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Straw

3. The various uses to which each kind of straw ❘ of cutting straw into chaff for mixing with grain is applicable.

Weight of Straw produced by the different Crops.

The quantity of straw per acre differs according to a variety of circumstances; as, 1. The species of grain, whether wheat, barley, oats, etc. 2.

The different kinds of the same grain. 3. The season, for in dry seasons the quantity is less than in moist. 4. The soil, for in fertile soils the straw is more abundant than in poor ones. 5. The season when the seed is sown, for springsown wheat has less straw than the winter-sown. And, 6. The manner in which the straw is cut, for an inch or two at the root-end of the straw makes a great addition to the dunghill.

From a statement by Mr. Young it would appear that the average produce in straw of all the different crops, stubble included, may be calculated at 1 ton, 7 cwt. per acre, but that is rejecting the weaker soils.

It is calculated by Mr. Brown, of Markle, that on an average of years, the produce of straw in good land and under tolerable management, will be nearly in the following proportion per acre:

Wheat, Beans and peas, Oats, Barley, Total, lbs. 2240 1820 1820 1400 7280 Or, at an average of these crops, 130 stone per acre, 22 lbs. avoirdupois per stone; in all 2860 lbs., or 1 ton, 5 cwt., 2 quarters and 4 lbs.

It may be safely estimated that on an average of years well cultivated and fertile soils, when the crop is carefully cut down, will annually produce, on the average of the crops above mentioned, 1 ton, 5 cwt. per acre.

Value of the different kinds of Straw.

The intrinsic value of straw must vary materially, according to its leading properties, the quantity of manure into which it may be converted by littering, or its fitness to be employed as thatch, these being the chief uses to which it is applicable; but in general its price depends on its vicinity to large towns. It is only in situations where foreign manure can be procured easily and at a cheaper rate than by converting the straw raised upon the farm into dung that the sale of straw is ever permitted. Two loads of wheat-straw per acre are reckoned a tolerable crop.

As straw is rarely permitted to be sold, being usually employed in maintaining winter stock, the real value of the article to the farmer is but inconsiderable, depending upon the quantity and quality of the dung it produces. So little is it thought necessary accurately to ascertain the value of straw, that in several cases it has been given by the outgoing to the incoming tenant as an equivalent for the expense of harvesting, threshing and marketing the last crop. It is often thought insufficient to cover even that expense, and a further abatement is allowed on the price of the grain.

Various purposes to which Straw is applicable.

The subject of feeding with straw will be better understood by considering the specific properties of the different kinds of straw employed in feeding stock, and the rules that ought to be observed when stock are fed with that material.

Wheat Straw.

This kind of straw, from its strength, is considered to be peculiarly calculated both for litter and threshing, and indeed wherever the practice for horses prevails, wheat straw is preferred.

When given to cattle or horses, it is sometimes cut into chaff, and either given raw in that state, or what is greatly preferred, steamed with other food, in particular with potatoes.

In order to improve wheat straw as fodder, it is the practice in some parts of England to cut the grain rather green, which preserves more of the natural juices, and consequently makes the fodder better. Some of the best farmers are accustomed to cut wheat much earlier than common in their respective districts. One of these was a miller in Norfolk, who occupied a large farm, where he always cut his wheat several days before any one else thought of beginning, well knowing the good consequences in the value of the grain. It must then be less apt to be injured by shaking or harvesting.

Oat Straw.

Among the culmiferous grains, the straw of the oat is considered to be the best fodder, when given uncut. It is well known, indeed, that oat straw, during the winter season, is almost universally given instead of hay, in all the best cultivated counties of Scotland during the winter months, though that of peas and beans is certainly preferred where both are grown. In some districts farmers cut oats in the straw into a species of fodder, which is called "cut meat." This is given not only to horses, but to cattle, especially fattening cattle. It is thought to give not only fatness but a fineness of skin to all sorts of stock.

Bean Straw.

If well harvested this straw forms a very hearty and nutritious kind of food for cattle in the winter season. Both oxen and horses, when duly supplied with oats in proportion to the work they have to execute, thrive well on it, and the reduced parts, or what is termed in England the covingchaff, is found valuable as a manger food for the laboring teams; when blended with other substances it is probable that, in particular cases, the stems might be cut into chaff with advantage, but when made use of in these methods it should be used as fresh as possible after being threshed. A mixture of bean straw (which by itself is rather dry), and of peas-haum, which is sweet and nour ishing, makes excellent fodder.

But though this straw, more especially when mixed with peas-haum, is of great value as fodder to the working stock of the farm, it does not suit well with riding-horses, as it is apt to hurt their wind. In some horses both bean-straw and peashaum are apt to occasion colic pains, or the disease which is called botts, probably occasioned by flatulency. For this disease, about half an ounce or a tablespoonful of laudanum is found to be a good remedy.

Pea Straw.

In Scotland the haum of peas is used as fodder for working-horses instead of hay, and when well harvested forms a very excellent provender, insomuch that it is considered to be of almost equal value to the grain itself.

Tare-straw or Hay.

This is an article strongly recommended by some farmers; for when the land has been dunged and the seed good, the produce is considerable. The crop should be cut as soon as the blossoms begin to fall off or the pod to form, and the whole, converted into hay-tares, require a great deal of sun to cure, and rain is very injurious to them. It would be a good plan to mix them with dry straw, which would improve both.

Rules regarding the consumption of Straw in feed- | farmer can well afford; at the same time it is a ing Cattle.

