New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-07-15
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.

My wife's away.
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Alfalfa As Pork-Producer.
Prof, E. NJ Shelton of the Kansas Az
ricultural College, reports an interest
ing experiment IN which half acre OF
alfalfa, seeded the previous season..
was pastured by pigs during the sum-
mer OF 1884, the pigs being carefully
weighed each month, and the number
carefully adjusted to the quantity of
forage. In addition to the alfalfa,
each pig received two'pounds of corn
in the ear, thus giving that combina-
ton of foods which experienced feed
ers have found so we'll adapted to pork
production. The result was that the
half acre of alfalfa. in connection with
2,146 pounds of ear corn-say 3OI bush
els-ggave support during l54 days to
rather more than nine pigs having the
average weight Of 40 pounds, and
caused an increased growth amount
ing to III pounds. The LAG pounds
| of ear corn would be equivalent to
1,76O pounds Of shelled corn, and pre-
vious experiments on the same farm
had given an average increase of one
pound live weight for 5.34 pounds
shelled corn. At this rate the total in
crease due to the 3Oa bushels corn
would amount to 329 pounds of live
weight, and that due to the alfalfa
would amount to- 388 pounds. Thus
the half acre of alfalfa, requiring no
! cultivation nor harvesting, gave a
greater return in growth than half an
acre of corn yielding 81 bushels per
| acre.
Corn-and-cob Meal for Pigs.
The experiment. in feeding corn-and
cob meal to steers, was repeated at the
Kansas Agricultural College during
the past winter, the meal being fed in
this instance to pigs instead OF steers.
The results Of the experiment (of which
the full details are published in the an
nual report of the agricultural depart
ment of the college) are summarized
as follows by Professor Shelton:
With steers, bushel (7Ofb.) corn
and cob meal gave 9.56 pounds of in
crease; while with the pigs bushel
GO b. corn-and-cob meal gave 1876
pounds of increase; and with the steers
again l bushel (56 b. corn meal gave
7.O4 pounds of increase, while with the
pigs bushel (56 fb.) of corn meal
gave $3.50 pound OF increase. The fact
that the pigs were fed during the late
severe winter season, while the steers
were fed during the comparatively mild
winter of 1884, is sufficient expla-
nation OF the near approach Of the cost
of pound of increase of the pigs to
that of the steers. That an animal
possessing the comparatively simple
digestive apparatus Of the pig is able,
| almost equally with the OK, possessing
complex and extended digestive ma
| chinery, to use the cob as feed, would
seem to indicate that it exerts some
/ thing more than a mere mechanical
influence in nutrition
| Wire Worm,
(, Western Rural.
| This pest is very provoking one;
! and excites many inquiries. We have
two or three inquiries now in regard to
it. 1t preys upon almost every crop
that is grown. They do not trouble
beans, peas and buckwheat, but we do
not now think OF any other crop that
they sometimes do not injure. They
! resemble a worm and resemble wire,
hence their name is very appropriate.
Remedies, so called, are to large de.
gree unsatisfactory. Fall plow5ng is
IN the direction of a remedy, and so is
frequent narrowing. This gives the
birds in the fail and spring a chance at
them. In England they practice bury
ing potatoes early, and marking the
place. The grubs collect on them to
feed, and can thus be captured and
destroyed. Both gas lime and salt are
used to advantage in Europe, being
placed with the seed at time of plant:
ing. Some advise the sowing of buck
wheat the second year after the pillow.
ing under the sod, should the wire
worms be very abundant. The frs
year, one experienced farmer and gar
dener says, they seem to- prefer the de
seems distasteful or poisonous tc
them. The same is but little less true,
the same writer says, of beans anc
peas.
Transplant Evergreens in May.
Farm and Fireside.
May is the best of all months il
which to transplant eyergreens. Plan
as soon as the: terminal buds at tn
ends Of the branches begin to push
4 Take large bail of dirt with each tire.
+ if possible. and SOW some old sackin!
around the roots, in order that the!
may be kept moist.
Never let the roots of the eyergree
become as dry as those Of fruit tree;
When the sap dries and forms gun
the evergreens will not grow.