The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-21

the South there is not one farmer in
ten that makes enough to do him IN
til another crop can be made. The
hay crop is the great crop Of this
country as statistics show 1t is i'm
possible for n farmer to make the most
of farming without due consideration
TO this mainstay in the way of animal
food. There is no other single sub
stance that can be as safely depend
ed upon for wintering stock Of all
kinds as first-class hay. Without long
forage it is impossible for cattle or
horses or mules or sheep to thrive and
do their best. however, much conccn-
trated food may be provided for them.
Long forage is an actual necessity
to all animals that chew the cud.
These will not keep long in perfect
health without it.
Oats come very nearer being a per-
feet or complete food for horses and
mules than any other single substance
used for food. and yet after being
fed exclusively with this grain for a
short while, seem to crave hay almost
as much as when restricted to bran
OF corn for a period of time.
Hay must be regarded as the most
essential single article of food tor
stoGk.
OF course, work animals cannot be
kept in best condition or do their best
work on hay alone, but, at the same
time they will not thrive and do good
work without a fair quota of hay or
long forage. With d full ration of
oats, less hay will be required than
with any other grain or concentrated
food, but they must have some hay.
1t should be understood that hay,
prime commercial hay is not merely
dried or dead grass. 1t means cur
ed grass; that is grass or clover cut
at the proper stage, dried promptly
and then Daled or stored away. IL
grass is allowed to get so old that the
seeds form and cure, and then shat
ter out the stems that remain, will
not constitute hay-first- class nutri-
ticus hay. 1t will be only dead grass.
There will not be much nutriment in
it. But poor as it may be, it will
be better than no hay While stock
will not relish it, and thrive on it as
they would on well made hay still.
as it fills the cravings for a distend-
ed stomach they will eat 1t. For this
purpose, only the poorest hay or long
forage has its value-decided value.
All kinds OF stock that have been
denied pasture or good hay for a few
weeks viii eat with apparent relish
the straw Of wheat, rye or oats, which
as commonly cured makes as Door
forage as is likely to be found. There
is very little nutriment in this straw
and yet ii answers the purpose of
filling the stomach to distention and
this neutralizes that tendency To
contraction that the feeding of highly
concentrated food causes.
Bright, clean Oat or wheat straw
in the absence of better forage is we'll
worth $1,000 per ton for the reason
given.
For many years the main reliance
for long forage Of a large number of
Southern farmers has been corn fod-
der-black fodder. When pulled and
cured, at the proper time, 1t makes
a very excellent forage. but TO make
IL cost every cent IL is worth as
rEla
When a farmer wishes to make the
most OF his corn crop. making forage
as well as grain, it is much better
plan to top the corn after the ears
have set. cutting off the upper half,
just above the ear tying the stalks
In small bundles as fast as cut and
as soon as enough bundles to make a
stack accumulate, set them up in
firm stack and let ii cure there The
uDDer half Of the stalk with the leaves
upon it makes as good forage as one
need have, If cut and cured at the
Proper time. and in the proper man
re=.
But even this being true farmer
cannot depend upoE this exclusively
for this supply Of long forage. 1t will
not supply one-fourth of the hay that
he should find use for. He must have
other sources from which to keep mis-
hay barns full to overfiowing with
this the best and the safest animal
food that can be provided.
We ought TO supply the North with
hay instead of buying il from sec
tions a thousand miles off, where
the hay-making season is hardly half
OF what II is here. We pay as much
freight on 1t as 1t is intrinsically worth
Here we can make some kind of
hay at least eight months in the year.
There they are thankful to have four
months. We can cut and make hay,
while they are thinking of sowing the
seeds almost
We have lucerne and bur and Grim
son clover. which If they do not yield
us cutting of hay in April. will do
IT In May. We can SOW fodder corn
in March, and sorghum in April. We
can cut burmuda grass as early as
June and as late as October.
We can make Dea-hay by sowings
from April 20 July.
We have much spontaneous growth
that at one time or another can be
made into good hay If we choose.
Crab grass and crowfoot. for instance;
lespedeza in many instances.
The sometimes despised Jonusa-
grass is of real merit i'm its proper
place on the hay farm.
When sown specially for hay oats
and rye too make hay Of real value.
For this purpose 1t should be cut
soon after IT comes in to bloom. Then
IL is almost as nutritious as any other
good hay sowings can be made IN
the fall and in the spring.
II any country should make hay
hay to keep and hay to sell II Is cer-
tainly the South country.
A great hay country Is almost in
variably a prosperous country.
When the South makes about ten
times the hay that she now does. she
will be we'll on the way to a perma-
nent prosperity. that may well be the
envy of the nations.
In this respect the South has had
a relapse. With spot cotton at 16 cents
the middle Of March the great mass
Of Southern farmers are thinking OF
planting larger areas of cotton than
they have before In many years. In
a little while now. "A million or more
Of sturdy arms Will be engaged in
killing all the grass that can be found.
In thousands % instances no doubt