The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-02-21
Food for Animals;

One vast source VI 1OOu 1OI IlfIn dnl-
mails is an entire loss to the vast portions
Of the South, part of Virginia and Ten
nessee being the only exceptions-we
allude to the corn stalk.
AS invariably practiced in the South
the stalk is left to dry and rot or to be
burned when dry in the field. In the
North the stalk is cut down while the
blades are green and put up in shocks in
the field, being supported by some few
stalks not cut, the tops brought together
and tied, the cut corn stood up all around
and when shock is completed tied thus,
there to cure, and when corn is dry it is
':husked," or as we call it, shucked," !"
hauled into the house and the stalks also
the latter passed through cutting box
steamed and fed to stock. Those who
have bestowed attention to the matter
know that more flour is made from wheat
cut when the grain is in the dough state
before ripe, when the milk of grain has
maturcd into frmness just TO dough,
mashing by thumb and finger, than if
the grain be permitted to ripen in the
field. At the same time stalk and blade
has nutritive matter where, as when fully
ripe, this nutritive matter is used up in
forming the woody matter of the stem.
All grain for feeding should be cut ten
or fifteen days before maturity, because
all the food giving principles is there and
the indigestible woody fibre has not been
made at the expense of the sugar and
gum in the plant; of course, if there be
woody matter largely found in the corn
stalk, there was largely Of sugar and
gum to make this, and it has been made
to tho loss Of the principles which are
advantageous as food, Many think the
corn will shrivel up and there will be a
great loss We know not how it will do
in the South but we have seen hundreds
and hundreds of acres cut down at the
North and we have no doubt that all corn
on thriving farms is SO done.
If oats be cut ten days before ripe we
know the stalk will all be eaten if cutup,
or better thrcslfed and cut up, little
meal and salt water added. If there be
nutrition in the stalk Of oats why not in
the stalk of corn? There is no doubt of
tho fact that for feeding purposes, if small
grain be cut at a proper time, ten or fif-
teen days before ripe, that they are great
ly superior feeding and we cannot see
why corn is an exception. Corn is but
the mammoth grass; all grasses, VIC be-
lieve, give moro nutritivo matter if cut
before ripe. Why should corn be an ex-
ccption? Our fathers knew d great deal
and they are worthy of imitation, in all
that is right at least, but they may not
have known everything, and we should
improve on what they have bequeathed
us.
We have firm faith that in ten years
we, of the South, will be on the highway
of prosperity, and in twenty-five years
or less, the South will again be the con.
trolling spirit in this extended nation, OF
whatever is the proper name. Nation is
it now, but we hope ere long it will be
once more republic. We would there.
fore urge our fellows to begin to husband
every resource, and call into our aid cv-
cry improvement and fail not to take into
count the small grains. If the corn CROP
can be made, as we hope and believe, en-
tircly available, this grain alone will be G
net income equal to all State expenses
Southern Ruralist.