Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-12-24
COR.V HUSKs-THRFR I.rLUB.

Every farmer, if no one else, knows what
corn husks are, and the economical one un-
| derstands their value as fodder, and es-
pecially for milch cows. For feeding to
cows giving milk they are equal TO good
hay, and the milk and cream make yellow
er butter-or even for feeding to any other
horned stock, and this fact is becoming
moro generally understood where stock is
kept, so that much higher value is at
tached to them formerly, and more pains
are taken to save them for feeding purposes.
But perhaps it is not so generally known
that corn husks are applied TO a variety of
purposes other than feeding, in the trades,
manufactures, etc. For quite a number of
years, corn huslSs have been sought for by
manufacturers for making into husk mat
tresses, for beds, making a very good and
durable mattress. Every farmers family
should provide themselves with these eco
nomical, neat, easy and durable beds.
There is no necessity of going to the ex-
Npense of purchasing from the trade, as
equally good and more durable ones may
be made by any who can csmmand the
husks, with good tick to hold them.
The manufacturers usually strip the
husks in narrow strips, but there is no ne
cessity fthis, as more durable and equally
comfortable ones to repose on, are made
from the whole husks / have a mattress
which has been in constant use for nearly
twenty years. and bids fair to last as much
longer, which we made from huslSs while
husking corn. 1 selected the inner, soft
and clean white husks, rejecting the brown
and weather-beaten ones, spread and dried
them thoroughly under cover, and then
filled them into good strong tick, after
tire manner formerly practced with straw
all the stems and large butts were rejected
in selecting the husks, and if kept well
aired, or in room where dampness docs
not enter to gather, they will remain per-
fectly sweet, as mine have, and good for
many years. 1 prefer not to have the bed
tackled, but left SO that the husks may be
stirred as occasion requires. If one prefers
tackled mattress, he can easily strip the
husks ON an old fashioned tow hatchel, and |
the fill then tick or sack evenly, and with |
long needle and twine, tack through the |
mattress, as those on sale are finished
Manufacturers send around among far |
paying fifty cents per hundred pounds, taxi |
ing thesYhole husks just as stripped from |
the corn and stalks, which makes much |
less nice article than the selected husks.
Aside from their use as fodder and mat !
tresses, the corn husk is capable of being |
made into paper, making an excellent arti- |
Gle of fine quality, suitable for variety of |
purposes; they also contain long, straight |
and strong fibre, which may be spun like
flax into a thread, and woven into cloth of
very durable kind, superior to coarse ma
terials in common use. In the manufac-
ture or extracting this fibre, farinaceous
substance or residue is obtained, which by
drying ETC., may be made into a sweet and
wholesome article of bread, and possesses
the peculiar property Of keeping sweet for
several months when exposed to air.
About 60 per cent OF the original drv
weight of the husk is capable of being utii-
lied in paper, fibre and iarinaceous matter.
divided as follows:-25 per cent of fibre Is |
per cent farinaceous matter, and 20 per cent |
OF paper material. material of so uni !
versal production, and only incidental to
khe production Of he corn crop and nos |
sossing so large proportional amount of
intrinsic value should be carefully econo-
mized by the farmer, as it will add thus
much to his income.-W. II. White, in the
Country Gentleman.