HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1922-09-21, Page 6wddrees communications to Aflronoamal$t, 73 Adelaide St. West, Torents
Fall Plowing Helps Me. on time. Before getting the frac ,
Wlen I started 'farming I did but with twice as
little fall plowing, partly because' I and with the same number oflwrses
this
was so busy, and partly from lack of T as also on time,
appreciation of its value. Now all
my land that is going into crops the
next year is flare -plowed, and some
is plowed early and worked •daring
the fall.
The first adivantage. T noticed of
breaking up land in the fall was that
•bhe spring work could- be got out of
the way at a much earlier date, And,
since our season usually does not open
up until well into April, this was an
extremely .important item. Every
crop but buckwheat and late potatoes
must; be in by Empire Day if the • best
results are to be expected,; Then, if
these happens to be a wet spring, the
approximately seven weeks during
which the planting and sowing must
be done may be reduced to three or
four. The slowest job on the farm is
plowing, especially with a two -horse
plow. If this is done in the fall, the
actual spring work is cut about • in
half.
At times I have had spring -plowed
sod, especially when plowed rather
late, which' did not do well on account
of the grass layer cutting off the
capillary water from below.' I had
one crop of corn that was nearly a
failure for this reason. There was
quaek grass in the' sod; and though
there was not enough moisture for
corn, it was sufficient to make a fine
piece of quack. .
Another reason why I�'changed to
fall plowing is that the frost acti�en
is better than fitting. Just north of
my farm' a clay section. begins where
they simply can't do anything at.all
with sipri:ng-plowed land. But when.
plowed in the fall the frost breaks up
this stiff •clay thoroughly, and the fine
soil makes exoeliient crops.
Formerly I had . quite a little wet
land, though now it is about oda tiled.
If 'hhis land was left until spring, it
was usually plowed when parts of it
were too wet. The result, of course,
was partial failure in those spots
When fall -plowed, this ground was
usually in good condition in the spring,
since the surfiace exposed by the fur-
rows caused the land to dry out soon-
er. I used to plow in. not -too -wide
back furrows, and run the plow in
the bottom of the dead furrows aee
emend time, furnishing: drainage to
the depth of 12 or 14 inches. This
was a great help.
I do not mean that I never had
goad lack with spring plowing, but
simply that I frequently had condi-
tions where fa14 plowing was far
superior. On the other hand, I have
never observed conditions where
spring pl'owin'g was better. I used to
think that I had to plow in the spring
for potatoes. But when a field of po-
tatoes was partly falls -plowed and
partly spring -plowed, I found no dif-
ference. Although I never put them
for
left -avers from the production. of.
other tripes that met the needs of
the militait*y demand. But there does
not appear to be'many of ' this kind
to -day, and military horse buyers 're-
port a general shortage..•
But whatever type one aims to pro-
duce, he must see to it that it will
perform the work it is cabled upon to
do in the most efficient manner pos-
sible. Horse breeders must pay par-
.
ar-
land as at first, ti�eular. attention to this, if they are
to successfully eompet•e with the
motor truck and tractor inert.
Good breeding must be supplement-
ed by good feeding and care of .the
colt from (birth to maturity. No mat-
ter what ideals have been followed in
breeding the draft horse, if the colt
is not well fed and kept in a thrifty,
healthy, growing condition from birth,
it will not have,the weight and size'
needed in the ideal draft horse. There
must be no "stunting" period,- as is
too often the case, during the growth
of the colt. As soon as'the colt is
weaned, it should be kept in thrifty
condition. Just here .:is where' `many
horse breeders fall down. After. the
colt is taken from its darn it is often
left to shift for itself; and soon be-
comes unthrifty and stunted in growth.
If the colt once receives a serious set-
back, it rarely recovers the lost
ground.
To get size and weight in, the draft,
horse, the breeding must be right' and
so must the feeding. A good big draft
mare bred to a stallion that is' a ton
or over in weight, . providing he.is
sound and has a good set of feet and
legs under him, will produce ; the
right type so far as breeding r1st con
cerned; but if the colt is neglected
and not kept growing from birth to
maturity, the type of heavy `drafter
most in demand to -day cenimt be
secured.
(four), w an
was simply due to the fall pllewing.
..-A. H. D.
Why It Pays to Feed More Clover
Now.
