The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-07-04
Valuable Catch Crops.
From the American Agricultural.

From the American Agriculturist.
Each season, almost without exception.
crops can be sown on fields from which
rye and wheat were harvested These
catch crops must necessarily be rapid grow
ers and early maturers. While it is not
advisable to tax the land too severely,
catch crops can often be grown with profit
without injury to the soil Especially is
this true when the wheat crop ripens early,
or has to be plowed up after corn planting.
The hay crop will undoubtedly be short
this season because of the limited acreage,
and pastures in many localities are not do
ing well, for lack of moisture Some sort
of supplementary feed will be badly need
ed during the latter part of the summer
and during early fall.
Quick maturing varities of Indian corn
have been planted for fodder as late as
July 15. Plant in drills with the ordi-
nary planter, setting it so that one grain
will be dropped every six inches. When
the field has been gone over, double plant,
or plant in row between the first rows.
The field will then contain twice as many
rows as under ordinary circumstances.
This crop will not need cultivating. 1t
can be used for soiling, or it can be cut
and cured as hay. John Virgin, of Liv-
ingston county, ILL.,, cuts the fodder with
self-binder, and when it is well cured
finds that it makes most excellent fodder.
The ground is prepared as for an ordinary
corn crop.
Millets are also valuable as catch crops.
German millet and Hungarian grass are
the most desirable sorts, as the LEAKAGE is
heavy and the heads large Prepare the
ground as for oats, sowing broadcast or in
drills, at the rate of one-half to one bushel
per acre, allowing so to IS days for full
development If there is sufficient mois-
ture in the ground to give the plants a
good start, considerable drouth can be
withstood. To make good hay, cut as
soon as the heads begin to appear. Allow
to lie until partially cured, then rake into
windrows and allow to remain until
thoroughly dried out. Then stack, or
store in barns. Harvested in this manner
there is little or no danger of bad effects
from feeding to all kinds of stock. If al
lowed to become overripe, large quanti-
ties may contain too much grain for best
results. The crop answers well for soiling
or putting into the silo.
Where a grain catch crop is desired,
nothing is superior to buckwheat 1t fur
nishes excellent bee pasture, as it begins
to blossom early and continues, if permit
ed, until cold weather. The -four is large
ly used in the kitchen, and the grain is an
excellent egg producing food for poultry.
Plow the ground three or four inches deep,
and SOW either with drill or broadcast, at
the rate of two to FIVE pecks per acre 1t
will grow on comparatively poor soil, but
drouth is very apt to injure it. Should
the weather be at all seasonable a small field
will give very satisfactory results.
Fall turnips can be sown as catch crop
and the roots preserved for winter stock
feed, being especially desirable for sheep,
but also valuable for cattle and dairy cows.
The principal growth made by the turnip
is in the fall, when the weather is moist
and cool Hot, dry winds are injurious.
They can be sown from the fiIst of July
almost to the latter part of August. The
latter period is usually most desirable
Sow the same as any other root crop, using
two to three pounds of seed per acre. If
sowH in drills, cultivate sufficiently to keep
the weeds down, but if broadcssted, cult
walton is not possible. Leave them in the
ground until just before freezing weather
comes, then dig and store in pits or cellars.
Stored properly, they will keep long time,
but undue warmth viii induce mold and
sprcuting. In some localities sheep are
turned in and allowed to eat off the tops
The roots can then be dug The animals
soon learn to eat the roots in the ground
before they are dug.