432 DRY LAND FARMING 



Where the cows are to be kept within the limits of 

 the farm, the grazing problem is more difficult than the 

 furnishing of winter foods. The pastures that may be 

 grown are discussed elsewhere (see p. 355). These, how- 

 ever, may be supplemented by such soiling foods as al- 

 falfa, corn and field roots in the north, and by alfalfa, 

 the sorghums, Milo maize and stock melons in the 

 south. 



The winter food in the north may be made up al- 

 most entirely of alfalfa hay and corn fodder fed in the 

 bundle, and supplemented by a very small amount of 

 rye, barley or speltz fed in the ground form. The ra- 

 tion may also consist of alfalfa and grain cut underripe 

 and fed unthreshed. A mixture of Canada field peas 

 and beardless barley grown together is excellent. This 

 also is true of millet grown in rows and cultivated. In 

 southern areas the winter food may consist mainly of 

 alfalfa hay, sorghum and Milo maize fodder, and a sup- 

 plement of Milo or sorghum meal, or of ground speltz. 

 The Milo maize may be fed as seed and heads ground 

 together. 



The cows should drop their calves in the fall rather 

 than the spring, as the calves can be fed with more care 

 and success in the winter season. The cows will then 

 be dry in those months of the late summer when the 

 pastures are dry. When thus managed, the milk flow 

 will be better sustained, and the lactation period more 

 or less prolonged. 



As such cows will, of course, be hand-milked, the 

 skim milk and the buttermilk should be fed to calves 

 and swine. The butter or the cheese product, as the 

 case may be, will usually find its way to private cus- 

 tomers, as it will be too restricted in quantity for a 

 wholesale market. 



Growing beef cattle. In dry areas the field for 

 growing beef is probably wider than that for growing 



