Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-09-18
Agricultural.
From the New England Farmer.
HARVESTING OF CORN.


The season for harvesting orr corn
crops will soon be upon US. The ex-
tremely hot weather which we have had
for fortnight past. prior to the late
storm, has placed much of the crop out of
the reach OF frost; and the yield almost
universally promises to be abundant
This may be pronounced the great cron
of New-England. 1t we have corn
enough, we shall have beef pork. and
poultry enough. We donot believe there
is any grain which, considered in all its
aspects and uses, is so valuable.
There are several modes of manaoino
the crop. The fodder and the grain: but
they are not equally eligible.
The first is to top the stalks after the
ear has become perfectly formed and
slightly glazed. There is great danger of
performing this operation too early
When done before the corn is generally
nardeDed. the exact experiments of Will
IAN Clark, Esq, of Northampton. of
John Lorain. of Pennsylvania, and 9th
ers, have demonstrated that the loss unon
the crop may amount to a quarter or a
nth OF what the crop would Otherwise be-.
The topping OF the stalks is, we believe.
an unnecessary. useless, and often PERM
cious labor. and therefore not to be advis-
| ed
The second method is to leave the cron
untouched until it is perfectly ripened.
and then to cut it up at bottom and carry
1t all into the barn and husk il. Some
gather it in the field and then cut the fod.
der. La either case, the corn by beino
thus left, is always exposed to suffer from
frost before it is perfectly ripened; and
the fodder it is believed, loses much of its
Esucculence and nutriment.
The third process is, after the ear is
glazed and the corn has passed beyond
the boiling or roasting state, to cut It uo
at bottom and let it dry in the shock. Tn
this way it is early taken out of the wav
OF the frost; the corn if properly menad-
ed rlpens perfectly and weighs more by
the bushel than if perfectly dried, as bv
the second method described, and the corn
fodder is dried with all its Juices retained
In 1t, and has richness and freshness
which render il particularly palatable TO
cattle and as nutritious for beef or milf
stock as any dry feed which can be oiven
70 them. This operation should be exc
cuted with care. Let hill occasionally
De lett Standing for support of the shock
against the wind. Bring as many arm
iuls OF the corn cut up as are sufficient to
make good sized shock around the
standlng hlll--set the bottoms we'll ont
and lie them all at the top with wish ~
straw, turning the head down. Rpt do
not hrst, as il often practiced, tie the corn
IN small bundles. In this way the corn
and fodder will cure perfectly. When It
is time to carry it in, slip a knife under
and an cut the Standing hill; pitch the whole
snock on TO the cart; and being loose and
easily handled by bringing the TOP of the
shock into your lap, it will be easily
husked A great deal of trouble will be
saved IN this way. Do not, as is often
done, carry out your corn and make vour
shocks upon the glass land, as in this
case the air will not circulate freely under
the shock, and therefore neither the corn
nor the fodder will dry perfectly. The
most intelligent farmers ia the State esti-
mate generally the value of the corn tod- |
osr on an acre ofcorn yielding forty bush.
els to The acre, well cured and saved as
equivalent for the feeding of any stock
I! !. ton OF English hay. Not few rate
u even higher than this. n. g