Soiling crops 1894.

Abstract

<p>Our station pursued its line of inquiry in feeding soiling crops, through July and August of 1894. No rain fell from the 23d of June until the 10th of August. The pastures were dried up and stock that was not fed by hand suffered more severely than at any time since the prairies of the State were enclosed and animals were confined within. fences. The drouth affected pastures unusually early, continuing all summer, strengthening our conviction that successful animal husbandry in the State requires additions to our cropping system that will furnish plants in their best condition for feeding during all the months of summer. We have been depending in the past on pasture grasses until the corn was fit to cut. It has been fed, in addition to pasture, until fall rains revived the grasses. This has given us indifferent and varying results, but it never has kept the dairy cow up to her maximum of milk-giving, nor has it kept the young animal growing as it should grow, nor the meat-making animal putting on flesh satisfactorily. As values of land advance, it becomes more evident that we must have better returns from domestic animals, and to this end it will be necessary to add to our crops the leguminous plants that trial has proved can be developed from those native to the soil, or that can be imported from climates similar to ours, where they have served mankind for long periods of time.</p>