Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-04-20
Farm Demonstrat Notes.


alone. But the great reason for fall plow-
ing is the conservation of moisture. 1t
has been determined that there is loss
OF 27O pounds of soil moisture, or "a
gallons, for every pound of dry matter pro-
duced in the corn plant. This fact shows
the Importance of conserving every pound
Of water possible. Fall blowing, when
properly handled, gives better chance to
conserve moisture than spring blowing.
But the moisture could be better con-
served in many fields after spring blowing
than it is. The worst possible practice IS
to pillow field. let the furrow slice dry out
thoroughly, and then wait for a shower to
soften it enough to permit it to be worked
down. To pulverize, level and pack seed
bed is not all that is meant by thorough
preparation. There is no more limiting
factor in growing profitable corn crop
than an insufficient supply of available
moisture. II the soil is so handled as to
accomplish this, the seed bed will be fine,
level and firm. But it can be made fine,
level and firm. and often is, by methods
which hasten evaporation instead of pre-
venting it.
No time is gained by blowing field con-
tinuously until finished. We are not work
ing for blowing record of so many acres a
day, nor to beat a neighbor just over the
fence. We are working to grow corn. 1t
takes an enormous amount of moisture to
do It, Our work should be planned as to
save what is already in the soil This can
best be done by narrowing or rubbing i'm
mediately after the pillow, at least before
the drying-out process has made good job
impossible. But if a field is rubbed i'm
mediately after blowing. it should not be
left in that condition long, especially not
long after the next rain. AS soon after
the next rain as possible it should be thor
oughly narrowed. The fact that the field
is smooth counts for little. Capilarity will
gradually be re-established and rapid evapo-
ration again set up. Narrowing will pre-
vent this. Whether preparing the seed
bed or cultivating the crop the cOnserva-
tion Of moisture should be the chief end in
view. II this is properly done, filming. firm
ing, weeds. and all other similar problems
will be solved automatically. But if we
put the solving of these lesser problems
first, there is great danger that our main
object will not be accomplished, and our
corn crop will be cut short of what it might
have been.
The prospects are favorable for the Mont
eomery county dairymen for 1917. Their
determination to organize, to stand togeth-
er for a square deal at the market end of
their business. for self-protection, and for
the further development of the dairy in
terests of the county. is beginning to bear
fruit One of the longest steps in local
dairy development was the organization
of the Gaithersbure- Germantown Cow Test
ing Association. For nine months it has
been doing excellent work The following
interesting letter from Mr.. W. X. Moffett.
the official tester, explains itself:
Germantown. Md. April Ia, 1917.
Dear Sir The first nine months work
of the association has brought out some
very suggestive facts. The men who have
been most benefited by the work are those
who have not depended on buying cows
from dealers to maintain their herds, but
have used pure-bred sires and raised their
best heifer calves. They have fed balanced
rations mixed on the farm instead of de-
pending upon prepared feeds. Ready
mixed feeds are generally much higher in
price per pound Of protein than those prop
erly mixed on the farm.
One of the most important elements of
success has been the feeding of each COW
according to her production. Her milk is
weighed. not guessed at, and her feed is
weighed also. This sane and careful method
of feeding has often resulted in increasing
the profit per COW more than the raise in
the price of milk would have done under
the old method of feeding This is one of
the surest ways of lowering the cost of
production and increasing the profits. This
method has actually resulted in increasing
production of herd fully so per cent.
without increasing the cost f. NJ. Craw-
ford, a member Of the association has in
creased the production of his herd of 20
cows over 100 per cent. by using these
methods. getting IS gallons per day where
he previously received around 80 gallous
Careful feeding did it.
W. M. Magruder, another member. says
81 have produced more milk and fed less
grain at less cost this year than any one
year of the ten have been in the dairy
business" The time has come when the
dairyman must stop keeping" cows and
make the cows keep him. He must main
tain his herd by careful breeding and not
by buying from the local dealers. During
the past nine months eighty-two unpro-
fitable cows have been sold by members
of the association. Practically all of these
cows were re-sold by the dealers to other
dairymen in the community How can
dairyman expect to make money in the
business by buying cows which have been
proven improbable by the careful tests Of
the association
The work of the association has also
shown the necessity of purebred sres and
the Importance Of raising the heifer calves
from high grade producing dams II a heifer
does not produce at least $500 pounds of
milk the first year after freshenine. the
prospects are that she will not prove prof
liable later.
Unless many Of the men who keep cows
change the methods of handling their
herds they might as well get out of the
business 1t makes no difference how high
the price Of milk goes, they cannot make
money under their present system Of man
agement. Many an Improbable herd is
credited with the money which its owner
makes on his general farm operations. or