The Question Box. 121 



Mr. Smith. — If you want to be driven off your farm, keep no 

 animals but sell your timothy hay ; when you sell a ton for $10, you 

 only have $4.25 left after deducting the value of the plant food 

 in it. If, however, you have a silo, keep animals, and will save all 

 the manure and return it to the soil, you may sell timothy and not 

 impoverish the farm. 



Question. — What are the benefits in the use of a weeder in corn 

 and potatoes and for covering grass seed ? 



Mr. Smith. — The thorough preparation of the soil is of great 

 value; but it won't make good land out of poor land. The first 

 need is good physical condition; this is brought about by incorpo- 

 rating humus into the soil. This done, use the cultivator and 

 weeder, to fine the soil and bring up the moisture ; also to prevent 

 it from escaping by evaporation. It will then be held by the 

 vegetable matter, and thus make plant food available. Prof. 

 Roberts grew crop after crop of potatoes without any fertilizer, in 

 this way, the soil having first been thoroughly supplied with 

 humus. 



Question. — How many cows may be kept on 10 acres of en- 

 silage ? 



Mr. Smith. — Twenty-five. 



Question. — How does buckwheat rate as a green forage crop 

 for milch cows? 



Mr. Goodrich. — We do not grow much buckwheat, except for 

 grain. 



Mr. Van Wagenen. — Considerable buckwheat is grown in, 

 Schoharie county, but not much is used for that purpose. I do 

 not believe it would be practical so to use it here. 



Question. — Is millet hay as good as timothy for young or dry 

 live-stock ? 



Mr. Goodrich. — Millet produces a good food, but it must be 

 cut early, before it becomes hard and woody. We sow it early, 

 say in June. It is a difficult hay to mature. So that, if the 

 weather is unfavorable, it is a hazardous crop to grow. We pre- 

 fer the German to the Hungarian variety. It contains more 

 protein than does timothy. 



Question. — I have a corn stubble field fall plowed. I wish to 

 sow oats and peas and seed it for two or three years. Shall I sow 

 alfalfa or clover ? Also a hillside in wheat which I wish to seed 

 for a permanent pasture. What seed shall I sow on it, and when? 



Mr. Woodward. — I should certainly sow the red clover. If the 

 land is poor I should sow the large variety; if it is rich I should 



