Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-02-15
Hay the Gold OF our Realm.
MEANS MORE TO THE FARMER THAN
ALL OTHER CROPS.

MEANS MORE TO THE FARMER TIA.
ALL OTHER CROPS.
| wv. B. Kendall Of Bowdoinham in New Ensian
| Homestead)
The hay crop is of more importanc
than all other crops combined. This
notably true in northern New Englan,
where SHOWS come early and stay Of
late. More hay means more cattle
sheep, horses and swine. All these ami
mails and their products are much higbe
than Is years ago. Hay is also higher
in the Boston markets there has been al
advance of so percent the past 20 years
A higher quality hay is grown than for
merly, especially in Maine. This is due
largely to meadows following potatoes
in the crop rotation. The once common
daisy fields are seldom found these day
and there is a great increase in clover
production.
Farmers have better machinery, In
cluding improved plows, harrows, fertil
ger distributors, cultivators, manure
spresders, moving machines, hay rakes
hay leaders and carriers. We are using
better seed than formerly. Stringent
laws relative to adulterated seeds have
been enforced the past few years. Fields
are better fertilized than few years
ago, better care is given the barn dress
ing, more lime Is used and more green
crops plowed under and commercial fer
tilizers are better selected.
Concentrated and commercial fertilizer
solve the problem of growing hay on
large areas, against the use of heavy ton
mage of barn dressing, and the impossi
bility of securing more than the limited
amounts on the average farm. Another
reason that farmers should raise more
hay is better fencing available. Old
stone walls and wooden fences are rapid
ly disappearing. Many small fields are
now Joined into one divided by a tempo
rary wire fence, the location of which
can be easily changed. This fencing
costs only few cents a rod and most
farmers can supply their own posts.
While the cost of labor is higher in some
respects than years ago, the greater eth
cheney of horse power applied to hay
harvesting and in the coming tracti U
and power mowers, a saving over man
ual labor, must be acknowledged.
DETAILS OF SEEDING DOWN
In starting new meadows see TO it that
there is a good seed bed. The past two
years oats have sold at high figures and
for this reason it is best to SOW them as
a nurse crop, but when the land lies in
the furrow, too much will hardly pay.
Seeding in June and harvesting rough
age crop in September gives the fittess
and longest lasting seed bed. When the
land lies in the furrow, too mnch cannot
be said in regard TO extra cultivation and
following. In fact, the summer falfuw-
ing of fields plowsd the fall before would
doubtless pay better returns in the
many coming hay crops, if We would
make il a more common practice.
Land that has been lying many years,
especially run-out fields, should be SOW
ed to oats or barley or cultivated one
year and replowed and seeded the next
year for best results. A quick acting
fertilizer for the oats crop alone should
be used the first year at an expense OF
not over $40 per acre. After the oats
crop is removed plow again. The next
season SOW oats and seed down With
about $40 worth of high-grade fertilizer
per acre, using long lasting quality Of
chemicals such as bone meal and potash,
etc. This plant food will dissolve slow
ly and supply the grass roots for pc
riod of years. Such conditions are en-
,irely practical, lasting and profitable.
~ nl pnd AZ
such methods the land is in a much i'm
proved condition. The two oats crops
have probably paid the fertilizing bill,
aud then by the application of a light
Iop-dressing each spring you have a
good meadow for many years.
AMOUNT OF SEED TO USE
Spring seeding should consist of abou,
one half bushel best timothy, five or six
pounds redtop and few pounds clover
W hen the latter is desired. In fall seed
ing, great care should be taken not to
overseed. Cut the amount of timothy to
IL quarts, with the usual amount of red
top and without the clover. Fall seed
ing often proves unpopular because there
is too much seed put on the land. Thou
sands of seeds fail to sprout in the cold,
wet land in spring seeding, but in Au.
gust when the land is warm, mellow and
fine, with favorable rains practically
eyery seed terminates and the land be-
comes a mass of tangled short rusty
grass the following year. The only way
TO correct q condition of this kind is to
replow and reseed or wait until nature
kills a portion of the overgrown mat oil
grass and partially corrects the mistake
There is a crying demand for keen
aud iong-lastiDg investigation into the
reason why clover fields throughout
southern Maine are not in evidence the
same as in Aroostook and Somersel
counties. There are a million acres OF
hay land in Southern Maine which are
sadly lacking in this great farmers
friend. believe the business of run
ming a farm for the sole purpose OF rais
ing hay and shipping to Boston, u
given ordinary business attention, VIII
prove highly profitable. There is con
stantly growing wider market for thus,
because our low priced lands can still
compete in hay growing against the high
priced lands of the middle west. The
pEfC6 VI CuOiSO 4aoAsy eey
a series Of years has been between sle
and $50 per ton, delivered in Boston,
from which discount of about S6 fol
freight, pressing and commission should
be made. This nets the farmer about
sl3 per ton iu the barn, while the cost oi
fertilizer will not exceed IS per ton for
20 year period; often this can be reduced
to AZ or even less.
Our native grasses are really the yellow
gold of our realm. The hay crop is even
more important than gold dust, for II
has the vital element of life within It,
while gold is the value of exchange
alone. Il ia high time that our farmers
give this crop more attention. The i'm
msuse seriousness Of the proposition ID
not half considered or appreciated by
the rank and file Of farmers.
Further arguments for the bay croE
are given by A. s. Nickerson OF Maine
He says. Hay is one Of Names best Il
not the most valuable crop grown on th'
average farm We hear and read o.
farmers who substitute silage and othel
feeds profitably for hay. / believe thi'
is possib BILE, II one Ia familiar with th'
feeding values Of diffsrentcrops and cal
combine them &c obtain the best results