The weekly soliphone. (Paragould, Greene County, Ark.) 1907-1918, 1915-07-30
FARM DEMONSTRATION DEPARTMENT
Edited by Thos. J. Bentley

Little Rock, July 24.-Farmers
arc warned not to under value their
hav crop and sell so much they will
have to buy feed for their stock, in
a statement issued by G. w. Wat
Son. state agent for the United
States department of agriculture.
MANY farmers who found it
wholly unnecessary to save hay 20
years ago must do so now or buy
it elsewhere" said Mr.. Watson.
tsThis year, on account of certain
conditions, more peas, peanuts and
sorghum were planted than usual.
The rains have been just right for
big crop of the forage plants. The
farmers should not let other work,
fishing or carelessness cause them
to let these crops waste in the
fields. 1t is poor business to work
hard and make a good crop and
then let it go to ruin before har-
vesting. Save hay now and it will
save corn next winter.
"Peas should be cut for hay
when the first yellow pods are
seen. If cut later, too many of
the leaves are lost, and as they
contain a great deal of nutriment,
the vines should be cut when the
leaves will not shatter off. Also,
at this stage the vines will not be
weedy and coarse after they are
after the dew dries off in the morn
ing and allowed to wilt before rak-
ing into windows. If no rain has
fallen for two or more weeks and
the surface of the ground is thor
ougkly dry, the vines can be baled
from the windrow in about four
days, but they should be thorough
ly tested for moisture by taking a
small handful and twisting it very
hard If any moisture appears, they
should be left few days longer
the bale, and allowed to stand on
end for two or three days before
housing. If the weather is cloudy
the vines should be thrown into
small shocks, or better still, stack
around pole in the same manner
as peanuts. The hay will cure
nicely and retain it's color and fla
. vor il these small stacks and can
be baled a month later.
SORGHUM AND PEA HAY.
This mixture is harder to cure
than peas alone, and it is recon-
mended always to stack in small
shocks or around small pole
about eight feet high allowing
plenty of time to dry before baling
PEANUTS.
"There are several ways of har-
vestjng peanuts. Where the acre
age is large enough, a peanut har-
vester can be used to advantage.
The peanut digger is used by many
farmers to lift the vines, as it
leaves them lying loosely on the
ground and they can be easily
thrown into punches and small
shocks with a hay fork. A two
horse turning plow with the mold
board removed makes an excellent
peanut digger, as does also po-
tato digger.
Peanut hay can be cured by
stacking around poles three to
for inches in diameter and eight
feet high, set in the ground deep
enough to stand. A two by four
scantling may be used in the alb
sence of poles. Two pieces Of
scantling five feet long and nailed
six inches from the ground, so as
to make a cross, and then the vines
are stacked around the poles. In
starting the stack a few forksful
are laid across the scantlings and
the shock built up by successive lay
ers of vines, the pods being kept
to The center, sloping the vines so
as to shed the rain. When the stack
is finished cap of grass and vines
is placed on top of the pole. The
hay should be allowed to stay in
the stack until the nuts become
dry and firm, which usually takes
= bout month, then baled in the
usual way.
GOOD HOG FEED.
where peanuts are planted for
hogs, the vines can be cut with
mower and allowed to cure in stack.
The whole peanut plant makes an
unusually rich and palatable hay,
containing 1874 per cent protein,
40 per cent carbohydrates and Fl
per cent fat. Whole peanut hay
analyses higher than alfalfa, there
fore is an excellent feed for work
Ior.ae ,~,,,Ior haaf ond dairy cat