The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-06-19
AAgna1DUoNG0nuau
Corn Tor Fodder.

How many of our readers have prepar-
ed APIECE of ground on which to plant corn
either in drills or broad cast for fodder,
: Let us advise such as have not, to look
about them for assnitable lot, proportionet
in size to the stock to be fed through the
next winter. There is time enough yet.
We planted last year in July, and the
srelll;d we intended planting the present
I llas ll9ss crop of barley growing Oh
ft,ps ll,s l,li
! !
s,ss !ess .strei,
The land, of Ted off omit. We are not
fIite certnin that two crops, cut off when
the corn has como fully into tasscl, would
be more exhausting than one crop the
grain being allowed .c mature.
We have never made nm estimate of the
weight ofproyender made in this way per
5ssacre, but have seen various statements,
SGtinging from eighteen to onc hundred tons
in green state.-But suppose we can on
ly make ten tons, of which we have no
doubt from our own eXperiencc-would it
not be better business than TO pursue
the old and undoubtedly injurious practice
of stripping the blades from corn! We
say the undoubtedly injurious practice-it
may be doubted by some, but not by any
one who has made all experiment to test
the matter as we huvc DONE An account
OF the experiment, alluded to, was publish
ed a few years since in the GrcenviHe
lionntaincer, and re-pubiishcd in other
papers-but as many of our readers in all
probability never saw it, we will here give
all that IS essential OF it:
MIR. EDIToR:-I promised you n state
ment of the result Of an experiment made
to ascertain what loss corn would sustain
from being deprived OF its blades at the
usual time of taking fodder; and, also,
whether cutting the corn at the roots, after
the blades become dry to the ear, would
lesson the product.
Twelve short rows, as nearly equal in
appearance as could be found in the field,
were set apart for the experiment. OF
the twelve rows, Nos. /, 4, and 10
were left with the blades on until they
were generally dry to the ear, and on some
stocks even to the top, then cut off at the
roots and shocked" on the ield until the
other corn was gathered, then hauled in
and shocked from the stalk. Nos. 2, s.
8 and IL were left with the blades: and
Nos 3, 9, 0 and II were stripped of their
blades as late as is usual with us. Now
for the result:
Nos. l, 4, 7 and 10, when shcllci
measured d pecks, gallon, 2 quarts and
! pint, and weighed 70 l-2 lbs.
s. Nos. 2. 5. 8 and / |, measured pccks
1gallon, 2 quarts, and l 1-2 pint, and
weighed II 1-2 lbs.
!, Nos. 3, 6, 8, and 12, measured 4 pecks
l-2 pint, and weighed 55 lbs.
e'sThe fodder that that was taken from
the lastnunbers was carefully cured and
kept 70 itself, and weighed eighteen pounds
which, added 10 the corn from which il
was taken,i amounted to seventy-three
pounds, but one and a half pounds moro
than the corn alone from which no blades
were taken, and two anu a half more than
that cut off'ut the roots. The cxperimen
proves conclusively to my mind, what
long since believed, that by pulling fodde
we dapriyed the corn Of the weight, or ye
ry nearly so,of tho fodder when cured.--
Aud Furthermore that wewould he botte
elmp'olytead. ta.I' iIn'sr'ai,ng. hay 'llin in ,akin!
tpl9ef .'r2in oar corn, lneslec,cd TO men
g..p y3Fpssise iitfA ,'1at ts5 :sT-7