The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-10-09
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
GREEN MATURING.

| GREEN MANURINd.
While IL Ia generally better to feed crop
than to plow 1t under, there are some crops, as
lupines that may at times be used to good ad-
vantage for green manure. Soils that refuse to
grow clover will sometimes give good crops OF
lupines. which may secure large amount OF
| their nitrogen from the air. The white lupine
grown by the Station, though yielding an
unusually small crop, contained per acre in
| its tops and roots as much nitrogen rs 600
| pounds of nitrate of soda, as much potash "a
| 200 pounds of muriate of potash, and more
| phosphoric acid than 100 pounds OF dissolved
bone black. While nitrogen in the form of de-
caying organic matter Is not SO readily available
as that of nitrate of soda, and for immediate
use would not be so valuable, yet it stays
longer in the soil and its effect is more endur.
ing The use of such plants on light soils nat
urally deficient in organic matter and in nitro
gen for green manuring, is subject worthy of
consideration and trial.
A shrewd and successful farmer in this State
was wont TO say, "The cheapest manure can
buy Is clover seed" Why clover makes such
cheap and valuable manure this bulletin
has attempted to explain. 1t is important for
w COHBlu0E WH0Jn0T Gn0y may nov
proftably grow other legumes as we'll as clover,
and thus increase the number OF plants to
furnish the nutritive materials which make
meat and milk and which are lacking in hay
corn-f fodder, corn stalks and stover and at the
same time make cheap manure to bring up
their exhausted soils. For old pastures and
WORKOUT moving lands they In many cases
prove extremely valuable.
The legumes are especially valuable because
Of
i. Their large percentage OF protein COM
pounds which serve to form blood muscle bone
and milk, and their consequent feeding value,
which exceeds that of the grasses, corn-foddor.
corn-stover or straws. They may DO used to
supplement these folders in place of the con-
contracted heterogeneous feeds, such as bran. cot
ton seed, linseed, and gluten meals, etc. Hay
from the legumes is twice or moro than twice as
rich In protein as that from the grasses.
2. Their power of gathering large quantities
OF plant food from natural sources. Many If
not all of our common legumes acquire consid-
cradle quantities of nitrogen from the air.
Their roots penetrate deeply into the subsoil,
aud they thus obtain plant food from depths
beyond the reach Of plants with smaller root
development.
3. Their manurial value When the crop is
fed, most Of the nitrogen, phosphoric acid, pot
ash and other fertiliZing ingredients 90 to the
excrement, liquid and solid, and If preserved
mako a rich manure. II the crop is plowed
under, its plant food, including that acquired
from the air aud gathered from the subsoil, be-
comes available for succeeding crops. The large
amounts Of plant food left behind in roots and
stubble after the removal of the crop, furnish q
cheap and valuable store of plant food for fol-
lowing crops
While tho clovers will doubtless provo In the
future, rs they have in the past, the most valu-
able OF the legumos for general purposes, the
COW pea sofa bean and vetchos arc valuable for
forage silage or hay, and tho experiments and
observations at the Station and elsewhere in.
dictate that they are worthy of careful trial
StorT's School Conn., Bulletin.
THIN OUT FOR WINTER.
Now Is the time 10 Gull ont tho fiocks Nearly
every farmer and breeder has more young stock
than will be kept over, and while the locks are
full is the best time FOR selecting those intended
for next season. The pullets that will be the
best layers those that have been Matched
carly. They should DO we'll feathored In APP
pcarance, bright. activo and full Of life Such
puliets shonld DO kept growing from now to
the approach of FROST In order TO advance Thorn
ON the path TO maturity as rapidly Rs possible.
They should receive no check, and should DO
we'll housed and fed The reason why it is so
important TO push them Is because IL they be-
gin to lay during the latter part Of the Fall,
before tho Winter sets In. they will keep on
ihyiHR anu bckin 10 set early III the spring, IN
time for Matching out the carly brooda. Should
they not begin TO lay. however, before the Win
ter begins, thoy will not lay at all until Spring,
but will begin early. The cold weather seems
TO have curious effect In that respect for
young chicks stop growing, hens will not begin
to lay, and even the cocks are indolent and
selfish.
Nor is IL any less important to push the cock
erel If tho eggs are intended for Matching a
forward wall. mat "A rod Snrlsral tUfiI Ia,
more valuable and seryiceablo than one that
has been slow in growth and not fully deyel-
opcd. When the small breeds have been used
they will DO found approaching maturity much
sooner than the large breeds but do not make
as good Winter layers as do those breeds that
possess heavy, fluff feathers, nor Is the tall
comb Of any advantage 10 them whom the frost
is keen and tho winds sharp. Liberal feeding,
however, will assist maturity TO bridge over
some Of the difficulties, and IL pays at that, as
tho eggs collected In Winter arc always worth
much more than those of later period. Thin
out all the inferior stock, select tho strongest,
earliest and most active pnllots, and pick out a
cockerol full Of vigor and strength.-Fdrm and
Fireside.
NOTES.
Mrs. J. d.. Hagorstown, Nd, has q splendid
plan for poultry house which she has tried
and found It's merits. She would like To hear
from all who have a nice plan for such houses,
30 as to SEQ whether they combine the points of
hers.
The National Stockman recommends that In
rainy, catching weather. clover be placed in
the stack or NOW with alternate layers of
straw. 1t alirms that the clover comes out
green In color as when put in. Even the
blossoms do not change color. Tho straw is
also imbued with the flavor of the clover, and
Is eagerly eaten by the cattle. Darymcn do not
generally realize tho value of maintaining the
bright green color Of the hay. This will be
particularly shown In promoting the yellow
color of the butter made ia Winter.
The Minnesota Experiment Station expert
mented last season with oats and peas sowed
together. IL reports that either tho blue or
white Canada field peas are the best sorts TO SOW.
with oats, and advises sowing in the proportion
OF three bushels of peas with bushel of oats,
or whore the oats will stool great DEAL two
thirds of bushel of oats. Theodore Louis, OF
Wisconsin, on his MANFRED land, Bows only
one half bushel Of oats and two bushels of peas
per acre, but on droughty and poor land two
bushels Of peas Is not enough.
keen practical dairyman in this County,
says HoaTd's DaiTyrndn, gave us the other day
striking illustration Of tho reason why no has
been more successful with his cows than his
neighbors were: "i'll tell YOU" said no cit
all depends where n man looks when he feeds
his cows. My neighbOrs all look at the feed
consequently, they easily learn to acrimp the
cows all they dare 10. Whom feed look az
the cows just as ] would at my machine IL |
was feeding it. II Ia a-mi ghty easy thing for a
A. In AT -.