Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-07-01
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Corr Fodder.

|
and more in favor every season. During
July the feed becomes dry and brown,
and COWS fall off In both milk and flesh
II there Is not some provision made for
tidlng over the time until fall rains have
revived the pastures, or the cattle are
turned into the newly seeded fields,
greatly to the detriment of the latter.
This habit. with the equally pernicious
one OF allowing stock to roam over
moving lands from the time the hay Is
cut until cold weather, is gradually
giving away to the sensible one of pro-
viding fodder crops. The stalk crop is
Of great Importance in this connection.
Corn for feeding both in a green state
during summer and dry one during
winter can hardly be overestimated in
value.
There is, indeed, but little if any diff
ference OF opinion as 10 the merits of
fodder though there exists u variety of
practices concerning the manner Of rails
ing and curing the crop. Sweet corn
has come to be preferred over other va
rieties for this purpose as there is not
near the waste TO this fodder there is TO
the gourd-sced sorts. The majority of
| farmers now drill the seed in, though
occasionally it is sown broadcast. A
plan which brings good results IS plant
ing in drills three feet apart (and about
six inches between the stalks). Thicker
planting will make more fodder, but il
loses in quality what is gained in guam
| tity. Many OF our best farmers are US
| ing only one to one and half bushels
of seed per acre. This amount gives "a
yield sufficiently thin TO allow the
stalks TO stand up in ordinary summer
weather to gain the full effect of sun
light and air For early use the first
planting of fodder corn should be early,
OF course, but the seed can be put IN any
| time during July with good results, rs
it makes heavy growth on land COM
| paratively dry and in dry weather.
During the season the crop ought TO
be cultivated several times. IL is hest
| TO begin as soon as the plants are out OF
the ground by running "A cultivator close
TO the rows. Corn fodder may be fed
green when two feet high.
All forage crops give best results
which are cut before they arc out Of
| bloom. Corn is no exception to this
rule, but owing TO the difficulty some
experience in curing it in an immature
state it is often allowed 70 become too
| ripe before cutting. Chemical analysis
has demonstrated that fodder deteri-
orates in two ways by standing, namely,
by the lessened proportion OF albumin
oids and by decreased digestibility.
Another objection to permitting the
stalks TO stand until the ears are per-
fected is that they grow so tall that
they are troublesome TO handle, and are
more liable to fall and lodge under a
hard stone. Furthermore, early-cut
fodder is in itself complete ration,
rich enough in albuminoids TO make
|
materials. Last, but by no means least,
the greener the crop when taken off the
land the less exhaustion 10 the soil
NeD York World.
Analysis or Root Crops.
From paper on the nutritive value of
root crops in the last report OF the Massa-
chusetts board Of agriculture, by ii. f.
Stockbridge, we take the following:
The most reliable chemical analysis of
the important root crops gives the fol-
| lowing results:
| Total amount OF heterogeneous
or F1esh-forming Material. Pounds
| In 900 pounds of potatoes. s............20. 3
In 900 pounds OF mangolds. ...........ll.2j
In 1000 pounds of sugar beets ........ 1000
In 900 pounds OF turnips. ....... l.25
In 900 pounds OF carrots .............l3 1912
! Total amount of Carbonaceous
or Fat-produciDg Material. Pounds.
| In 900 pounds OF potatoes s.............2 237. 4
| In | 600 pounds mBngods s.............. 1912
| In l 900 pounds Of sugar bceis ........ l74.f
In 900 pounds OF turnips. ............. sl.7
In 600 pounds OF carrots ........ 1891
BY comparison OF these figures it
will be seen that. as flesh producer
the potato stands first; while the sugar
beet comes last, containing rather less
than half the amount of nitrogenous
matter found in the former. As pro-
ducers of fat, potatoes stand first, closely
followed by carrots and beets, while
turnips and mangolds are far in the
rear. 1t therefore appears that were
the nutritive qualities of roots the only
b:lsis FOR our decision, potatoes would
be prominently the best root food for
all classes of animals, and that next to
them stands the frequently despised
carrot. But there is an item in guiding
to tho selection of the best root crop,
II possible, of far more importance
than the amount Of beef and fat
forming elements it contains. namely,
the cost OF production, and hence
the market value per pound to the nu-
triment they furnish. Experience has
fully demonstrated. that, in regard to
its yield, the case with which Ii is cul
tivated. and its freedom from disease
and insect pests. the sugar beet far sur
passes all other roots, and when 1t is
I taken into consideration that in nutri-
tive qualities It is only surpassed by the
: potato and carrot, both of which arc
. greatly inferior TO it rs producers, and
far exceed 1t in the cost of cultivation
1t must be conceded that the sugar bee,
is, all in all, much the most profitabl,
root we can grow, and is suitable alike
for young growing animals, fat cattle
horses, milch COWS; and even sheep anC
! swine might advants geously be treated
to an occasional meal of these paatabl,
and nutritious vegetables.
Recipes.
Q RAGoUT or BEEF.-One and hal
3 pounds of beef, either round or neck
e cut the meat in pieces two inche
e square, brown IL in butter or dripping
. nWa a.. L. a f. IL