Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-05-22
For the VERMONT FARMER.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT FODDER
CORN.

The writer would like TO counsel with his
brethren of the pillow in regard to the raising
of corn for fodder. His experience, howev-
er, in this line is so limited he will not pre-
sumo to instruct, but simply give his expert
ence in the matter the past year. A simple
trial has brought firm conviction that limit
ed amount of land and labor cannot be de-
voted to any farw product which will secure
better return, in word, pay any better
than the raising of this article.
Judging by the present season, we must
calculate on feeding our stock at least six
months, or from the middle OF November to
the middle of May In fact, the indications
are quite strong at the present time MAY
Sth) that stock, even to sheep, will need
feeding till June, if not later. Such being
the " situation" it follows as the day follows
the night. that those manifest the greatest
amount Of wisdom who try to secure the
greatest amount of feed from the land they
cultivate, and the labor and manure which
they expend.
What kind of corn to raise for this purpose,
and how to raise and cure it, are still open
questions to be decided by experience and
future trials
But to the writer's experience spoken of.
Last spring, after the seed for the standard
crops was placed in the ground about three.
fourths of an acre Of pretty well run-out
sward land was broken up, and quite liber-
ally manured on the top of the furrows and
then narrowed and then about three bushels
of western or horse tooth corn sownsbroad-
cast and narrowed in. Alter this | sowed
clover and herds grass, and carefully brushed
the ground, going over it with hoe
to finish smoothing the surface. am con-
vinced putting in the grass seed with the
corn was a mistake. 1t should rather have
been sown after the corn was taken off, as
the dense growth Of the corn, especially
where it lodged, quite effectually smothered
the young and tender grass.
1t was my intention to cure by cutting and
standing up with " horse as il it had
been sown in drills, but the PROSTATE condi.
tion Of the crop entirely forbade this. So
the next best way was resorted to. | took
an old-lashioned bush scythe and moved il
as we'll as could; finding it, however, a
somewhat tedious job. THIS was done some
days before any frost, which of course would
spoil it.
Such large amount OF growth must, o
course, lie some time to cure, and encounter
more or less storms These do not seem Il
spoil it as they do grass or grain. had t.
turn it over several times, but finally founC
il in fair condition to cart. This was dom
by first taking a fork and pitching it int
windrows, and then handling as one woulC
moved grain.
The product was seven fair sized car
loads from the three-fourths of an acre.
scattered il around as much as the condition
Of my barns aud sheds would allow.
have fed it with other fodder through th
winter, aud am sure it has done as mucI
service as would four times the amount o
grass the ground on which it grew woul'
have produced. | have some Of it still, ant
the cattle seem we'll pleased TO hear it rat
tling towards their mAnger, | think bar
rel would hold all the erts from the Who'll
seven loads.
A word about a mistake which man,
farmers make in feeding all their corn fod
der in rhe fall. 1t should be fed with othe
fodder through the winter, thus helping t
( secure a variety Of feed quite conducive t
the comfort aud health Of stock.
Northfeld, MaV 8. ID. i. A.