barley is the most economical feed to balance a ration containing so much skim-milk.  If calves show a tendency to looseness of the bowels, feed less milk, and when this does not remedy the trouble, heat some skim-milk to boiling and when it is cooled to a proper temperature feed this to the calf.  A good grain ration to feed calves along with skim-milk is ground barley with green alfalfa hay.  When the milk is cut off, feed barley and bran soaked with molasses water.  Put a pint of molasses in a pail of water and dampen feed with it.  This amount will dampen three bushels of feed. — W. M. Carruthers.

Winter Feed for Sheep.

What would be the best to sow for sheep pasture — barley, oats, rye, vetch or rape?

Of the grains, rye is usually found to be best for quick winter growth, and rye and vetches sown together are very satisfactory, because the rye holds the vetches up so that the whole growth can be more successfully handled with the mower, and if grown that way and fed green in a corral, a very large amount of good feed can be secured.  Sufficient experiments have not yet been made with rape to fully demonstrate its value.  Even if it grew well, it would be inferior in nutritive value to vetches and rye.

Balanced Rations.

What is a balanced ration for milk cows and brood sows?

When plenty of alfalfa is available many dairymen feed that alone.  It is better to feed a little corn, grain hay, beet pulp or the beets themselves to balance up the ration.  Some of the best concentrates to feed to offset alfalfa hay are ground barley and dried beet pulp.  The same thing can be said about the sows.  They will consume about 10 pounds of chopped alfalfa per day and all the skim-milk that is likely to be given them.  Not more than eight pounds of concentrates need be fed, of which one-fifth may be bran, the same amount, or more, of cocoanut oil cake, and the rest corn or barley.  With plenty of skim-milk and alfalfa, but little grain or other concentrates will be needed.  A few beets will also go well with alfalfa.

Pasture and Cover Crop.

I am thinking of sowing burr clover with rye to be plowed under in the spring.  Is it good policy to sow rye with clover?

Burr clover and rye would be very satisfactory for sowing, after the rains, to secure a winter growth for plowing under in March or April, or earlier if the growth should be large enough to warrant.  Such a cover crop can be pastured lightly to advantage.

Cutting Corn for Silage.

What is the best time to cut corn for the silo?  What length is it cut? 
Is water put on it when it is put in the silo?

The best time to cut corn for the silo is just as the kernels are beginning to glaze.  It is cut with a proper ensilage cutter into half or three-quarter inch lengths.  No water is used, unless the corn should be unusually dry, with shriveled leaves; in that case, the use of water to compensate for the loss of moisture in the stalks and leaves is desirable.