Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-07-16
Value of Fodder Corn.


"GIvE me good corn fodder, meal
and shorts fed with it, and can make
more and a better quality of milk than
l can with the same quantity of grain
with hay" This is the testimony of
Mr.. Wilbur, the proprietor of the well
known "LeMont Farm" near Newport,
r. l., and it is in general the testimony
of all farmers who have made thorough
trials of the feeding of fodder corn, in
diaries where the manufacture of milk
is the leading object. There has been,
in previous years, some controversy as
to the value of corn-stalks or fodder
corn, (not exactly one and the same
thing, however), but it has come to be
quite generally settled now, and settled
in favor of fodder corn as a most useful
green feeding crop. But it has also
been settled that, so far as the growing
of this crop is concerned, it must be
planted in drills and not sown broad
cast, as has sometimes been the prac-
tice. These drills must be at least
twenty inches apart, in order that sun
light and air may have free access to the
growing plants, for where sown broad
cast, the corn while growing does not
obtain sufficient sun to mature or sweet
en- its juices, and. hence, is not desira-
BILE for food. Or, as it is put by the veg
table Psychologists, all plants depend
for their healthy growth and nutrition
upon what is termed actinic light and
heat, and upon access of air, and any
plant which, in its growth, is de-
prived of these agencies, is alb
normal, and not suited for the food of
animals. Actual feeding experiments
the results of which have lately been given
by Prof. Goessmann--tendto to prove that
in green fodder corn, there are in di-
gestible form 73 per cent. of the nitro
genous matter, 20 per cent. OF the fat,
67 per cent. of the non-nitrogenous
matter, and 72 per cent of the cellulose
or cellular matter. The rate of digesti-
bility would be from 16 to 20 per cent
less in the dried state of the fodder; and
the fodder from the sweet corn varieties
is of far higher feeding value, pound fol
pound, over the yellow sorts, on account
of the to II per cent. of sugar which
it contains.
Orchard grass, Hungarian and rye are
used in considerable amount for greer
fodder purposes, and they have som'
advantages in this respect. But swee
corn is better than either, If properly
sown in drills, because it is easily cult
waited, may be planted at intervals a
deemed best throughout the season, anC
is more conveniently cut and handled
whgR wanted for the use of the stock
There is a disadvantage over the other
in curing it for winter use, but our re
marks have sole reference to its use il
the green condition. Corn in drills, fol
fodder purposes, may be sown up TO thu
middle of July at intervals of two weeks
and the farmer may at any sowing TAX
advantage of the peculiarities of tn
season to SOW more or less, on dry Liant
or moist, as the occasion war; .nts. b.
this means he is able to supplement tn
short pastures of late summer, or to pro
vide for deficiency of the hay croI
from certain fields, which the change
of the season may make probable. TAX
ing advantage of these peculiarities wi
allow him to secure the comfort an
health of his stock, and enhance his ow
profits.-NelO England Farmer.