Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-01-11
WHAT COSTS TO KEEP a
Gov

DIS 10Tm, mdktc tuc ioho"inS
some experiments made by him IN iced
ing cattle, in letter to the Secretary
of the Farmers Club: i
The method which have pursued
in harvesting corn and in preparing the
fodder for use is known generally to
the members of the Club, but brief
statement may make the result more
intellioibIe to all. The corn is cut at
the ground as soon as the seed is par
tally hardened, set in stocks and al
lowed to stand until both the ears and
stalks are ripe and fully seasoned. The
corn is then husked in the field, and
the corn and fodder put under cover
without delay. The fodder is cut for
feeding in pieces of about one inch IN
length, then put into large boxes where
il il mixed with ccb-meal and satura-
ted with water at the boiling point.
The boxes are then covered 30 as to De
nearly air-tight, and allow to stand, say
IL hours before feeding.
The experiment was made last De-
cember. At that time my stock con-
sisted of 49 animals of various sizes.
but estimated to be equal to 46 cows
At the time the experiment was made
the feed of the stock per day for the
preceding three weeks had been as
follows, viz:
Cornfcdder, 460 pounds, valued at........s5.Sv ~
Hay, 300 pounds, (fed dry, valued at..... S'oV
Cob meal, 200 pounds, valued at............. Z.oo
e. 40
Total 70
Upon this estimate the daily cost OF
food for each animal was q triie more
than l6 cents.
At the time the experiment was
made had 23 cows in milk, of various
ages and conditions, and on Wednes-
dav, the 9Th of December, .he aggre-
gate yield was 373 pounds. On Sun
day, the 18th of December, the best
English hay was substituted for the
corn fodder, pound for pound. but in
all other respects the food was the
same. The hay-tbat is 460 pounds
was cut, mixed with the same quantity
of meal as was used with the corn fod-
der, and subjected in every particular
to the same treatment. The same
quantity of dry hay as before was fur
nished in addition.
On Wednesday, the 18th Of Decem-
Der, the yield Of milk was 359 pounds,
q loss Of IA pounds On Thursday,
the 18th, the use of corn fodder was
resumed, and on the 22d, and on the
22d Of December the yield of milk was
3s2 pounds, q gain of % pounds. One
experiment is not sufficient to establish
or overthrow theory, and / submit
the result IN this case rather for the
purpose of provoking inquiry and en-
couraging the application of other tests.
If it should appear in the end, as l
think it will appear, that well-cured
corn fodder, properly treated for animal
food, is equal, pound for pound, with
good hay, there will no longer exist
cyen q pretext for neglecting the culti-
vation Of corn in New England.
The daily cost Of supporting 46 cows
upon hay was:
For 100 pounds Of hay ss $40 psr ton........$7 go
For 100 pounds ob-meal ............... 2.03
Toeai........ .......|tSsoo
--x II csnts . COW.
The above testimony from such
most trustworthy source, corroborates
that so frequently given in regard to
the high value Of cornfodder in compar-
ison with hay.
WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP A HEN.
There is going the rounds Of news
papers statement that 10 pounds Of
grain Is sufficient TO keep hen in
prime condition for year. This is a
mistake. probably, though # fowls have
their liberty TO 90 where they please and
eat what they can find. That would
be equivalent TO / and l6 bushels Of
wheat or bushels Of corn. But in
case fowls are kept confined to small
runs, and are obliged to depend upon
what food Is supplied to thsm by their
owner, 1t Is not enough. In this latter
case II will take full bushel and a
half to keep hen. Even then, If ber
other wants are supplied, she will con-
sumo her busbel and half Of grain at
q profit to her owner, or ought TO. II
she lays as well a. she might, her eggs
will be worth ut least two dollars,
either to sell or eat, and her carcass is
worth for food, or ought TO be, as much
AZ II costs to keep her until she began
TO lay. The profit of porltry-keeping
depends greatIy-almost entirely-on
the management. II this is enlighten-
ed and business-like the profit will be
a. good as with any live stock that can
be kept about place. But there is 80
much mismanagement or bad manage
ment connected with the average poul-
try keeping that the aggregate profits
are less than they ought TO be.
TO MEASURE WHEAT IN A BUsHEL
A quantity Of wheat in q bin may
be easily measured In bushels as fol-
lows: Level the surface Of the wheat,
measure the depth In inches, and the
length and breadth Of the bin also in
cubic inches in struck bushel. For
instance, a bin l2t feet or $50 inches
long and 43 inches wide has surface
Of 6,450 square inches, and for every
inch in depth there will be precisely
bushels II the wheat is 80 inches deep
in such bin there will be 90 bushels
In it. As 124 feet by 3 feet inches
or $50 by 43 inches) is q convenient
size for granary bin, II would be easy
to mark the inches on the end or side,
and for each inch TO mark three times
the number Of bushels. A mere glance
At the mark will then give tho quantity
Of wheat 10 the bin.
CUTTING WEEDS
There Is nothing In the time or the
season when the plants or brush are
cut which prevents their future growth.
II is the condition Of the plants them
selves which has the effect desired
Plants are weakest just before the seed
10 maturcd, having then exhausted the
vitality Of the root and 9tsn In pro.