With the law prices for milk an&
butterfat most dairymen, are getting,
it, becomes doubly important to get
maximum pa-oduction at • the lowest
possible cost. The most expensive
part of the ration usually is the pro-
tein. Protein is very essential to pro-
ducing cows, especially if they are
pregnant, when a large part of the
protein-, goes toward the growth of
the fetus. And, of course, 'breed'in'g
and growing stock of all kinds re-
quires protein.
Dairy ,cows usually get a large part
of their protein in the form of a
linseed -oil meal or cotton -seed meal.
Supplied in this way the cost is re-
latively high. Legume hays, especial-
ly alfalfa and red clover, can be used
to supply a large part of the protein
at a low cost._ These feeds can be
and if
grown on almost any farm,
properly cured are very nutritious..
Moreover, cows seem to relish alfalfa
and clover more than timothy. As a
rule, the prices of clover and timothy
run very close together.
But timothy is very low in protein
and, when it is fed, the protein short-
age must be made up, generally, by
increasing the amount of oil meal or
other protein isuppaement. If alfalfa
or clover is fed, the total grain ration,
and especially the protein supplement,
can be .decreased, thus materially
cheapening the cost of the ration.
Let us considertwo cows, each
weighing 1,200 pounds, and giving 30
pounds of milk containing 3% per
cent. fat. Say that their feed re-
quiremenfis are just the same—that is,
that each requires the same amount
of protein, carbobydrates, and fat for
the maintenance of her body and for
milk production. Both cows get the
same amount of corn silage . (36
pounds), the same amount of hay (12
pounds), and a grain ration of corns
oats, and oil meal.
.The difference comes in feeding one
cow alfalfa.and the other timothy. The
cow getting timothy requires' a bigger
grain ration, especially the expensive
oil meal, in order to supply the pro-
tein deficient in the timothy. At pres-
ent feed prices, the cost of producing
a pound of butterfat with the alfalfa
ration is 19 cents, and 25 cents with
the timothy ration. In some local-
ities farmers are getting as low as 22
cents a pound for butterfat, so that.
not muoh profit could be made on a
timothy ration.
Another 'valuable thing about
alfalfa is its high lime content. This
makes it especially valuable in bal-
ancing ' a ration containing cern or
corn silage. Although alfalfa is gen-
on sod land, I think that in that case, erally given first place as hay for
fall plowing would show an advan-dairy cows, good clover fol'ows it
Cage. I use a double disk in fitting, closely, it being considered about nine -
and if this is set so that it cuts eight tenths as valuable as alfalfa for dairy -
inches deep it loosens the soil up
about las well as plowing.
Whereas I was formerly , behind
with my work whenever the season.
was late or wet, and often a little
late even when it was not bad, now,.
with the same number of horses
{though better ones) and a light trac-
tor, I am farming nearly three times
as much land, and am always finished
d
the period of heavy movement, and
once a week thereafter.
A farther development of the work
of this Branch has been in relation to `.
transportation, which far fruit is a
matter of utmost importaree, Since
the organization of the transportation
division some five years ago, an inti.
Timate relationship between the fruit
and vegetable produeer and the trans-
portation companies has been develop-
ed In the ,capacity' of Transportation
Specialist, Mr, McIntosh has been
constantly on the move from coast to
coast endeavoring to bring about
closer and closer co-operation between
the producers, dealers, and carriers:
Educational and experimental under-
takings have been carried .through:
Tariff and traffic regulations intended
to promote the general welfare of the
fruit and vegetable industries have
been amended•. This has been carried
on by conference with railway, ex.
press, and steamship officials, who
have responded readily to the reason-
able s -recommendations made. Major
traffic matters requiring adjustment
have been dealt with through. the
Board of Railway Commissioners,
Which have resulted in great satis-
faction to the fruit growing and vege-
table growing industries;
Following experimental shipments
of tender fruit, aiteratians in the in-
terior construction of refrigerator
cars have been brought about. The
change has been of such a character
as to ensure the better condition en
delivery of fruit - moved to long dis-
tance markets.
Before entering upon this work Mr.
McIntosh was - engaged by the Ontario.
Fruit Growers' Association to investi-
gate
nvestigate marketing conditions and trans-
portation facilities for the Province
of Ontario. Mr. M•clntosh's experience
in these various capacities have amply
prepared him for his present more
responsible office.
