Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-03-27

Judgment must be used. There ie A
great variety of food adapted TO the
building up Of growth or fats. The farm
er must exercise care In the selection of
these things. In Eastern Kansas farmers
are in the habit of turning their stock In
to corn fields after the corn has been
gathered, and letting them feed day after
day on what provender they may be able
to get from said fields. This is yery bad.
and causes annually the loss OF thousands
of dollars worth OF cattle. The corn fields
are nothing more nor less than grave
yards for the stock permitted to 90 there
In. Corn stocks are utterly void of nu-
triment, and one would lust as well en-
deavor to make an animal thrive on eat
ing and digesting an old Virginia rail
fence as to expect anything for their good
from the corn fields; to say nothing Of the
bad effect of the dead and woody fibre of
the corn stalk, the waste of flesh caused
by wandering. hither and thither is q
source of great loss and irritation. Feed
ing on corn stalks is the prime factor or
cause of that most dreaded disease dry
murrain. People are too much in the
habit of permitting their stock to remain
feeding on dried-up, worthless foods.
Avoid this if you expect to accomplish
any good Shrinkage in stock will not
justify such q careless and Indifferent
way of handling any animal. Profit
or loss must be the result of whatever
one does. Ample provision must be
made if we expect to succeed in bringing
about profitable results. There is no
better feed than corn, but should we
rely on that entirely, failure would follow,
as the oily substance is too great. Other
feed must be properly commingled with
it at intervals.
The professor had printed slips which
were distributed among those present,
and upon these slips clear ideas of the
value of different foods were given. He,
however, enlarged considerably thereon,
and stated that the figures were subject
to change. He thought the figures here
given were little too high. Shorts are
not nearly as good as bran for feeding
purposes. The second table given on
the slip was the experience of work per-
formed on the Agricultural farm;
it was found that clear corn meal was
not as good for feeding as corn and the
cob ground up together. To illustrate
more fully the importance OF warm
shelter, he took 10 pigs, divided them in
two lots, and weighed them, keeping a
careful record of all proceedings, placed
5 of them in warm, sheltered pens and 5
in open pens. Those in the warm pens
required 476 pounds of corn to make l
pound of increase, and those in the open
pens required 5.93 pounds OF corn to
make pound of increase. During the
period of severe cold those in the open
pen required lis pounds of corn to
make of increase, while those in the
warm shelter required only pounds to
make of increase; therefore, it was not
necessary to add anything more to con-.
vey force in behalf OF protection of stock
in order to acquire gain. The value of
corn and cobs as food was shown to be
as follows: He had taken 10 steers,
weighed them, and then placed one-half
of the number, carefully divided, on clear
corn meal diet, and the other hall On
corn-and-cob meal. On the exclusive
meal food, 7.95 pounds were required to
make pound gain, and on the other
diet it took 1882 pounds to make pound
of gain, which shows that corn and cobs
ground together make the most desirable
food. The sorghum and variety OF
other products might be pro6tably used
as folders, if cut and cured judiciously.
He thought that the alfalfa would super
sede all other grasses, and should be
largely grown.
RANGE HERDJNG.'
Mr.. Rich.-Did not advocate free
ranging, because he did not believe in it.
Less acreage of pasture and more acres
of cultivated lands are what are needed.
Confne cattle to what territory they can
use successfully. He wanted not less
than one acre of crop to one head of
stock. However the country is undergo
ing a constant change. Having lived
here eight years, he still knew not what
was absolutely best. We are passing
through transition state. Those coun-
ties devoted exclusively to stock require
more feed than those where rotation of
crops exist, etc.
Mr.. Rogers asked at what stage should
sorghum be cut for food?
Prof. Shelton.-The crop should be cut
before the seed is in the dough;
prefer to cut the same before the seed
is fairly set. In fact, all crops intend
ed for fodder should be cut when
grain is in the dough, and properly
cured. II cattle are fed moderately at
first, no danger need be apprehended. II
you feed great quantities of millet when
seeds are matured, it causes arrangement,
etc. Sorghum should be planted in drills
about three feet apart when intended for
fodder; thus it will not become too coarse,
yet will contain desirable amount of
saccharine. The question was asked
whether alfalfa had been grown in this
portion of the state or not.
Mr.. Rich only knew of one party having
planted alfalfa, and that was John Kelly,
and thought it would not do until the
buffalo grass is gone.
One gentleman stated, if the buffalo
grass could kill out the alalfa, then it
ought to die, and the buffalo grass sur
vive, for it manifested wonderful grit. He
had grown alfalfa, and found it supreme
ly successful.
Mr.. L. LeBron heard about alfalfa, and
sent to Denver for Is pounds; sowed one
acre; it did remarkably well; got away
with the sunhower and buffalo grass, too. |
Being SO well pleased with this, he sent
.or $50 pounds more OF seeds, sowed the
same and expects large returns compared
With the outlay. Sowed same in the |
spring.
Prof. Shelton.-Sow alfalfa in the !
spring time, never in the fall, and it does
better, making more rapid growth. Sow
n drills, and cultivate the same, but |
lon't SOW with other grains. Twenty-Five
pounds are sufficient for one acre. Sow
Is early as possible-say by April first.
Keep cattle off of same until grass is well
.ooted.
PRACTICAL DAIRYING,
By Mrs. Ben. G.. Rich. was an admirable