Middletown transcript., 1916-07-29

Mans Greatest Benefactor-the Cow,
She Pays Debts and Saves Home.
maker that it is now an annual crop
Irish Cobbler was the variety grown,
and with good culture 30O.to $50 bush
els per acre were produced annually.
AS many as 5000 bushels of potatoes
are often grown on this farm in one
season. The growing of these crops
led to some direct sales in the city,
and until the last year or two a small
but profitable direct market-garden
business was carried on. Potatoes
and apples are still sold direct in the
city.
The large cash sales from these
crops as compared with grain and hay,
early taught Mr.. English the lesson
which so many farmers are now learn
ing to their advantage, namely, that
it is cheaper to buy grain than to raise
it when the land upon which grain is
grown will yield much more-often
double-the cash value of the grain
in other crops. It is simple econom-
ic proposition to decide which is
cheapest-home-grown or purchased
grain. Mr.. English figured that he
could raise enough sweet corn, pota-
toes, onions, or other similar crops to
buy the grain which would have
grown upon his land and still have a
good margin left for profit.
Mr.. English is an ardent advocate
of the use of clover, both as forage
plant and as soil fmprover. It is
the key to success in his system of
farming. His average crop of clover
is about three tons per acre, and sew
eral times he has cut five tons per
acre in two cuttings. Not only does
it yield practically as well as alfalfa
under his conditions, but it is regard
ed as equally valuable as a feed for
cattle. For such he insists that the
clover must be cut earlier than is the
custom. He aims to cut it before
much bloom appears. Despite the low
er analysis of clover in digestitye
protein, his practical experience sh0Afa
that it is as good a milk producer Us
alfalfa.
In addition to the grain ration men
toned, the cows on the farm receive
a good feed of silage and all the clover
hay they can consume.
Noteworthy Farming.
This facility of adapting his farm
ing to the conditions Of the season
opd tho roorIya+C 10 0pa - %bo 4L;,,c.o
which makes the farming Of Mr.. Eng
Hsh so noteworthy.
In this rotation as now practiced, |
commercial fertilizer is used on pota-
toes only. From 500 to 600 pounds of
a fertilizer containing per cent of nj
trogen, per cent of phosphoric acid,
and 10 per cent potash is almost al
ways used, being applied with a pota-
to planter. Tests have shown that
fertilizers with corn were improbable
under the conditions of this farm, but
that manure gave very satisfactory
results. OF all the land to be seeded
to clover, 400 to 600 pounds of hy-
drafted lime (this form is used because
it is easiest to apply, though its first
cost is higher than other forms) is ap-
piled once in three years. In all these
applications no fixed rule is invariably
followed, but the needs of the crops
and the season are always considered.
A definite system followed as closely
as good judgment will permit is the
very best kind of farming.
The results of Is years work along
these lines has been the development
of one of the most successful systems
of farm management in the whole re-
gion.
Every COW in the dairy is now a
profitable one. All the "boarders"
have been dropped. Without material
ly increasing the expenses of the
farm, the income has been practically
doubled by supplemented receipts from
the dairy and by cash crops for the
city markets, especially potatoes.
While the income from the dairy has
been increased, the expenses have
been reduced by growing larger part
OF the rations on the farm. Succulent
feeds and feeds high in protein have
made this possible, especially corn for
silage and clover hay.