The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1911-02-10
Feed Citron To Cows
Says Governor Brown.
LOO the Atlanta Cons..tuL!onl

In the citron melon, which bears
the reputation Of being worthless ex-
cept for making preserves, Governor
Joseph VI. Brown has discovered an
excellent winter feed for COWS, hogs
and other cattle
Governor Brown made his discoy-
cry quite by accident, but since he
has found that live stock viii eat the
melons and fatteu on them he has
entered actively into the Citron-rais-
ing business on a much larger scale
at his farm in Cherokee county
In discussing the possibilities of the
oitron as a feed for stock Governor
Brown said:
/ "One lack which nearly all farm
ers feel is that of green food for stock
in the winter Particularly is this the
case with fattening hogs.
Some years ago |, without intend
ing 1t, found something which, in a
measure, is this desideratum Dur
ing the previous spring | had bought
from Philadelphia house some seed
or the Colorado preserving melon ar
as it is otherwise called, the citron
melon. | raised these for the Dur
pose OF making what is termed water
melon-rind preserves. Our little match
produced quite a number of them. and
besides those We used | gave awav
several each to some friends. On the
ga OF the next December | was walk
ing over my place in Marietta and
Strolled into the vineyard. and to nv
surprise found a pile of citron melons
these were in as perfect condition
as when they had been pulled in Julv
except that the tops of those not
shielded by the grass were a little
SOFT from the freeze caused by the
intense cold weather.
Seeing my six Jersey COWS a few
steps behind me, | took all the mel.
ons across the fence, and with an old
axe split one of them up. | then
too the pieces and went toward the
COWS, which, smelling them, came
rapidly forward to meet me. I was
amused by the eagerness they show
ed for the slices of melon. I gave
each one a portion and observed that
they manifestly enjoyed it greatly.
Il next split another one and car.
rled 1t to the pen where nv fatten.
ing hogs were. | threw a piece or
TWO on the ground before them and
the three hogs got into a lively scram.
Die TO get them first. | accordingly
went back and split up another one
and threw the pieces to the hogs. and
found that they ate them eagerly.
Seeing that these melons were
such good keepers, and that the stock
enjoyed them, | had the seed of the
largest ones saved and within the
next few days fed the remaining mel
ons to the fattening hogs.
The next spring | planted about 90
hills of these melon seed. We had
spring drouth, with the result that
they did not come up for about five
weeks and, getting a late start. pro-
duced only $50 melons. With these.
however, | gave the fattening hogs a
portion every day until they we're
killed.
Il saved sufficient seed to plant two
acres the next spring When they
were gathered in the fall I told NV
farm hands to count them. and YOU
may be surprised to know that the
two acres produced upwards of 1900
melons. These were hauled to the
barn, and with them l fed hogs. COWS.
mules and horses during the entire
winter. The last of these melons were
fed to the stock on the 18th of the
next April, and were apparently as
sound at that time as they were the
previous fall
Stock are exceedingly found of
these melons. They seem to act as
a lubricant to the hogs. and to give
even a greater flow of milk from the
COWS
The citron melons are easily
raised. Plant them in hills about ten
feet apart, just as you do watermel-
ons, but be sure not to plant them
near your watermelons, because if
you do they will mix and your water
melons will be about as hard as the
citrons
IF our hog-raisers would each have
a patch large enough to furnish mel
ons for feeding fattening hogs, they
would find it a profitable experiment.
/ but. OF course, as above indicated. all
| hogs, as we'll as other hoofed stock,
are fond of them
"InasmuCh as Georgia is now turn
ing her attention to raising her own
/ hogs, it has occurred to me that my
experience in the above line may be
| of some advantage to our farmers in
every quarter of the State"
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