Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-05-31

81, was held in the discussion at the New York
State Fair. that corn In orchards IL an advantage
owing o. the cultivation which the land receives
and II was further mentioned IN the remarks that
corn sown for fodder in which case there are no
ears to draw substance nom the soil. improved
rather than depleted the land. by the vegetable
matter which the roots furnish the soil. This is
on the principle that land improves hy grazing
The grass is led off without going To- seed The
cases are parallel, As corn h a grass IL Is en-
coumging To those who grow fodder corn that this
is 49, Good crops can thus be realized for feeding
green during the summer; or, II not all needed,
cured for winter feed, the land remaining the
same, or better fitted for other equally good or
superior crops Glover is still more beneficial To
land The two should he more grown, especially
for the purpose Of feeding IN a drought OF when
the grass becomes rank and bard and also rs
feed during the hot DAYS, particularly the hot
moons, when cows should put up or have access
to shade, aud then fed. Cows giving milk should
he thus treated n exposure ~ the hot sun hegets
fever, and the effect Is communicated a. the milk.
--fo,u,tIV Gentlemen.
Either the report given in the above is in
accurate Gas often happens), or the speakers
did not thoroughly comprehend the subject
discussed. Fodder corn is not generally cut
until the tassels are dry aud the grain fully
formed. AZ that time the plant has taken
from the soil nearly all the fertlizing ma
terial necessary 10 the complete maturity of
the grain, aud holds it, still in soluble
| form, in the stalks and leaves. 1t is then in
the very best condition to cut But being
cut aud carried off the ground, this iertilz
ing matter is removed with it, and although
returned TO the manure heap after feeding
so far As that particular field for that season
is concerned, the loss is not materially less
than when the corn is allowed to ripen
But the fodderis in better state for feeding
as much saccharue and albuminous matter
which would have been deposited in the seed
remains in the stalks. In what we have said
we refer, of course, to fodder corn that is SC
sown aud cultivated as to form ears
The case is not at all parallel to the case
Of grass fed off by pasturage, or of tumip'
eaten in the field by sheep, for the crop i,
carried away in one case, and the manure
made from it may 60 to another field Will,
in the eases cited the manure is left upoI
the ground and cnriches it for the succeed
ing crop. But fodder corn is an excelen
and profitable crop, when rightly grown
handled and fed
The comparison with clover is also de
fectve As is said, corn is grass, bu
clover is no', though as a forage crop it j
often so called in common language TIN
true grasses do not have the same power o
accommodating nitrogen and mineral matte
in the roots, that clover has, neither do the,
make such numerous and deep running roots
Further than that, they depend mainly upol
the soil Tor their nitrogen, while clover take
a considerable share of its supply of thi
necessary and costly fertilizer from the at
mosphere. This power enables Us to tax
off the clover, as hay or green feed, and We
leave the land as good, if not better, than be
fore, on account of the vast root growth re
naming. We doubt if any true grass wil
do this and corn, probably least of all, sine
the weight Of its top is so vastly more, il
proportion to its root growth, than clover
Rye comes the nearest to clover in this r,
spect, of all the true grasses.