Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-07-24
Advantages Of Mixed Farming.

Success in farming consists in know.
ing how to conduct farm in the most
Intelligent manner. In the virgin soil
Of the West less knowledge is required.
as the land Is more uniform ia its char.
acter. and is in condition for successful
cultivation without the necessity Of en-
tichine Il for the time being. The
Western farther has, therefore: certain
advantage over the farmer of the older
states, where the original fertility of the
sol has been exhausted. Yet the latter
may be. ana often is. the more success
/ sul cultivator If the two. owing to the
diversified character # the soil, which
by proper managemS-it, can be made to
yield greater profit than that of tho
West This is done BY mixed farming.
The advantages of this system are
many. but they are far from being rs
we'll understood IS they ought 10 be-
They are based chiefly upon the variety
Of soil. of which we have the upland
clays and alluvial loans Of the valleys.
besides calcareous snd sandy soils and
reclaimed peat lands. Ii will be seen
that there Is great contrast between
.he claws and the peat lands. with con-
siderable intermediate variety. each
kind of soil requiring for its fullest de-
yelopment a different treatment aud
crops peculiarly adapted 10 il With
the land in good condition. under
drained where needed. deeply and well
cultivated, and rich enough TO grow full
crops. wheat viii do best on clay, corn
on the alluvial soil of the valleys, and
rye and potatoes on the lighter soil,
while barley and oats msy be grown
successfully on almost all. and best on
the strong allufial and clay loans. The
pea will thrive here also. but il seems to
do better on limestone soil
As to the grasses. timothy (Phleum
pratense) and red top iAgrostis vulga-
ris) succeed hest in clay, as they re-
quire land somewhat moist. and should
hence never be put on light sandy soil,
Blue grass (Poa pratensis) is noted
for its great growth on the rich cal
csreous loans Of the West, but will do
well on any deep. rich soil not too dry.
So viii orchard grass (Dactylos glom-
srata). doing better than blue grass on
sandy soil literally enriched from the
bzrnyard- Red clover will grow on any
good soil well prepared. This is for.
tunate. as each variety of soil may then
be improved by it. aud il affords a SUI
perior feed
One Of the princip al advantages Of
mixed farming IS the keeping of stock.
IN which the dairy takes the lead. Prof
table returns are realized at once, and
II the same time the productiVeneSs Of
I the land is increased by the manure
that is made. while the keeping Of sheep
on the broken and lc>s accessible land
affords n further profitable income on
the investment difficult to be realized iE
ny other way.
Where mixed farming is practiced
esch part is conducted on q reduced
scale. which affords ckance for doing
the work well and in good time. and
with less interruption from unfayOrable
weather The spring grains IS well
rs clover and grass seed may thus
be got in earlier, point Of great i'm
portance. This gives a ehance for
planting corn and early potatoes. fol-
lowed by the preparation Of land for
buckwheat and sOiling crops. the les
sened work of each allowing all to he
done in sufficient time to begin the most
important work of the farm-the har-
vesting of the hay crop. Where mucn
hay is TO be made, as where the dairy
IS extended. there is always more or
less hay spoiled BY wet weather, some
times the greater part Of the crop being
all but ruined. while the last that is
harvested is Of little nutritive Value
from oyer-ripeness. Hence the import
ance of getting the crop soon gathered.
which the reduced quantity IN mixed
culture favOrs. Time i also afforded
for attending to the corn crop and other
hoed crops. Then come the grains.
each of which is taken care Of in It's
turn, and all arc harvested in good
time for other late summer and early
fall work The number OF cows in tho
dairy being reduced chance is offered
for securing better animals and taking
better care of them, whereby the yield
of milk Is increased and the profit on
il So. too. with sheep. Where the
fiock is reduced there will be less
erowdlng and better attention can be
given. which results in n better quail
ity of wool. and moro and larger lambs.
Another advantage is the distribution
Of the work throughout tae year. Less
hired help is required One good hand,
with the owner, if he is also 4 good
worker, will do about all that IS re-
quired on an ordinary Eastern farm.
with the aid, of course. OF implements
and machines, a full complement Of
which can thus be prOtiiably employed.
The chance afforded to turn down sod
is one of the chief advantages of mixed
farming. BY this process the ground is
enriched. and 4 means afforded for i'm
proving the land that has been in grain,
and Is more OF less exhausted. As our
droughty seasons here allow only few
years TO grass, and the same tine to
grain. there is not that exhaustion Of
the soil rs where grain is made n
speciality; hence the land is improved
and continues to improve in texture
and fertility. Weeds are also better
kept down by variety in farming -
~ T. Sun.