Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-08-29
Cutting and Curing Fodder Corn.

The fodder corn crop is one that mer-
its not only fitting preparation of
ground and good culture, but it calls
for special care in harvesting and cur
ing for winter use. In this country as
yet the perfect curing of fodder corn is
q somewhat difficult operation to many
farmers. French cultivators, who give
considerable attention to the crop, are
beginning to adopt the ensilage system
of preserving fodder, which has but
few experimenters in this country.
Here old method improvements are be-
ing made from season to season.
The difficulty of curing and saving
corn in its immature state tempts many
into allowing their fodder corn to be-
come too ripe before cutting. Corn,
however, is no exception to other for
age crops in this respect, but ought to
be cut for best results before it is out of
bloom. Chemical analysis has shown
that fodder deteriorates in two ways by
standing in the field, Vtz., by the less
ened proportion of albumenoids and
by decreased digestibility. A minor
objection to the crops standing until all
the ears are formed is that the stalks
grow so tall that they are troublesome
to handle and are liable to fall and
lodge under storms. Furthermore, ear
ly-cut fodder is in itself complete ra-
ton rich enough in albun1inoids to
make good food without mixing with
other materials; and last, but by no
means least important, the early-cut
crop, according to the experience of
host of practical cultivators, causes
less exhaustion to the soil. Therefore
the advice to cut fodder corn before it
is out of bloom.
Corn for fodder should be harvested
when it is dry and in fair weather; if
possible let it be put in shocks and
stand until cured, when it ought to have
shelter either in barns, sheds or stacks.
AS it is somewhat difficult to cure corn
fodder-owing to the quantity of water
it contains-so that it can be stored in
bulk without danger of heating, numer-
GUS devices have been applied to assist
in the operation. An ingenious plan
practiced in some sections consists of
driving two crotched sticks into the
ground and in the crotches laying
pole, against which the fodder Is stacked
to cure. The corn is piled on until
about fifteen inches thick. The ends
are left open for free circulation of
air. When the fodder is quite dry it is
bound in bundles and housed or stacked.
Many farmers advocate the following
method against the wholesale way of
cutting fodder with reaping machine
and gathering it like hay with rakes
"Cut the stalks with common light
corn-cutter, with the corn-eutter
in the right hand and the cut
corn under the left arm, and with
out dropping it on the ground form it
into erect snug shocks. BY this ar
rangement it is contended that the fod-
der will dry we'll as it stands and may
be allowed to remain all winter.
Not few of our best farmers build
some sort of a rack in preference to
storing their fodder in a barn, even
when they have plenty of space, be-
cause they believe it will not dry out
and crumble up to the same extent.
An Ohio farmer of some twenty years.
or more experience in the matter at
hand, after trying various ways of
stacking fodder, prefers the following
to all other modes, as none but the
butts are exposed to the weather. and a
large quantity can be placed close by
the feeding place. He puts fifty shocks
of one hundred hills each in a stack. A
few sticks are placed on the ground to
raise up the center of the stack in order
to shed rain from the butts throughout
the entire stack. The stack is made of
such diameter as to allow the tops of
the bundles to lap and thus keep up the
center, a single row of bundles only
forming the circle. The finishing of
the stack is in form similar to an ordi-
nary 100-hill shock and well tied with a
band. If snow or sleet storm occurs,
or very heavy rain, an entire course
is Immediately removed and set on end
until fed.
A rick of any length desired may be
constructed by first laying in a spot
where water will not stand a few
sheaves or bundles lengthwise or the
direction the stack is to be made,
in order to raise the center; then
lay the sheaves crosswise with
the butts out, tapping them suf-
ficiently to keep the center highest
all the while. Build as high as is con-
venient and finish as you build; top out
by laying few sheaves lengthwise in
the middle, over which stand others
slanting so as to form a roof Begin
feeding from the end you left off. A
fodder stack is not infrequently built,
and very sensibly, too, with column
of ventilators running through the CEN
tern. Y. World.