Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-08-17
Corn HuSks--.Their Value.

Every farmer, if no one else, knows what
corn husks arc, and the economical one un-
derstands their value as fodder and especial.
y for mich cows. For feeding to cows Civ
ing milk they are equal to good hay, and the
milk and cream make yellower butter or even
for feeding TO any other horned stock and
/ this fact is becomming more generally un-
derstood whore stock is kept, so that a much
/ hghervalue is attached to them than 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 number Of
years, corn husks have been sought for by
manufacturers for making into husk mattress
SEES for beds, making a very good and durable
mattress. Every farmers family should
provide themselves with these economical
neat, easy, durable beds There is no neces-
sity Of going to the expense Of purchasing
from the trade, as equally good and more
durable ones may be made by any who can
command the husks, with good tick to hold
/ them.
The manufacturers usually strip the husks
in narrow strips. but there is no necessity Of
this, as more durable and equally comiorta-
/ bic ones TO repose on, are made from the
whole husks. | have q mattress which has
| been in constant use for nearly twenty years,
and bids fair to last as much longer, which
we made from husks while husking corn. |
selected the inner, soft and clean white husks,
rejecting the brown and weather-bcaton ones,
spread and dried them thoroughly under COW
er, aud then filled them into good strong
| tick, after the manner formerly practiced
with straw all the stems aud large butts
were rejected in selecting the husks, and if
/ kept well aired, or in a room where dampness
does not enter to gather, they will remain
perfectly sweet, as mine have, and good for
many years. | prefer not to have the bed
tackled, but left so that the husks may be stir
red as occasion requires. If one prefers a
tackled mattress, he can easily strip the husks
on an old fashioned tow hatchel, and then till
the tick or sack evenly and with a long nee
die and twine, tack through the mattress, as
those on sale are finished
Manufacturers send around among farmers
in this section, and collect corn husks, paying
fifty cents per hundred pounds, taking the
whole husks just as stripped from the corr
and stalks, which makes much less nice ar
ticle than the selected husks
Aside from their use as fodder and mat
tresscs, the corn husk is capable of being
made into paper, making an excellent articl,
of fine quality, suitable for variety of put
poses they also contain a long, straight auC
strong fibre, which may be spun like fax int
a thread, and woven into cloth of very dura
bic kind, superior to coarse materials in com
mon use. In the manufacture or extracting
this fibre, iarinaceous substance or residu,
is obtained, which by drying, etc, may b,
made into a sweet and wholesome article o
bread, and possesses the peculiar property 0
keeping sweet for several months when ex
posed to the air.
About GO per cent. Of the original DIR,
weight Of the husk is capable Of being util
lied in paper fibre and farnaccous matter
divided as follows: % per cent of fibre, !,
per cent. iarnaceous matter, and 30 per cen
of paper material A material of so unyer
sal production, and only incidental to the pro
duction Of the corn crop, and possessing 81
large proportional amount of intrinsic valu
should be carefully economical by the farmer
as it will add thus mnch to his acome.-W
!, H. White IN Tie Country Gentleman