The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-03-25
THE FARM AND HOME
HOW TO ENHANCE THE VALUE
OF THE STRAW CROPS.
Don't Throw the Straw ON the Manure
PLEA Mi1ilonalre'J Chlckons-
Measuring Hay - sheep
Notes, Home Hints.
The Value of Straw.

Farmers. as rule have always en-
tertained the idea, that every pound
OF straw grown on the FARM ought as
quickly as possible be utilized in the
manure pile. While this may seem
correct it can easily be proven by
facts and figures that the system is
wasteful and wrong, and money thus
wasted If saved, would not only buy
enough manure or fertilizer TO keep
the farm in high condition, but also
leave good, round sum, as profit to
the farmer
| propose to take the present price
OF rye and rye straw. writes Jon. But
terworth in the Practical Farmer, md
show how a farmer can realize o
greatly increased income on every
acre OF rye and mot rob his farm,
but keep it in q high state Of cultiya-
tion, by placing on it just as much
manure or fertilizer as If he had ad-
hered to the old plan OF throwing his
straw crop in the manure pile.
The following facts and figures will
prove these statements correct
One acre OF land will yield Is to 20
bushels Of rye and one ton OF straw
The present price in New York mar
kets OF rye is zoe. per bushel, and the
price OF rye straw, threshed straight
and bound, is $40 per ton. Ten acres
of rye yielding Is bushels to the acre,
II sold at 75c. per bushel, will amount
to $ll250, and the ~ tons of straight
threshed and bound straw, if sold at
$40 per ton, would amount to $3.50.
making total OF $500. so realized
from the ten acres OF rye and straw.
According to Prof L. b. Voorhees,. the
New Jersey state chemist the real
manurial value OF rye straw in the
manure pile is only " per ton, conse-
quently, if the old plan is followed.
and the ten tons of straw are deposit
ed in the manure pile, the value OF it
there according TO PROT +. b. Yor-
hees is only $40. while if the tea tons
of rye straw were sold it would bring
$3.50. Take the manurial value OF the
ten tons of rye straw which is $40,
and with the go buy stable manure or
commercial fertilizer, and it will en-
rich the farm to the same extent
as If the whole ten tons of
straw had been deposited in
the manure pile, and yet
leave in the farmers pocket a net
profit OF $40. This, while enriching
the farmer surely does not rob his
farm. i" The above facts | think prove
conclusively that it is wasteful and
wrong to continue in the old way OF
threshing the straw and wasting in
the manure pile, or if not absolutely
wasting it in this way, reducing its
value to ~ per ton, when the same
straw Il threshed straight and bound.
would bring in the New York mar
kets $40 per ton.
will admit that to thresh rye by
hand is slow and expensive, and If the
ordinary spiked cylinder thresher is
used the straw will be broken and its
marketable value destroyed-hence l
advocate the use OF improved machin-
cry and in this case | recommend the
self binding thre5her which not only
threshes without injury to the straw
but also cleans the straw from dust
and delivers it thoroughly threshed
and bound ready for marketable pur-
poses.
Farmers should consider this mat
ter and as it is an opportunity to
greatly increase the profits of the
farm, they cannot too soon discard
old, fogy methods and wasteful plans