Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-05-29

There is wide difference between fod-
grown as forage for cattle, is usually sown
broadcast, or in drills, at the rate of from
TWO to four bushels per acre, seeding with
some large variety of western or southern
com, making II swamp of green foliage,
succulrnt, but not nutritious. Plants of
corn grown thus contain ninely-three per
cent and upwards of water, u g cd sub,
slitute for water in time of drought. when
some farmers must drive their herds
II long distance TO slake the cattle thirst.
Such forage will do but little in tile milk
or beef producing line, n conclusion to
which many farmers have arrived, after
having tried it green. as well rs wiltcd,
which latter is some improvement on the
former. Farmers have also tried to cure
it, but have become disguised with it in
every form. If by chance there is ii long
time of dry weather. it may he cured BY
stacking up the stocks, or hanging the
bundles across the fence However hand
led, its value is very small, and its worth
but little more than the same weight ol
swamp flags. Hence many intelligent
observing farmers, have turned their at
lention to Il better substitute for green
pastures, an IL full hay crop.
Instead of the former practice of lavish
ing from two to four bushels of seed per
acre, to produce an almost worthless crop,
from six 10 ten quarts of some large vari
elies of sweet corn are sown in drills, well
manfred, and us early us the ground is
warm enough to terminate corn. When
tI,.. lt l,rn -,
loe, the cultivate should he run through
between the rows us for IL field crop. With
such treatment it will expand and cover
the ground, ut the same time earring out
quite heavily. " hen tie time arrives
mat the fodder is needed to supplement
he short pasture, commence to cut it,
doing The same the day before it is to be
used, that it may wilt thus enhancing
very much the nutriment in II given q,rtu-
tity. Continue t. cut IT'S wanted for ieed
ny, until the corn is full milk, then cut
1t all, and stock rs is usual with the hrlu
crop. 1t has sufficient stamina to stand
securely for any length of time.
Continue using this fodder corn while it
lasts, and the longer the better Tor the in
ltrest of the dairymen, since from this
kind of feed butter or cheese can lie made
as extensively and Of us fine quality, dur
ing the entire fall, lis from the best pas
lures in June. This practice obviales the
necessity of tuning the cows upon the
meadows, to sap the next years crop, a>
too many feel obliged to do 10 keep the
cows from failing altogether. This kind
of fodder will yield from eight to ten tons
of dry feed per acre. Some dairymen
think to extend the profits OF the crop by
plucking off some oil the ears for the hogs,
before feeding the fodder corn to the cows
but it is IL reprehensble practice. AS IN
old Quaker once SAID in describing the
progress of cheese. making, that "some
people remove in the morning the yellow
the night, but he always let it remain,
and liked the cheese rather the better
for it." So with the cows; they prefer
the fodder rather as nature has left it.
Now for the reason why fodder of the
last description is far more valuable than
the kind described at the head of this
article: The corn plant grown in dense
mass, without caring. contains very little
starch, or sugar; in fact any barren stalk
of corn, grown in IL field crop, has but a
small amount of sugar as against one
that produdes corn. The barren stalk is
destitute of the constituents which nature
has provided to furnish the nutriment re-
quired to perfect the ear, of which the
stalk partakes literally at the same time,
thus increasing its value over the barren
stalk. In northern Vermont and New
Hampshire the Sanford white corn is be-
ing grown quite extensively for fodder,
aud this is probably the next best variety
to the sweet corn, since cattle eat it quite
Dairymen ueed have 20 fears that the
cattle will reject The butts, however large,
clean if The sweet varieties are grown. No
prudent farmer should neglect 10 provide
against short crop of grass, when he
deliberately counts the cost of so doing
an Old Farmer, Natick, Mass, IN Ameri.
Gun CultiUator.
find that the prejudice against corn
fodder soon disappears when the farmer
begins to Use it. The objection which farm
ers urge against it are, first, that it is
heavy work cutting the fodder; second
that it icreases the labor of husking; and
third, that the butts are Il nuisance in the
stable. am willing to allow all of these
objections, but will offer, to offset them
the following, which an experience oil
twenty years in which have made corn
folder my principal feed, has demonstr;,-
ted:
First, well cured corn fodder is the bes
rough feed for horses or cattle that can be
had. When | say the best, | mean thai
they like il best aud that it agrees best
with them fed, the past winter, eigh
COWS and five horses and mules on fodder
and they kept in healthy condition, ant
not one Of them was ns,ipated or lost 4
feed all winter Second there is little OF
no risk in curing it. At the season wher
we must make hay the weather is very of
ten showery, and patty cured hay thai
gets wet is much damaged thereby. Fod
der Can be AZ once put in the snock, and
have never seen fall in which il di. not
cure. Third, it is the cheapest of all feed
| for stock. as it costs nothing but the mere
handling, and with rye straw or some 9th
er good lnds it can he made into conven-
lent sized bundles, and can be handled and
stacked us easily rs hay. Fourth, by saw
ing all Of our corn folder we are enabled
to pasture the land that would otherwise
be moved. and every intelligent farmer
knows that land improves rapidly when
pastured, and when mowed-particuIorly
when allowed to stand until the 81 ed rip
ems, rs is the practice OF 81 many of our
fal mers-I doubt if it receives much ben
eft.-OorrespondeHt Of Ohio Farmer.