News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-06-29
FARM AND GARDEN,

CoTToN- SEED MEAL AND Corn MEAL
Professor q. G. Caldwell, of Cornell
University, in a paper on the relative
merits of cotton-seed and corn as food
for stock, says: ''Cottou- seed meal is
hardly to be compared with corn meal
as food for stock, as the two differ so
widely in composition. The former
contains over five tines as much pro-
tein or aibuminoids and nearly six times
as much fat as the latter, while'th corn
meal contains nearly four times as much
starch and other nitrogen free extract
i've matter as is found in the cotton-seed
meal. The protein and fat have their
functions to perform in the animal
economy, and the starchy matters their
functions. One might with as much
reason ask, Which is the most useful
tool on the farm, the shovel or the
hoe? The cotton-seed meal must be used
more sparingly in the ration, and only
where it is especially desired to increase
the richness of the ration or protein, as
for instance, in the production of milk.
About quart may be given in days
ration, either with hay or alone, or
with corn meal and hay. Some even
give two quarts, but the larger quantity
should be used with some caution. For
COWS, 1 should say that oil meal could
be bought more profitably at 50 hun.
dred than corn meal at 81 so, espe-
clally if there is in the barn sufficient
supply of coarse fodder to use with the
concentrated food. Oil meal is rarely
mentioned in the ration for hurses, but
with proper proportion of less con-
centrated fodder, such as hay and corn
meal or oats, it may be fed at the rate
of two pounds day. The coarse fod-
der should be cut and moistened and
the meal sprinkled over it. So fed, it
would make no diff .rence whether fed
one, two or three times a day"
BERMUDA Ass.-This grass is at
tracting considerable attention in vari-
GUS parts of the country, and we are
having considerable inquiry about it.
Its botanical name is cynodora doctyLon.
1t was probably introduced into the
United States from some of the West
India Islands. or perhaps direct from
Bermuda. 1t is a perennial creeping
reedlike grass, making joints at dis
tances of about an inch and half,
from which it throws up leaf and flower
stalks, and also sends down fbrous roots
that take possession of the soil. When
in good growth plant will make an
inch and half, or new joint, every
day, so that when once introduced it
will spread rapidly. Until within few
years it was, at the South, considered
great pest; but now, owing to the
change in agricultural processes, it is
considered of much value as a pastur-
age plant, supplementing blue grass.
1t grows in sun or shade, on poor, worn
out sandy land, or fertile soil, admirably
adapting itself to circumstances. Its
creeping stalks form a complete cover
ing to the earth, and make excellent
grazing ground Cut frequently, it
makes green lawn all summer. We
have accounts of ten tons of fodder
having been cut from an acre, and cert1-
ieates that the fodder is of excellent
quality. It will stand the winters of
Virginia and Tennessee, except on the
high grounds among the mountains, but
has not been sufficiently tested further
north to enable an int Iligent opinion
of its hardness to be formed. Its seeds
do not mature in this country, and SO
far it has been propagated by cuttings.
Cut the creeping stalks in pieces about
two inches long. Scatter them on the
ground and spade them under, and they
will take care of themselves. OF course
the thicker they are strewn the quicker
they will cover the ground. Now, with
all these merits, why has Bermuda grass
ever been considered pest Simply
because it is possible to have too much
of good thing, and to have it stay
when and where it is not wanted. It is
not easy to get rid of. When it will con-
fine itself within the limits where it is
desired, it is a friend; outside these
limits it is foe. Plow it under, and
1t will come up again; hoe it up with the
utmost care, and there will be enough
left in the ground for seed, and, before
one is aware, the ground is covered
again. There is probably a way to fight
it out that Will be found by experiment.
We are told recently that live-forever is
exterminated by buckwheat culture.
Hogs soon make an end of an artichoke
field, and undoubtedly the ingenuity of
man will prove superior to Bermuda
grass. At present we are inclined to
regard it as valuable adjunct to South
ern agriculture.
BAGGING GRAPEs.-Two correspond
ents of The Fruit Recorder report as
follows on bagging grapes: 81.
sacked few last season and they hung
on vines until the 25th of October and
were the largest and best favored Con-
cord grapes I ever tasted, and were the
only grapes I had from 500 bearing
vines, the rest all rotted. O. Year be-
fore last tied 40 or so punches with
pieces of newspaper; did splendid; one
bunch overlooked till late; found it
and we decided it the sweetest we ever
ate; was Concord. This last season
used small paper bags tied with twine
where bunch joined the vine. Is quick
ly done; very little expense; grapes
were crisp, sweet and netting"
SowED CoRN.-Mr. G. ". Files, of
Maine, who has had very satisfactory
results in the way of fertilzing poor
soil by plowing under sowed corn, de-
scribes his method in Home Farm
"First go over the corn with common
roller, observing to roll the same way
1 am to plow. This puts the corn down
ont Of the way of the team and driver,
and is much better than attaching
chain to the draw iron of the piow with
a weight to drag in the furrow, as used
to be my practice. After plowing, the
next thing of course is narrowing,
which had better be done with a wheel
harrow, as most any other kind will
tear up more or less of the corn. then
complete the seed bed with the
planker.
CUT GRASS EARLY EARLY cut grass
contains larger proportion of nutritive