The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-11-30
Winter Food for Stock.

There is no doubt now tn at many q
farmer wishes he had sown little Indian
corn the past season, for tho purpose of
eking out the fodder for bis halfstarving
cattle during the present winter. Sowing
Indian corn for fodder is one of those new
practices which have come into vogue
among enlightened farmers within the
last ten years; and if it had been generally
adopted the past dry season, would have
been millions ofdollars in the pockets of
the husbandmen of this country, saved
thousands Of poor and worthless cattle
from the butchers shambles, and other
thousands from what is akin, prolonged
starvation.
Every farmer ought invariably to SOW
one acre Of Indian corn for fodder for
every ten head of animals which he keeps.
| I----- -. ..ock WHICH, "ouTu nS'0
the effect Of lessening the price of hay, lands
enable him to retain or sell his surplus.
stock to great advantage. American
summers are often dry, very dry. I'M
provident, indeed, then, is that man who
depends entirely on grass for his stock:
for dry season cuts off from one-third
to two-thirds of his crop. But with In
dian corn it has not the same effect
Plough deep, manure well, and let the
corn get one months start, and it will take
pretty good care ofitself after that through
the season, wet or dry. Sow in drills one
OF two feet apart. the corn soon shades
the ground, retains all the moisture Of the
sell, and nightly gathers in by its long,
= broad leaves, nearly enough from the
# dews of heaven to keep it steadily along
n in its growth. BY ploughing deep, it has
y the additional advantage Of sending its
q roots so far below the surface Of the soil
d as to be in moist ground, however dry 1t
G may be above.
Indian corn is the greatest boon that q
= benefcent Providence has yet sent to the
At American farmer. With plenty Of the
ID grain and stalks Of this invaluable plant
to on hand, he is never absolutely in want
lr and can carry himself and stock through
= i0 the severest winter, and como out in tht
N spring in good condition. But its propel
se cultivation is not yet half, no, not aver
a one fourth, in the United States. Th'
es crops of the grain may be easily doubled
Rs y, and the crop Of stalks be quintupled, am
d: all this with little additional labor on tn
ct part Of the farmer. With proper plough
ICE planters and cultivators, one man and
DIV horss could as easily cultivate as muc
m ~: corn on free soil as FIVE men and horse
,rv now do; and we are Of the opinion ths
lly a reaper may be so constructed as to cr
ev- j, when grown for fodder with nearly III
Is same facility as rye or wheat is now Gu
srr. aa: and that other machinery could be inve'
AZ ted to facilitate drying and stacking wh'
,at- wanted for winter fodder. Then com
hip the hone-cutter, which, driven by sing
ppy horsepower, will cut ton Of stalks easi
- in two hours, and = stcamyat will pl
pare It in two housa more in the very b
but manner for stock, and very fond, inde
but are they Of It thus prepared, and one =
i'' will do the gratsfal animals ss much go
"a as two, or perhaps three tons, fhrown
, them in the ordinary manner 10 the op
Sos' yard or field. We ahall have more
'na' say upon this subject about planting tir
re- Cotton PIantsr.