Thomas County cat., 1889-11-07
PROFITABLE CROPS

PROFITABLE CROPS
Spring Barley IN Excellent Substitute for
Oats In Rotation.
The oats crop fits into our rotation
80 nicely that we are 10th to give it
up. although there is little profit in it.
The average yield in this section is 40
bushels per acre. Many fields. of
course. each year yield so and 60
bushels. but far more fall below 40
bushels. The straw. thought by some
to be no better than wheat straw in
food value. when properly cared for
makes good coarse food for any kind
OF stock. have frequently wintered
horses on no other coarse fodder. Civ
ing little larger grain ration than
when feeding hay. When We also con-
slider the excellent condition of the soil
for the preparation of a seed-bed
for wheat. there is, perhaps. q
measure of profit in it. But large
percentage of farmers get no
such value out of it They stack the
straw in the barnyard and allow the
stock during the winter to eat little
and trample good deal in the mud
for manure. With no better use of the
straw. it is no hard matter to see that
there is no profit in a 4O-bushel oats
crop. Can we not find substitute for
oats in spring barley? On good rich
soil that will grow a heavy crop of
oats. you can depend on spring barley
for a crop about equal to oats in guam
tity. which will bring a much better
price in the market. or will yield more
value if it is desired TO be fed on the
farm. Many farmers realize in this
section $50 gross per acre tor their
barley. which is better than any yield
of wheat have yet heard of this
season. aud it only occupies the ground
short time. 1t is NJ harder to handle
by our modern mach merry than oats or
wheat, and if the str aw is stacked in
the barnyard. it will make as much
manure as either.
can not say whether the soil is left
to be in as good co Oldition to be fol-
lowed by wheat or 1T. but this year it
was ripe and cut as early as wheat, and
this fact is much in its favor. as an
early preparation of the seed bed is
possible and herein lies the success of
the crop. If you desire to seed to
clover l believe that it can be done
with as much hope of success with bar
ley as with oats. have observed one
field seeded this season and there is q
splendid catch, but this has been an
exceptionally good year to get stand
of clover, and will, of course. not be a
sufficient test. Barley does not grow
so tall as oats. and is not so apt to fall
down. 1t ripens and is removed from
the ground earlier and in dry seasons
this is another advantage. For these
reasons / should think the young grass
would stand better chance with bar
ley than oats.
Some farmers are still growing win
ter barley and rye. Winter barley
does not pass the winter so well as
heat. and with considerable differ
ence in price it can not take rank with
wheat Rye can be made a profitable
crop when there is good market for
the straw. The grain. when used with
other grains makes a valuable food
for growing pigs. and when so used is
worth more than the market value.
Frequently the straw will bring as
much as the grain, and in such situa-
tions can not fail TO pay. 1t is gener-
ally true that any grain raised on the
farm yields q better return if fed to
good stock, than when sold whole in
the market. and many stockmen find it
profitable to supplement their own by
purchasing mill feed, etc. but the
average farmer would better keep only
sufficient stock to consume the grain
raised on the farm.-COr. Ohio Farmer. |