The Bottineau Courant

SOME FARM TOPICS.

USEFUL INFORMATION FOR THE TILLERS OF THE SOIL.

The Value of Rye-Protecting Melon and Cucumber Vines-Shelter and Shade for Sheep in Summer-Weaning Young Lambs.

Having had, years before, an unfortunate experience in harvesting a crop of rye, we resolved that in the future hogs, instead of machinery, should harvest it. and with last year's experience with the crop we feel that our resolution was a good one.

During the growing season for the rye, the mammoth clover sown in it gave very poor promise; it was a question whether it would stand the combined influences against it, that of drouth and the rye drawing the moisture from the soil. That it was held in check on this latter account was plainly evident from the fact that on the spots where corn shocks had stood the clover made a much better growth than that in the rye.

But when the rye had ceased to draw moisture from the soil then its value as a protecting crop became at once noticeable. Then the clover in the rye began to grow very rapidly, considering the light rainfall. That growing in the shock vacancies began to fall behind. and gave evidence of the scorching heat of the sun and effect of the drouth. This was plainly noticeable till the cool weather of the fall came on. Then the unprotected clover began to show signs of recruiting.

But I want to speak particularly of the winter protection this rye straw gave the clover. Every farmer that owns clay lands and has tried to grow clover on them without perfect artificial drainage knows the difficulty that there is from frost-lifting. In fact, many high points that do not need the tile drainage for other crop purposes will, under the influence of the frost, lift the clover out. Especially is this true where the clover has been closely grazed the previous fall and left without any protecting aftermath. We took care last winter to notice what the fallen rye straw and volunteer rye would do for the young clover in the way of protection. With all kinds of farm animals, the rye had been well tramped to the ground. This had been aided by the mower being passed over the field to destroy the weed growth.

This field is well tile drained, but not yet thoroughly done. The clover growing in the corn shock vacancies was unprotected against the close grazing of the animals. and probably on this account went into winter weaker than the other. However that may be. it suffered much more from winter freezing than that protected by the rye straw; it was lifted to some extent while the crown of the protected plant remained perfectly flat on the ground.

We have been surprised at the quantity of forage this field has afforded this spring. The drouth has been against all the pastures, and while the blue grass timothy pastures and meadows are browned by the heat and drouth, this clover is still growing vigorously. the broken and decaying rye straw acting as a mulch to prevent evaporation.

We now have twenty-two acres of rye growing that we have sowed in mammoth clover. We shall hog the rye. and hope by its protection to save the clover from being killed by the drouth. This is clay land, part of it quite thin, and we are satisfied if the drouth continues as severe as it has been, and the rye is taken from the land, that the clover will all perish. We are very anxious to save this crop of clover and bring the field into a regular three-year rotation. After we have secured one good crop of clover we have but little doubt that we shall be able to keep up the rotations.

By handling the rye in this way we secure, besides the advantages of a mulch, all the advantages secured by turning it under while green. We have also learned that we need not be in great haste to turn the hogs on it to prevent waste. This spring. the 23d of April, we found sound rye in the field hogged down last year. Last fall and winter were unusually dry. which favored the preservation of the rye. But it will stand much more moisture without decay if the straw is not tramped too much. When rye is left to fall by its own weight, aided by the wind and rain, it will not lie very flat on the ground;and unless in contact with the soil it will waste but very little from decay.

Our object in growing mammoth clover is to secure pasture till the 10th or 15th of June; then take off live stock and get a crop of seed. We find that the volunteer rye, after hogging, is a great help as pasture. The stock feed on it early. and, when too hard, they feed on the clover till the rye heads out and begins to fill, when they again feed on the rye as long as there is a head to be found. When the live stock is taken off the mower should be run over the field to cut the rye stubble left standing by them.-Correspondence of the Country Gentleman