Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-10-17
ta&n@UVKlEU& NAH.



10 the Editor IF de .7'ae'ican Farmer.
SrR-In considerable portion Of the
state Of Maryland, the ofIal of corn, par
iicularly the blades and tops of the plants,
form very large share of the best winter
food of our horses and cattle. am told,
indeed, that the most knowing Of the
gentlemen of the turf consider nicely
cured blades as the choicest long food
for their nags, when in severest training.
Ii is generally supposed, however, that
stripping the plant at the time nccessa-
ny to secure the best crop Of fodder, de-
tracts more or less from the crop of corn,
by preventing the car and grain from
filing as perfectly, as they otherwise
would.-By some experiments of Mr..
Lorrain OF Pennsylvania, if | recollect
right, he states the loss at two nnths, or
more than 90 per cent. If this be the
fact, as this species of fodder is absolute
ly necessary to many farmers in both
Maryland and Virginia, and perhaps in
some other states, it is a question of no
small interest in what order these opera
tions may be performed with less injury
70 The crop of grain,-As regards the
crop OF provonder farmers pretty gene
rally agree, that the blades should be first
secured; but as regards the injury to the
crop of corn there is a great division OF
opinion. The gentlemen agriculturists
and theorists range themselves on the
side OF cutting the tops frst.--Theprac-
teal, the laboring farmers, small land
holders, tenants, and intelligent over
sccrs pull the blades frst.-Scvcral
years ago, al the usual time l pulled the
blades from every other row of corn on a
small piece Of my field, and cut the tops
of the alternate rows.-ln noting the ef-
fects of this experiment observed that
The blades, and the husks or cover ofthc
ears dried much faster on tie plants
without the tops than the blades Of the
tops ard husks ofthe ears on the plants,
that had been stripped of the blades be-
low the ears. And the object to be CT
fectcd in the order of the operations be-
ing to continue the nourishment to the
ear as long as possible, felt satisfied
that the facts in the case were with the
common farmers, and have ever since
pulled my blades first.
The theorists tell me, "you are GER
tainly wrong," for, say they, "you may
head down plant not only without inju
ny, but with advantage. II consider it
sufficient to reply, gentlemen, there is a
time for all things. Ifyou head down a
plant or tree early in the spring, it will
often put out more vigorous shoot /;
but if you head down this same plant or
tree in August or September, you will
not only stop its growth, but generally
kill it. Besides, says the practical far
mer, who has often performed the work
with his own hands, stripping the blade
offers little or no violence to the plant
for, if the plant be SO far advanced, that
the silk of the ear has become tolerably
dry, and the barrel of the blade, or that
part, which cncircles the stock, has be-
come tough, though the operation entire
Iy denued the stock, the ear is then so
nearly ripe, as not to be much injured
by it.-But in every field while many
plants are thus far advanced, and the
time has arrived, when you should be-
gin this work, many will still have the
silks more alive, and the blades fresh
and green. In this stage they will also
be brittle, and instead of the stocks be-
ing stripped by the operation, the stem Of
the blade will break at the barrel, leav-
ing a covering to the stock, and scarcely
wounding it. This view of the question
has long since settled my practice. But
when you add to these facts what APP
pears to be now we'll established, that
the food of plants ascends through the
heart or body of the trunk, and after be-
ing elaborated in the leaves, nourishes
the fruit, aid produces the principal in
crement of the plant in its descent UNI
der the skin; the perfect propriety of
leaving the top part of the plant undis-
turbed as long as possible, seems to be
established beyond controversy. In do
ing every thing, out of great choice OF
modes, there is but one best; and it is
of great consequence particularly in
agricultural operations to be certainly in
possession of the knowledge of this best.
Should these few remarks tend to fix the
order of these operations, they will be
far from useless. The work of saving
both the blades and tops ought if posi-
bic to be completed before the equinoc
tial storm, and this may generally be ct
ftcted, and under my view Of the sub