Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-11-20

full of forage crops always, and it
| may be hard just all at once to turn
around and put our minds and ener-
| giles upon saving and utilizing them
to the best advantage.
The war showed us very plainly,
| however, that we could do without
/ many things if the situation neces-
| stated the same. From my point of
view, the time has arrived when the
practice of the greatest economy on
| the part Of the southern farmer has
become essential. Let us begin,
therefore, with saving all the rough
age available on the farm so that
we may keep our large number of
farm animals in good condition
throughout the winter and spring on
| minimum expenditure for purI
chased foods.
Big oat Crop Needed
| In addition to the forage crops
mentioned above we will have this
| year one of the largest corn crops in
oui history. We have prospective
yield of 100000 bushels Of pea
nuts and of I2,500.000 bushels of
sweet potatoes. The velvet bean crop
promises to be one of the largest in
our history, and. If we will just
plant a sufficient area to winter ce-
reals and legumes, the situation in
So far as concentrates is concerned
can be taken care of very nicely. -
What we need this winter is big
planting of oats so that there will
available to feed our live stock next
spr ng There is nothing that af-
fords better grazing during the
greater part Of the year than cereals
sown alone or n combination with
legumes such as crimson clover and
hairy vetch.
The mere fact that we must pillow
n -4o1I Il Sok o11y
to destroy the weevil means that
more land will be prepared for seed
ing cereals this fall than in many
years previous.
By following out these suggestions
we will provide for an abundant sup
ply of roughage or roughage substi-
tutes in the early spring because the
most excellent type of hay can be
made from winter grown cereals.
Through the agency of this plan we
can also furnish all the supplemental
grains needed next spring.
Let us make the oat crop afford
us next spring with all of the grain
needed to properly supplement our
corn and so make an ideal ration for
suggestions, there will be 70 neces-
sity next spring for hauling home
carloads of hay or grain, and, If this
can be avoided, the next crop can
be pitched and produced on a con-
siderably lower cost basis than per-
tanned this year.
The implements Needed
Supposing the farmer has soWn all
of the various foodstuffs enumerated
above. How should he proceed to
utilize them to the best advantage!
There are several methods Of feed
ing roughage which may be follow
ed out successfully. In the first
n q W
be run through a shredder or cut
ting box These implements are now
available on many farms. Even should
it be necessary to purchase them
they can be bought and used this
year at a profit.
These implements are made in such
variety at the present time that the
smaller types can be bought at a
very low cost. These are the ones,
of course, that should be purchased
by the small farmer. Another plan
is for the citizens Of a community
to cooperate in the purchase OF
larger type Of machine. These gen
orally last longer and naturally DO
more effective work. Machines of
this type can be made to do the work
on a number of farms, and, under
the circumstances, will soon pay for
themselves.
There is now class Of machines
on the market. which can chop or
grind all sorts of coarse fodders
down to a very fine condition: These
machines have been evolved asa
result of the demand and effort made
by a large number of concerns 10
place food on the market containing
a large amount of cheap roughage,
These machines perform an lmpor-
tant part in our agricultural econ
omy and they certainly do the work
for which they are designed eftec-
am not certain, however, that
they are the most desirable type for
the farmer to purchase as L nave
never been convinced yet that 1t was
necessary to grind roughage up to
so fine a degree. For Nyself, and
1 base this statement on long ex-
roughage up into short lengths OF
shred and tear it apart very thor
.ouehly: 1t would then be in fine
enough condition to suit every pur-
pose, Machines of the character
have suggested may be used 10 re-
duce ali of the roughage produced
on the farm into the condition lndl-
Gated.
How to Prepare Eoughage
There is no objection to mixing all
types of roughage such as corn
stalks, peavine and sorghum nays
velvet beans, peanut hay or that oe-
rived from miscellaneous crops alto
pether. The only thing to be con-
sidered is to see that they are prop
erly proportioned. One could not
grind too much of the legumes INTO
the hay for beef or ordinary cattie.
But this would not be true In the
case of horses and mules. MY Juos-
ment is, However, that on the average
Georgia farm there will not De
enough legumes produced, If prop.
erly mixed with all the types OF
ronghaee Indicated, to make the
shredded fodder thus secured 700
rich in nitrogen for our work stoch'
When the roughage is IN the FORM
indicated, l would then take out 81
tha loft a sufficient amount to sup
nIy the needs Of the work stock OF
heef or dairy cattle maintained eacn
nav 1t should then be spread out
ON a board or concrete floor IN one
corner of the barn or staote: 80
take a watering pot and put mana
full of salt into it and sprinkle hght.
Nv over the mass. In this way II
will be dampened and softened ana
it's palatability greatly increased.
There will be no objection to FEED,
,ng II to work stock as the dust will
he eliminated which otherwise mlght
aggrayate the respiratory system
and induce the development OF heaves
in horses and mules. Wnen tne
roughage is mixed well ana mas 9een
treated in the manner indicated, IL
should be piled in corner ana Ie1t
for a few hours. 1t should then be
fed in proportion to the size. condl-
ton and age of the animals. III,
About fifteen pounds per day will
meet the requirements of the aver
age horse and mule. Beet ana DAIRY
cattle will eat more. All animals
should be permitted to eat what they
will clean up satisfactorily. Engorg-
ing is to be avoided just as much -
undertaking.
Desirable Mixtures
Some people prefer to feed concen-
trates with roughage. I think this
A desirable practice. In the case
Of oats, however, grinding them
would hardly be justified for. either
horses or mules. The same is true
nj 10 old