Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1908-09-10
EXPERIMENTAL FEEDS.
n. A. Clapp i'm Drovers' journal


The present condition of the pastures
throughout the country proves the neces-
slty OF making some prearrangements to
supply stock with some palalable and nu-
.ritious feeds during the midsummer
months. There can he no better time to
lrge the Importance OF sowing some crops
,arly in the season hat can be used wfe,,
pastures fail, to keep up the flow of milk
with the dairy cows and Il continuous
growth with all classes OF stock that are
being raised for meat.
When the grass starts rapidly in the
,pring and stock does so we'll on ii soma
overlook the fact that the conditions that
ire so favorable for plant growth will
rot continue throughout .he whole season,
When there are several successive days
Of sunshine, unless the ground is very
Nell supplied with moisture. the evapora-
Ion OF water is so rapid and continuous
mat the plants are not furnished with
heir food by the moisture around the
toots. growth is checked, the leaves be-
come dry. less palatable and nutritious.
and consequently there Is "A check i'll the
growth of stock and "A loss in flesh that
% make up again in the future Will re-
luire time and expense. When looked
II in the right light one cannot afford
20 let the stock lose In growth and time
when they can be- supplied by little
cost and effort
10 supply the first possible needs for
green feeds with which to supplement- the
pasture. oats and peas are among the first
that can be relied on a patch OF ground
we'll enriched and plowed either in the
fall or as early in the spring 80 can be
and fitted we'll is what is needed. Sow
the peas with a drill as deep as tho drill
will put them Two bushels to the acre
Is about the night amount OF seed. Afte,
the peas have been sown about five Oh
SIX days drill croSswiSe about Il buShe
and half of oats to the acre, letting the
drill run shallow. BY this plan the oats
and peas come up together aud one does
not crowd or evershadow the other. As
soon as the peas begin To blossom and
the oats begin to head out one can begin
to cut and use if needed This Kind OF
feed Is relished by the stock and yields
abundantly
The next crop to consider IL the swee,
corn. III planted as early as is SAT. to
plant in :he spring on account OF frost il
will be ready to feed az soon as needed
one can begin to cut it as soon as the
tassels appear. IL planted in check rows
% TO 30 inches apart 1t can be cultivated
and kept free from weeds
Another scheme is TO plant field corr
thfckly TO be cut and used, ears and all
curing the season OF Scant feed after the
frosts have injured the grass in the pas.
ture This is a crtica, season of the veal
that Is not generally considered and stock
loses In flesh 1t is a serious mistake IL
be Obliged to start the stock into Tin.
winter while on the down grade. 1t is
much more economical to feed some greer
feeds and keep all classes OF stock from
the cows to the pigs and horses thriving
than to be obliged to use grain to regain
flesh lost during period OF short pas
lures
The man who has plenty OF silo room
and can store In the fall s;lase enough
to feed when the pastures are short ant
dry during the summer and fall has
supplemental feed that Is relished by tn,
stock and i'm perhaps the most convenient
shape to feed and can be handled Will
the least trouble OF any of the feeds men
toned III one wishes to feed In the stable
For feeding In the fields the sweet corr
or oats and peas are convenient to han
die. In any event II is better TO lay plan
beforehand to keep up constant suppl.
OF cheap feeds than to he obliged to fee,
hay already stored for winter use or GU
anu feed the field corn.