The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-10-27
Save the Corn Fodder.

In most lOng-settled places anu
cultivated soils it can hardly be expect
ed to grow remuuerative crops without
manure, and rs large proportion oil
rural residents cannot afford to PUf-
cLa.e fertilizers or concentrated iced
for stock. consequently dependence must
be placed chiefly on the resources ol inc
farm. and among these resources we nave
more or less corn fodder, stalks, husks,
&c. which, if properly fed, make man
ure in proportion to the quantity and
quality fed. In my observations on
many farms, Us Ihave passed along the
travelled road, have been surprised TO
see the negligence prevalent in saving
the corn slower, which when properly SC
cured and fed, is one of the best fodder
crops we have. For mich COWS | had
rs soon have bright, fresh stalks,
and husks, well cured, as common hay.
Experienced has demonstrated that, fed
in connection with small portion Of
nav, cows will give more milk and
make more butter thus fed than on hay
alone. We, AS American farmers, are
proverbally wasteful in many respects,
and before we can become scientific,
economical farmers We must ,learn the
art of saving in small things as well
large. for the little atoms make up the
large ones. In the art OF economy and
saving very much can be learned by
Us from observing and needing the eXper-
ence of farmers in some parts OF tn"
Eastern continent. With land long
under cultivation, and dense population
10 be supported from the soil, experience
has taught them that the only way Is
to economiZe in everything.
If we wasted less We could feed more
stock, and thus make more manure 10
better feed and increase our crop, which
in turn would enable US to produce more
and better crops; this We Of the longer
settled States are gradually finding out.
We find thatlif we would make our farm
ing pay and be enabled to compete
in our home markets with the cultlva-
tors and productions Of virgin soils OF
more remote section, we must economIIe
i'm everything that can be turned to
account IN increasing the productlveness
of the soil. Corn is grown to some eN-
tent on all farms, and the slower, Ii econ
omIcallv saved and fed, would 60 far to-
wards lengthenIng out other stock feed.
Here it vii! pay to cut and chan the
stocks and soften them by sprlnkilng
them with hot water, either IN clos
ed box or IN q compact heap on the
barn floor. and covering them tightly
and additional benefit will be found II
light sprinkhng of meal, bran, or shorts
is added. After laying some twenty-iour
hours before feeding, the whole becomes
sottened SO that it is eaten with u relish
by sll kinds of stock, and little or moth
ing is left to waste; and not only that
but the effects following are rs highly
satisfactory as in feeding the more valub'e
hay. which will sell for double the.money
such has been the result Of my own
eXpcrieuce and observation n Limited
scale.
The harvesting Of corn and fodder
Is n matter of no small Importance rs
affecting both For the greatest profit
the corn should be cut up at the ground
after the kernel is glazed, before any
frost comes to sere the leaf, and Sc
currlv set up in stocks where 1t can re.
main few days TO mature the seed ana
partly cure the stalks. The corn Is then
huskgd and the stalks well bound IN
bundles suitable for handling, and these
again are set in stocks for further curing
tor a week or two; they are then carted
to the barn and housed where air can
circulate around, or stacked in well ven
tilated stacks and matched over. Great
difficulty is found in perscvering them
from mould when packed in solid bodies
ike mows.-Go,mtry Gentleman