The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-05-24
GROWING FODDER CROPS.
Concentration and Compression Should BE
the Rules of Action.

| The introduction and successful prac-
ice of ensilage render the cultivation
Of the best fodder crops subject of
Importance to farmers and dairymen.
Without these it is impossible to make
arming profitable. for they are substi-
;utes for the now impossible practice of
summer pasturage. Our dry. hot sum-
mers are an obstacle to permanent
pasturing. which in spite of all efforts
has been found impracticable, and as
forage crops can not be consumed On
The land without great waste. there is
no alternative but to grow these crops
and cut them for feeding under sys-
tenn of partial or complete soiling for
summer use and for ensilage for winter
feeding.
Two considerations then present
themselves, first, the kind of crops to
be grown and the proper methods of
culture. There is large variety of
these crops suitable for cultivation in
both the North and South. but really
two or three crops only are required,
and one of these fills the greater por-
ton of the supply for the whole year.
In some cases, however, circumstances
make place for some other crop as a
special convenience. and it may be de-
sirable therefore to mention these as
suitable for filling vacancies which
may occur in practice. Having gone
| h. nh a.
dairy COWS for many years, we shall
mention only those crops which we have
used in our practice and have found con-
venient and useful. The list comprises
winter rye sown early in the fall, for
use in April and May; clover to follow
the rye; early varieties of sweet
corn to follow clover, late varieties of
sweet corn or common field corn to
come next; mixed oats and peas as a
change and variety with the corn, mil
let to come later, and then corn for the
rest of the season and for winter feed
ing as ensilage or as cured fodder; but
in the latter case crop of sugar beets
Or mangels will be necessary to feed
with the dry fodder and the clover hay,
which is also needed to some extent
even when ensilage is supplied. All
through the system reasonable change
of fodder is required to keep up the ap-
petite of the cattle and secure full
consumption of the most nutritious
food, as well as to avoid any risk of in
sufficient supply by reason of failure of
crops through dry weather. In all
cases it is desirable to have a supply
on hand of dry fodder, as we'll as en-
silage which may be available to carry
over the stock through any possible
emergency. Under the present condi-
tons of all agricultural industry high
pressure system must be maintained,
and the resources of the farm must be
taxed to the extreme of possibility to
make the business as profitable as it
should be. The aim of the dairyman
should ways be to have one more
cow and to get a little more feed than
will supply this addition, and so on, to
keep pressing on the springs continu-
ally, and the same principle should con-
troll the farmer and stock feeder,
The same principle should be applied
to the cultivation of these crops Nature
loves most the most ardent wooer. She
is most liberal to her much-exacting
master. ''TO him that hath shall be
given" is the principle upon which she
rewards the labors of the culGvator of
the soil. Large crops lead to still
larges ones, and so the soil should be
forced to the utmost on the highpres-
sure system referred to. No one yet
knows the full capacity of the soil, and
it is well that no one who tills the soil
should ever think the largest recorded
crop can not be over-matched by sue
cessful efforts. We would advise then
every farmer to make a practice of cur
failing his cultivated area and concen-
trating material and labor as long as he
can make the less area afford him a
larger yield. We have followed this
system for years with the result of get
ting more fodder and grain from s
acres than had previously been
grown on ~ ana In geJUlng more pro-
duce per square rod than had
been procured before from TO- This is
the central point of the system of prac-
tice around which every effort should
circulate and gradually lessen the cir
cult Concentration and compression
should be the rule of action when one
cultivates feeding crops and uses
the silo And first, in regard to
the second consideration, till
age is to be considered. The soil
should be made like garden. When
neighbors saw the writer covering
a field with manure and turning it
under, picking up the surface stones
and burying them or covering them in
the burrows. narrowing repeatedly un-
til the soil was perfectly fine and mel
low, they said, THAT field was better
worked than any garden" But when
the little four-acre field turned off 1875
bushels of rye, and the next year more
than Ii full loads of timothy and clover
hay and full pasture for IL yearling
heifers until late in the winter, the
profit of garden culture for field crops
became evident, and this should be the
way with all fodder crops.
With regard to corn for this use, it
is generally-we think universally
conceded that a full crop of ears with
as thick planting as may be possible
for this result is the best. This may
be procured by planting three or four
grains at eighteen inches anart in rowe