Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-14
Use, o. Straw on The Farm.

It is seldom that as high value Is
placed ON this product as should be. Too
products of the farm that cannot be used
70 yield profit. The trouble a rule
hes IN the fact that the return comes in
too slow to suit the American farmer.
Ills wish is that he can almost see the
return for his labor when 1t Is finished.
! can remember. writes correspondent
OF the Country Gentleman. when the
straw pile was often utilized as food and
shelter for good cattle. and if it could be
had in connection with a cornstalk field,
| it was thought the combination was
apo ao3u =, the cheapest food that could be
the farmer had steer hide or two in the
| spring. as the result Of strawstack pro-
vender, brought the straw into bad re-
pnte. Still, if 1t is not of much value
alone for food. it can be used as part
ration in connection with bran. and can
be fed to an advantage. If not used as
feed, it can be utilized in many ways and
give a profit. and a much greater profit
tnan can be had by selling 1t off the farm
at 81 per load.
Last year in this section the straw
board factory bought all the straw that
could be had. and they got much that
was sadly needed on the farms from
| which it was taken. ] know of an in
stance where the straw was sold that
| would have been of a great deal more
value had it been used in the feed-lot to
Keep the fattening steers out of the mud
| instances can be cited where the straw
has been sold off the farm. and CONNER
c1ai fertilizer bought to force the wheat
crop Horses have no bedding except the
waste hay. and the cows-if they are
sheltered-fare no better. and the hogs
seldom know the pleasure that belongs
| TO clean bed of straw. At the same
time the straw stack is rotting down in
the field. To the eastern farmer these
| Things have much the appearance of I'M
| thriftiness, if not of criminal waste.
Why is this so? 1t is hard to say A
few years ago We did not grow enough
animals. But by utilizing what We had
and adding to our supply from other
| farms. we have been able to increase our
supply: and with the increased supply We
nave learned how to use il to much bet
ter advantage. and much more of it,
First. we aim to cover the feed-lots with
quantity sufficient to prevent all mud.
and then keep the horses and cows clean
by a liberal use of it. Whenever the feed
lots begin to get filthy, fresh straw is
scattered over them.
A few years ago. on account of inclem
ent weather and the lack of shelter we
found ii necessary to lot our feeding hogs
about the straw stack. BY the mass of
farmers this is considered about the
worst thing Il farmer can do. Yet we
found it enormously better than no shell
ter, and feeding in the mud We scat
tered the ear corn over fresh straw. and
let the hogs eat il from the open floor
They seemed to enjoy roofing in the
straw for the grain. and their noses al
ways looked clean. and not they
would. had they been allowed to root in
the mud for their corn. To make this
kind of feeding safe and healthfu. We
We're careful to keep fresh straw over the
feeding place. and to pull out fresh clean
straw from the sides 81 the rick for bed
ding. Soon we had shelter room for the
hogs under the sides of the rick. Now. II
| our hogs are fed in a lot we make it a
point To keen the lot clean with straw.
In many instances the gravel walks
| about the barns can be kept clean during
soft weather. and made more durable, if
straw is spread over them in liberal
quantities. and removed when it becomes
for little work. but 1t means less wad-
ing in the mud. and more comfort to the
farmer and the animals.
Temporary sheds are nearly always
needed on the farm. These can we'll and
cheaply be covered with straw. The
usual fault is. when IA farmer starts out
to put straw cover on shed. he does
not use enough straw, not because IL is
scarce. but because he has not realized
the difference between "A poor and a good
straw roof. At present We have "A tenn
and IA straw-covered addition TO the barn
shed for our sheep. They answer the
purpose excelently. and can be easily re-
moved when not needed or wanted any
longer. 1t is often much cheaper to fill
cracks with straw than to feed animals
that without this, would be exposed to
driving winds.
The farmers in this section have sell
dom. for three or four years. grown theip
needed supply of potatoes. Yet there is
one farmer that grew good crops under
straw, when his neighbors all failed. For
our own home use. We will depend MAIN
ly in the future on the crop grown under
straw.
Many clay farms could be much bene-
fitted by a light covering of straw plowed
under. This requires considerable labor.
but | believe would in the end be a
source of profit to the farmer. Often
times this would give the land more life
and aid in starting crop of clover.
which would be a step on the road to i'm
provement.
A good deal of this is not done because
the profit does not come Immediately to
hand. We must learn in our farming OPP
era tons that We must be continually add
ing TO the needs of the soil--or the pow
erty of the soil. when We most need its
strength. will come upon us with crush
ing certainty. | know lands in this con-
dition that are a burden to the owner
never yielding just compensation for
the labor bestowed on them.