Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-07-26

With each spring for several sea-
sons past The Gazette has urged the
farmers to plant some corn for mid
summer feeding. l believe this story
will bear repeating for there are many
new readers and some Of the old ones
no doubt need a gentle reminder also.
Unfortunately this comes a couple of
weeks late, but still it is in time for
the majority who may profit by it.
when we have a sufficient spring
rainfall our pastures are luXuriant in
May and when the stockman walks
through them contemplating the stu
alton wish springs up that there
was more stock to consume the super
abundance. By midsummer we fire.
quenuy have drouths, and in any
event the grass grows more slowly
While the appetiteS of the cattle have
not let up one iota. Shorter and short
er grows the grass under the increas-
ing heat of the sun, and now as he
walks atield this same stockman feels
thankful that there are no more
mouths to supply. Indeed, with fat
tening cattle he notes there is not a
satisfactory gain and with the dairy
man the cans of milk taken to the
creamery grow less in number. Our
farmer friend has planted his crops
and arranged his meadows for supply
| ing feed in winter only, and usually
| trusts to his pastures and to these
| alone for all his summer feed Men
who would not bear the accusation for
a moment of limiting the supply OF
| feed for their stock in winter will
half starve them during dog days. AS
our pastures usually run, to keep cat
tie gaining properly in dog days or to
keep up normal milkAfiow with dairy
COWS extra feed must be given. In
some cases granting is the best plan
to follow; in others clover or other
roughage crops fresh cut from the field
can be used more economically. Corn
is one of the very best crops for this
purpose. All over the northern part
of the corn-belt both flint and sweet
cOrnS do we'll and are splendid for
early forage purposes. Further south
these do not do so well. but other food
plants can be substituted.
LAS to which is the best corn for
| early feeding / do not care to argue,
| for that is a question of minor i'm
portance. The main thing is to plant
! some variety which will furnish good
| food. having enough Of it to use for
several weeks. The flint and sweet
varieties are full of leaves and the
stalks quite soft. Plant thick enough
to get large yield of forage and yet
thin enough in every case to have a
good "nubbin" on each stalk The
farmer who will plant an acre of corn
for summer feeding for every five or
: six head Of mature stock will be sur
prised at the good results obtained, for
no acre on the whole farm will land
! as many dollars in his pocket as one
thus devoted to helping out the sum
! mer pastures A few farmers here
and there practice soiling entirely,
! growing and carrying to the cattle all
the feed they consume. This system
is not practicable with the majority,
On the other hand, to trust to past
ures for five or six months in the
year, and to pastures only, is an ex-
tremely short-sighted policy.
Partial soiling. i'll conjunction with
pasturing, will be found extremely
profitable by large majority of our
northern farmers, and the clover and
corn crops are their great allies in
this work" Thus writes W. A. Henry
of the Wisconsin agricultural expert
ment station to the Breeders Gazette.