The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-05-08


There are two round silOs on the
farm, each ten feet in diameter and
thirty-four feet high. These together
hold about 100 tons Of silage, and this
quantity of corn silage is produced on
four acres, planted about June q.
Eleven men, three teams and a traction
engine to run the cutter are employed
in filling the silos.
There is no systematic rotation Of
crops on this farm. 1t is not necessary
since every foot Of land receives an
abundance Of manure every year or
two. Every green crop grown on the
place is utilized for soiling purposes.
more or less, the surplus being con-
verted into hay or silage. The crops
grown are rye, timothy and clover,
corn, peas and oats and millet- At
least two crops a year are harvested
from most Of the fields. The grass
crop is a mixture, the seed sown being
as follows: Red clover. six quarts;
timothy, five quarts: alsike. two and
one-half pounds; redtop, one pound.
The farm is divided into twelve small
parcels. varying in size from one
fourth acre to two and one-quarte1
acres. In April. 1908. six Of these Give
or six acres in alp were in grass.
About half of this was sown the last
week in August. 1900, one-fourth In
1901 and One-fOurth in 1902 That
sown in 1900 was cut once for hay in
- I'D MIR
for late corn. The crops which pre-
ceded these plats of grass were in
two cases rye, grown the preceding
winter
When this WAS cut for sOiling or for
hay the ground was plowed and har-
rowed into fine filth. One and half
bushels per acre Of German millet We're
then sown. This was cut for hay be
fore it had made seed. The land was
plOwed again and narrowed into fine
tilth Grass seed was then sown broad
cast late in August. Sowing thus ear
~, using no nurse crop. gives full
crop the next year. In fact. because
Of the farms fertility. three large crops
are cut the next year after sowing
grass in August. Two cuttings are
made the second year. In the spring
of the third season. il the crop prom
Uses to be abundant, II crop Of hay Is
taken before breaking up the sod for
late corn. II the grass crop is scanty
the sod is broken earlier for any croi,
for which it may be needed. The sod
is always heavily top dressed Curing
the winter before 1t Is broken up.
Some of the fields are kept in rye in
winter and corn in summer indefinitely
Rye is sown broadcast ut the rate Of
two bushels per acre. the seed being
covered by spring tooth harrow. The
hay made from this rye Is readily eat
ell by the stock. but part Of it is ,lSes!
| for bedding. Three of the twelve sub
| divisions of the farm are thus devoted
| regularly to rye in winter and lnte corn
| in SIMMER. Oats and peas are some
times sown in early spring on land
sown in rye the previous fall. the rye
being turned under in spring Some
times 4 piece Of corn land is left bare
during the winter and sown to oats
and peas the next spring. Grass is oc
casionally sown on land from which
soiling corn has been cut. One small
field was devoted to oats and peas fol-
several years and then put down i!
grass. to be followed by corn. Dat.
and peas do not fit very well into thu
cropping systems followed ON any Of
these small fields. They 'lust be sowl
in early spring and are off early il
Jlly, yet they yield so much nutritious
hay or soiling material that a small
are, is usually grown.
The method Of hsndling manure or
this farm can be used only on farms
on which stock is kept in stalls. Be
hind each row of cows is n quite!
eighteen inches wide and seven inche:
deep. These cutters have no outlets
They are thoroughly cleaned daily
T'hc whole barn is disinfectcd twice
week. and the interior is frequent,
whitcwashed.) When cleaned the gnt
te;s are sprinkled with ashes or dr.,
dirt to absorb what moisture may III
present During the day a quantity 0
absorbent, consisting Of leaf mold
rotten sod. etc, is placed In them
Each gutter ends near n door TIL
manure is lifted from the gnttor int
n cart backed up to the door TIL
end Of the gutter next the door !
slightly lower than the other end. On
places it in the lower end Of the trench
second man then lifts it into til
cart In this manner the liquid ms
, nure is all got into the cart. FINAL
the fragments that remain In tn
trench are swept to the lower end an
removed. The cart goes immcdiatel
3 to the field. and the manure is sprea
I at once In summer 1t Is spread 0
: the land from which the soiling CROP
: are removed. In winter 1t IS sp"ea
on the rye and grass fields. on the Ia
I ter particularly when the ground
too soft to place It upon the rye field
No manure Is used on newly seedc
I grass lands but the second and thir
year grass fields arc top dressed
J. winter.
Y Since this account was first presen
r ed in 1908 marked economic change
;; have occurred. which, If this far
u were still in operation as it was the
e would materially affect the profit O
d tanned Most of these changes rela
II to the price Of concentrated feedir
J. stuffs. The writer is of opinion TIL
> under present conditions this farm
t. smaller than dairy farm ought to b
n especially before the land has bee
n made exceedingly fertile. 1t is no
d very desira bic to have the dairy far
Is large enough to hermit GROWING