Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-05-10
Farm Notes.

have been out this morning damming
up little brook and digging bitches TO
carry the water where it will flow over
part of the moving. have noticed in
years past that where the water flows in
the spring there is always good grass. |
have no doubt but that running water can
be thus utilized on many farms, both on
pastures and grass lands.
Farmers about here are getting to feed
more grain every winter and spring.
Many are forced to do this, being "short
for hay" The high price OF butter has
led many to feed grain who would other
wise have fed hay alone. No doubt il
pays well, especially if one buys cotton
seed meal or bran. They largely increase
the richness of the manure as well as the
amount of butter, and with coarse hay or
straw make cheap and rightly proper
toned food combination. But most farm
ers miss it that they do not purchase a
supply in the fall, before navigation
closes. Feeding stuffs advance during
the winter months, so that one can save
several dollars by buying early.
| notice there is n great difference in
different lots of cotton seed meal, some
being much finer ground than others and
having different smell. Probably humid.
reds of farmers are buying cotton seed
meal this spring who never saw the article
before. Perhaps not single pound OF
the adultGrated meal has been brought
into the state, but who knows? How nice
it would be if there was same provision
made by the state so that farmers could
have such things analysed, or in some way
hn 0Scnrn1 thnU cyaffipn n mod
article.
While there is no question as to the
profit of buying such foods as cotton seed
meal and bran, it is very doubtful whether
it pays to buy corn meal or corn, especial
ly when the market stands as it does this
spring.
Let any farmer look at the market quo
tations and then figure up the cost of
raising bushel OF corn and soc if it does
not cost two or three times as much to
buy il rs it does to raise it. If | sale. flour
or five times as much should come nearer
what ought to be the truth, for corn can
be grown very cheaply here in Vermont.
am not going to write TRADE against
railroads or grian spectators, nor yet
against thriftlcss farmers, but | 10 urge
every farmer who can, to grow his own
corn, and study to do it in the cheapest
and best way. No doubt, everything
considered, it is one Of the best if not the
best cop Vermont farmer can raise.
Care in selecting seed is indispensable.
So is a good, rich, finely pulvcrized soil.
Then thorough cultivation, using machine
ry and horse power wherever they can be
used, with proper care in harvesting the
crop and, unless the season is very I'M
favorable, one may have cheap and good
supply of corn.
Why is it that farmers almost invariably
learn helfers to be MIXED only on one
sides 1t is much moro convenient to have
cows that can be MIXED on both sides. IfI
milking in Il stable one can sit down
between two COWS, milk one and thon turn
around and milk the other. In milking
out OF doors there is almost always a
choice of sides. The hefer knows no
difference, if You only accustom her to
being MIXED on both sides.
As to milking three times day, it is
generally practicod in some parts Of Scot
land. MANY OF the Scotch in America
keep up the practice. Some milk three
times day rs long as the COWS are kept
In the barn. When they arc turned out
to pasture they arc MIXED only twice,
and they shrink their milk nearly one
third.
Last summer, when first turned out, two
of our cows would como up at night with
udlleTs so diStended that it was with the
greatest difficulty they could be MIXED.
We tried keeping them up till noon, feed
ing on fresh grass, then MIXED and turned
thom out. They gave at each milking as
much or more than COWS generally do at
q milking. have no doubt a great deal
more (probably not third more) butter
could be made by milking three times n
day; but whether, when COWS arc kept at
any distance, it would pay to stop work,
get them up and milk them in the middle
of the day is n question that can DO solved
only by careful experiment. In Scotland
the cows are MIXED by the lassies." |
hardly think the men would care to do it
tbreo times day.
The Scotch are good farmers. In some
things they might serve as a model for
New England farmers. They cultivate
large areas. they follow systematic rota-
'tioh of crops, and they feed large amounts
VI gram DcllCNC lu6J hdNC ulUlC lhllIl
in farming, or that they use moro business
like methods. Drainage and thorough
cultivation are two important factors in
their success. Almost any one can get
money in farming, but to make money
and have the farm growing better is an
other thing.
Last year WAS a good one for wheat
around here pGDpciglIv for tho ,oSt Nation
variety. The White Russian did quito
we'll, but in Ontario it rusted badly.
Has any reader Of this paper tried the
White Russion oats?
doubtless il is better for farmers to
grow their own wheat and use the money
they would pay for flour to buy fertilizers
or rich cattle feed, 1t would DO well for
all farmers TO try wheat, if only small
piece, and if il does well the saving would
be great. i. W. n.
Stowe, Vt.