CHAPTER V 



GROWING THE FEED FOR FATTENING SHEEP 



In a discussion of the farm management of feeder sheep 

 it would seem that the production of the crops used would 

 be as important a phase of the work as the purchase of the 

 feeders or the methods of feeding. From this standpoint, 

 and with a desire of presenting the subject as it confronts 

 the farmer, this chapter is written. 



Growing the Crops for System I, or the Pastur- 

 ing OF A Catch Crop grown in Corn 



Planting cowpeas in corn. It is presupposed that the 

 reader has a general and satisfactory understanding of the 

 best methods of growing corn, hence its culture will be dis- 

 cussed here only as it concerns the catch crop. AVhen follow- 

 ing Feeding System I, one half of the cornfields that are 

 to be pastured should be sown to cowpeas and one half to 

 rape. There are three accepted ways of planting cowpeas in 

 corn. The first, considered as by far the best by men avIio 

 have tried all three, is to plant the peas at the same time 

 the corn is planted. When this method is followed it is 

 essential to delay the corn planting until the ground has 

 become warm in the spring, — in the latitude of north Mis- 

 souri from the middle of May to the tenth of June. The 

 peas may be put in with a cowpea attachment to the corn 

 planter, this method giving a uniform stand of both corn and 



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