real nutri-
ment contained, and wheat straw well
answers purpose in that respect.
But when cattle and sheep ere per-
mitted to eat from the stack at will
they necessarily destroy and waste
much of il that would be saved if the
straw was properly cut and fed to
them in the regular manner. Prop
erly cut it is easily digested, and,
consequently, more benefit is derived,
Is is apparent to all who appreciate
the advantages Of thorough mastira-
ton Of food.
Perhaps one Of the greatest leaks
In this respect is the delusion thai
wheat straw, when bedded and after
wards thrown on the manure heap, il
an economical method of disposiug
of it. This fallacy has been handed
down to us so Tong that It is consider
cd an innovation to dispute it
Wheat straw really requires quite
time to thoroughly rot, and possesses
double the power of absorption Of
liquid manure when in . fine state
than when coarse, is more easily
handled and makes . much better bed
for the animal. The labor required
Il nothing, for the cutter can be used
In the barn on rainy days and when
the earth il covered with snow. At
least % per cent. can be added to
the value of wheat straw by properly
storing and outing it both for bed
ding aud feeding, to say nothing Of
It. benefit to the manure. OF all
thingsIon.the farm 1t alone is unnot'csd
but If economy Is anything on Q farm,
farmers should not lose sight of THE
portion u the result Of . hard strug.
gle With the wheat crop. Ry feeding
It with Judgment 1t carries the bay
further and helps the eora fodder
along into the spring.
tt il, like other coarse stuff on ths
farm, better When fed in q bright,
clean condition, and Is ipjured out
Of the barn like anything else, to a
certain extent, and so, sAsA stacked
and left exposed dusiBa The winter, il
Il not often rslished, bat if stored,
out up and fed as a mixture with
ether food will find il almost 90 neces.
sary % hay or fodder. II is the bad
treatment Of il that places IL low 10
the farmers estimation. end moi
because it doss not possess nptritive
qualities. J.