Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-12-15
The Dry Season.
SOME OF ITS LESSONS AND SOME AID
vANTAaEoUs RESULTS.

The Portland, Me-, weather bureau
tells US that 1908 has been the dryest
since the weather bureau opened It's
branch in Portland thirty-seven years
ago.
| During seven weeks from May 80 to
July IS less than one inch of rain fell
and for about the same period during
September and until the very last days
of October less than one inch fell.
During the last two or three days OF
October, sufficient rainfall occurred to
enable farmers to start their fall pl0w-
ing.
The hay crop in many sections OF
Maine was less than one-half the normal
crop, and pasturage for stock was hard
ly worth mentioning. In July the past
ures were as dry and brown as they
usually are three months later in the
season and were too badly injured to be
even fairly good the balance OF the sea-
son.
1t has been necessary to feed grain
in order to maintain any reasonable
milk flow, and with grain where it has
been this year the burden has been suf,
| ficieut to set farmers to thinking.
Green forage crops to supplement the
pastures would seem to be the best SAFE
guard against a recurrence OF this sea-
sons experience.
There is no doubt that certain
amount of grain can be profitably fed to
cows in full flow of milk, during the
summer season, but small grain ration
with good feed of some green feed at
night will be found better milk pro-
ducer than larger grain ration without
the green feed.
Again the pasture is benefited by the
droppings from the grain fed COWS, and
as the years 90 by noticeable benefit Is
visible, 80 the grain value il paid for in
milk is a cumulative benefit to the past
ures which in most cases receive too
little attention. One man / know OF in
New York state who has doubled the
stock carrying capacity of 100-acre
farm, and now carries nearly 30 head,
says his pastures are one-third better
from the effect of summer grain feeding.
For green crop for summer feeding,
Japanese millet is proving very salts
factory, and is growing in popularity.
A sowing of oats and peas may be made
early. If feed Is needed in July, as the
millet should not be sown until corn
planting time, when the danger from
frost is past. The millet when it does
get ready will last until hard frosts
come, and this is quite an advantage it
has over crop that is at it's best for
only a week or two, like oats and peas
and hungarian. A piece of good fodder
corn comes in handy, too. If you run
short on other crops you can feed corn,
and if you do not need it for green feed,
cut up and we'll shocked 80 1t will keep
green, the cattle will relish feed OF 1t
once day after they are in the stable.
While corn is not as good milk pro-
ducer as the other crops mentioned, a
liberal feeding of 1t helps to keep the
COWS up in flesh and brings them to the
barn in much better condition than no
green feed.
The winter feeding season Is now on,
and with high prices for grain and a
short supply Of hay, the thoughtful
farmer will Gull very closely, keeping
no boarders. Thousands Of such old
cows and culls have left Maine this fall,
and in the end the short hay crop Of
1908 will be decided advantage to
many. No doubt the price Of cows will
be high for two or three years for many
promising heifers will be sacrificed for
beef.
The abundant hay crop the country
over will aid in keeping the price within
reason, and the high prices for dairy
products will partially compensate for
the outgo of money for hay.
We have nice flock of 225 pullets
nearly ready to lay, and We expect they
will be a great aid in carrying us
through the winter. They are just be-
ginning to make egg deposits and when
eggs are four cents each they are profit
able. A good flock we'll cared for are
splendid asset when there are hard
times in the dairy, and equally so when
the cows are doing we'll and the barn is
full of hay. More farmers are finding
this out each year. With such market
as Boston for eggs, right close by, the
farmers of New England ought to sup
ply that market, but instead, western
eggs come In by carloads, and must be
less fresh than a nearly fancy article
would be. Those who have good sized
flock to help feed the cows this winter
are fortunate, and while gathering eggs
can plan for green crop rotation for
1909, which will soon be with us.-D. j.
Ryther, Yarmouth, Me-, in New England
Farmer.