The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1896-04-09

I
When There Are So Many We'll Known
as Especially Suited to observation-disclosures
ical Methods of Handlin. Cotton.
| ATLANTA. April l, 1885,
Again our inquiry columns are SO full
concerning many of the principal farm
operations for this month, as to leave
us little further to say. but there are
one or two subjects that we would like
to touch on as being Of especial interest
to farmers. One is the disposition in
some quarters to run after new and I'M
tried crops, forage crops more especially.
| With the experiment stations, run at
I government expense, and whose main
| OBJECT Is to test such crops, as well Us
| the best methods of preparation and oul-
| ovation, we would not advise farmers
| 90 enter largely into experiments of this
kind. There are SO many we'll known
| crops Of this class which have been
proven to be peculiarly suited to our
| soils and climatic conditions that it will
pay better to invest our time and money
IN developing these. This question of
forage crops is one of peculiar interest
to the south just now and the growing
and developing interest in stock and
| cattle raising causes more general de-
sire for information Oh this and Kindred
subjects. Questions as to the merits Of
Sacaline, Lathyrus Sylvestris, Beggar
Weed, etc., have been received, to all
OF which we reply as above; that their
merits have not been thoroughly estab-
| hshed, and until this is the case we
would adhere to those that we know
suit our peculiar conditions, leaving to
che experiment stations the work Of
thoroughly testing the claims Of these
new candidates for our favor. We are
all familiar with that sheet anchor of
southern farmers, the COW pea, which
not only furnishes splendid forage
| crop, but pays back to the land in roots
and stubble, more of the expensive Gle
ment, nitrogen, than the crop has con-
sumed. Then. there is the fodder corn,
according to all testimony the most val
liable slage crop yet developed. Be-
/ sides these Sorghum, Kaffir Corn, Milo
Maize. German Millet, give us variety
OF green crops which, if judiciously man
aged, will furnish green food during
the entire season. While Spanish
! ground peas and sweet potatoes con-
tribute valuable and cheap crops for the
fall manufacture of pork, to be ready
later for short hardening process on
corn feed, before slaughtering.
| Silos.
Ii o farmer has q well constructed
Eilo much valuable green food that Is
often wasted may be utilized for feed
ing during the winter months, when
every pound of such food possesses an
enhanced value A carelesslv con-
structed silo is an extravaganza, but if
careful attention is given It'd every de-
tail, and good. sound silage is secured.
all farm animals, except hogs, have
been found to eat it with relish and
benefit From careful tests it has been
found that three tons of silage is equal
IN feeding value to one ton of hay.
Quoting from the United States agri-
cultural report Oh this subject, we find
] that "a much larger amount of digeSti-
/ bic food can be secured from an acre of
sllage than an acre of hay. The food
equivalent of four tons of hay can easily
! be produced on an acre of land planted
| Ill corn" 1t is also a more economical
and compact method of storing fodder
than the hay NOV, and possesses the
same relation to dried hay, that canned
fruit does to dried fruit A silo of $50
tons capacity which will contain 81 tons
of dry matter, will hold only about go
tons of dried clover hay, which contains
less than 20 tons of dry matter. It will
readily be seen that the canning pro-
cess has several advantages over the
drying" plan. In feeding silage care
must be taken not to depend on it ell
tirely for dry food. While it is all i'm
portant and economical addition to farm
supplies, being easily digested, and cat
tie and horses judiciously fed OH it,
show its beneficial effects in an i'm
proved general condition, it is advisa-
BILE i'll feeding to mix it with hay and
grain. For full grown cattle % or 30
I pounds per day is considered sufficient,
while for horses the ration is less. On
first opening the silo the ration should
be smaller, until the animals have be-
come accustomed to the change in
food, or q too great activity of the
bowels may be induced, and in milk
COWS the taste of the milk might
otherwise become affected for few
days. Most green crops may be
successfully cured III the silo. The
proper time for harvesting is before the
leaves turn brown, but when the water
content Of the plant begins to diminish.
Corn should be cut when it reaches the
roasting ear" stage, and if the season
is very dry and the plants lack juice, it
is advised to pour considerable water
over the silage after the silo is filed,
especially if the contents are at a high
temperature. Experiments have shown
that it is advisable to cut the corn into
short lengths. the shorter the better,
rather than store the uncut stalks. One
half inch is the usual length 1t must
be carefully distributed, and we'll
tramped at the sides and corners. AS
the silage will settle considerably dur
ing the process of heating and ferment-
ing. the silO should be filed above the
top edge. A temporary covering may
be put on for few days. After this
settling has taken place, the best and
most efficacious plan for preserving the
contents intact, is to place layer Of
tarred paper smoothly over the surface
Of the s1ago, and then cover this to the
depth of one or two feet with cut straw.
Rapidly of filling is unimportant, so
long as fresh fodder is placed i'll the silo