The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1896-07-15
The Value OF straw.

Farmers, as rule, have always en-
straw grown on farm ought, as quickly
as possible, to be utilized in the manure
pile.
While this may seem correct, ii can cas-
lily be proven by facts and figures that the
system is wasteful and wrong, and money
thus wasted, If saved, would not only
buy enough manure or fertilizer to keep
the farm in high condition, but also leave
a good round sum as profit for the farmer.
propose to take the present price of
rye and rye. straw and show how farm
err can realize greatly increased income
on every acre of rye and "not rob his
farm" but keep it in high state of cul-
tivation by placing on it just as much
manure or fertilizer as If he had adhered
to the old plan of throwing his straw crop
10 the manure pile.
The following facts and figures will
prove these statements correct:
One acre of land will yield 15 to 20
bushels of rye and one ton of straw.
The present price of rye in New York
markets is 80 cents per bushel, and the
price of rye-straw, threshed straight and
bound, is 800. 90 per ten.
Ten acres of rye, yielding 20 bushels
to the acre, if sold at 80 cents per bushel,
will amount to 800. 90, and the 10 tons
Of straight. threshed and bound straw, II
sold at 800. 90 per ton, would amount to
5000. 90, making a total of $500. 90 realiz.
cd from the 10 acres of rye and straw.
According to Prof. E. b. Voorhees,,
the New Jersey State Chemist, the real
manurial value OF rye straw in the ma.
nure pile is only $500 per ton; conse.
duently, if the old plan is followed, and
the 10 tons of straw are deposited in the
manure pile, the value of it there, accord
ing to Prof. e. d. Voorhees,, is only
| 800. 90, while, il the 10 tons OF rye.straw
were sold, it would bring $4,000.
Take the manurial value of the 10 tons
of rye. straw, which is $4,000, and with
| 500. 90 buy stable manure or commercial
| fertilizer, it will enrich the farm to the
same extent as If the whole 10 tons oil
straw had been deposited in the manure
pile, and yet leave in the farmers pocket
| a net profit of $4,000. This, while en-.
riching the farmer, surely does not ''rot
the farm.
The above facts, think, prove con
clusively that it 10 wasteful and wrong
| to continue in the old way OF thresh.
ing the straw and wasting 1t in the ma
nure pile, or, II not absolutely wasting 1t
| in this way, reducing its value to two dol
lars per ton, when the same straw, II
threshed straight and bound, would bring
in New York markets $4,000 per ton.
/ will admit, that to thresh rye by hand
| is slow and expensive, and II the ordinary
spiked. cylinder thresher is used, the
straw will be broken and its marketa
BILE value destroyed hence, advocate
the use OF improved machinery, and IL
this case | recommended the Self binding
Rye Thresher, which not only threshes
without injury TO the straw, but also
cleans the straw from dust and delivers
it, thoroughly threshed and rebound
ready for marketable purposes.
Farmers should consider this matter
and as il is an opportunity TO greatly
| increase the profits OF the farm, they
cannot too soon discard old-fogy meth
DDS and wasteful plans.
JOHN BUTTERwoRTH,
Trenton, N. j..