The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1900-02-01

lUARY /, 1900.
Der you want no beef making in this
business. a sheifer calf intended for
the dairy is materially Injured If all
lowe Ito to get fat. Study the feeding
question, the composition Of feeds.
Feed for growth. skim-milk, oats,
bran and clover hay are all excellent
calffeeds, the best kind also for cows.
Iwould not feed these calves corn meal
nor much corn ensilage, They are too
fattening. Educate these heifers to
give milk ten monthsin the year. Pro.
vide warm, clean, dry quarters for
COWS and calves. When you expose
the dairy COW to cold harsh treatment
she requires more food and gives less
milk :. s..
Have faith in your business. Study,
its opportunities and details. Strive to
profit by noting the experience of sue
*cessful dairymen. You will come to
love your business and succeed. Be
kind to your animals, Work for them
and they will work for you.
Prof. James Atkinson OF Ames, Iowa,
Agricultural College spoke on main
tanning soil fertility. He said the
~; -; mol .oolx f,,o -, ,r,h ,o
formed contained no fertility, that is,
could not produce. After the disin-
tegration of the rock only plants Of the
lowest order were produced--plants
that were able to take their food from
the atmosphere. The decay of each
generation of these prepared the soil
for the support Of higher forms, such
as our native grasses. These have
been adding to the supply of vegetable
matter IN the soil until it is fitted for
the production of cereal, fodder and
root crops. Cultivation then begins
and with it the removal of fertility.
This climate is suited to the produc-
ton of wheat and in years past, wheat
has been profitable crop. But it re-
quires fertility to produce wheat. The
fertility is our capital and if with
every bushel of wheat sold we remove
large amount of this capital there
| will come a time when this capital
will yield but small profit. In some
localities we have reached this point
now. Grain growing is no more pro-
ftable, and why? With every ton of
wheat We sell there. goes to market
with it 81 worth of fertility, an amount
almost equal to half the value of the
wheat. When timothy hay is removed
from the farm the value Of the fertility
is equal to that of the hay. : This
shows the necessity of engaging in a
kind Of farming that is not SO exacting
Ton Soil ffertil u meas tth st some
kind Of stock must be kept on the farm
/ to manufacture the produce into
higher priced commodities of the
market and return the fertility to the
soil. Beef mutton, butter. cheese and
pork remove very little plant food
from the soil Four hundred dollar S
worth of butter does not contain one
dollars worth of fertility, while stock
1raising is economical in the same
} direction. This. together with the
!. fact that stock raising creates a de-
} mand for a greater variety OF crops,
; such as clover, roots, corn and peas,
some of which restore fertility to the
soil, points strongly to the necessity OF
!; keeping more stock and growing less
grain In addition to the maintenance
of fertility it leads to more profitable
7 agriculture. While engaged in wheat
: growing we are in competition with
the cheap labor Of Russia, South Amer
lea, India, Germany and France. 1r
the business of stock farming we have
always had and always will have {
: good market in our country. It nee6
, not be plunged into abruptly. A few
t COWS or sheep Or horses or hogs may
|
. these is acquired the way will be pavet
7 for engaging more extensively in that
3 which is best suited to our tastes.
ROTATION OF CROPS.
3 Rotation has many advantages Over
: that of continuous cropping. All crop:
: are not similar in their root habits
5 Some are shallow while others are
S deep feeders. Compounds in the sol
4 may be suited to the production Of Ger
l tain crops while the same compound:
t may be injurious to others. There i:
D much variation in the period Of growth
: of the different crops. BY taking ad
; vantage of this, labor can be more
equally distributed throughout the
: year. The ravages Of insects and fun
r gold pests may be avoided by leaving
F.. out of the rotation the crops upor