The National tribune., 1891-11-26
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
PEAS FOR DAIRY STOCK.

man, who took the advice Of that paper last
Spring and sowed two acres OF peas for feed for
his cows In talking with him the other day
he stated that the only thing he regretted was
that he had not planted much larger amount
than he did. Hero is butter st - cents o
pound, and with pea meal, the finest butter
feed in the world. he only had two acres to feed
his 20 cows, all fresh for Winter dsirying. He
gave the following instructive points in his ex-
perienco:
He took the advice to plant the peas deep.
and so sOued them broadcast on two acres Of
Fall blowing and ploWed them under four
inches deep. Experience showed that the
ground was rather too rich, which prevented the
vines from seeding as profusely rs they other
wise would. He thinks he made mistake in
not narrowing and pulyerizing the surface Of
the ground thoroughly before seeding. as that
would have given the peas q better seed-bed-
After planting about bushel Of oats to the
acre were sown and narrowed in over the peas
for the purpose OF holding them up when
grown. Two bushels aud half of seed to the
acre WAS the amount of peas sown, Of the va
riety known as the Canada field peas When
not too ripe they were easily cut with the
reaper, aud as soon as dry stacked. The yield
was % bushels 20 the acre. which is good, fair
yield. Dir. Mcpherson says he shall plaut more
largely of peas next Spring, shall select the
earliest ground possible, and plant early, so as
get full start before hot weather sets in. he
is growing peas for the same reason every
other dairyman should grow them; to save
buying bran, as a substitute, the best buttor
"a A fta.N - l.. ill
show just how profitable il is to do this.
In order 70 keep the COW up to her best and
most profitable work il Is necessary to feed her
the proper amount Of protein or heterogeneous
food. In the books this element is generally
termed "albuminoids" As a rule. the farmer
raises plenty ofcoTn, which is fat producing food.
But If the COW is fed corn alone, aud no protein
food she gradually loses power as q milk and
butter producer. She must have some food
every Gay of nerve aud muscle-supporting
Character in order u hold up in the work Of
reducing her other food, with this. 20 butter
result. Bran is the most extensively used Of
all the protein foods for this purpose but Is
getting very scarce aud high priced. Liberal
dairy farmers calculate 20 feed from 900 to
1000 pounds per COW from Nov. I TO May Is IL
their cows are in Winter milk. This is quite
heavy tax at present prices, even In Wiseon-
SIN, which Is Sl5 n ton. and prices going higher.
up bIhu OF bD-uhyt however, Is greatly le5se0eu
IN It's feeding value by adulteratiOn with dirt,
mill dust, aud other material. 50 that IL is evil
dent 10 Us, all things considered, that two
pounds Of pea meal is equivalent As butter
feed 10 six pounds of ordinary bran. Those
who have tried 70 set IL down rs at least treble
in value. Put the figure there aud see how the
peas will stand. Twenty-Five bushels of peas
10 the acre Is equivalent 10 l.5O0 pounds Of pea
meal. or $500 pounds Of bran. the latter cost
ing at present prices 1875 Taking prices Of
bran where they stood last Winter, at $40 q
ton IN Wisconsin, and the economy OF raising
peas IN It's place is still more apparent With
Weli-pusted dairy farmer il Is not n question
whether he will feed bran or not he knows
he must feed II or gune perve and muscle-sup-
porting food II he expects bis cows 10 hold up
to their best and most profitable work. There
fore. IN the light Of these facts aud the high
price OF bran. the pea meal substitute u a ue-
c--sity " the dairy filImer expects TO produce
mix al profit add 10 siutain the strength aud
viRor Of bis herd. Hero Is heid Of economy
worth thinking abOht We want the dairy
farmers who read the DairymaH TO set ssri-
onsly at work 70 study up this pea. growing
question. Peas can be successfully grown u
the farmer will once learn how. Three things
are imreratively necessary
i. Thorough filth Of the soil, with the ground
not too rich.
2. Plenty Of seed, ranging from two bushels
bushels Tor the larger marrow fat peas
3. Deep covering; not less than four inches.
The pea 10 deep-rOOting plant and unless
deeply planted will dry out with the heat Of
the SUI before il fruits fairly.
PUMPKINS.
Pumpkins are in some quarters regarded with
great favor by dAirymen n Fall feed for cOwA
IL the land is rich aud "A little phosphate used.
aud no other crop attempted, an acre will grow
an immense burden Of pumpkins, and they
may be fed with great advantage. A reader
writes that he feeds tons Of them TO his cows
In the late Fall and early Winter, with mani.
fest benefit. He puts them Ia the basement
oil his barn, and If kept dry and nnfrOsted. they
keep IN good shape until after New Years.
ripe pumpkin keeps better than Que partially
cured. They must be handled carefully not
hArpooned with fork into q wagon. aud then
thrown like a cAnnon-shol onto the pile. He
would, when they are fed. split them aud take
out the seeds rs he thinks the latter Of no bene-
it, aud possibly some harm. The pnmpk inS,
II fed immediately after the milking do not
Affect the flavor Of the milk. and seem 10 i'm
part color 70 IL; certainly keeps up It's yield
All Of which IS not hard 10 indorse.-Fraetioal
Fdrmer.
BRAIEs IN FARMING.
A Professor In the Massachusetts, Agricultural
College said recently: There Il no better
agriculture =; and be might have added, that
there Is no business requiring the exercise Of
more brains.
The truth with the bark on" s. that 100
per cent more brains Is required TO farm II +"
successfully now than p years Ago; aud be
who does not read. study and adopt better
methods, will 90 under. Survival Of the
fttest is applicable 10 rbe farmer as a farmer,
AS 1t is TO tho order Of animal life.
NOTES
Ceiling the under side Of the rafters OF ice
houses Is great help to the preservation of
ics. Air currents constantly pass between this
ceiling and the heated roof, and carry of the
surplus heat Of the latter.
To make a tanning. mill stand In place when
In use. drive a short. sharp spike in the bottom
Of each of its bind legs. and lot them project
half inch. If all the legs are thus spiked.
one man alone eapnOt move the mill Two
spikes are better than more.
To keep chestnuts plump and fresh through
the Winter, pat them IN b hot stOye-oveu i've
minutes 10 destroy the life OF worm eggs. and
then place them ia moist sand In the cellar or
some vegetable pit outside. When worm eggs
are noLdestroyed, more worms then chestnuLs
are to BIO found in Spring.
DAIRY DOTS.
Some things in dairyinR are equal 10 each
other. For instance il an owner wants a Gov
10 do her prettiest for him. he mist first do the
same for her IL 10 n faiB exchange
dor. Ill wra.tr, f.