HAMPSHIRE COUNTY 



FARM BUREAU MONTHLY 



A^.l. IV 



NORTHAMPTON, MASS., SWY. liil'.i 



No. 



FIELD CROPS FOR POULTRY 



CUT FEED COST 



In crop production on a jioultry farm 

 special consideration might well be given 

 those products which can be marketed 

 through the birds to reduce the feed bill 

 and the refuse of which may serve as 

 litter. Forage crops rather than grains 

 are, of course, the first consideration. 

 Fall sown rye for early spring pasture, 

 rape, clover and a mixture of oats and 

 peas, are also valuable poultry forage 

 and in addition help to cleanse the land. 



The ma.iority of poultry ranges, es- 

 pecially the yards of laying stock, get 

 dry and barren of suitable green feed 

 during the late summer. This is a time 

 when supplementary feeding of green 

 forage is of special advantage in keeping 

 up egg production, growing chickens and 

 reducing the feed bill. If tender, green 

 pasturage is not available, rape, Swiss 

 chard or fodder corn may be planted in 

 drills close to the yards where it can be 

 cut and thrown conveniently to the birds 

 each day. 



For winter feeding succulence is a 

 necessity. Mangels are the most satis- 

 factory crop. One ton to a hundred birds 

 is the average consumption. Of the 

 grains, corn gives the largest yields, con- 

 stitutes the greatest portion of the ration 

 and requires little special machinery. It 

 has other merits, too, for it uses poultry 

 manure, when supplemented with acid 

 phosphate, to good advantage, the corn 

 field makes an ideal range for chickens 

 and the stalks when cut into short lengths 

 mny be used for litter. 



Wm. C. Monalian, M. A. C. 



RAISING FARM HORSES GAINING IN POPULARITY 



Percheron Stallion Cruzette I4I305 



The practice of farmers raising their own work horses is gaining in popularity 

 in Hampshire County. The most impoi-tant part in successful and profitable 

 horse breeding, however, is the type of stallion that is available. 



The stallion pictured above, recently purchased by C. E. Parsons & Son, is a 

 fine individual, dark grey in color, three years old, weighs 1,600 pounds in work 

 condition shows remarkable courage and energy and still is perfectly broken ar.d 

 gentle. He was bred by W. G. Jones, Delaware, Ohio, Sire, Prince Albert 102576; 

 Dam, the imported mare Kava 101450 (96280). He breeds back to the grand old 

 horse Brilliant 1899 (756) two times through his sire and three times through his 

 dam. He can be seen any time at the Parsons Farm and is usually found in har- 

 ness doing his full share of the farm work. Those interested would well profit by 

 stopping to see this horse and also find out what little time is lost by Mr. Parsons 

 in keeping brood mares for his farm work. The stallion and mares work prac- 

 tically the year round. 



SOME QUESTIONS IN FARM 

 MAN!^GEMENT TO BE ANSWERED 



During the first week in May, Prof. 

 Earl Jones, M. A. C. spent several days 

 in the county. Prof. Jones made some 

 comments and raised certain questions on 

 agi'icultural practices and conditions in' 

 our county. Some of these comments and 

 questions are given below for your con- 

 sideration. How are you solving these 

 problems on your farm? 



Pastures which should be one of the 

 leading assets of the western part of the 

 county are badly overgrown with brush. 

 Concluded on page 5 



RATE OF PLANTING SOY BEANS 



FOR SILAGE 



"Seed mixtures vary, but mi.xing the 

 seed at the rate of three quarts of beans 

 to five quarts of corn has proved satis- 

 factory. Where ten quarts of corn aie 

 planted per acre about six quarts of 

 beans would be planted in addition. Not 

 over ten or twelve quarts of corn should 

 be planted per acre when both crops are 

 grown together. The corn is planted, fer- 

 tilized and cultivated as it is when 

 both crops are grown together. The 

 corn is planted, fertilized and cultivated 

 as it is when planted alone. Soy beans 

 do best with varieties of corn that come 

 near maturity. The beans must be 

 planted shallow, about one inch deep be- 

 cause they cannot grow if too deep." 



DEMONSTRATION ORCHARD 



PAYS A PROFIT 



How a Successful Young Orchard Was 

 Made To Pay 



Hampshire County has the honor of 

 having the most profitable demonstration 

 orchard in the state. This orchard is lo- 

 cated on Mineral Valley Farm, owned by 

 Mr. E. B. Clapp, at Westhampton, and 

 las been a remarkaole success from the 

 beginning. 



It was one of the first of the series of 

 demonstration orchards set in. the state 

 under the auspices of the Massachusetts 

 Agricultural College, and was planted in 

 1910. The leading varieties ore Baldwin, 

 Mcintosh, Wealthy and Oldenburg. Or- 

 dinarily an orchard of this kind does not 

 Concluded on page 6 



