Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-01-02
ouruoo.S h WESTERN NEW YORK.
STRAW Fers HoRsEs-sRAx-cLovER.


you maj be sure the corn crop fell abort !;
! the hS market ID crowded every day
turing Ne fall ~ long ~ the roads are
psssaou lsnd oven After) it may safely
be cone tsed that the bay harvest was
oountif' one. This fall most Of the
pigs ve killed unusually early, while
here q been more buyers than sellers
o sne q market. ~
mos Armers having any hay to
pare, abably few In number, will
ioio IL higher prices, which will be
ure 70 ne, and the corn, saved by the
~riy q osition OF the pigs, VIII be
nsoe 20 lp carry the horses and cattle
hrougf Ne winter. Especially, viii
ne sn Age OF corn stover be felt.
Gene b, farmers with only few
o~s more than enough for their
'wn and are able and willing 70
eh - eir brother dairy farmers, but
ne y viii have to look further s6eld
oi supplies Of stover this winter.
ms ~ scarce In this neighoorhotsd,
- eVsn II they were as numerous as
they should be, they could not have
been nearly fillcd, 30 destructive were
the heat and drouth Of last summer to
the growth Of all crops. In those cafes
where hay must be sold TO raise money,
farmers will have TO fall back upon the
straw stack, which l have often thought
could be more xdvsntageously made
use Of than it generally is.
For many years 1 have passed barn
yard belonging TO one Of our most sue
cessful farmers, wherein are kept
through the whole winter three or four
colts and one OF the teams (he has three)
not needed during that time. The barn,
used only for the storage OF hay aud
grain. is built east and west. At right
angles at the west end is . long shed, the
back and sides Of which are boarded and
one-hslf Of the front, and on part Of the
south side Of the yard is high stone
wall; 50 that the animals are protected
fairly we'll from wind and storm. In
the yard stands . big straw stack. At
first the horses are allowed 20 get their
meals at the stack, but when further
burrowing would be dangerous, the hay
knife Is used and the straw put In heaps
twice daily, about the yard, II the wealth
er 10 hne; when stormy, under the shed.
There Is pump and watering trough,
and the horses are given fresh water
morning and evening. l have watched
the occupants or this yard for several
winters, and In the spring have handled
them and have always found them not
only thriving bat fat, the colts growing
well, and the team, though unkemps and
too beeiy for immediate hard work, In
quite as good condition ~ those stabbed
and getting higher ration.
Now, il these horses with such feed
and shelter can thrive, why cannot 9th
ers, Of which little or no work II requir-
ed, with the advantage Of proper groom
ing and . warm stable, subsist for few
months on good oat or wheat straw, II
IL Is cut up, moistened and bran added,
with half peck Of carrots or rutxbagas
every other dayf We are trying out this
question now, for our crops OF sweet
and field corn stover, oat hay and clover
fell 90 miserably short that they will
scarcely suffice for the two cows until
we can cut rye. have 10 buy straw
always for bedding, ss my place is TOO
small on which 20 raise grain crops
large enough 20 pay for threshing. Good
hay (snd I want no othcr) c0sts Ole .
ton, busI can get all the clean, bright
straw 1 can crowd on = wagon for %
Bran costs tl7 a ton; peck and half
tdiyided into three fecds) weighs about
s pounds, making the daily cost per
horse cents. Straw at q quarter OF
cent pound makes up nos very ex-
pepsive ration; the cost OF the roots IL
merely nominal, as they are the surplus
and cufis OF the market crop. The
chickens will come iu for most Of the
corn, while the cows will expect all the
turuips and small potatoes (of which lat
ter we had more than was profitable
this YEAR, as well as their share or ruta-
bsgas and carrots
Farmers do not like to, and hardly
ever will, admit thai they are feeding
straw TO their xnimsls; but l cannot see
Why they should be ashamed OF doing
80, il il Is supplemented by other food
sufficient TO make good ration. re-
member that In England cart horses were
fed most OF the year on wheat chat and
brewers grains, and that they worked
and kept tat on it. There, the chat 10
winpowed from the wheat and the former
WAS Slwxys taken great care OF for feed
ing purposes, and, indeed, the straw was
far more generally fed than it 10 here.
There Is . popular notion that straw IL
worthless except for bedding, and hope
we shall never be able 70 resort 70 it - Q
regular food for animals; bat IL Ii well
| for ne TO be reminded occasionally that
we always have st hand food which, II
used with discretion, ID valuable In .
pinch notw outstanding the low estimate
placed on it In the scientific tables OF
feeding stuffs.
Ii Is encouraging to notice how much
more bran 10 being fed than formerly i; it
| q common now 70 see farmer return
ling from market Nth several large we'll
filled bran bags in his wagon; the coun-
try feed mills, TOO, are selling Increasing
qusntities Of it every year. Ground
corn and oats, though, seems TO be the
popular Feed; bus, uRless you take your
own grain 70 the mill and Insist on bav-
| ing the same returned, you are apt 70
have pslmed of on you Q mixture Of
corn and oat hulls, the corn being very
likely an inferior grade OF western
growth. You have 70 be very careful alBo
where you buy your bran, for there are
many unknown quantities" or rather
Qualities, In the article you purchase
under that name. This precaution ap-
plies still more when bayinR middlings
lor mill feed.
| We have In our town trio Of enter
prising young farmers, brothers, who
work . large farm together, do . big
threshing business, run . grist mill. and
at the present time ere furnishing steam
power for the town seOue-crushef ct - =
day. Any Tharsday, with slight en-
leepsious during the basiest times of The
year, Ne can take our corn and oats 70
be ground, one bag or 6fty, when We are
told at what time on the next or follow
ing day We can rsGuFu for them. On
calling, we find then eround snd bagobd
up, and. what Is better, We know that
we are getting back oar own grain and
all Of it too. Tue charge b ave cents :
bushel and the grain win BE- ground
coarse or fine - yoa prefer. They run
the mill all night when necessary, which
% pretty often.
Through enlightmsnt Of journals and
the bulletins OF the experiment. stations,
clover hay 10 becoming appreciated mors
at its true value; bat there viii b ltsla
TO feed this winter and lose next, owing
70 the succumhing Of % much Of the
youns eroUsh 20 - treglcaA weasher oi
last summer. We may expect 70 have
TO pay . good, round pfics for clover
secd next spring; % = 0i9ht b 9 well
for those Who can 70 gee thsir supply
nov. TIE present prics here y et10
bushel. The klkling of the closee plant
In she past season WIN upsse Z $50