The Van Buren press., 1897-08-28

and should not Oe Chdhseu WIthous
sufficient reason.
In many sections of the naEth and
west large part of the corn crop is
saved by cutting the stalks with the
ear on at fodder pulling stage and cur
ing the crop in shocks of stocks IN
the field. The ear is removed from
this corn when cold weather comes and
other farm duties are light. This 'fod-
der corn constitutes an important
rough or long forage crop in the United
States. In many parts of the south
this method of harvesting can not be
safely used because of our humid sum-
mer climate causing the inside of such
shocks to spoil before the crop can dry
out. In the central and western por.
tions of this state this method should
be more generally adopted. In some
instances the entire crop of stalks with
ears is fed during the winter season in
movable troughs upon pasture land or
fields intended for cultivation. This
practice results in riehl ly-manured land
while saving much hand labor upon
farms where labor is scarce.
CUTTING AND sHREDDING.
The average farmer does no other
work of preparation of food when his
hay or roughness is properly cured and
stacked safe from rain, and in this he
is generally correct if he lives in the
southwest. Cutting will frequently
cost one-half as much as the first cost
of the rough forage. No doubt that
cutting or shredding renders the crop
more dlgestible; that these operations
save waste at the trough; and that
either operation will prove expensive
because both of the items of gain meu-
toned above will not compensate. ex-
cept in rare cases, for the one-half
added cost of total crop. ton of hav,
sorghum or corn fodder costs less when
grown in this section, we are assured,
than in any other portion of the United
States. The machinery used in cutting
or shredding costs us fully as much.
So that instead of investing Sl00 in
these machines, the progressive farmer
will consult his own interest by grow
ing another 500 worth of cheap hav.
The cost of crop produced is a most
important item in this connection. The
sorghum hay of this state should cost
but Sl.25 or $500 per ton upon the
farm. Similarly, alfalfa and peas can
be grown for about third greater
cost. Prairie hay is often made at
cost of Sl.00 to $500 per ton. These
extremely low prices enable us to pro-
duce on an extensive system and feed
with apparent waste and earelessness)
economically, rather than purchase ma
chimes that will add to the value OF the
crop, but can not do this to such an adj
vantage as though our crops were
grown upon high-priaed lands with
expensive labor and intensive culture.
To some of your readers not familiar
without conditions the statements pre-
sented above may appear strained, but
years of study and investigation con-
corning these matters have convinced
us that in the purchase of machines
for preparing folders we can afford to
be conservative. In the north and
east, where hay sells for St2 or SIS per
ton, this position is not tenable. but
with our extensive farming system
we may save ourselves this expense
and continue to compete with all stock
growers, in the face of low prices, and
furnish the world with high-grade
horse stock, beef and mutton at a profit
to the grower.
In closing these scattering remarks
upon saving forage crops, allow us to
add few suggestions upon the growth
and use of the much-used but much
abused forage crop-sweet sorghum. 1t
is constantly growing in Importance
throughout the west and southwest as
a forage crop. Thus far three obiec-
tions have been urged against its use;
1t saps the land of fertility quite rap
idly; when fed green or partly cured it
sometimes results in death; the hav
is often slow in curing. The first of
these objections is certainly well talk
en-. Sorghum is great crop; it will
thrive luxuriantly and show profit
upon lands that are too poor to present
good yield of other grains or havs.
1t is able to find as much nitrogen in
the soil as does the corn crop. and it.
Will drink up as much phosphoric acid
and four times as much potash as will
corn upon the same acre. 1t incorpor-
ates all of this matter into leaf, stalk
and root, and we feed the crop to our
stock and they prosper. The land is
exhausted by sorghum, but this is a
case in which 1--WE can not have the pic
and eat it too" Sorghum should be
used In rotation with other crops. For
Thin uplands we have found the follow
ing rotation a good one in many re-
spects: Beginning with sorghum the
first year we give the land to peas the
second season, The peas are followed
by corn the third year, and the corn is
succeeded by fall oats followed by
sorghum, cotton or peas as thought de-
slrabe the next season. This makes
three or four year rotation, and is easi-
ly applied with slight changes to any
stock farm.
Danger to live stock from sorghum
can be entirely avoided by introducing
the feed gradually, to the unaceus-
toned animal. In personal observa.
tion of sorghum as forage frop for
more than Is years the writer has
known of no death resulting from its
use that could not have been easily
avoided. Explicit directions upon this
matter have been given by numerous
correspondents for years, and in no
case has sickness or loss of life been re-
ported to us. The evident success with
which chicken corn, johnson grass,
though non-saccharine sorghums, grow
in the south, indicate to us that in the
course Of time we may naturalize sweet