Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-08-13

All poultry yards, whether large oil
small should he kept continuously GOV.
cred with green-srowing crop. There
are many reasons why such management
Is essential for the most economic re-
suits. In the first place. this green
growing plant provides continuous
source of food material; a food material
which keeps the birds in good physical
condition and provides them with much
of the essential elements to producing
eggs and flesh.
In the second place experiments show
that poultry do best when they have ac-
ress to food material which contains
considerable water. Such food ma
terial is termed "succulent.' There is
no easier or more simple method of pro-
vding the birds with n food material
containing lots of water than by growing
1t directly IN the runs. Again, these crops
aid in purifying and cleaning the yards
Growing them necessitatcs frequent plow-
Ing or spading up of the yards. This
turns the filth and droppings which lie
on top below. This material acts as a
fertilizer and aids the growing of the
crops. The crops planted keep the yards
Powered with some kind of sod which
keeps the birds feet and plumagc clean
and hence is responsible for clean nests
and clean eggs.
PROVIDING SUMMER GREEN CROPS
There are two common methods avail
able for the providing of green stuff for
poultry during the summer. The method
selected will depend largely on the size
Ir
available. The first method is termed
'soiing." 1t consists in growing crops
on pieces of land outside of the poultry
runs. When the crops reach a certain
stage of maturity they are harvested and
given to the birds This is rather an ex-
pensive proposition. as it requires con-
siderable land and labor 1t is only prac-
ticed whore the birds are kept in consid-
cradle numbers and in rather close con-
fnement The second and best method of
providing summer green food is known as
'foraging." 1t consists in growing crops
directly in the yards or on the range
Less labor is required; the birds do the
harvesting themselves and more sani-
tary conditions are created.
CROPS TO USE.
In planning crops for use in the poul-
try yard the most economic practice will
be TO get he area down to a permanent
sod; II the yard is small and the number
OF birds kept is large, this will be impos-
sible. If such Is the case the next best
method is to practice a definite rotation.
Alfalfa and clover are the best crops to
use for summer succulence whenever pos
fihle. They make very luXuriant
growth and contain high food value
When the yards are large ana kept i'm
permanent sod, clover, alfalfa and Ken
fucky blue grass make very desirable
combinations. When the yards are of
medium size, and one sodding will last
throughout the summer, a good stand of
Swiss chard or dwarf Essex rape will
provide a continuous ana palatable sup
ply In the case of the two latter crops
as the birds eat them off. they keep
throwing up new shoots from the crown
When the yard is of small size, and the
number of birds inclosed in 1t is large,
the following crop rotation will work out
10 advantage: The yard, regardless of
size should be divided into two parts of
I about equal size. They should be SO ar
I ranged that the birds can be turned into
either yard as desired. Early in the
spring, Canadian field peas and oats
should be sOwed in one of the yards,
while the birds are allowed to run in the
opposite yard. When the peas and oats
have attained a growth of about six inch-
as, the flock may be allowed to forage
on them. The other yard should be cul-
fiVated and seeded to buckwheat. BY the
time this has attained a height Of four
TO SIX Inches, the peas and oats will be
pretty we'll depleted. The birds can then
be allowed to forage the buckwhcat and
the yard which was seeded to peas and
oats can be spaded up and seeded to soy
beans or COW peas. These will attain a
height OF four to five inches at which
time they are ready for the birds The
yard viii n was seeded to buckwheat
should then be thoroughly cultivated and
seeded to mixture Of winter wheat and
crimson clover, In the latitude of New
Jersey and Pennsylvania the four seed
hngs mentioned will come at about the
following periods: The first seeding of
peas and oats on April /; the seeding of
buckwheat will come from the middle of
May to the first of June depending on
the weather conditions; the seeding of
the cow peas and soy beans will fall
from the middle to the last Of July:
while the winter wheat and clover should
be seeded no later than the last of Sep
TENDER The birds should not be al!
lowed to range on the winter wheat until
the following spring, when it will provide
continuous green crop until the seeding
OF the Canadian peas and oats are ready.
1t is the best practice 10 sow the above
mentioned crops broadcast and harrow or
rake in the seed. 1t is necessary to seed
heavily in order to get a thick stand and