Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-01-11
farmers department.
WINTER EaunFoK STOCK

There is no doubt now that many farm.
er wishes he had sown little Indian corn
the past season, for the purpose Of eking out
the fodder for his 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 i,
had been generally adopted the past dry
season, would have been miliors Of dollars
in the pockets of the husband.men OF this
country, saved thousands of poor and al
most worthless cattle from the butchers
shambles, and other thousands from what is
akin to prolonged starvation.
Every farmer ought invariably to sow
one acre of Indian corn for fodder for every
ten head Of animals which he keeps. In
case Of drought, he will then obtain food
enough from this source alone to winter one
third his stock, which would have the effect
of lessening the price of hay, and enabling
him to retain Or sell his surplus stock 10
great advantage. American summers are
often dry, very dry. Improvident, 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 Indian 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 of itself after that
through the season, wet or dry. Sown n
drills ore or two feet apart, the corn soon
shades the ground, retains all the moisture
of the soil, and nightly gathers in by its
long, broad leaves, nearly enough from the
dews of heaven to keep it steadily along in
its growth. BY ploughing deep, it has the
additional advantage of sending its roots so
far below the surface of the soil as to be in
moist ground however dry it may be above.
Indian corn is tho greatest boon that a
benefcent Providence has yet sent to the
American farmer. With plenty Of the grain
and stalks of this invaluable plant on hand,
, he is never absolutely y in want, and can car
ry himself and stock through the severest
winter, and come out in the spring in good
condition. But its proper cultivation is not
half, or not even onefourth, in the United
States. The crops Of the grain may be
easily doubled, and the crop Of stalks be
quintuplcd, and all this with little additional
labor on the part of the farmer. With pro.
per ploughs, planters and cultivators, one
man and horse could as easily cultivate as
much corn on free soil as five men and
horses now do; aud we are of the opinion
that reaper may be so constructed as to
cut it when grown for fodder with nearly the
same facility as rye or wheat is now cut,
aud that other machinery could be iuvcrt d
to facilitate drying and stacking when want.
ed for winter fodder. Then comes the
horse.cutter, which, driven by single
horsepower, will cut ton Of stalks easily
in two hours, and a aeam.vat will prepare
it in two hours more in the very best manner
for stock, and very fond indeed, are they Of
it thus prepared, and one ton will do the
grateful animals as much good as two, or
perhaps three tons, thrown to them in the
ordinary manner in the open yard or field
5 We shall have more to say upon this subject
about planting time.-Cotton Planter.