The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-03-27

stables and method Of fostering the cows:
Our stalls are feet four inches wide,
with partitions thcs reach back to within
one foot Of gutter. The floor on which these
two cows stand-for two cows stand in each
STALLS feet inches from the manger to
gutter, IA inches of which is a plank for
the feet, and the balance dirt well pounded
down. Our manager is eight inches high
only on the cows side, and 80 inches on the
rear over the cows necks as they stand
with heads In the managers, there Is stout
2x8 inch scantling running lengthwise Of the
stable, that just come down to and not
bearing on the necks. This prevents them
going forward into the manager. Between
each two cows is breaker" fastened to
the manger and to the neck piece above,
that prevents the cows throwing the hay
and fodder under their feet. The cows are
tied with neck chains which are fastened
to the partition "a inches above the manager
front. The gutter is only one foot wide and
eight inches deep. Into this all the orts,
horse manure, ETC., made about the stables
go as an absorbent, and a peck or of
road dust Is used every day as deodOriZer.
With IL inches slack in the chain, the COW
can stand with her hind feet on either side
of the gutter she may elect, and rarely
ever in it. This, with her bedding, keeps
her side of the gutter clean. They quickly
learn to lie down with their heads in the
Manager, which they could not do if it was
high, and would also force them back into
the filth. When lying down, they can east
ly turn their heads on either side, and gen.
orally sleep with their heads on their sides,
the same as when in the pasture. We use
bedding Of various kinds, straw, sawdust
and litter generally, and find by this meth
cd that our cows keep clean, and the alb
sorbent in the gutter makes liquid filth
quite impossible We have never had any
occasion to think change desirable and
were we to build again, we would duplicate
the stalls we now have.
Field Peas.
The place given to the pea crop in the
rotation will vary with the conditions. AS
it is not an exhaustive crop on land, 1t is
not necessary to put it on the richest
SOIL or on that which has just been re-
newed by a grass crop or clover crop or
by the application of either farmyard ma
nures artificial fertilizers And yet it
may be well sometimes in the dry Sec
tons of the Northwest to SOW peas In
some instances on an overturned sod, to
hasten its decay. But it is not usual to
sow peas Immediately after grass. AS 1t
is considered better to let some more
| needy crop have the benefit Of the decaying
| grass roots, as for instance wheat or oats,
and then to follow with a crop of peas.
| But on prairie soils, when we grow peas,
We do we'll to remember that where weeds
have a strong hold upon the soil there Is
some danger that they will choke the
peas.
AS a principle of tillage in the North
west it would seem desirable to pillow all
the ground in the fall which is to be
cropped the following season. Therefore,
as rule, 1t will be found better practice
to pillow land for peas in the autumn. But
peas will stand late powing with less in
jury than some other crops; hence, where
the land cannot be plowed in the fall,
1t will probably answer better to SOW peas
on it than any other grain crop, unless it
be barley. The idea seems to prevail in
the Northwest that it is necessary to pillow
the peas under; that is to say, that the
peas should first be sown broadcast, and
the land should then be plOWed to GER
tain depth. This mode of covering will
answer very well on prairie Soils as it is
common to pillow them more shallow than
lands are plowed in the East and it Is
also the proper thing to plant the grain
more deeply. But it is by no means nee
essary to SOW peas by blowing them under.
They may be sown with the drill. But on
light soils they should be sown deeply, not
less than four inches. On heavy soils
three inches would be deep enough.
AS a principle of practice, peas should
be sown quite early in the spring. The
best results should be looked for from
| those first sown. They are hardy and
will stand considerable amount of freez-
ing without injury. In this respect they
are more hardy than barley, and they seem
to be on par with spring wheat In
Ontario, in those sections of country in
tested with the pea bug, it came to be the
custom to SOW them late to escape that
pest. But it was found that the late
| sown peas were much more liable to be in
tested with mildew, to the great injury of
both the grain and the straw. In my
judgment it would be even more important
to sow peas earlier in the Northwest than
in Ontario, in order to more perfectly
cure the advantages of soil moisture.
The amount of seed wanted will depend
10 ha Of Of no
plant but more upon the size Of the pea.
The different kinds vary greatly in size.
OF the small varieties it is common to SOW
two bushels per acre; Of the intermediate
kinds ~ bushels. and of the large varieties
three bushels. And they should never be
| sown broadcast and narrowed in on our
! Northwestern soils. They should always
| be put down into the soil. If simply har-
rowed in it will be found that they are
perfectly covered, and when rain falls
large percentage Of the seeds will be found
lying on the surface; and in some localities
the prevailing winds would still further
help to uncover the seed. 1 have frequently
sown them broadcast in Ontario and with
fairly good results, but in such instances
the land would be plowed in burrows not
more than seven to eight inches wide, and
turned at an angle of 45 degrees. The peas
would then fall in depressiOns between the
rows. But land is not plowed thus in this
region.
can imagine tndt the pea crop could be
narrowed with great advantage in the
Northwest, providing, first, that the har-
rowing were done at the proper stage OF
development; and, second, that it were
done with a suitable implement. I have
been unable to find any experience on this
point in the Northwest, but I can see no
reason for supposing that it would not
work admirably. 1t could begin before the
crop had reached the surface of the ground,
and should not be continued long after 1t
had shown itself, for the stem Of the pea
when young is tender If, however, the
work were thoroughly done before the
crop appeared, and with light implement
| with short teeth. it would not be neces-
| sary to continue the work longer as the
| peas would then grow SO quickly as to
| leave behind in the race all the different
| forms of weed life. The moisture thus Sc
| cured to the crop would be very helpful to
| it and would tend to promote it's rapid
| growth.
The harvesting of the pea crop has been
one great barrier to it's growth in the
| Northwest. The various modes of doing
| this work will be considered in the next
| paper.-Prof. Thomas Shaw, in Farm
Stock and Home
Institute Notes.
In a recent issue of the Practical Farm
| er L. B. Terry discusses the value of kind
ness in handling and feeding domestic
/ animals. At one institute farmer read an
excellent paper on What Kindness Will
| Do for the Farmer" II was f,,u of ,noi