The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1904-06-24

Forage And Good Stock Essential
To Dairying.
Following are the main points Of
Professor H. T. French's lecture OH
forage plants at the farmers institute
held in Rathdrum, Tuesday, June Ia.
Professor French dealt chiefly with
the grasses and legumes which are
best adapted to this district and his
remarks were, therefore, of especial
interest to the farmers who were
present.
In opening his lecture, the profess
sor. called attention to the mistaken
ideas which have been entertained in
the west for years and which are just
beginning to be eradicated, that
wheat raising was more profitable
than dairying and that dairying re.
quired q large range for pasture.
He stated that crcamcries had been
frequently established without con-
sidering the cows and forage which
must produce the supply for them,
the result being that the industries
died out in infancy.
Attention was called to Wisconsin
which, by judicious forage cultiva-
ton and care III selection Of stock,
is able to turn out creamery products
! amounting to 500, 100000 every
year. The source of food for the
cows is one Of the prime necessities
to the foundation Of successful
dairy business, then the keeping Of
only the best COWS and the elimina-
ton of all scrubs or animals of the
beef type, and finally the provision
Of home pasture. More money
is made by keeping cows on forage
, at home than OH the range. One
! to the acre is maintained i'll the Pa
louse, without irrigation and with
out soiling. The secret is a proper
| pasture grass and good class Of
stock, few good animals being
| more profitable than a large herd Of
scrubs.
Alfalfa is the first among the for
aga plants, said the professor, by
reason Of its hardness its long roots
sometimes reaching score of feet
down, its adaptability to various
soils, its rich nutritivc value, and its
having acquired the habit of grow
ing luxuriantly on dry or arid lands
! without irrigation. On dry land,
alfalfa will produce Il tons to the
acre on first cutting and one ton on
second cutting, bearing two crops in
a season. 1t must be narrowed each
year with disk harrow. Prof.
French said alfalfa should be expert
mented with very fully and extensive
ly on Rathdrum prairie. He believes
it would do we'll. He showed some
samples of alfalfa one year old with
roots extending several feet down,
which he obtained near town. He
showed the nobulcs which always
appear on the roots of the healthy
plant and explained the work of the
fertilizing bacteria which are ncccs-
sary to furnish the plant nitrogen
from the air through the roots.
These bacteria belong to the vegc-
table, not the animal kingdom, their
presence giving the plant dark
green color, the plant being yellow
when they are absent. The soil
must be inoculated with them which
is done by waiting year or two or
by sowing with soil from an old
field.
| Alfalfa should be sown in the
spring, the ground not to be worked
deeper than four inches. The roots
have astonishing vitality being known
to last 80 years with unimpaired pro-
duction. Clover is not SO good
J after nine years.
The professor advised the growing
Of Swedish or Alsikc clover on lands
on lands subject to overflow. He
also recommended the growing ol