The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1916-10-06
IM0NTANA'S HAY
CROP IS SHORT
THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF SEC
OND CROP ALFALFA
WON'T BE CUT.
Farmers Best Plan to Save Forage
is to Build Straw Shelters Which
Are Warm and Cut Down Amount
Of Hay Needed to Keep Stock.

While the severity of last winter
caused a deal of suffering among the
livestock i'll some parts of the state,
the losses we're not great. This was
mainly due to the fact that the sum
mer before had been a good hay vca1
and there was plenty of forage ON
hand to carry the stock through the
six weeks of severe weather. The
coming of fall does not this year find
the stockmen in such good condition.
Last winters feeding used uD prac-
tically all the available hay in the
state, 81 that all the hay available
will be this years crop. Owing to a
late and wet season, the first crop of
alfalfa did not mature in time to al
low the second crop to get out of the
way before the frost.
There are thousands of acres of
second crop alfalfa in regions which
normally will produce two crops, that
this year will not be cut for hay.
Consequently the hay for the winter is
less than it vas 4 year ago, and this,
despite the fact that the wild hay
meadows yielded abundantly. While
a second winter like the last one is
unlikely. still it is far better to be
prepared as far as possible. and not
have to buy hay when that commodity
has reached 500 a ton.
Build Adequate Shelter.
There is nothing that will work for
economy of hay as much as adepate
shelter for livestock. A certain per
cent of the hay used goes to maintain
the animal heat of the beat. If the
animal is sheltered in some building it
naturally does not require as much
heat to maintain its body temperature
as would be the Ease We're it entirely
exposed. Regarded in this light it is
easy to see where the saving from
shelter m in.
Adequate shelter for livestock in
winter does not necessarily mean eX-
pensive or elaborate buildings. On
farms near the foothills where there
is a deal Of low brush but little
shelter is needed. On prairie farms
where the winds sweep unbroken Owe
wide expenses. shelter is a necessity
Frame sheds, with the walls and roof
covered with roofing paper makes q
most satisfactory shed or shelter, but
this is likewise rather expensive.
Straw AS Material.
a shed within the reach of almost
any farmer in the state and one that
is adequate for all practical purposes
cal be made of straw. The skeleton
frame can be made from poles of any
kind. of sufficient strength to sup
port the weight of the straw and hi"l
enough to allow the animals ample
room. The size Of the shed will, o.
course, depend upon the number o.
animals. The skeleton frame Shout,
be covered with heavy woven wire t,
support the straw. In ease the COS
of woven Wire is %prohibitivc for tl'
farmer. light poles or brush can b'
substituted, although such an ar
rangcment does not make as pcrma
ncnt or clean Il structure. Over thu
top OF this frame the straw shoul'
be %threshed, thus saving the expense
Of moving it. The blower ear b.
made to distribute il quite evenly ov
CT the frame. IF a ncatcr looking an,
more satisfactory shed is desired an
other wall of woven Wire can be mad
some three feet away from the frs
and IN the space between straw can
be packed. This makes a wall thrc,
feet thick for the sides of the shed
The retaining wall ON the outsid,