124 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



Question. — Shall we seed with the oats or in the fall after 

 cutting the oats? 



Mr. Witter. — I should sow the seed in the spring, when sowing 

 oats. 



Mr. W. Peck. — I plowed my meadow land, harrowed, and 

 drilled in corn and grass seed. I cut the corn, and had a good 

 seeding of timothy and clover on the land. The seeding was top- 

 dressed with manure in the winter, and I obtained a good crop 

 of hay. I have largely increased my live-stock in this way. I 

 sow corn and grass seed at the same time with the grain drill. 

 Run the grass seed in drills a few inches apart, and the corn in 

 drills about three feet apart. The corn cannot be cultivated with 

 this plan. The corn makes fair growth. 



Question. — Which is the better way to keep up a farm; to keep 

 all the live-stock possible, or to buy commercial fertilizers ? 



Mr. Witter. — Keep live-stock. In sections that have depended 

 upon commercial fertilizers the farms are becoming less pro- 

 ductive. The starch foods can be raised upon the farm. Buy 

 those which are rich in protein. 



Question. — How do you fit your land for cow peas? How 

 much seed do you use per acre and what is the cost? 



Mr. Gould'. — The price last year was $1.75 per bushel which 

 was unreasonably high. Fit well; sow about May 20th; drill two 

 or three inches deep. Boll after sowing, harrow once to keep 

 ground from crusting. Use only the Clay or Whippoorwill 

 varieties. 



Question. — How can we get the most value from our oats, to 

 cut green for hay or to thresh them? 



Mr. -Witter. — Our practice is to raise oats and peas, using one 

 bushel of Canada peas to two of oats. Drill them deeply. Cut 

 them while partly green. If carefully cured, the straw after 

 threshing will make good hay and there will be less waste than 

 when the grain is fed with the straw. 



Question. — Is it not better for all animals to have exercise in 

 the open air on sunny days? 



Mr. Gould. — Milk giving is a product of nerve force. If the 

 cow gives two pailsful of milk a clay, she works as hard as any 

 horse. Make her comfortable, give her good food and ventila- 

 tion and she will in her milk production get all the exercise 

 necessary. 



