Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1907 — HINTS FOR FARMERS [ARTICLE]

HINTS FOR FARMERS

Rag Weed Valuable as Hay.' The value of rag weed as a fodder for cattle was discovered in a very simple way, writes a correspondent of Farm Progress. A farmer bad Just cut a fine lot of timothy hay and had hauled it to his hay yard and stacked it. The same day he had ordered his hands to bring in a load of rag weed, which instead of throwing away, as usual, he wished to use as bedding for his dairy cattle, which he was preparing to exhibit at a fair. The rag weed was dumped near the haystack. The cows were driven into the hay yard and left for awhile to shift for themselves, the stack of hay being considered sufficient feed for the time being. ' When the farmer returned the next day he gdt the surprise of his life. The first thing he noticed was that the diaystack was standing untouched. When he turned around he got another shock. The pile of rag weed had vanished. The cows would not touch the hay until they had eaten every shred of the rag weed. Using rag weed hay as a winter ration for cattle has been found highly successful by many fanners in Missouri, and there is reason to believe that it will become Just as popular in other states.

Brush In the Fields. We have got to subdue the brush or the brushes and trees will subdue us. They march on us so still and silently that we' hardly notice them at all until they get such a hold that it is next to impossible to get rid of them. Many farmers In mowing their fields leave a few brushes under the walls and fences, as they do not want to get them mixed in the hay, and so they leave a few more every year, and we often see large, smooth meadows with a rim of brush a rod wide clear around the field. I have always found the best way get rid of the brush and weeds was to cut them every year when we mow the grass rake them up close to the wall and when dry burn them up clean, aad in doing this you not only get rid of the brush, but lots of woodchucks and rabbits, and it makes the farm look so much nicer that we feel more than paid for all our trouble.—J. A. Saunders in American Cultivator. Buying a Boar. If we were to. gtve a little advice on the side to the average breeder of grade hogs it would simply.be this: If you have a good breeder' of pure bred hogs in your locality go to him early in the season, Jlck out one of his good pigs—a pig that will correct the principal weakness in your sows—and then ask him for his best price. Of course there are breeders whose reputation places them beyond the reach of the average breeder of grade stock, but we are speaking of the ordinary breeder of pure bred hogs. Above ah things do not wait around until .you are absolutely In need of a male and then go and pick up somebody’s scrub. Live stock gets scrubby fast enough even when good mates are used, and It Is shortsighted policy to hasten the process by breeding from an Inferior male. —Wisconsin Farmer. No Profit In Scrubs. . Once started In the right direction a fanner can produce a good grade of cattle almost as'cheaply as he can raise scrubs. Good, pure bred bulls of all the leading beef brands can be purchased at reasonable prices, and there is not the slightest excuse for the keeping of a scrub bull at the head of any herd. With first class cattle as much profit can be made with a smaller investment for land, cattle, feed and labor than can be produced with a larger outlay In feeding inferior stock. In every department of agriculture it pays to produce the best, and this is especially true with respect to live stock.