Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-02-28
CIONsR LAY.

Il cur field Of clover just AZ It's best
last summer said dsirvmAn n few
dqvs ago, took great care In curing IL
without exposure and without the loss
OF any OF the leaves or blossoms, and
tell YOU the cows ike Il and sre pouring
out the milk IN large quantities"
Here is an agricultural sermon In a
nutshell. No one will for n moment
question the results claimed from the
feeding Of such fodder. IL Is known by
All farmers that clover hay, cut in the
right stage Of maturity and properly
cured, Is the best hay fodder for growing
stock OF all kinds aud for COWS and ewes
10 milk OF any the farm affords. ln fact.
il l. very nearly perfectly balanced
ration for the purposes indicated, con-
dition that Is not found with any other
OF our fodder crops, and which, there
fore. makes this the best fodder crop
grown on our farms. Pound for pound,
perfectly cured clover hay contains 81
most the ideutieal food nutrients, In
kind aud quantity. as the wheat bran
which feeders everywhere so highly sp-
preciSte. and is worth AZ much 70 the
feeder, save. possibly. for the reason it is
In = coarser form than the bran. This
is an important fact which farmers NAV
well hold iu consideration. Hay OF this
kind does not require q large amount OF
meal feed 10 go with IL.
Whv not, then, lay plans this winter
20 grow more OF this clover: The aim
OF every farmer should be- TO produce as
far - practicable all the food material
needed for his stock on the farm where
the stock is kept. la this clover hsv is
found the most desirable Of the food nu-
trients required by his stock and at the
same time the most costly when pur-
chased from the markets. Farmers are
now buying freely wheat bran at eigh-
teen dollars ton, really worth for feed
ing scarcely more-or At the most liberal
estimate but trihe more--thsn the
clover sy'referred 10 In the paragraph
taken as a text for this article. At the
same time there ia no crop that can be
grown 70 better advantage on most of
our farms. snd none at greater profit,
than this one of clover when attention Is
directed 70 that end.
A further recommendation OF this crop
il that the more IL l. grown the richer
the land becomes from which IL is pro-
duced. More than any other crop known
20 our agriculture II fertillzes the land
through its own production. This il
not scientific speculation but Is borus
out in actual farm practice. Ii is no.
our purpose AZ this time 10 trace out th-
details of how this Is done. Our Object
now ia 20 call attention 10 the superior
value OF clover ss 4 fodder sud urge AT
teution 10 its greater production among
the farmers Of our state.
When giving consideration 10 the supn-
rior value ot clover. in the two direction
noted il Is difficult 10 sccouut for the iu-
different attention TO the crop heretofore
shown by our farmers. But IL Ia nor
important 70 our present purpose TO ac-
count for that Indifference. There Is
already more studied attention being
given 10 the crop. and while this per-
hsps has not resulted Ia more clover pro
duction, vet il Is surely coming. The
| first step Ia 20 think sbout il, TO study
the problem. Among Intelligent farmers
the practice will be sure 20 follow.
We urge farmers 10 this winter plan
out system Of practice on the farm that
shall include larger and more frequent
production Of this valuable crop. IL Ia
essily practicable. IL will involve more
| frequent plowing, but with that will
come more abundant crops and greatsr
profits. We urge all stock growers and
dairymeu To this winter give studied at
tention TO this important matter.