Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-10-18
AGRICULTURAL
save the Corn Stalks.

An American farmer, travelling in En'
cope, is struck by nothing more than the |
ewefulness with which everything Is saced' |
Poor Richard must have got his proverb /
about the "penny saved from across The
sea. There, all corn stalks, every wisp OF
straw or hay that can be converted into
fodder or manure, is assiduously CLEANED
up and put to some good account. Amer'-
cans throw away; Europeans economize.
IL we wasted less annually, we could feed
more stock, and so manure more land
Some time or other, perhaps we shall find
ihs out.
Let us consider economy as it relates to
corn stalks. For horned cattle especially,
this is first rate feed. Our horses will claim
the best Of hay, or Gu, straw, or both. lei,
If stalks are well cured, then cut fine and
mixed with meal, they make good relish
for horses, food on which they seldom
suffer from heaves. Sheep will get along
with oat and pea-straw, with a few turnps
and little grain sandwiched between.
Cows and oxen will take kindly to stalks,
and waste little if properly managed.
The cutting and harvesting Is matter
Of considerable importance. Cut them as
soon as the ears are well glazed, and before
hard frosts have wilted aud dried up the
leaves like chips. After being cut and
stocked, they may remain in the field until
the corn can be husked. And when the
huskine is done, care should be taken not
10 scatter the stalks upon the ground.
On some dry day in the latter part OF this
month (October), let the stocks be carried
to the side of the barn-yard, where, on
low platform of loose poles or rails a foot
or SO from the ground, they can be stacked
A strong pole is TO be set up in the center
If the staging. Around this, lay up the
stack, alternating the butts and the tops
and leaving small aperture around thu
pole for ventilation. If layer of bright
straw is put in the stack, once in two O
three feet, it will help to prevent mustlness
and the straw, absorbing the flavor OF tn
stalks, will be quite palatable to the stock
Nor viii il be labor lost, if peck or SO Q
salt is scattered in each stack as it goes ur
When raised to the proper hight, it is goo
economy 10 cover the stack with straw lai
sloping SO as to shed rain. =
Now, does some tyro ask how to feed on
stalks 50 as to avoid waste? We reply
no rack that we have ever seen, will pre-
vent stalks from getting out and under tn
animals feet. If they are fed in stanchion
or stalls, il takes great deal Of time dali
to clean out the refuse stalks. Ii they ar
fed out in scattered heaps around the barn
yard, they will soon be trampled upon, an
soiled, and when they have once been sat
urated with liquid manure, cattle will ne
touch them. We say, then, do not fee
stalks in mild weather. Wait until tn
ground is frozen; the cattle will have keer
er appettes, and the ground being hard an
dry, the stalks will not get wet or soile'
and will be nibbled pretty close and clear
In thawing weather, feed out hay or stra
in racks, where it will not be wasted.
A still closer economy will Gu. up III
stalks fine with straw cutter and feed thel
out with meal, steamed and mixed togeihe
small farmer may do this, and cut Il
stalks with his own hands. But he wi
keeps much stock, will have to use hors
power for cutting, otherwise his patien'
will soon give out.