Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 February 1918 — The Neighborhood Corner. [ARTICLE]

The Neighborhood Corner.

Continued from Page One. ing and leaching. The farmer following such a method might almost as well have ’ saved himself the trouble and expense of putting in the floor. I have in mind a picture of A large barn capable of holding about 50 .head of stock, with the liquid manure running out through the over flow into a ditch at the lower end of the barn. Ihis could well have been prevented by a more liberal use of bedding. One method of handling manure that, while it is much better than leaving it piled under the eaves, still leaves much to be desired. That is the practice of hauling it out and piling it up in small stacks in the field. This method does not stop the loss by firing the leaves the most of the fertility under the piles and the remaining soil gets comparatively little plant food. , One of the best ways of handling manure is the manure pit in conjunction with the cement floor. The stables are cleaned as often as convenient, the manure being piled in the pit where it should be wet down and thoroughly tramped to prevent firing. If convenient, the pit should be placed so that the stock would be compelled to go through it too and from the stable . It is generally conceded that the best way to handle manure is to load it each day and take it to the field and spread it, but this cannot always be done. The use of the spreader for this purpose and its benefits, both in the even distribution of the manure and the saving of labor are too well known to need much mention here. There are two other origins of considerable loss of fertility in our community and doubtless also in many others, that should demand considerable study on our part. One is the loss of manure in our barn lots. This could be remedied by cementing the yard. The other is the use of a permanent stock yard. One has only to realize that 90 per cent of the potash of straw leaches put within two minutes after the straw is thoroughly wet to know that this loss is enormous, especially when the potash is as scarce as it is now. All straw that cannot be housed should be stacked in a field that can be cultivated. This will also help lessen the loss in the barn yard as the stock will spend less time in the yard and if, they are allowed the run of the stack. We believe the fertility thus saved will well pay for the trouble of hadling in a little bedding occasionally. We must not forget the manure from the poultry house as this is very rich in fertilizing elements. It has always been our practice to keep the place under the roosts as well bedded with worn out litter from the scratching pen, and we have been well pleased with the results.

$2.27 A Bushels for Corn I. F. Meader has turned in a report on his hog feeding demonstration for the month of January in which he is feeding 25 pigs under the direction of the Better Farming Association. His report is as followings : Weight, Jan. 30 1670 Weight, Jan. 5 1200 Gain , 470 Cost: 22 bushels of corn •■. 22.00 217 lbs tankage . 10.80 1250 lbs. milk 3.13 ' 35 93 Cost per 100 lbs. grain $7,645 Value of grain at 15c 70.50 Cost of milk and tankage . . 13.93 Returns on 22 bu. of corn 56.67 Returns per bu. corn .. . $2.67 In discussing his feeding operations, Mr. Meader says: “How can we feed our brood sows and the litter they will produce in the spring, during the coming summer months?” This is the question that is being asked by many Indiana farmers. It will require all our ingenuity as farmers to do this so successfully as to fullfill Uncle Sam’s request for an increase of 20 per cent in hog production in the state. But it can be done in spite of difficulties, for Hoosier farmers have the will to finish what they start; and they started out last fall to increase hog production in Indiana 20 per cent.” “There is plenty of soft corn to feed the most of the hogs during the winter, but it is none too soon to look ahead and budget our hog feeding needs for the coming spring and summer. If the corn is so soft that it is eVident it cannot be kept and used for feeding, next summer, if you do not know what feeds to buy, if you do not know what to plant to obtain the proper succession of Crops, if you have question about how to feed the brood sows and her litter during farrowing and weaning time, your county agent or th# Purdue University ' Extension Department can help you.” “Don’t put this important matter of planning and providing for hog feeds next summer off until an emergency arises. Think the matter over now. See your county agent or write the extension department at Layafette, Ind., before you forget it. The sooner you let them know what your wants will be, the more efficiently they can help you. Let’s be foresighted in our emergency hog production for Uncle San.” j A. Noted Speaker* Secured. Among the speakers* to appear at tiie annual meeting of the jasper County Better Farming Association to be held at the court house, March 2nd, will be a representative of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Clarence Henry and professor Meyer, who spoke at the Jasper County War rally will also be present. The officers of the association hope to make this the big farmers’ meeting of the year.