The Hazlehurst signal., 1884-01-17
Fertilizers and Cow Feed.


In talk on dairy farming recently
given by DIR. Voclckcr to the students
OF the Royal Agricultural College. no
said of tho management Of pasture land,
that while in some places steamed bone
meal produces excellent results, In 9TH
crs ii produces no effect ut all, even
when applied in very largo quantities.
This little item of experience, within the
comparatively narrow boundaries of
England, besides suggesting caution in
the use of this fertilizer, also shows tho
folly of some writers for our agricuitur-
nj papers, who, because they see no
good effects of heterogeneous manurcs in
their own immediate ncighborhood, pro-
coed to advise everybody else all over
this great cxpansc Of country not only
10 Law out no money for the costly nitro
gen of commercial fertilizers, but also
To pay no heed To waste OF nitrogen IN
their own stable manure, by overhead
ing in the pile, or by teaching out IN tho
yard-most pcrnicious advice. :.
But DIR. Voclckcr also expresses his
very decided opinion that the use OF ar
tiiicial manurcs generally. and especially
of yuano or nitrate of soda. does not
pay ON permanent pasture. He aillrms
that his own numerous experiments
have taught him this lesson. and also
that those which Lawcs and Gilbert
have been trying for so many years
teach the same lesson. But something
must be done to replace what IL carried
Off from the pasture in the milk anu
meat sold. or il will surely run out,
sooner or later; hence his sound advice
TO feed oil cake To the pasturcd stock,
and for this he particularly recommends
the cake So easily had in this country
dccorticatcd cotton-secd cake, given mt
the rate of two and a.half pounds per
day an animal. II both pasture aud cows
are To be kept in good condition. AZ
certain seasons of the year, rs in tho
spring, when the first grass is eaten. he
would give undccorticatcd cake. three
pounds n day; its husks are preventive
against scours; he would also use this
cake IL Indian meal is fed.
For feeding dairy stock in the barn
he quotes the use of bean meal and oat
meal, one or both aS tho case may be,
by very successful Scotch jairymcn,
who supplies round of customers that
want very rich milk. Voclcker himself
finds five pounds day. n head, OF \
mixture in equal parts of dccorticatcd
cotton-sccd cake. bran. bean meal and
oat meal 10 be- rs good or better than
bean meal or oat meal alone. Another
lairyman. every ono of whose Short
horn cows makes not less than one hum
drcd dollars year for him. gives ono
buShcl of brewers grains, two and one
half pounds OF bean meal. two AMI one
half hounds of Indian meal and forty
pounds Of hay to each animal; AMI in
the summer, when the animals are IN
pasture. he gives two and onc-haf
pounds Of dccorticatcd cotton-sccd cake.
Thus il is seen that cotton-sccd cake
enters largely into the milk ration in
English dairy husbandry.
Occasionally complaint is made in tho
papers that the cotton-secd gives taste
10 the milk; but every such assertion
ALWAYS calls out so many experiences To
the contrary. from those who have used
il freely, and whose milk and butter arc
in many eases disposed Of TO fastidious
customers, that there can be no doubt
that If the cake meal Is clean and good,
and is properly used, from two 10 four
pounds day may be given TO each
animal. with good results. Doubtless tho
larger the natural yield of the cow the
more literally she may be fed with con-
ccntratcd fodder. as general rule; hut
the careful farmer will always keep
watchful eye on both COW and milk.pail,
especially when giving this high feed;
even il the health OF the animal is kept
in prime condition. and allowing that
the richer the fodder the richer the
manure. il will depend upon the profit
with which the rich manure can he used.
ON crops tina, bring good prices, whether
very rich feeding pays, unless IL pays in
the milk.
OF the use of oat meal for cows men,
ton i not often made in this country;
but when spoken Of il is always with
praise. That il is better than corn
meal there can be no doubt; IL j. rich
or in both albuminoids and fat; and
the usefulness of these two nutrients,
and especially the former, for making
milk is shown not only by the results OF
numerous careful experiments, 5ut by
the acknowledged usefulness Of oil-cako
meal. Where this mca, is used freely
there would be less Use for cat meal;
but. thunder some circumstances il might
be advan,aScously substituted for tho
bran in the favori,c mixture for cows
of Indian meal and bran.-N i. Iri6-
uilc.