Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-05-23
MORE FODDER.

The hay crop OF last year was COM
pantively light, and BY the time the
stock n wintered out it will be sub
stantially all used up. The crop Of the
coming year will be another light one,
probably less than last year, and there
win he no surplus Of old hay to help
swell the supply for the next winter.
The great problem then, before the farm
ers OF our state this year Il TO grow all
stock fodder practicable, that they may
thereby Be able to keep their nocks and
hcrds up to the usual numbers. The
grass crop cannot Of course be Increased
at viii ON short notice. Hence any en-
larged supply Of fodder material secured
through the present years effort must
come from other than the grass crop.
IL Il not yet too late In the season TO
make extra effort for an Increase Of this
stock fodder through the growing OF
crops expressly for that purpose. While
the general practice has been to depend
chiefly upon the hay crop, yet II Is quite
certain that other crops may be grown
for this special purpose to advantage,
and especially so when needed to bridge
over an emergency as at the present
time. On many farms there are fields
which II left alone will bear but an In
significant crop Of grass. These can be
ploughed up and devoted to some forage
crop that will greatly Increase the sup
ply Of stock fodder which would other
wise be realized from the land.
Oats cut before fully ripe make pass
ably COOL fodder. These may be sown
as late as the twent y-ffth Of the present
month, and still make crop to be
cut for this purpose. The cost would be
trifilng. Hungarian mlllet makes val
liable fodder crop and on well prepared
soil Yields heavily to the acre. This
may be sown as late as the twentieth OF
June, and stlll make full crop, other
things being favorable. Corn, however,
will be found quite IA desirable for \
catch crop as either Of those above men,
toned. IL can he planted as late rs the
tenth Of June With reasonable certain
" OF maturing n crop, makes a heavy
Weld OF fodder To the acre and OF n quail
ity but little below that OF mixed hay
when carefully harvested aud preserved.
The cost Of growing u crop OF corn Tor
fodder purpose alone need be but tribe
per nc above that Of either OF the other
tOduer crops mehtiOneu. sihke "c,e
of corn would be found an important al.
ditiOn to short crop OF hay, and any
farm can have Il with small effort. The
sllo To preserve u In IL desirable, but no
one need omit the crop for the reason he
Il not provided with the silo. There are
ways enough to preserve u by DIR, Ing so
it will be good fodder, anil In most barns
there will be room enough this year on
top Of the hay to store u. Any one.
In want Of more fodder should
prepare tn grow IL.
OF course such crops call for manure.
We realize fully on our own farm what
this means when every load the farm
IL called for In the crops ne al-
ready planned. In such cases We must
resort TO the commercial fertilizers.
These can be used to profit In the pro-
duction Of such crops. Three to five
pounds Of any standard super.
to the acre all bring n good
crop OF oit fodder, while half ton OF
high grade corn manure should bring
out an acre Of go.h corn fodder. These
will pay, especially In u year OF short
fodder supply aud high priced hay. Try
IL, farmers, instead Of cutting down your
stock aud curtsiling business.