The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-10-22
No. 81
Live Stock.
SHEEP IN THE SOUTH.
XVIII


Fertilizer Worth $780, Machine Pulver-
iEatiOn to Make it More sOluble-Ons Ton
to the Acre on 80 Acres Of Cotton-FOdder
Corn and Peas on the Other 80 Fertilised
AlsO-The Eighty-AOre Pieces Alternately
Used for COttOn-Late Peas or Beans
PlOwsd Under Every Year.
Correspondence OF The Progressive Farmer.
If the 800 sheep have been judi
ciously housed and all the available
manure gathered and composted as
above noted, as result of a years
work there should not be less than
1875 tons of dry fertilizer ready for
use and so we'll mixed and chopped
up that it may be applied with the
seed Of cotton, corn or small grain
by some of the fertilizer machines
now in use.
never tried it, but believe that
after the last mixing of the manure,
if the whole mass should be run
through an old fashioned (''bunty'').
threshing machine, or a similar ma
chine process, it would promote its
solubility as plant food and facilitate
its application to the land, to an ex-
tent that would surely pay for the
extra labor and expense.
The above 1875 tons when ready for
use will not at most have cost over
$500, for material and labor and will
be worth 81 900 the year it is applied,
and if the system is continued it's
effects will be worth half as much
more in following years. An amount
of equal value purchased from re-
liable merchants would cost S12
ton or 81, 500 delivered on the planta-
ton. These valuations are given
from the standpoint of prices asked
and paid at this time for high grade
fertilizers.
It is intended that this fertilizer
shall be in such shape that il may be
applied in the rows when planting
the 80 acres in cotton, one ton to the
acre. If possible, it should be ap-
piled One-third in the row with the
seed and two thirds on each side and
about six inches distant from the
rows, completely covering it all over
with dirt. The other 40 or 80 tons
being applied to corn, potatoes, gar
den and such other things as require
it. The 8O-acres not in cotton, that
is, the other half of the old 100 acre
cotton field, can likely best be used
by raising plenty of corn as an all
round feed for the sheep, also fer
tiliZed.
If corn is raised the fodder should
be shredded and fed. A better feed
and more profitable crop is to drill it
in thick, averaging stalk every
four inches and cut it in the milky
or good roasting ear or glazed state
for fodder corn and Immediately SOW
or drill in cow peas. Having cut the
fodder corn with a corn harvester,
shock and dry it sufficiently for the
shredder, when it can be shredded
and housed in loft Of sheep barn.
This fed with some peas and a good
application of cotton seed meal
thrown on it in the troughs, as else
where recommended for sheep barn,
is most rarely good sheep feed.
This mixture carefully CURED and
made more or less strong with peas,
cotton seed meal, and then steamed
fresh every day, cannot be excelled
for sheep, even for the most carefully
stall-fed weathers.
When ewes and weathers of the
"third Cross" such as describe in
Chapter XVI, are we'll fed on such
food, the ewes may average 100 per
cent. increase of lambs, and old
weathers may be brought to average
200 pounds gross and be- sold in the
best markets each spring at cents
per pound, $12 per head gross in full
fleece; or if sold young as ''spring
lambs" they can be made to bring
$40 to $12. The latter is generally
the most profitable way TO dispose
of them if expressage is not too
much. OF course such prices re-
quire skilful handling and manage
ment.
It is the manure from such sheep
fed in the way that is-so extremely
valuable.
The cow peas on the 80 acres above
referred 60 may be partially ripened
so as to get part of the peas for the
sheep if needed and then, if possible
before dead ripe, plow under.
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