The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-03-01


young apples, pears, prunes and
peaches in various stages OF growth.
The trees presented some real prob
lens in pruning as they had been
neglected for some time and some
had been injured by the wind.
Prof. Morris pruned pear trees with
a leader. Whether o: not this was
the best method was a question OF
considerable discussion at a rec ent
meeting of the Kennewick Farmers
Institute.
Tuesday morning, Prof. Melon .
AIDS first comments were upon the
splendid attendance at the Institutes
throughout the valley and the in
creased interest taken in live stock
and poultry as compared with that
of previous years. This is un-
doubtedly due to the experience OF
recent years in fruit failures and
the farmers have learned that they
must have some other means OF
profit production to fall back on in
poor fruit years. More and better
live stock means better fruit said
Prof. Mcdonald in his optimistic
prophesy that in few years this
valley would be as famous for its
livestock and dairying activities as
it now is for it's fruit. Nature and
commerce have made the two great
industries complimentary and the
best success in either can be at
tanned more easily when they are
developed together.
He believes the present low price
in hay is a good thing as 1t will
tend toward interesting the farmers
in keeping this valuable product at
home, feeding it out to additional
livestock and returning it to the
soil, making better fruit.
Alfalfa which is the leading crop
here is one of the best all around
crops grown as horses, COWS and
hogs alike thrive upon it as an in
gredient in balanced ration. In
regard to the old point of dissention
among alfalfa growers as to the rel
alive value of different cuttings, Mr..
Mcdonald said that if all were
handled under the same conditions
and harvested at the same stage of
growth, there would be no difference
in its quality. In curing, it should
be horne in mind that the latter
cuttings of the warm season make
difference in the length of time it
should lie in the swath as the heat
dries it out sooner than at the first
cutting. In early blooming time,
the proteid in the plant registers a
high percentage of its food qualities,
it is consequently richer, and must
be fed to horses with more care
than when the hay is more stalky
in character.
A balanced ration as defined by
Prof. Mcdonald is one in which all
the nutriments are supplied &C
cording to the requirements of the
animal to be fed. Science and
practice 60 hand in hand in sue
cessful agriculture" said tn e
speaker, and there is a lot of
science in feeding" Alfalfa hay
combined with grains is most sat-
isfactory ration. Two-thirds wheat
and one-third oats is a good pro-
portion in grain feeding and one
used at present at the college farm.
The speaker gave numerous
pointers on the feeding of hogs and
says that this country is ideal for
their raising-better than the corn
states, in fact. Heavy corn feeding
tends toward making them less
prolific and this is to be deplored as
the expense of rearing small litter
of pigs is as great as for a large one.
The demands of the market have
undergone decided revolution of
recent years and at present there
is no call for the heavy porker, roll
ing in fat. The many substitutes
for lard manufactured from veee-
table oils are largely responsible fol-
this and are growing more popular
than ever with American housewives.