Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-04-11
SOME SOUND ADVICE.
Why Every Farmer Should Know Exactly
What He Raises,

what He Raises.
An exchange says correctly that it il
important in feeding animals through
winter to have full supply, and ther
adds: ut is very difficult to gauge the
amount of feed that will be necessar,
for the stock for any considerable
length of time, and in order to avoid
any risk it is best to keep a good sup.
ply" This we regard as a mistake
into which many farmers fall, namely,
that OF collecting or reserving an in.
definite quantity of grain and fodder.
not knowing at all where or when it
will land them when it is all con-
sumed at some indefinite future. As
we have recommended for many years,
there Is no difficulty in ascertaining
the amount On hand, and in determin-
ing the rate at which animals consume
1t, the farmer may arrive at tolerably
accurate knowledge on these points,
the chief uncertainty being in the
weather, whether mild or severe, or of
short or long continuance; but even
here the careful farmer who under
stands arithmetic, and who by suffi-
clent shelter keeps his animals as COM
Portable in severe as in mild weather,
will find little difficulty.
Take few examples. By counting
his loads of hay when drawing in from
the meadow. he may have a fair esti-
mate OF how much he has secured.
But II he can not do this, he may
measure the amount in his barn, COM
pute the cubic feet and divide by 500
for compact or pressed timothy, or by
700 if the hay is clover, for the num-
Der of tons he has on hand. Then
weigh the hay he feeds to his animals
each day for a few days, and he will
easily know how fast they are consum-
ing his supply. Or, if he does not
want to take this trouble, and cares
less for strict accuracy, he may ascer-
tain or estimate the aggregate of his
animals, and allow about three pounds
OF hay daily for each hundred pounds
of animals. This, by a little practice.
will enable him to make supply and
demand meet, more accurately than
many actually accomplish. If grain is
largely fed, it will somewhat modify
the result. The supply of other kinds
of food may be determined in similar
manner. Turnips. carrots, or other
roots may be estimated without diff |
Guilty. This will be better and easier |
that the attempt to secure feed for
starving horses and cattle by being
thrown out of food in a scarce, stormy,
or difficult time in winter.
The grain supply is easily and readily
measured in graduated bins, where the
eye sees at glance by the large and
distinct numbers on the compartments
Of the granary just how much they con-
tain at any time. If care is taken for
uniform and regular feeding, the owner
may know at once from the two meas
lrements how long his grain or mea
will last. Corn-cribs may be measured,
and the number of cubic feet they con-
ain ascertained; and then by multiply
ng the cubic feet by Sand dividing the
product by 5, we learn the number OF
leaped bushels. Marking the bushels
It different heights will enable any
,ne to see at glance how much there
happens to be on hand.
But computations of this character
hould not stop here. There should be
! correspondence between the amount
# feed raised on the farm, and the
mount needed for the animals to carry
hem through. Rigid accuracy is more
lifficult here in making estimates in
.dvance, because the amount is sc
much controlled by weather. Farms,
However, in high state of cultivation,
re less affected in their crops by wet
easons or droughts. 1t may be well,
therefore,, after the crops are secured
q autumn, to make second examina-
ion, in the manner we have described,
nd to act accordingly, either by SELL
ng food, purchasing animals, or the
everse, in order not to have too great
surplus Of one or the other for the
est profits. This will be better than
D do as some farmers. by selling grain '
r feed early, and then being compelled q
D buy again before the spring has /,
assed. As nearly universal rule, it
} better to have q surplus of food than
DO many animals. because a needless ,
mount of hay or grain will do no !.
arm. or may be easily disposed of in |,
lture; but a surplus of animals, re-
uiring the owner to place them on
hot allowance, is most unfortunate {
olicy.-Country Gentleman. fs