The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-01-12
FORAGE CROPS
PROF. THOMAS CHAW DISCUSSES
THEIR VALUE TO THE FARMER.

Interesting Paper Read Mt the Meet
ing of the Farmers AIliance-Great
Variety OF Such Food Can BE
Raised In This State-Nhnt Com
should BE GrOwn-FavorabIe In
nuence of Soil Fertility One Point
That Should BE Fully Appreciated
A Good system For sheep Pas
lures.
At the aftern oon session Of the Farmers
Alliance in st. Paul Friday, Prof. Thomas
Shaw. of the STATE Agricultural! Farm.
read the following paper on The
Value of Forage Crops in Variety to the
Farmer"
The term forage crops in this connection
is used in the sense of pasture crops other
than grasses. Their value to the farmers
of the Northwest is beyond all estimate.
This arises first, from the extent 20 which
they may be made to supplement grass
pastures that are much prone to become
dry and crisp in our climate in the sum
mer. Second from the luxuriance with
which such pastures grow on prairie soils.
And third, from the superlative Importance
of the live stock industry viewed from the
standpoint of the near future. To the
thoughtful observer it must be evident that
the Mississippi basin is soon to become
the greatest live stock producing center in
all the world, and especially in the upper
portions thereof, where the climatic con-
ditions are abundantly favorable 10 the
development of animals of the most ia
word types and possessed Of the most ro-
bust Vigor.
The forage crops other than grasses that
can be grown with much success in all
the upper Mississippi basin include Winter
rye, mixed grains, corn, sorghum, rape and
cabbage. Those that render less service
are m.llet, the SOFA bean. the pea and
Canada field pea. And what is said Of
these various crops will be chiefly based en-
the experience of the writer since coming
West OF these crops the most reliable
for cattle include winter rye, peas, ot.ts,
corn, sorghum. mixed grains and rape.
Those best adapted Tor sheep are winter
rye. rape and cabbage, and those which
best meet the needs of swine Include rye
mixed grains rape and the Canada field
pea These various plants Will be dis
cuSSed in the order named.
Winter rye may be sown for pasture any
time from midsummer on, providing it is
given time to become strong before winter
closes m 1t should not be sown IN the
spring. 1t is best put in With the Grain
acre of seed should be used when the crop
is soWn for pasture. 1t may be pastured
fall and spring by any kind of live stock
and followed by another crop the anne
SON such as corn. sorghum, field roots
rape. When pasturng rye it should be
closely graZed. as whenever ii is allowed
to reach the jonting stage its power to
produce pasture is gone. Winter I'VE is ore
OIL the BEST pasture plants that can be
grown on our prairies. because of the
abundance of its forage, because of the OK
cclience OF the same. because OF it ate
ness and earlineSs in providing pasture
and because 1t can be surely s,rown al
most any season and without missing a
"lop
OF the mixed grains The widest comb-
nation will usually be found the Jest. Such
a combination would consist of d mixture
of wheat, rye, barley and oats. In the ex-
IRENE north peas may be added. These
grains MAJ be = mixture in equal proper
tons, and sown at the rate of say 3 BUSH
els per acre. and in the ordinary way
As with ryt they should be kept grazed
down so that they cannot form the head,
otherwise the season Tor pasturing them
will be much shortened Grass seeds and
cloVerS may OftimeS be Sown with adVan-
tagc along with such mixtures on the soils
OF the prairie. In fact. this would seem to
be on, OF the surest modes of obtaining
stand of tn Sc
Peas and oats grown together have speci-
al adaptation in providing pasture for
sheep. The treading of cattle is more in
furious to the peas than the trampng of
sheep. Peas are usually too dear in this
Ccuntr. to admit of thus sowing large
areas. but in time this state of matters
must cnange. This mixture like the pre-
ceding ought to be sown early in the
spring. We have used 2la bushels of the
timothy and clover. by sowing G bushels of
seed per acre, equal parts of each with
satisfactory results We have also obtain
ed at the same time an excellent stand of
the former and bushels of the latter on
the same soil. The grass seeds were sown
Immediately after the grain and were COW
cred with the harrow
Corn may be turned to excellent account
as Il pasture for sheep alone, or along with
rape. 1t is not well suited for cattle,
since they break 1t much when feeding
upon it. The weak point about corn when
pastured is its inability to grow again
The amount of seed required is also large
in proportion to the return. The corn
may best be sown with the grain drill and
at the rate of say 112 bushels per acre
When rape is sown add l to pounds of the
seed. The rape can be sown by hand when
the corn first appears and may then be
covered with the harrow, to the great adj
vantage of the corn also. The pasturing,
may begin when the corn Is one foot or
more high, and when rape has been sown
along with the corn second pasturing
of rape may also be obtained in a normal
season. 1t may be well to sow corn alone
on the bare fallow, and Craze it down with
cattle The residue uneaten after having
been tramped under foot by the cattle will
serve an excellent end in furnishing humus
to the soil which will greatly increase its
power to hold moisture.
Sorghum has great capacity for produc-
ing pasture. 1t is best adapted to the needs
OF sheep. but if pastured ere it gets too
high 1t Is also valuable in furnishing pas
ture for cattle. In growing sorghum for
pasture everything depends upon the
preparation Of the land. When preparing
the soil the aim should be to sprout and
destroy weed seeds that lie near the sur
face. otherwise the weeds will get the
mastery of the sorghum since it starts
but slowly at the first. Plow the land If
possible in the autumn. Harrow 1t occa-
sionally in the spring. Defer sowing until
the arrival of settled warm weather, ordi-
narily until the close of the corn planting
season Sow the seed with the ordinary
grain drill. Bury it to the depth of ~
inches on light soil. and just when the
first blades appear, drive light harrow
over the surface with the teeth much
aslant backwards. The crop is ready for
being paStured soon as the plants are
firmly rooted that they will not pull up
while being grazed Sorghum will grow
again and again where eaten down. until
the season Of early frosts After that sea-
son 1t has little power to grow any fur
Their. 1t Is essentially hot weather plant
while rye and rape are cool weather
plants.
Rape may justly be crowned king among
the forage plants other than grass or