The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-10-12

care in curing than earlier in the
summer. but if Well cured they are
better and more nutritiye feed than
crops saved when the sun is so hot.
DO not hurry the hauling. but let the
crops cure out we'll in the windows
ana cocks and see that these are we'll
aired and summed just before being
stored in the barn to carry off all dew
and gathered moisture.
The harvesting of the corn crop
Will require attention. Do not let it
stand until all the fodder is burnt up.
Cut as soon as the corn is we'll glazed
and denied and set up in shocks not
too large, but we'll put up and tied
round the top SO that they will stand
a good wind with out falling. Do not
waste time and corn pulling fodder
and cutting tops. Save all the crop.
It has cost time and money to make
1t, and is too valuable to leave half
Of it in the field.
Don't delay filling the silo too long
SO that the frost catches the corn and
INJURIES the fodder. Whilst it is not
desirable to cut corn for the silO when
1t is in its most vigorous state of
growth, as it is then so full of water
that the product makes a sour silage
yet at the same time it is important
not to wait too long so that it becomes
1rost-bitten before being cut. 1t
should ave sufficient moisture in it
to make it heat we'll so as to drive
out the air and pack closely. The
nearer it is to maturity without being
dried up, the better Silage it makes.
IT the corn should become too dry be-
fore it can be sliced it should be
watered as it is cut into the silo so as
to ensure the heating, otherwise the
product Will mould badly. The
heating destroys the mould germs. If
YOU nave cow peas or SOW beans 10
SliO let these be cut along with the
corn be we'll mixed as they run
into the silo. Used in this way the
make a most nutritious and we'll bal
anced feed. but if sliced alone the pro
duct is a Shiny. slippery silage, which
stock do not eat we'll. Cover the top
Of the silage with cut chaffed straw
or waste marsh hay to the depth Of
a foot and water this freely so that
it will pack down closely, and fill With
mould and thus effectuaIly seal the
silage.
The seeding Of winter oatsshas been
much delayed by the ground being too
dry and hard to pillow. The showers
we have had will put the land into
blowing order, and not a moments
delay should be allowed in pushing
on the seeding as it is late now for
putting in the crop, but if put in deep
~ with a drill or if seeded broadcast
and covered with a light furrow thrown
by a pillow or if cut in with a disc
harrow the crop should make suff-
cient growth before the winter sets
in to stand Well. The too shallow
seeding and light covering of winter
oats is largely the cause of winter
killing. The seeding of winter oats in
deep burrows is now being largely
practiced in some of the Southern
States. The ridges left between tho
burrows seems to protect the plants
and good crops are secured in this
way on land on which the crop al
ways formerly winter killed badly
when sown in the ordinary way. In
our last issue we wrote more fully on
the seeding of this crop and to thai
issue we refer our readers.
The preparation of the land for and
the seeding of the wheat crop should
have attention as from October 18th
to November 18th is the best time
for seeding this crop in the South. In
our last months issue we wrote very
fully on the subject of the prepara-
ton of the land for wheat and refer
our readers to that issue. We do no
know that we can uSefully add any
thing to what we then said. The
great factor to be observed is the best
possible preparation of the land be-
fore eeding. This and not the guam
tity or equality of the manure or fer
tilizer used is what is going to be most
potent in securing a good yield. Now
that cow peas and the other legume
crops are SO much more generally
grown we ought to see a considerable
increase in the average yield of wheat
in the South and there is plenty of
room for this. We ought not to make
d less average thar IS bushels of
wheat per acre and oug easily to get
80 bushels, and yet we only get an
average of about 13 or IA bushels
The leguminous crops will supply the
nitrogen needed if only they are given
sufficient phosphOric acid ito make
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