FARMERS' COLUMN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 169, 22 March 1915, Page 2

FARMERS' COLUMN.

A VALUABLE SOILING CROP.

'Succulent green feed is a valuable asset to the dairy farmer in the autumn, winter, and early spring months (says Mr. W. Dibble in the Journal of Agriculture). There is nothing better for this purpose than a mixture of Azof barley (1 bushel), tares (11 bushel), Italian ryegrass (201 b), and beans (151 b). As rapid maturity and a heavy growth are desired the ero] should be stimulated by applying with the seed Hcwt of boncmeal and 1-icwt of superphosphate per acre. Sown early in March the crop may be used to furnish ?. nice, bite when pasture? are probably failing at the end of the milking season, after which it could be allowed to develop into a crop for carting out to the cows in the late spring. The better method of utilising the crop is to allow it to mature, which it should do, given fair growing conditions, in July or August, when it could be cut and fed out to the cows just when they are in the greatest need of good food, having just gone through an exhausting milking sensor and about to bear a calf, though thif need would "be generally overlooked and the feed kept till the cows have calved. On light land the crop may be fed off with advantage, though on heavier lands the soiling method is preferable. The ryegrass will come away again and give, if desired, fair feeding in the spring months. I would prefer, however, to leave it and utilise the dense matted growth as greeu manurpreparatory to establishing lucerne *•• for making a fine seed-bed for any other crop. On light land deficient ir humus this procedure would be mosf advisable, as the crop furnishes a great body of humus-forming material.

WINTER MANAGEMENT OF PIGS

One must not try to be too economical in the winter management of liu pigs, or he may have cause to regret it when his next litters come to hand. A brood sow when not suckling wil"! get a good share of her living'in the fields if she can have a grass run, and all the trough feed she needs is a little washing morning and night. To accustom her to this, however, it is necessary to start early and to feed regr larly, for when a young sow is pampered by frequent feeding It rarely hap pens that she ever takes kindly to : grass run. There can be no two opinions as to which is the best for tinsow herself, in one case being always confined in a close, stuffy sty, and ir the other being free .to stretch he limbs for ten or twelve hours out of the twenty-four. This daily run i; beneficial also to the litter, the littlf pigs being healthy and strong from tb : first when the sow has a free run while in the other ease they are often the reverse.

WATER FOR PIG.

In pig raising it has come to be realised that rapid growth on good, clean, sweet food pays much better than slow growth on filthy swill and garbage. Pigs fed in decent cleanly surorundings pay far better than any of those raised in the sty where filth and mire make up their environments and taint all their food. The pig may have a pretty good digestion, but it if possible to injure it in time if we continue to feed it .with bad food. Thr result of such treatment means slowgrowing' animals. To make the stoc.v continue growing in a thrifty condi lion we must feed them good, wholesome food under proper sanitary sin roundins.g Water plays an important part in the health of all animals. We must take a certain amount of liquid into the stomach to keep it in good condition. Many pigs are laregly fed nowadays on pasture, and do not ge* so much liquid in their food as the old swill-fed pig. Such animals should be allowed access to water. Clear water purines the system and washes out the stomach, tending to break up and carry away any solid matter that may have accumulated in the stomach. Impure, filthy water cannot clean the system, and often causes intestinal troubles. The pig will drink filttiy water and this has led some to think that it matters little whether clean o> dirty water be supplied. But is contrary to all teachings or sanitary science, and we have but to compare two pigs raised on clean and filthy water to see the difference, —Dairy Bulletin.