r T !V:
The Commoner
4 VOL. 14, NO. 9,
28
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In the Field of Agriculture
DEDUCING TIIK COST OF
PKODUCTION
BEEF
(Sllago will bo ono of the greatest
factors in the future in reducing the
cost of producing beef, according to
A. A. Burger, an Iowa agricultural
ist, and only within the last few
yoars have- wo found that silage was
nocofisary for the ration of the beef
aulmal. Mr. Burgor says:
"Tho best feeder, that we have are
now feeding silage to their fattening
cattle. At tho Indiana station an
experiment including a ration of 1G
pounds of shelled corn, 3 pounds of
cotton seed meal, and 30 pounds of
silage was compared with a grain ra
tion containing 15 pounds of silage
and fi pounds of clover, and also with
a third ration containing 10 pounds
of clover, but no silage. The price
per steer was respectively: $21.50
for tho full feod of silage. $15.80
for the half feet1- of silage, and $12.79
for tho lot receiving no silage. And
the returns per bushels of corn fed
In the same order wore: 97 cents, 8G
cents and 79 cents. In the feeding
of silago to beef animals, it must be
remembored that it is rather bulky
and hence must be fed in largest
amounts during the early part of the
feeding period, and the amount grad
ually decroasod as the cattle reach
a market' condition.
"Many feeders feed silage to all
classes of live stock. If fed in proper
amounts there can be no danger when'
tho silage has been properly pre
served. Oftentimes corn is put into
the silo rather dry and in many cases
tho good fodder is not properly dis
! tributed nor properly tamped. It is
possible to make good silage even
out of tho dryest fodder by adding
water. Cases have come to our ob
servation recently where oven tho
fodder corn which was left standing
in tho shock during tho winter was
run through the silo cutter and with
about three times its weight of water
addod placed in tho silo, with very
satisfactory results. It is doubtful
whether such practice would be prof
itable, but it indicates the possibil
ities in producing good silage and it
shows the feeding value of our corn
crop when &o handled."
"HOGGING DOWN" COItN
Investigations at a number of state
agricultural experiment stations dur-
Ling the last few years have proved
the practice of "hogging down" corn
to be both practical and economical.
These experiments have shown in all
cases that greater gains in the weight
of hogs are secured by this method
than in dry-lot feeding, providing the
essentials for profitable production in
this system of feeding are held in
mind. The advantages of this meth
od of feeding are the labor saved in
harvesting, husking and cribbing the
corn crop and in the feeding of the
corn to the hogs; saving of space for
storing and freeing the corn fields
from weeds; the fertilizer value of
the crop in the form of manure is
completely returned to the soil with
out waste; less corn is wasted by the
hogs than by tho corn binder; the
hogs develop vigorous constitutions,
robust health and keen appetites.
sentials necessary to success in this
method, as follows:
"If the corn crop is to be harvested
in this manner it must be rightly
managed. Hogs should be given ac
cess to a limited pjrtion of the corn
field. The area should be adjusted
so that the hogs will clean up the
corn in two or three weeks and then
be moved to a' fresh area. In this
way the corn will be cleaned up bet
ter. "During the seven trials the Mis
souri station fount, that one acre of
corn would pasture 14, hogs for 36.4
days. The Iowa station reports,, or
dinarily, on 50-bushel corn land 13
hogs averaging 135 pounds would
clean up a field in 40 to 50 days."
Tho Pennsylvania station showed
that more than 12 pounds of pork
per bushel of c-;rn was produced by
hogs in standing corn while a check
lot in dry quarters produced slightly
more than 10 pounds of pork from
each bushel of corn fed.
"Hogs of the same size should be
used, preferably hog.j averaging "be
tween 100 and 170 pounds apiece.
Pigs weighing less than 100 pounds
or sows should not bo pastured with
the fattening hogs. These may be
allowed to follow up the area passed
over by the fattening hogs.
"The fences used for enclosing the
corn area should be of a portable
nature. Woven wire fence 26 inches
high is generally used. The corner
posts should be strong and well set.
the stubble is thrown to the bottom
of the furrow and completely cover
ed, thus entrapping the flies. This
plowing should be don very soon
after harvest, before any of the flies
emerge, and should be followed by a
sufficient number of cultivations to
maintain a fine, weed-free soil mulch
until the field is seeded. Such treat
ment makes fov the highest yields,
while the keeping down of volunteer
grain serves to scatter any summer
brood.- Where for any reason mid
summer plowing is undesirable, tho
flaxseeds ma; be destroyed by burn
ing the stubble.
-In years of Hessian fly infestation,
the wheat should be seeded late
enough so that thj wheat plants do
not reacb a sufficient size to attract
the flies until the bulk of these in
sects have emerged from the flaxseeds
and died without having found cul
tivated wheat upon w"hich to lay their
eggs. Of course, during those years
when the Hessian fly is not present
in large numbers, wheat may better
be sown earlier.
Rotation of 6rops is a practicable
Hessian fly control measure, for not
only does the bringing in of corn,
oats, alfalfa, or clover tend to starve
out the pest, but if the wheat field
is changed the fall brood of flies must
migrate to more o;- less distant fields
to find wheat, and this results in a
large mortality among them.
WHY DIVERSIFIED FARMING?
The objection frequently cited T1h?,vire,may hl tied up to 21 cor,n
against the !.ogging down method, as
proved by various experiments, do
not offset the value of the practice.
