Middletown transcript., 1907-02-02
THE FARM, GARDEN AND DAIRY

green rye the results are not always sails
:. factory, and farmers find that the cattI
), lose flesh and less milk is given. Rye
! one of the most useful OF plants for pro
q yiding early green food at season whel
. grass does not appear, but its injurious ef
!, fects upon animals is not due in the ryt
, being an unsuitable food, but rather be
. cause OF allowing the animals free access
to it. In its early stages of growth (which
, is really the times when it is most in de-
mand) it is composed almest wholly OF
!, water, the proportion of solid matter be-
ling very small. 1t contains several salts
IN solution, and its effects upon the
bowels are laxative; hence it is not only
weaKening, bnt causes the silimals to lose
f1aI. There is right way to use early
rye, however, and that is to allow stock
on the rye field but short time each day
at first, and then gradually extend the
period of grazing. When cattle have
been kept ON dry food for six months the
green rye is to them luxury, and if it
is allowed them jndiciously it will i'm
prove their condition. Both rye and
crimson Clover will be ready for use in a
short time, and they will always prove
| profitable crops to those who keep stock, ,as
they shorten the dry-feeding period OF
winter Wsien the early green foods are
given the stock ,and the bowels are effect
ed one of the indications is that the green
food is serving as medicine, and should
| too much green food have been consumed
give warm mess OF cornmea, seasoned
highly with salt, and full allowance
of hay. There isno danger in green food,
| however, ii the COWS are not allowed to |
conoume too much, but, as every farmer |
knows, there is liability of 'bloat" hoven) |
/ by eating any kind Of greetf food to excess.
Green crops, such as crimson clover,
save loss Of valuable fertilizer in the soil,
for the reason that they actsls covering
in winter, and also beca ise, through the
agency Of their roots, theX ietain plant
food that would be lost to ne soil when
it is exposed to the effect of rain and
melting SHOWS. They are grown at a sea-
son of the year when the Iand is net re-
quired for other crops, and unlike red
clover, they can be seededin the fall, be-
ing ready as green manurial crops when
the farmer desires the land for corn.
Rye males not only early spring pasture,
but is also q late crop in the fall. 1t is
the last green fobd that disappears before
winter and the first to come in the spring,
and is also one Of natures soil protectors.
1t is true that if The farmer plows the rye
under he will haze no grain or straw, but,
outside of the cost of the seed and prepar-
ing the ground, The rye crop costs almost
nothing 1t is not as desirable crop
for manurial purposes as crimson clover,
but many farmers find it excellent, how
ever. II strawfs an object, rye will be
generous, as the farmer can use rye for
grazing purposes aud also secure crop
of straw an. grain later. Within the
past quarter of century it las been
demonstrated that the saving of plant
food in the soil by theus of winter COW
erers is an important item alone, and ma
ture always aims to cover the soil as a
protection. 1t is fact also well known,
that when the land is left in fallow it
gains in fertility, and this can happen in
no possible manner except through the
agency of plants that spring up aud pro-
tect the land in summer and winter.
Late management of bees consists sim
ply in taking away all surplus combs and
honey as soon as the honey season closes, |
and the best combs in the hives shoilld |
be left for the bees. Those having ishe |
largest amount of sealed and the least
unsealed honey are the best. All further
management during the fall and winter |
is the same as with dou5le-stofy hives. !, !,
There is much variation in the yield |
and quality of milk from the COWS. and |
no farmer can have herd uniform unless |
he breeds for uniformity by adheriAg to
one breedj it may even be necessary to |
rely on some particular family Of the
selected breed.
In some states oats are sown in the fall |
and cut early the next season before the |
dry period appears. In this section oats |
are sown in the spring, but it will perhaps |
be found that certain varieties may be |
used here for fall sowing as well as else
where. Farmers should test small plot, |
and if successful a great advantage will be |
gained by sowing in the fall.
Sawdust is one of the best substances
that can be used in the pig-pen, and it is
also excellent in the stalls. While saw
dust does not quickly decompose, yet it |
is an excellent absorbent. and in time is
reduced to its original elements. 1t is
clean, easily handled and is not bulky, |
while its odor is not disagreeable. 1t also
serves to keep the manure in finely |
divided condition.
The farmer reduces the value of his
own labor by keeping inferior stock, or
failing to secure large yields of crops, as
the higher the prices and the greater the
production, the better the remuneration |
for the labor bestowed. There are periods |
when the farmer cannot perform work in
tile fields, for which reason he should |
aim to get his crops under shelter as soon
as possible, in order to do some kinds Of
work which can be performed inside the
barn.
All fruit trees should be sprayed with
out regard to whether they have been
attacked by insects or disease or escaped,
as it is less labor to prevent attacks than
to remedy the evil after it appears. Il
costs more to repair damage than to ward |