The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-09-28
MORE cows FOR LESS FEED
THIS YEAR

The largest number of dairy cows
the nation has ever owned estimated
at three per cent larger than last
year and thirteen per cent larger
than the average for the previous
decade, will have hay crop for feed
which is less than fifty per cent of
normal. Larger herds and the short
feed supply have resulted in the rap
id rise of hay prices, and this is
coupled with the serious dwindling
of the hay barn SURPRISES in all
sections of the country, points out
the Service Division of the American
Agricultural Chemical Company, in
recommendations for unusual care
In the production of next years feed
crops. Regardless of normal rain
fall for next year, the hay outlook is
a gloomy one, since many of this
years hay seedlings have either been
completely destroyed or so ravished
as to be of little value for next year.
1t is safe prediction that many of
the droughtweakened hay stands will
succumb by next spring because of
winterkilling
Coupled with this menacing hay
outlook is the equally threatening
menace of high hay seed prices, since
much of the normal hay seed crop is
going into the NOW rather than thru
the huller. ALI these factors en-
phasize the need for using every care
possible to assure good seeding prac-
tees next spring.
The success or failure of next
years seedlings depends on work
done this fall. Winter wheat and
rye comprise our largest nurse crop
acreage, so that grass seed bed prep
aration is now getting under way.
The initial step in the preparation of
this seed bed is to supply what lime
is necessary and thoroughly work it
into the soil by double disking.
Where it is the practice to SOW grass
seed in the fall with the grain, and
clover, in the early spring, complete
fertilizer should be used. A combi-
| nation fertilizer, grain and grass
seed drill insures proper placement
of the plant food where the young
grass and grain plants can most
readily utilize it. The use of a COM
plete fertilizer at this time is the
best possible form of hay insurance,
and serves the threefold purpose of
getting the fall grains off to an early
start to reduce the danger of winter
killing, increasing next years grain
quality, and of especial Importance
this year, providing readily avail
able source of plant food for the
young hay seeding this fall and next
spring.
The common notion that nurse
crops shade out seedlings is wrong,
as it has been found that the death
of seedlings is due to lack of mois-
ture brought about by shallow root
| growth unable to furnish water to
the fast growing hay plants. Deep
sturdy root growth of the grass seed
ing lessons the injury from drought
by enabling the young grass plants
| to secure moisture in fair competi-
ton with the further developed
nurse crops.
Where it is a common practice on
the lighter and less fertile soil types
to use over 400 pounds of fertilizer
per acre at grain seeding time, it is
| advisable to split the application, APP
plying half in the fall and half in
the spring prior to the seeding of
clover This spring application Of
fertilizer will serve to replenish the
available plant food supplies at a
time when good, vigorous spring
growth means the difference between
grass stand that will withstand
drought conditions and one that will
not. Such fertilizer as may not be
used by the grain crop will be al
ready in the soil in available forH
for the hay CROP,