B. O. Severson, of the Pennsyl
vania experiment station, In a recent
issue of the National Farmer and
Stockman, calls attention to the es-
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stalks when they are sufficiently
strong. Small pos.. should be driven
in with a' sledge wherever necessary
to make the fence stable. The wire
should be stretched tight.
"Hogs are turned into the corn
after it has dented. Before beine
placed in the corn the hogs should be
brought gradually to a full feed of
the green fodder corn. One week's
time should be given the hogs In
gradually accustoming them to this
new feed.
"The 'corn must be supplemented
by other feeds. Some sow a forage
crop with the-corn at the last culti
vation to furnish the necessary pro
tein in wnicn corn Is deficient to
make a' well-balanced fattening ra
tion. Such props are rape, cow peas,
soy beans, pumpkins, Canada field
peas and hairy vetch. Even with
tbese crops tankage, skimmilk or
buttermilk is fed with profit..
"Provided a forage crop is not
planted In the corn or that butter
milk or skimmilk is not available to
supply the protein to the feed, then
tankage should be fed. The amount
of tankage recommended is one
pound per 400 pounds of live weight
of the hogs daily. Water should be
given at least twice daily and the
tankage allowance fed with it. It is
extremely important that some feed
rich in protein be :d ana that water
be regularly supplied in abundance.
"Another th g that is often neg
lected is proper shade for the hogs.
It is necessary to construct tempor
ary structures tha- will protect the
hogs during the heat of the dav."
Why is it better for the farmer to
raise more than, one main crop rather
than depend upon one is seen from
the yields obtained by the depart
ment of experimental agronomy at
the Nebraska' experiment station:
1910 Corn yield, 52 bu.; wheat, 48.
1911 Corn yield, 45 bu.; wheat, 51.
1912 Corn yield, 48 bu.; wheat, 9.
1913 Corn yield, 9 bu.; wheat, 50.
It would appear from these figures
that the farmer who sowed the larger
portion of his land to wheat in 1912
would have done far better if he had
planted corn. In 1913, his wheat
would have done far better than his
corn, on the average. Since at the
beginning of the season, the farmer
has no means of knowing which crop
will give the largest returns, it would
be better for him to avail himself of
two chances, or more if possible, ra
ther than to risk one.
HESSIAN FLY CONTROL
The most effective way of makine
away with this pest is the destruction
of the stubble shortly after harvest
says the Nebraska experiment sta
tion. Almost all of the flaxseeds are
loft in the stubble after harvest, and
these should be destroyed by earlv
deep plowing, dons so carefully that
GOVERNMENT SALE ofjndlan Timber Lands
w Thoro will bo oflerotlnt public auction nt tlio
places and times heroin' named at not loss than tho
appraised valuo, about 067,000 acres of timber lands
with standing timber tiicreon, which Includes
about 8-11.347,000 feot of pine, as estimated in 1911,
and approximately 14.275.000.feot of hardwood, lo
catod In tho Choctaw Nation, southeastern Okla
homa. Tho sale ol tho lands in Pittsburg County
will bo held ht McAllister, November 3; in Latimer
County at Wllburton. November 4 and 5: In Lo
Floro County, at Poteau, November 6 and 7; and In
Punhmataha and McCurtain Counties, at Hugo,
November 0, 10. 11 and 12, 1914, Bids may bo sub
mitted in person or by agent with power of attor
ney, or by mall. Land and timber will bo sold to
gether. Land will bo offered in tracts notoxcecdlng
1C0 acres. Ono porson can only purchase one
quarter section of agricultural land, but is not lim
ited as to tho number br acres of non'agr'culturnl
land. Terms. 26 per cent cash, balanco In throo an
nual installments of 25 por cent each, with Interest
at 0 per cent, but payments may bo completed any
tlmo. Immediate possession given after approval
ofsnio. Rosidoticoonlandnotroqulred. Uoinovnl
of portion of timber permitted as paid for. Im
provements on land, consisting or a fow scattered
houses, will bo appraised and sold with tho land
nnd tho owners rolmburscd whore thoy nro not tho
Miccessful bidders. Tho right to watvo technical
defacta in advertisements nnd bids, and to reject
nuy and all bids, is reserved. Detailed information,
Including descriptive lisUtshowing Uio quantity and
the nppraisemont of timber and land In each tract,
will bo furnished without cost Maps showing lo
cation and accessibility to railroads of each tract,
will be furnished nt a cost of 60 cents each. Appli
cation (or both descriptive lists and maps should bo
made to tho Commissioner to tho Flvo Civilized
Tribes, Muskogee, Oklnhoma. Remittances r
maps should be mado payablo to Ooorgo N. A
pisbm sing Agent, Muskogee, Oklahoma. CAIO
SELLS, Com ml6slonor of Indian Aflhlrs.
HARVESTER with binder at
tachment, cuta and throws in
Ellca on harvester or wlnrpwa.
an and horao cut and shock
equal to a corn binder Sold in
.. 4. !r:. ... son an
,;,!, , i. . , , L wvui-jr buiw, tutu W.I.J w- -
With foddor binder. J. D. Borno, Haswcll. Colo., writes:
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Tt?J?5c.k?de8.a8re8 nl!e,eannd ornlatyr."
ifftAoniaJ3 and catalog free, showing: pictures of har
vestcr. Address PROCESft MFC CO., SallR Kw
CORN
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