Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-16
BERKSHIRE HOGS

very good mechanical condition, but we
Judge IL to be low in vegetable mat
ter. even though IL be bottom land. II
this be true you should plant IL in
cowpeas or velvet beans or osme crop
OF that character to turn under. When
the crop has been turned down in the
early fall apply lime, work down a fne
seed bed and get ready to plant the
alfalfa about the first Of October II con-
ditions are at all favorable as TO rain
fall. Apply at the time Of seeding the
alfalfa 1000 pounds Of a fertilizer con-
tanning 10 per cent of phosphorus, per
cent Of nitrogen and per cent of pot
ash. Use western seed which has been
recleaned. Fall planting is desirable
because you are not so likely to be
troubled with crab grass, which is one
OF the greatest enemies to alfalfa in
the south 1t Is important that your
alfalfa be planted on land that drains
well, for it Is undoubtedly true that
one difficulty experienced in growing
this crop in the east is due to the
large amount OF rain which falls and
tends to keep the land too wet at the
lower levels. especially for the roots
OF this crop. Alfalfa has bene grown
more or less sporadically at various
points in Georgia. and one OF the rea-
sons of failure in our judgment In
many localities has been due to the fact
that the ground was not thoroughly
prepared or properly lined and fertil-
lied. Vegetable matter is an essential
in all soils in this section TO be devoted
10 alfalfa. and liberal fertilization must
also be followed. BY planting in rows
il Is possible to harrow or cultivate the
alfalfa sufficiently to help keep crao
grass in check and thus preserve uni
form growth of IL over the land for
Id
grass obtains a foothold. There is no
doubt about the opportunities which
this state affords for investment along
agricultural lines.
A GOOD TYPE OF SWING CHURN.
T. B. R., Thomaston, Ga, writes:
saw a swing churn on the educational
train when 1t visited Thomaston- and
would like to have your opinion OF It,
and what a ten-gallon size would cost.
Are they as good as the barrel churn!
No doubt the churn to which you
refer Is what is called the Davis
swing churn. One with a capacity of
churning 20 quarts at one time will cost
you about So We have them and ind
them quite satisfactory. They are well
made and durable and easy TO operate,
but We could not recommend them over
the box or barrel type of hand churn,
which also have the advantage of being
II anything. easier TO clean than the
Davis swing churn. The college, OF
course, does not act as an agent in the
interest OF any type OF machinery. but
endezvors to test out all the different
patterns placed on the market, so as
to be in position to speak definitely
about the merits of the various types
offered for sale to farmers.
VALUE OF sILAGE FOR CATTLE
FEEDING.
A correspondent. Kansas. City. No,
writes: I'VE would like to have your
opinion of silage as a feed for cattle.
we find that a large number OF farmers
are without the most primary informa-
ton in regard to the value of silage,
and believe more would erect silos If
they realized the value of silage.
silage is undoubtedly the best suhsti-
tute for pasture grass which has ever
been discovered up to the present time.
In some sections silage can be fed and
cheaper milk and butter produced than
on grass. OF course, under ideal grazing
conditions this would not be true, but
all the country Is not well supplied
with such conditions. Silage can GER
tainly be fed in the winter with greater
satisfaction to dairy cows than any
other form of roughness, and Il has
been demonstrated over and over again,
that il furnishes one OF the best forms
Of rough feed for beef cattle. We have
had an extensive experience in feeding
this material. to both beef and dairy
cattle in the south. and publications
have been issued discussing the results
from several southern stations Where
the silage is fed to either beef or dairy
cattle, a little dry roughness can often
be used with II to good advantage.
Some people imagine because this feed
contains corn that no concentrate is
needed. and that IL will furnish a salts
factory maintenance ration. 1t Is too
watery for this purpose. and should not
he used without the addition OF con-
centTates. There is nothing better than
cotton-Seed meal. as a companion food
for silage. In those sections where corn
or wheat by-products are cheap, one
third OF the concentrates may consist
Of corn, one-third bran or shorts, and
one-third cotton-seed meal. In sections
where corn is cheap, one-half corn and
one-half cotton-seed meal will be found
a good mixture to use. Where corn is
high priced. cotton-seed meal may be
used alone. provided II Is fed with
judgment and discretion. From 30 to
- pounds of silage will ordinarily be
found the right amount to feed to
beef and dairy animals weighing 1000
pounds. The ration must he varied ac-
cording 10 the season of the year and
the age and condition ot the animal.
Any farmer who expects TO engage in
animal industries must provide himself
with silo facilities if he expects to
produce beef or milk at remunerative
prices. The silo has the advantage OF
net only storing a large quantity Of
food into a small space. but preserving
il in ideal condition at a relatively low
cost. Silos have been so extensively
used that their efficiency and desirability
have been csta hlished beyond question.
A. A. P. carfollton, Ga. writes; ]