The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-06-14
farm AND FIRESlDE,

Uses OF INDIAN CoRN.-B. F. John |
son, in writing to the Wisconsin Farmer
on the varieties and production of Indian
corn, sums up its uses in way that may
strike people as rather novel, inasmuch
as he puts the whisky product as first in
the list. He says:
1. The most profitable use of Indian
corn, in general sense, smanufacturing
it into aghisky-since it makes money for
the distiller, affords a large revenue to
the Government, and opens home mar
ket for the farmer, and sure market for
dishonest politicians and conspicuous
thieves, by putting the first out OF the
pale of respectable society, and the other
within the walls of the penitentiary.
?. In an agricultural sense, the most
profitable use of corn is found in the old
custom of the out-of-door feeding of hogs
and cattle; but in case prices advance
and when the country becomes older,
and labor lessons relatively in price,
when other foods than corn are culti-
waited for feeding, and there is less cost
in improvements, grinding and cooking
will be pretty sure to supersede the
present style of rough feeding.
8. Under certain set of circum-
stances, the most profitable use of Indian
corn is to suffer herds of cattle and hogs,
moving and feeding in company, to con-
sumo the standing crop on the ground
where grown.
4. Among the minor profitable uses
of Indian corn is soiling milch cows in
summer, and preparing whole green corn
for winter food for these and younger
stock, and the new process of the ensilage
of maize is recommended, since, if it sue
ceeds as we'll in our State as in the hot
and dry climate of the south of Europe,
it will afford dairymen the easy means of
securing succulent and nutritive milk
producing food during the winter
months.
5. The corn crop of 1869 having been es
timated in the census report of 1870 at
210,0OO,00O bushels, an advance each
year of ten per cent. over the previous
year would bring the crop up to the
enormous figures of $4,000, 1000 bushels
in 1875. An annual increase of five per
cent. would make the total for the same
year 354, 900, 900 bushels. But we really
know nothing about it. The commercial
classes take advantage of our ignorance,
and we are left at their mercy, which is
merciless; therefore, the adoption of ag-
ricultural statistics would be one of the
greatest boons the Legislature could
confer On the farming interests of the
State, and illustrate better than any
other essay could do, "Indian corn, its
varieties, its cultivation, and most profit
able uses"
Hoes NEED SULPHUR.-One singular
fact stated in the following paragraph,
which we take from the Louisiana Home
Journal, has been repeatedly corroborated
within the experience of the writer:
Whether hogs require sulphur as an
essential to health or whether it is sought
by them as condiment, may not be dis
covered. But one thing is true, they de-
your it with greed whenever it is to be
found. 1t is for this purpose probably
that they will eat large quantities of soft
coal, which contains large amount Of
sulphur. Perhaps this is the most
economical method of supplying hogs
with sulphur during winter, when they
require a good deal of carbon. But in
summer it is best to feed it to them in
substances which contain less carbon, Oh
account of their producing less heat
Mustard is one of the best things for this
purpose, and some of it should be sown
in every pasture into which the hogs are
turned. If hogs are kept in, Or are in
small yards, it is we'll to supply them
with wild mustard that grows in the
fields or highways, or to cultivate some
of the best varieties for them. They will
eat its leaves, its flowers, seeds and stalks
Some years ago we had occasion te
buy large quantity of Hooking Valley
(Ohio) coal. 1t was stored in lot in real
of factory, easily entered by the neigh
bors' hogs, which were permitted to ru1
at large in the town. On several occa
sions these hogs were observed to be eat
ing the coal, and became such a nuisanc
that they were excluded. They appeared
to select the purest Jumps, or those whicl
on the fire would yield the most tai
melting so to speak. These hogs were
many of them very fat, not seeming t
require food.