Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1912-10-04
THE IMPORTANCE
OF PRESERVING STRAW
". R. WOODS, FARMERS INSTITUTE Lee
TURER, REGARDS IT AS A VALU.
ABLE BY.PR0DUCT.

Land is increasing in value every
year and farming is acknowledged
as one of the professions.
The farmer is looking after the
waste on the farm and using every
method OF converting it into high
priced meat and by-products.
Prominent among the many mi
nor wastes Of the average farm
stands the straw stack which too
frequently deserves the usual name
of strawpile.
The feeding value of good bright
straw is coming to be better re-
allied, and one seldom sees the
flames OF dozen burning straw
stacks turning night into day.
1t is not the purpose Of this ar
ticle to discuss the comparative
value of various kinds of straw
The farmers library, nowaday, con-
tains half dozen sources Of infor-
nation on this subject from the
Farmers Bulletins up, and it is
only necessary to say that most
any kind of straw pays we'll for its
stacking, fencing and care, and il
properly preserved, its nutritiye
value and palatibility increases
with age.
In addition to this. the value O.
the refuse straw. as mulch for the
berry patch anti vegetable garden
in keeping down weeds and con
serving moisture, is great and there
is nothing better and so easily Sc
cured with which to prevent thu
drifting ofsoil.
4 In the conservation of fertility
the straw stack plays an important
part. AS bedding it absorbs ane
retains the valuable elements O
fertility. Possibly the actual value
of straw as an improver of the
physical condition of the soil is o.
more importance than its actual
chemical value, mos clay and gum
DO soils being deficient in vegetable
matter or humus. The addition o.
all the trash, manure, cornstalks
and straw when we'll mixed with
the surface soil by discing before
j blowing, is universally admitted as
good farming practice.
Under the present system too
large percentage of the value oil
the straw stack is wasted. The
thresher is usually interested only
in getting the most bushels of grain
in days run and, even when care
full. has other things to look after.
AS good a stack can be built by
one careful man with the modern
stacker as could be made with ten
times the eXertion of five boys be-
hind the old Stat stacker. Most
any good man, and no other should
be intrusted with the job, can build
the stack and have time to look at
ter the grain wagons ordinarily.
He should first extend the stack
err chute to its full length and ele-
vate it sufficiently that the force of
the blast will be downwards and
build the back or far side Of the
stack first, then the center and front
can be made, always blowing the
straw into and against the back
which has already been built.
When about to finish the stack the
chute should be elevated and blow
few loads up and over making a
solid cap that will shed water and
make as pretty stack as could be
desired. Of course, if it becomes
necessary to move the machine for
any cause the conditions are
changed and intelligent effort will
be required to cope with the situa-
ton.
In selling straw the up to date
farmer figures in the fertility value
and makes a reduction in the price
where it is fed on the farm as there
by practically all the chemical ele-
ments and much of the humus is
left on the ground.