The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-08-10


late grain thin and poor, as far as ] have sb-
served"
Ransom County, North Dakota, Is one Of the
best localities in the Northwest for mixed farm
ing, and where an energetic, thoroughgoinz
farmer by proper management will be sure Of
success and good home. The Cheyenne River,
which flows through the County, is bordered
by heavy growth Of timber At Lisbon,
the Countyseat, and at other places the river
furnishes excellent water power, and four roller
mills are now in operation turning out some Of
the best flour manufactured in the country,
much of which is shipped'direct,to England. The
surface OF the country is generally unduIating
and rolling. The soil is q deep, black, rich,
sandy loan, with clay subsoil Of great fertility.
Wheat oats. barley. flax, rye. buckwheat, mill
let, and all kinds OF root crops and vegetables
grow we'll and are very profitable. Corn makes
excellent fodder. and wild grass grows pro-
fuseiy. Cattle. horses, sheep pigs, and poultry
are quite profitable, and disease among them ia
virtually unknown. The climate is remark
ably clear and invigorating, and the death rate
is remarkably low. No disastrous storm has
ever visited this locality. On the whole this
season has not been very favorable, yet crops
properly cultivated are doing well, and grass
is in excellent condition. Hay making has
already commenced, and large quantity Of
hay will be put up. Copious showers have re-
Gently prevailed and all nature smiles. Stock
are doing nicely and prices well up. Many new
settlers have recently located here, some Of
whom came from South Dakota, bringing thou
sands Of sheep with them. Land is worth SO
to s25 per acre, according to quality and Ioca-
ton. There is good chance for someone to
engage in poultry farming near Lisbon. It
would pay well.-W. K. SMITH, Lisbon, n. D.
In Bulletin % Of the Minnesota station some
interesting facts as to the value of peas an
food for mich cows are given. In the expert
ments made at the station the cows were given
pea silage and wheat bran, and the relative
manurial and feed value were then ascertained.
The results of the experiments were very salts
factory, and almost as good results were OBJ
tanned as if the cows had been fed upon corn
silage, hay, and the mixed rations, including
the expensive barley and oil meal. The cost
was very much less than the common grain
ratiOns, and the digestibility of the pea silage
was very great. A greater part of the pea silags
was found to be thoroughly digested, aud it is
rich in nitrogen, which is quite essential to a
good food for mich cows. In addition to this
the food returned good amount of nitrogen
to the soil in the manure, and this alone is
valuable feature of the feeding.
Bulletin SO of the Wisconsin station is prolific
in that wise summary of comments about feed.
ing dairy cows, and one should not only remem-
Der many of the pithy rules laid down, but
they should even memorize them. These rules
have only been emphasized by the experiments
at the station, and not newly discovered. They
have been repeated to the dairymen many
times, and they need reiter2tion just so long as
few dairymen refuse TO live up to them. The
beginning of these is that only such cows
should be kept as respond to good feeding, and
that return well for the food given. In other
words, weed out the flock. Then one should feed
literally, but not wastefully. Not an ounce
should be wasted, but at the same time sufi-
eient food must be given to keep up the flow Of
milk. A good mixer should receive over 20
per cent. more food than is necessary to sustain
life. More oats and clover need to be grown
and fed. and whenever bran, shorts and oil meal
can be obtained at reasonable prices they should
be fed freely. The cows need food with an
abundance of protein in it to give the best re-
suits.