Live Stock Movements for
M
An animal husbandry specialist
says -that weaning, shipping -;j horn-
ing, castrating and sudde ing-
ing the calves from grads to e ed
often dhethca S -‘120 --La , tris
for three to el 'ea
these causes can .be'- elii he
checking of growth w
Therefore, fattening c
farms on which they a , ani
produee good results a
ates shipping .and clung
castrating should be d
calf is young, as shout
horning, which sihoulldi
caustic. They shoul
grain in the fall.
weaned, as 1±ey w
gains .with less
on the open,
It has be
gainsalmost
year old cattle,
dred pound gain
as much feed as t
appear to grow rath.
about the first or
days, but from then
late fat rapidly. Th
of baby beef, should fi
hundred -day feeding F
to make a satisfactor'
calf.
Two Years.
The shipments of live stock 'accord-
ing to the Dominion Live Stock branch
reports, from the five'shipping pro-
vinces last year compared with the
year before were: Quebec, cattle, 31,-
928 against 56,617; „ calves, 64,941
against 75,307; hogs, 79,086 against
83,907; sheep, 164;750 against 159,
617. Ontario, cattle, 342,783 against
290,898; calves, 102,160 against 114,-
0
14;aiy. 315; hogs, 371,635 against 378,854; -
wie„sheep, 268,202 against 278,460. Mani- put her eye out with the scissors.
aitoiba, cattle, 66,577 against 102,129; When I went out of the nursery to
asiialves 14,076 against 15117• empty the bath water, he out one of
rags, } g
80,652 against 102,303; sheep, her curls off. I happened to look
Zi 120 against 49,957 Saskatchewan, through the door and there he stood
f1+ti 84197 against" 156,965; calves with the curl in one hand and the
Parents as Educators
The Curl Made. Peggy Cry—By . Minerva Hunter
at
Mrs. Ivy sitting living
room window sewing buttons ,on a new
gingham dress when ' Mrs. Baxter
Dame to her dining-rbom window and
looked out. "I've had such a scare!
shivered Mrs. Baxter.
"Peggy?" inquired Mrs. Ivy 'anxi-
ously rising from her chair. "Do you
want me to come' over and help yoti .
"No, no, Peggy isnrt really hurt,"
a 'id Mrs. Baxter, "but Oman nearly
was
her
et g'
e, against 9,825; hogs 51,731 point of the scissors within an inch
tetAlberta,' cattle, 143;457 frightened in my life. Every mother;
44,387; sheep, 28,338 against of Peggy's eye! I was never so
it
has anxious times with h
s
Appointment for
FP sioner.
Mr. ,Geo. -E:+%Lclxte slat
4
1163,686; calves, 19,251 against
e hogs, 86,401 against 56,435,
heep, 91,184 against 62,664.
Bulldozing Fathers. -
f
It is a strange thing that so many
Fathers think they have an absolute
ownership in their children; that they,
can boss . them, order them about,
'scold, bulldoze them in any way they
please; treat them as if they had no
individual rights whatever. .
You should be very careful how you
treat your children, my friend, They
will not always be in your home, and
some day you may bitterly regret the
for harsh callings down you so unneces-
cow feeding. Sweet clover has about the past five years Occup. f P0- sarily gave them. _ Many a boy has
value as alfalfa but sition •of Transportation Sp, st of'' been driven to 'wrong courses by a
the same feeding the Fruit Branch of tlie, De rtment domineering, bulldozing father. A
cows must be taught to eat it. This been•.by her father has
can be done by mixing a small amount promoted to the position of of Agriculture at Ottawa, has Fran sent many a girl from her home with
brutal calling down.
of sweet :clover with the other feed Commissioner. He succeeds Mr: C. bitterness in her heart, and perhaps
W. Baxter, who recently left the De-
partment to assume the management
of the Niagara Fruit .'Growers' Ltd.
The Fruit Branch fills an important
position not only in the fruit growing
at first, and 'slowly increasing the
amount fed. But, no matter - which
variety - is used, production costs can
be greatly reduced by feeding one of
these three valuable legumes.
