Middletown transcript., 1907-05-11
FARM NEWS AND VIEWS

When you put Ill crop Vi Coi" w "
overlook the fact that two plants together
in the same hill must struggle for suprem'
acy in acquiring plant food. The stronger
crowds out the weaker, but is retarded oy
the effort to certain extent. Do not leave
too many plants together where the iand
is not very fertile.
Grass is to young as yet to allow horses
full liberty to Craze. If they have been
kept on dry food all along they will have
scours if allowed to eat too much grass at
first. They should gradually be allowed
on grass until they become accustomed
to it.
Transplant celery to permanent beds In
May or June, placing large quantity OF
manure in the trench This crop is one
that cannot be surfeited by too much ma
| nure, as it is one of the grossest feeders
known. The plants should be frequently
watered, soapsuds being better for such
purposes than anything lse,and the beds
81 ouId be kept as clean as possible.
It requires care to have celery that is large
crisp and white, but it is valuable crop
when grown and pays well for the atten-
tion bestowed. If you neglect to sow the
seed you can procure the plants from
seedsmen and should not fail to have
supply.
Oats can be made to provide an abun-
dance Of food by being grown and cut
while the heads are In the milky stage.
The straw is then in palatable condition,
containing portions OF the nutrition
| which have been arrested on their way
to fill out the heads. When cut in this
green condition the straw and
heads are cured like hay, can be
bundled and then stacked on the ground
for winter use. The proper way to feed
oats cured in that manner is to pass them
through fodder cutter ,and they will be
eaten readily by horses, cattle sheep.
The earth is seemingly able to produce
weeds or grass, whether fertile or poor,
and they always appear at the same time,
when the crops used the most care.
Weeds are beneficial to certain extent,
although injurious, for the gardener is Of
ten compelled to eradicate them when he
would not otherwise give the garden his
attention. BY so doing he keeps the soil
in fine, fIiable condition for the desired
crop. Weeds, however, should be re-
moved as soon as they appear; by so do
ing the work can be more eas | done,
and the stirring Of the soil will then be
required only to m"d4rate depth.
The true value OF foods to the farmer is
in the proportions of protein and ash
(mineral matters) contained If corn is
exchanged for bran, and bran is used on
the farm a. fond f. r stock, there is brought
on the farm more protein than is con-
tanned in corn, as well as larger pro-
| W. AbO
elements, than the corn contains. The
manure from bran is also much more
valuable than that from corn, and when
fair price can be obtained for corn it
may be to the advantage of farmers to
sell their corn and buy bran for stock.
When the corn crop is planted the fodder
~ ii LII Al,
expected. The crop of fodder from
field of corn should be eqnal in value to
the grain taken therefrom, and yet the
fodder is wasted and the grain saved. In
fact, il the fodder is given no better treat
ment than it receives ON some farms it
would be cheaper to drive into the fields,
pull the ears from the stalks, throw them
into wagon and haul direct from the
field to the crib, leaving the stalks stand
ing, than to expend labor in cutting the
corn and putting it into shocks, with the
additional work Of husking the grain after
the corn is shocked, as it will save labor
by SO doing, il the fodder is to be wasted,
especially as it is very disagreeable task
to husk the corn in the field in cold
weather.
A fodder crop of corn may be grown
independently Of the regular corn crop.
Careful experiments made show that the
fodder crop produced with the ears is
more valuable than may be supposed,
and that larger proportion Of the fodder
would be consumed if it could be properly
cared for, so as to be kept in a bright
condition. II hay was treated in the
same manner as fodder it would be re-
jected, but even in the condition in which
fodder is given to stock they accept and
consume fair quantity of it, Farmers
who have been careful with their fodder
have found that when it was cut m fine
with the feed cutter and fed in connection
with ground oats, bran or other grain,
not only cattle, but horses, have been
brought safely through the winter in good
condition, and at less cost than with any
other kinds of food. 1t is wiIful waste
of labor to carefully shock the fodder and
then leave it, for, even if not DESTROYED
by winds and rains in the field, it is so
deteriorated in quality as to be unaccept-
able to stock Corn fodder can be made
to assist the hay as food, but the point
to observe, and which is shown by all
experienced farmers, is that corn fodder
must be bright. OF course, when cut
down in the field it must be done at the
proper stage of growth, SO as to have the
stalk as successful as possible, and as soon
as the ears are removed the fodder should
be put under shelter. 1t is too bulky a
crop to put in the barn, but, overlooking
that point, more care should be used in
shocking it. With the shredder or en-
silage cutter large portion can be pre-
pared and made ready for use, and it will
not heat if the fodder is we'll cured: but
one method is to have cheap sheds. under
which the stalks can be stored. being
packed III manner to permit Of a free
circulation Of air. 1t may be contended
that it will cost too much Ia stnra nndar