106 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



Question. — Take 10 acres of good, strong clay land, put it down 

 in good shape, mow it once, divide it into two equal parts, one- 

 half in day pasture, one-half in meadow, which mow five years, 

 not later than July 1st, when not pasture, at the end of five years 

 which half will be in the best condition to plow? 



Mr. Dardis. — The part you mow, because that part will have 

 the season from the 1st of July to recuperate, while the- pasture 

 has not one hour. 



Mr. Smith. — If the cows are fed a proper grain ration, they 

 will carry back to the pasture fully as much as they take away in 

 fertility. 



Mr. Lillie. — I incline to the belief that more loss will come 

 from the land in pasture. 



Mr. Smith. — If it is meant day pasture only, I guess the 

 meadow will be the best. 



Question. — What is the best way to dispose of the straw grown 

 on the farm? 



A Farmer. — Use it for bedding in the stables. 



Another Farmer. — Get it into manure as quickly as possible. 



Mr. Smith. — Cut the grain early, especially oats, before they 

 begin to ripen. When the straw becomes too ripe it requires too 

 much energy to digest it; there is too much wood fiber in it. 

 Different grains have different straw food values. I believe that 

 we should use a great deal of our straw for bedding and as an 

 absorbent, inasmuch as the urine of our farm animals contains 

 60 per cent, of the manurial value of the voidings. 



Mr. Irwin. — We cut our grain about the time the short straw 

 begins to color. In that way a better feeding value is secured, 

 as well as a better absorbent. 



Question. — AVhat is the greatest evil the dairy farmer has to 

 contend with, that he tries least to remedy? 



A Farmer. — Pulling daisies. 



Another Farmer. — Scrub cows. 



Mr. Dardis. — The pasture. There is. as a rule, nothing in it 

 but weeds after July 1st. 



Mr. Smith. — In some sections the " hawkweed " is the greatest 

 pest. There are two varieties of it, having different colored flow- 

 ers. It is hard to eradicate it. Salt, half a ton to an acre, sown 

 in July, during a hot, dry time will kill it. But, if any of you 

 have it, don't wait, but proceed to kill it at oul-c. Cultivation of 

 the land does not seem to do much that wav. 