Raising the Right Type of Horse
industry but it is also •concerned with
the trade in vegetables. Its primary
function was the administration of
The Fruit Marks Act, under which all
There is a great need to -day for ation in producing to meat the demand fruit intended for export trade was
inspected to see that it carried brands
more efficiency in horse -breeding orate -day. that corresponded with the character
better, perhaps, for the production of What constitutes efficiency in the p
uniformity of the fruit through -
point
horses that will attain the highest heavy draft horse? To be thorough- and
out the package. Reporting on the
raft horse must with P g eP
, of 'efficiency in the worko they iy efficient a d v 1 ad fruit crop conditions has also been a
are to do. The manufacturer of mo- its mate be able to pull a heavy load,
trucks and tractors has in view on level_ground, with ease and quick- duty of this Branch. For many years
-torit has issued for five summer months
all times the efficiency of his pro- nests. To do this a horse should�be,I , .
at --June. to October—a hinted monthly
duct. His constant aim is to so per- at least 1,700 pounds in weight] p'
hisproduct that it will perform though 1,800 or over is Better. Along ll.fruit report. During the past eight
f it has also issued a telegraphed
the work required of it in the moist with this weight he must be well mus. years
efficien economical m
t and i 1 anner. The clad have a good' set of feet and legs market report twice a week during
,
horse producer should have this same be well built and well proportioned,
incentive in view.. -
Ten er fifteen years ago we- were
more efficient in horse production
and should be ,sound in wand and limb.
To get these elements of efficiency;
in the draft . horse the breeder must
than we are to -dray. Breeders had not trust to chance in his 'breeding
ideals before them which they aimed .operations. If hehas the right type
to attain. There were ideals in heavy of mare, he must see to it that the
&rafters, in light d7afters, in wagon stallion used will get the right type
horses, and in lighter types, which , af, offspring, It will pay to go to
farmers endeavored to follow in their considerable treuble to secure the
breeding operations. right' type of stallion, as the heavier
There were certain districts where his weight consistent with good quad•-
a large measure of efficiency was . ity, the 'better.
&hewn in producing the drafter; other The same reasoning holds true in
sections were known for the lighten the production of other types. The
types of horses. This cannot be said type .next to the heavy drafters in
to -clay, There seem to be no centres demand to -day and which commands
that can claim distinction in preduca good prices, is the sound, well -'built
ing any particular borne type, wagon horse. This kind should
True, the number of types of horses weigh from 1400 to 1,300 pound's.
in demand now is fewer thanin farm- For heavy delivery work, such as de-
er years, yet even in typesmost ithvering milk, a horse must have
demand tosday, such as good draft, weight enough to haul from 2,000 to
horses, there are practically no: sec- 2,500 pounds, and get away with it
tions where the buyer can go aria be at a reasonably •swif:t gait. The lighter
sure of having his wants supplied. delivery type does not require so much
ft seems to be too much of a bit and weight, but must be weld built, sound
miss proposition, this horse prodiuc- andnative. .
tion business. If one hears, of a good There are other types more er less
big draft gelding for scale an one part in demand, such as saddle horses, and
of the country, one may have to animals suitable for military plur-
travel 'ono or two hlnldzed miles to poses, These cannot be secured at,.
find a mate to match hire. There hit ,and miss breeding,. ;though : in'
seems to be no continuity, no co -oiler_ years gone by there were suffitien>t
led to her undoing. -
•
Even for wayward and unruly chil-
dren, love is the only safe and effi-
cacious corrective: -0. S.. Marden.
children,
,
but when one undertakes to reap an
other person's baby the responsibility
seems to double: Peggy's father is so„
pitiably grateful because wehave
consented to care for the baby that I
feel even more responsible for her
than I did for. Oman. If my 'child
should injure Peggy's eye I'd never
get over it!"
"Oman is very fond of Peggy," said
the neighbor. - "I never saw greater
devotion on the pant of a little four-
year -olid boy. He would do anything
to keep her from crying.
"Yes," agreed Mrs. Baxter, "that is
true, but why did he go near her with
the scissors? He is never allowed to
play with them, ---in fact I punish him
every time he handles any but hie
blunt pair."
"It may be he had a really. good
reason for cutting Peggy's curl," sag.
gested Mrs. Ivy. "I mean •a good
reason from a child's point of view.
Did you . ask him why he did it?"
"No. I' put shim to bed as fast as 1
could and brought Peggy in here and
put her in the kiddie coop. Now that
you mention it, Oman did look. quite
puzzled and:once or twice he tried to
tell me something, but I was so fain!
with fright I did not listen. Om
anis
a good child and does love Peggy. I'msure the had a reason for what he did
Maybe I was too quick in my: judg-
ment, I'll go now and talk with him"
It was aftexnoon. Once more Mrs,
Ivysat beside her living room window,
Presently a childish voice addressed
'
her. "Scissors,. are:dangerous," ;tan-
nouneed little Omar Baxter,, looking
at her very seriously.
