Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-19
RR0AnCAsT CoRN

The precautlOn taken by many farmers
last year TO SOW corn broadcast for feeding
sock, when it was apparent that the hay
crop would be cut short, had the effect of
saving many dollars to those who had the
forethought to adopt the plan. We are well
satisfied by our own experience in the
premises that there is nothing more nutri-
tiOus, or at least more ravenOusly devOured
by cows, than the green fOddea thus rails
ed. 1t is not, perhaps, as fattening, but it
gives a keener appetite, and produces an in
creased flow of milk over other substantial
fOld. We had a lot which, from time to
time, wos thus planted for sOning, and our
only regret at the end Of the sea-
son was that we had not extended our
operations. A difficulty is found
with some in curing the fodder for winter
use. A careful Connecticut farmer, who
tried the sweet corn, in a communication to
the Ne,g England Farmer, under date of
Dec. p, says that up to that writing be had
given to his cows in milk very little fodder,
except soWed corn, and never has had them
do as well. Some part of this corn was
harvested while coming into bloom, and the
balance while in bloom, and he was unable
to see any difference in the quantity Ofmilk
produced by either. A considerable portion
of the corn was sweet corn, and was harvest
ed and cured in the best possible manner,
some of it by setting it in thin layers in the
stable and condensing # as it became dry.
He SAYS: "In my humble opinion, no feed
can make more and better milk than sweet
corn cured in this way" He suggests that,
with good care, corn might have been as
well cured by setting it up on each side Of
a pole in thin layers, adding layer as it
got little wilted, until a mass Of it had
accumulated so thick that no rain could wet
it through. At any time when a storm is
coming on, put on layer of green corn to
shelter that part that is partially cured, and
when put in the barn it will be as bright
and beautiful as the best roWen.
We hope that in the coming season this
provender will be more extensively raised
by all who have mich COWS, as it will be
found at the same time the cheapest as well
as the most nourishing, and, we think,
healthy food for mich cows.
A Vermont correspondent of the Ger
mantown Telegraph thus gives his expert
ments upon this subject and his mode Of
cultivation:
"In the first place, POT Of ground for
the express purpose of raising fodder-cOrn
ought to be in high states of cultivation
and pretty free from weeds. The best
place or plot that l have tried was mucky
hollow underdrained, being composed
mostly of vegetable matter to the depth of
three feet or more, one-eighth Of an acre of
which l plowed and spread one One-half of
a cord of good, fine manure, and narrowed
it in thoroughly. Then planted or drilled
the seed in with my cOrn-planter, the rows
two feet apart SO as to cultivate it;
planted twelve quarts Of seed on the
third day of June, and then took
nv feld-roller and rolled it; it came
up in four days and grew very rank. ran
the cultivator over it twice, taking one-half
hour each time; my man spent an hour fol-
lowing me each time with his hoe, which
was all that was done to it. cut it up,
which was just as the tasselS began to bios
som. 1t grew ten feet high, and there We're
800 bundles that averaged twenty pounds
each, green, making 5000 pounds, and
when dried they weighed 8 pounds each;
or raising nine tons to the acre Of excellent
dry fodder, which l believe to be worth
more per ton than the best hay that l ever
fed to mich COWS, for they ate every payti-
Gle of it, and gave large flow Of rich milk
while eating it. The corn was the COM
mon yellow, but I shall plant sweet corn for
fodder next year. Should have done so
this year but could not gel the seed"