Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1913-04-04
WHAT THE HOME.
STEADER MAY GROW
By PROT. Thomas Shaw.

~. iHdHN uotitSteHVtIS dIt IuSt
now beginning their work on home
steads, which they have taken. 1t is
of the utmost Importance that they
shall begin right. This paper will
discuss that question and more es-
periallv with reference to the needs
"f homesteaders WHO have families.
1t is specially important tiiat they
shall be able to grow food for them
selves and the animals that they have
when they come to their claims. t.r-
der judicious management they may
do this. but without Knowing how
they may Mtterly fail.
1t is presdpposed that every man
who moves onto a homestead farm
with family will take with him to
that farm four horses to enable him
to plOw his land. COW or two to pro-
vide his family with milk and butter.
a brood SOW that will nourisl, pigs to
/ give meat the following winter. ~ few
hens to provide him with meat or its
equivalent in eggs the first summer.
lie should also have enough grain
with him to feed his horses, his swine
and fowls until he can grow some the
following autumn.
What money crops can he grow tile
first year? Only two. one Is flax and
the other durum wheat. OF these flax
is the surest rs it will bear up better
under dry conditions. should the sea.
son prove dry, than any other cereal
crop. But to- be sure of a crop it
should not be sown later than early
June. Ii durum wheat is soWn il can
not 2be.sown too early. The flax is
sown ut the rate of ~ pecks per
acre, and the durnm wheat at the rate
Of four pecks per acre, Of course it
would be better iii the long run to
snmmer-fallow all the land broken
the first year. and to SOW the bulk .
it to winter wheat the following Aug
ust. but ii the homesteader must have
some money crops, these should he
ilaNtanl d4,rum wheat. <.
r.: Which are the. crops that can be
grown for the livestock? The home
st-ader can grow for these oats. to
provide food for horses. barley and
peas to provide food for the cows in
the winter. and hulless barley Of the
White variety to provide food for the
swine the following winter. and also
to provide food for the fowls.
The oat crop is not so sure a crop
rs the durnm wheat crop on breaking
but it may be made to furnish m,,cl,
food in the average season. Ina very
dry season the results would be very
disappointing. 1t would not be nec-
essary to tlresh the oats for the
oats for the horses as in some newly
settled sections it might not he easy
to get Il machine. The pea and bar
lev crop should be drilled in, using ).
pecks of peas and OF barley to the
acre. These should be cut when in
the dough stage. and they should be
fed to the cows as hay. The white
hulless barley could be sown at the
Aso0 Va " Va 7 P0SN" pei oSlV NIu ~
would furnish food for swine and
fowls the following winter, either III
! the tlIreshed or unthrpshnd fern.
Corn is one of the best crops to
grow to furnish food for horses and
cows in the winter. Good crops can
be grown OH new breaking. 10 grow
these in best form the land should be
broken or 6 inches in depth. 1t
should be packed with II disc as soon
us broken. \ fine mulch should be
made on it with IL harrow. The corn
should be planted in hills ; ~ feet
apart each way. The v;:rities to plant
+, include the Mercer Flint and the
| Northwestern Dent. They should be
planted rs soon as the danger from
frost is passed. The cultivation may
+ be given in great part by the harrow
SquaW corn planted thus in hills will
! furnish grain for swine and fowls,
but 1t will not furnish much fodder.
To provide for the home. IL liberal
supply of potatoes should be planted.
They will grow well on breaking.
The land may be prepared as for corn.
In this way an ample supply Of pota :
toes may be obtained for home use.
II white navy beans are sown on sod
land and brOadcasted. they are fairly
sure to produce II good crop, and the
same is true of rutabagas. The only
labor involved will be the sowing and
narrowing. Vegetables may also be
thus grown. In this way the home.
steader may do much to lesson tht
first season.
REGISTRATION CLOSES