The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-24
why LET MILK
YIELD DECREASE
IN SUMMERTIME
Plenty Of Water, Use of Silage
Sufficient Shade, all Will
Help Production.
BY WILLIAM r. sANRoRN

Va luo average ldFn "A We'll posted
farmer tells US why. Very often the
dairy COW will produce less than half
as much milk in August as in May.
This Is serious matter, for the milk
production having once materially
decreased 1t Is almost impossible to
increase the flow correspondingly,
later that season.
The principal cause fcc the decline
in milk is the heat, though many at
tribute 1t mostly to flies, which is on
ly true in part. In hot. dry weather
the pastures are usually short and
the flies are troublesome. Now cows
suffer from the heat even more than
men do, for the COW does not per-
spire. At this season the cow needs
shade and plenty of good water.
We recall a scene in Southern Hi
nois last summer a 35.acre pasture in
which stood one lonely giant oak. be-
meath whose spreading boughs %
at IS in the shade that sultry after
noon. A chat with the farmer devel.
oped the fact that there was no water
In that pasture, and that the cows
were driven to water near the house,
at morning and evening. only, and for
milking. Imagine cows standing ten
or twelve hours in a parched field in
August. without free access to water
and you can easily guess why they
fell down" on their milk.
Incredible as it may seem there are
farmers in Southern Illinois, in the
Egypt" section, who actually turn
their cows dry" along in the fall to
save the trouble Of milking in cold
weather. We know this to be a fact
and could name the farmers who did
hi lna xrytr
Are they prosperous and progressive
farmers? Not in a thousand years,
should they live that long
Feed EnsiIage In Summer.
When pastures are short the COW
does not get enough to eat, unless a
ration of some kind is fed In such
cases ration Of silage fills the bill
but If silage is not available some
green feed should be given daily In
hot weather cows prefer to Craze in
the early morning and late in the
evening, but may be kept about the
barn lot sufficiently long enough to be
fed green stuff, silage, or a grain ra-
ton between times. There are COM
mercial feeds to fit such cases Of
course, and these we'll repay their
cost in sustaining the flow Of milk and
In keeping the cow in condition, to
say nothing of the humane side of
sufficient feeding, not only of cows,
but of every animal on the farm.
Cows should not be kept around
the barn lot more than may be neces-
sary, but be turned out into the pas
lures, providing they have access to
water and there is some cooling shade
to be enjoyed. If the pastures are
dry, an open lane to the tanks at the
barn should be provided. We have
Wayne county farm in mind, located
in the Fountain City district, where
the fences are SO arranged that no
matter what fields the cattle, horses
and hogs are grazing in, they can
get out into that lane at all times
and be assured OF plenty Of water at
the big tank at the windmill, and this
without being able to got into any cul-
tivated field, or to the home garden
end grounds.
Care Of Fruit Trees.
The farmer who gives proper care
to his fruit trees is repaid a hundred
fold for his work, in fruit to say
nothing OF the real pleasure to be had
in seeing that his handful of trees.
or his fair sized orchard, is thrifty
and slightly because Of his having done
his simple duty. You recall the old
saying: God gave us food and the
devil sent cooks" which may be para
phrased to suit the conditions of neg
lected orchards, and fruit trees in gar
dens and yards, such as one sees in
some parts of the country.
II you have apple and pear trees
now is the time to look them over for
traces of fire blight. July and August
being the months in which this de-
structive disease flourishes. The
disease usually makes its appearance
on the new and tender shoots, and
may be recognized by the brown and
withered leaves. Later the whole
twig or branch becomes lifeless. Some
times the blight appears at the tips
of the large branches. in the new
wood, and then extends rapidly over
the entire tree, If action is not quick
ly taken to prevent. The branch es
look as If charred and the twigs are
ridged over the affected parts. Suck.
ers or water sprouts are often the
first to be affected and should be
trimmed off. All affected parts
should be cut off and Immediately
burned.
But prevention is better than cure
and this is best done by using Bor-
deaux mixture in 4:4:50 solution
This is made by dissolving four
pounds or copper sulphate or plue
vitrol in ten gallons of warm water
In separate container add four
pounds of fresh lump lime to ten gal
Ions of water and then pour the two
mixtures together. Then add enough
water to make fifty gallons and the
solution is ready to apply to the
trees.
The trees should be sprayed with
this solution every two weeks to pre-
vent the blight. but after the fruit
has become larger the mixture should
be weakened to avoid roughening the
skin of the apple or pear.
What has been said as to apple and
treaS lie also frua with reference