"Yes," agreed Mrs. Ivy, "very, very
den ger
"When a boy loves his little baby
cousin,' continued Omar in the tone of
one reciting a lesson, "he never goes
near' her with the scissors. Even:i3
the baby cries and cries because her
curl shirts when it is brushed tihe'boy
does- not cut the curl off. , A baby
jumps real often and might stick the
scissors in its eye. You see, a baby
can get •over a curl that hurts,.but a
baby coiii.d never, never .grow a new
eye!"
Econorny of Dairy Products
as Food.
There is one especial virtue in the
many recipe&'given in the series Why
and. How to Use Milk and Its Products
pamphlets issued by the Dominion
Department of Agriculture, and that
is that the large majority call for no
fire or coal -burning. The few that do
require a warm or boiling ingredient
necessitate the use of nothing more
serious or costly than a little oil, gas
or electricity by way of heating. This
is remarkable evidence of the •ecottomy
cf dairy products as footh
/'4. •
f
Wad 111
Let's Invest at Home.
Sometimes I wonder if we farmers
are making the best investments pos-
sble. We "old have . spells when we
want to get a few blocks of stock in
something that pays 500 per cent. on
our investment. We axe apt to feel
that farming is too bloomin' slow.
At least, I know I feel that way some-
times. I've never invested in oil or
rubber .stock, or even played on the
stock exchange, although I'll admit
I've wanted to. Some of my neigh-
bors • have stooks in Mexico or South
America. . Once in a whale they get
something on their investments; most-
ly they don't.
The longer I farm the more I am
inclined to believe that we may well
invest closer to home. One of the
drawbacks to an investment 800 miles
from home is that it is hard to look
lifter. On your farm, you can leek meat?
after it all the time, There are ;places' I know these things to be facts be-
where the renter may invest as well, cause I've learned the lesson in many
slut this is aimed at the farm owner, of the cases mentioned above. I've
as I aim more familiar'with that kind also made the investments I speak of,
of farming;
For example, there ere very few
farms shat are well drained. Oh, that
is a common thing! I wonder if you ' Farmers are advised to select about
can find a single farmer who has tiled twice as much teed torn as they will
within the past, ten '.years •tvht •wild need for' 1928. It is estimated that
riot sayit• is a good :investment.. I . about fifteen medium sized • ears will
know of dozens of • farmers who have plant an acre, and that the average
realized from 10 to 50 =per cent. on a, farmer the country over wall use •
tiling investment: An investment about eight bushels of see'`. Ifhe
that makes 50 per cent, isn't to be spends two days selecting and sorting
sneezed at, is it? his seed, be will have plenty to choose'
Few farms have all the buildings from next spring.
that are needled, Maybe it is nothing I What is left ever from the double
more than adequate equipment for the, amount selected that has stood a good`
hens, but if it isn't there when needed." germination test can readily be sold
a loss results. If an investment in' to advantage, or - may be kept as par
$200 worth of chicken -house preferred l tial insurance for the next season's
stock doesn't pay immediate returns,' seed. The besttinhe to select the seed
I'll miss another guess. I is when the leaves of the plants ate
A building to shelter thousands of still green, but the htsks are begin.
dollars' worth of farming machinery' ning to turn yellow and the ears well
is needed on lots .of farm's. Leaving dented. 7t is also necessary to select
expensive machinery out in the wet tho corn before danger d freezing,
then is a lions of ea many per ,cent. en SO it Contains quite a little water be-
an investment. :When the building is rate being dried and would be injured
erected the loris stops. Isn't that equal by l'reezint;>:,
to a high interest Tato? I can't see
it any other way. You can't get a boy to listen to;
'
'''here are few fields on most farms reason mels, by ,ah uting it at Inrii
thatcouldn't be improved with com-
mercial `fertilizer. I know cf eases
where this investment has realized
400 per cent. I have realized this my- -
self in additional crops. Usually it is -
less, but I have seldom used it when•
I didn't realize from 50 to 100 per
cent. on what I ;spent. - It's a quick
return on the money, too. That's
something one doesn't always- get on
a "wildcat" investment.
Few farms have every farm tool
that is needed. Perhaps it's a grain
drill or a corn planter. You may have .
borrowed one from your neighbor.
Perhaps he was using it when your
field was ready, and you waited. It
rained. Then you prepared your field
again. By that time a week had
passed Candi your corn crop 'was late
enough to be caught by frost. Would
$100 invested in a earn planter have
paid oil -stock interest' on the invest -
and I know they pay. -E. R.
Select Plenty of Seed Corn.
1