34 



immature fodder do not milk so deeply as when fed upon fodder , 

 with ears fully developed, although they consume much more of 

 the former. Immature fodder has so much water that a cow can 

 hardly eat as much as she needs. The rule should be to get corn 

 ripe as fast as possible for feeding and feed from the ripest to be 

 had. 



Some interesting facts in corn-manuring have lately been devel- 

 oped, among the more important of which is the especial benefit 

 of independent application of potash (muriate of potash) to the 

 crop. The stover and grain both are materially increased in cen- 

 tral and western Massachusetts by adding potash to the farm- 

 yard manui-e applied. Corn, as has been previously observed, is 

 well suited in its growth-habits to receive full benefit from fresh 

 manure. The heaviest growth comes at the season of rapid nitrifi- 

 cation. On the one hand, liberal supply of plant- food is received, 

 on the other, waste of fertility is prevented by manuring corn with 

 farm-yard manure. 



Ensilage is the cheapest winter feed produced upon our farms, 

 and while advocating a large provision of corn for that purpose, 

 we insist upon its liberal use as a supplementary feed in the ad- 

 vanced pasture season. 



Barley and Peas. — Another trying season for the dairyman is 

 after the frosts have cut the corn and before cows are put upon 

 winter feed. Pastures are short and feed grows very slowly. The 

 resort of many is to feed off mowings, a practice that does not find 

 favor with the most successful. The cost of haying is greatly in- 

 creased when a large area must be gone over in securing the crop. 

 Fall feeding does not compensate the shrinkage of the succeeding 

 hay crop. Hence at this season a crop not affected by early frosts, 

 growing well in cool weather, and palatable to cows has a peculiar 

 value. Barley and peas, or barley alone may be sown about the 

 first of August, after haying is done, on old land or land newly 

 ploughed, manured with the stable accumulations during the sum- 

 mer and put in fine tilth so that a good crop of forage may be cut af- 

 ter frost has killed corn. About two bushels of barley and a bushel 

 or a bushel and a half of peas per acre is recommended. This 

 forage, though it does not make a particularly heavy growth, is 

 clear gain. Cows eat it with great relish. It is splendid feed for 

 milk production, and bridges over one of the most difficult seasons. 

 One of the strongest advantages of the crop lies in its immunity 

 from frost. I have had barley and peas continue to grow and keep 

 green after hard frosts were of nightly occurrence and even until 

 the ground froze stiff. 