Straw is much used in the feeding of cattle in Scotland, and there can be no doubt that oxen will feed well on straw and turnips, if the straw be good. It is recommended in all cases that for a month or six weeks after a bullock is put to turnips, straw only should be given with them. But in the more advanced stages of fattening, hay is so much superior, that it should if possible be supplied. It is certain, at the same time, that hay is a very expensive food for stock, and ought to be saved as much as possible where it can prudently be done. It is well known that a full allowance of turnips and straw, during the winter months, will fatten better than a small allowance of hay in place of the straw. In the spring, hay, which retains its nutritive juices longer than straw, is much more valuable, both for fattening stock and feeding horses, and it is therefore the practice to reserve hay for about three months' consumption of these kinds of stock, and for no others.

Rules for Feeding Horses with Straw.

In regard to horses, hay may very often be more or less scarce or dear; but with straw and the oats, which must always be given them whether they get straw or hay, they not only plough three-fourths of an acre per day, or work from seven to eight hours at other labor, but are actually full of flesh and vigor when sowing commences. They must, however, have hay instead of straw, when the severe labor of spring takes place.

When, therefore, farmers' horses are so much reduced in condition as to be unable to go through the severe labor of spring, it is owing to their not having got a sufficient quantity of oats or corn.

Pea and bean-straw certainly make the best fodder, when not injured by rain; but if that kind of straw is damaged in harvest, white straw is to be preferred. Rules for Feeding Sheep with Straw.

There is no food of which sheep are fonder than pea-straw. The soil of pastoral districts being rarely of a kind calculated for peas, any extensive cultivation of that grain is impracticable; but where circumstances are favorable to that crop, peas ought to be cultivated, were it merely for the straw, as it would enable the store-farmers to carry on their system of sheep-farming with much more advantage. Indeed, the same plan might be advisable in other districts. It might be proper to add, that for ewes at yeaning time, lentil-hay is better than tare-hay or even peahaum.

Miscellaneous Rules and Observations regarding the Consumption of Straw.

On turnip farms it is the usual practice to feed horses till March, where the labor is not severe, and cows through the winter, with oat-straw, whilst the fattening and straw-yard cattle get the straw of wheat and barley. If any peas or beans be cultivated on the farm, that straw being given to the horses, a part of the oat-straw may be left for the fattening and straw-yard cattle. Upon turnip farms, it is not thought profitable to cut the greater part of the clovers for hay. These are usually eaten by sheep, and no more hay saved than what may serve the horses, cows, and fattening stock for eight or ten weeks, immediately before grass, with a small quantity occasionally given to the sheep fed on turnips. The expense of feeding even the horses alone, for eight months, on hay, would be more than a rule with the best farmers to give hay to their horses in the early part of winter; then peas or bean-straw till seed-time commences in the spring; and afterwards hay.

Straw keeps much better unthreshed, in a large stack, than in a barn. Straw in general, more especially white straw, is found to lose its value as fodder, in whatever way it may be kept, after the sharp dry breezes of the spring months have set in.

It is a general rule that straw, when intended to be used as food for stock, should be given as speedily as possible after it is threshed. The threshing separates and exposes it so much, that if kept long it is, comparatively speaking, of little value as fodder. Lisle, an intelligent writer on agriculture, and a practical farmer, states, that he found cows did not eat straw so well on a Monday morning as they did the rest of the week, because the straw was not fresh from the flail. Straw, therefore, should be constantly made use of, as soon after it is threshed as possible: for by keeping it becomes either musty or too dry, and cattle do not eat it, or thrive on it so well. It cannot be doubted that air has a very injurious effect upon all kinds of fodder, and the more it can be kept from the influence of the sun and the atmosphere, the better. It is seldom given as fodder, unless to straw-yard cattle, after the month of March.

When clover is sown with grain crops, the clover has often arrived at such a length as to mix with the straw in cutting the crop. This certainly improves the straw in good harvests; but as little clover as possible should be cut with the straw, as it makes it very difficult to secure the crop, unless it be left upon the ground for several days.

Straw as applicable to Litter.

Straw, when mixed with the dung and the urine of cattle, horses, etc. etc., is a rich and excellent manure; but even alone, when ploughed in, or decomposed by pure simple water, it is of use. All the various sorts of straw answer the purposes of litter. Some farmers contend that rye-straw is the best litter; others prefer the straw of wheat, which absorbs, it is said, so much urine and moisture, that a cart of wheat-straw is supposed equal in value to three carts of well-made dung. In England the straw of peas and beans is extremely valuable, forming, it is said, when well broken by threshing, a desirable litter for working-horses, hogs, and other stock; but in Scotland it is never used as litter, unless it has been spoilt by bad management or a most unseasonable season in harvest, as its feeding properties there are so well known. Littering is of use, not only for converting straw into manure, but for keeping the animals warm and dry. In fact cattle cannot be soiled on clover, or fed on turnips, without abundance of litter. There are four modes of converting straw into dung by littering stock In stalls or stables; 2. In hammels; 3. In fold-yards; and 4. In open folds, where sheep are littered with straw.

The quantity of dung produced from a given quantity of straw depends a good deal upon the kind of straw that is used (as some kinds absorb much more moisture than others), and upon the degree of care employed in preparing the dung.

Speaking generally, the original weight of straw may be tripled, if the manufacturing process be properly conducted, and the dung applied to the ground before its powers are lessened or exhausted. The quantity of dung which may be made from an acre, especially if the dung arising