The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-01-01

will carry us through the winter. |
contend that this is wrong. l think
that the economical way is to feed
stock all that they can consume-and
think that say forty-nine out of
fifty farmers do not. In the fall we
size up the hay, and If scant we feed
short and in the spring the result is
that our COWS are pretty well dried
out. We turn them to pasture, and
we don't get the results that we
should. The economical way for
dairyman to feed is to give the cows
all they can consume and shut his
eyes when he looks at the feed sup
ply. Look at your COW and at the
results, and try every method to make
her consume more; and if she is worth
keeping that is the way to win out
She will do either of two things. She
will fatten up or give more milk. If
she fattens sell her, but don't one
half starve her 1t will not pay Such
cattle will be the most discouraging
you can have in your business. Just
a few poor COWS will do it. Feed
COW we'll and you either get beef or
milk. think no dairyman here but
will agree with me on that PROPOSE
ton.
A great deal has been said about
timothy hay. Others advise orchard
grass and explain why timothy is poor
feed for a COW. Now, several years
ago l sowed timothy and clover; it
was the way I was brought up, and l
did not know anything else. I was
getting the results l thought ought
to have. After hearing several able
lecturers I decided that the feed was
wrong. l had good beef | thought
possibly I was feeding too much tim
othey hay and did not have balanced
ration, so l tried rye grass and such
grasses as did not mature so quickly
and were calculated to make a COW
produce milk
| am satisfied that rye grass is not
a COW feed. Rye grass is all right
in any field that you wish to make into
pasture, but if you wish to get your
winter supply from it you are wrong
We must use our judgment in regard
to the use of these grasses. The
trouble with them is right here: We
seed down our land to timothy and
clover and make a permanent meadow
and in a short time it is all timothy,
and the milk producing plant disap-
pears.
AS dairymen, we must adopt sys-
tenn of rotation in our crops. AS soon
as clover disappears we must replant
Timothy is the best grass to SOW
with clover, but do not use too much.
We used to use six or eight pounds of
timothy but now do not use more than
two
After getting the ground prepared
we do not use One-half enough Seed
One year | had four acres of timothy
and clover. Next my field was another
field. l had a road through this field
next mine Well, it headed out nicely
A man coming to see me through
that field seemed to be stopping and
examining the field. When he got to
me he wanted to know how l got it
so thick. That was done by accident
but it was one of my most successful
fields. | had a man SOW it in the
fall and forgot all about it and had
another man SOW it in the spring.
The ground was fine in the spring and
it was one of the best meadows that |
ever saw. When the ground is well
prepared and the seed put on in rota-
ton, there is no question but that it
is the right way. On hilly land |
would put rye grass or orchard grass.
You want a variety. Some grasses
appear to dry out but will spring up
again. Take bronze grass mixed with
orchard grass or some clover, and you
have good pasture in this part of the
state.
referred to these questions because
they have been brought home to me
so strongly that l want you to realize
them. Make an experiment of work
ing the ground thoroughly, sowing two
times the usual amount of seed, and
oh ond