Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-10-25

before the ears have had time to form
At this period the really nourishin:
qualities of the stalks have no
reached their full stage of growth
and there is loss per acre tina
would amount in many instances, t,
40 or 90 per cent. 1t is true that tn,
fodder corn is needed early in the sea
son, but it is better to let more O.
it reach maturity, so that double the
amount of feeding material may bt
obtained. While the best time for cut
ting corn for grain is when the ear is
well ripened and the blade half dried
the proper harvesting season for the
green fodder is when the ear is hall
ripened and the blade nearly in its
maturity. There will be a little orr nc
! loss at such a harvasting.-E. B. Bar
rett in EpitOmist.
ONIONS.
A summary of reports received from
Tie leading commercial onion-growine
/ district of the country show that the
yield will be the smallest in many
years and the quality of the crop
poor. Buyers are already at work
tying to buy up entire fields in some
sections at % cents to 81 per bushel
Haste has been shown by some
growers in disposing of their crop,
when better prices might be obtained,
especially for sound crops of fair
size and quality. The onion growers
of Ohio are the only growers reporting
a more favorable condition of the
sections, except the northwestern
states, where a comparatively small
acreage is raised, come complaints of
drouth, blight and maggots. The
season has thus been most unfavorable
for the growth of the onion.
The summary table of our reports
makes an average yield of only 172
bushels per acre, against 243 bushels
last year. and the latter was an under
figure if anything. The slight increase
i'll acreage, therefore, fails to COM
penSate further shortage, and the
total crop makes under 1,775, 900
bushels, or about 80 per cent less than
for the past two years. and only half
as much as the 81 crop. Prices have
an upward tendency, and when this
report Of the shortage becomes known
an advance may be expected in both
wholesale and retail prices The
shortage will stimulate imports new
duty 20 cents per bushel against 40
cents previously, and an enlarged
area of early onions at the south this
winter
The onion crop of northwestern and
central Ohio furnishes the onions
consumed between the Appalachian
large quantities being shipped to Chi
cago. Last year the crop was unusu-
ally heavy in nothern Ohio. especially
in Lake county. This year the acre
age is about the same but the tops
blighted badly. Quality is good but
the onions smaller. Ohio will produce
between 100000 and 100000 bushels;
one-tbird will be small and inferior,
the balance good stock. In all, the
state will produce about one-third
more than last year, so the same num-
Der of sound marketable onions will
be placed on the market as last year.
Eastern Massachusetts reports the
poorest crop in years. with consider
able blight. The Connecticut valley
has a larger acreage, and while many
fields have severely blighted the crop
will make a fair average, though 800
bushels per acre is undoubtedly a
high estimate for this season. Rhode
Islands crop is not extra. Connecticut
reports are Of a poor crop, both in the
Wethersfield and Southport districts.
In the latter section the crop is the
poorest in twenty years, the growers
are holding fancy Southport white
globe onions for So and Sc per barrel
In the great onion fields of Orange
county, New York, the crop is exces-
sively short, and seed one-half the
average, while in central New York
conditions are very unfavorable.
ALFALFA AND IRRIGATION.
1 have just read an article imam
agricultural newspaper headed Alfalfa
West of the Missouri. In the last
three years l have seen this plant in
all it's different conditions in Colorado,
Kansas, Utah, Idaho, and Washington,
and have watched it's growth in differ
ent localities, and while at first l was
not favorably impressed with it's fat
tening qualities, 1 am free to say
consider it superior to any for cattle
or sheep. and 1 have seen horses
eat the hay in Colorado in preference
to oats; and while it is claimed by
some that horese can't work when fed
on alfalfa hay, l have made drive
of more than fifty miles in day over
a rough road and the team had no
grain and lived exclusively on alfalfa
hay. 1t is dangerous to turn cattle on
alfalfa unless it be very short, for they
are likely to cram so much down their
threats as to kill them.
There is more danger in this respect
with alfalfa than the common red
clover, but after cattle become accus-
toned to it they will fatten very
quickly, and the meat is exceedingly
nutritious, think fully as good as
that made of the desert bunch grass,
and will say right here that our west
ern bunch grass beef is luscious
enough to crafty the taste of the
most fastidious epicure. Red clover is
good enough for the east, and have
never yet seen any place where alfalfa
was what / consider success except