New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-03-09
Burning Cornstalks.

| burning IOruStGalASs
AM aware that the burning of stub.
BILE, old straw stacks and cornstalks is
practiced by many of our Western
farmers, but by none, think, who
| rightly care for the future productive
ness of the soil. In the early years of
Western agriculture, when our fields
| were new and rich, and our plows less
fitted than now to turn the surface rub
bish of the harvested field under, the
torch was employed to make the ground
| clean for easy cultivation the next
year. When the chain was used to
sweep over the stubble just in front
of the mold board, and the plows were
so constructed as to keep bright in our
loose soil, the stubble was easily turned
under.
This is more particularly the cnse in
late years, since wheel plows, with roll
ing coulters, have come into general
use. BY this style of pillow, all stubble
and cornstalks are easily thrown to the
bottom Of the furrow, there to decay
and return to the soil, in part at least,
what it had yielded to mature the pre-
vioAs crop.
Then came the inventor with a re-
volving cornstalk cutter, enabling the
farmer readily to dispose of the corn
stalks by placing them just where they
should be placed-in the earth. This
implement we find to be one of the
most useful among the many new in
vcntions fo> those who make corn
raising speciality. With it, from ten
to fifteen acres of standing cornstalks
per day may, with one team of horses,
be so finely cut that there is no him
drance to running the old-fashioned
wooden-beam pillow. Only occasionally
do we find farmers nowadays who break
down and then burn their cornstalks,
and even they, l fear, must be classed
as slip-shod farmers. True, the corn
stalk cutter costs $50 or $40, but it
will last a lifetime, as it is constructed
wholly of iron and steel. When the
stalks are cut in pieces of about twelve
or fifteen inches in length, and thor
oughly turned under, we seldom find
the end of one appearing above ground,
to Interfere with free and satisfactory
cultivation of the next crop. More
time, I think, is spent in breaking down
and raking the stalks into winrows
than by the process of cutting them.
The work of burning them is likely to
be attended with some difficulty, as to
burn them freely they must be very
dry. If the weather should be damp,
delay of several days may be necessa-
ny for them to become sufficiently dry
to burn readily. This is serious OBJ
lection to the practicability of the plan.
Many affirm that the ashes from the
burned stubble and cornstalks so enrich
the soil as to justify the practice of
burning. Ashes from anything burned
are of more or less value when they can
be secured. But the quantity is SO
small that the advantage will be hardly
perceptible; besides, western April
winds are not particularly favorable to
the hope of utilizing the ashes. One
who has the least acquaintance with
our spring breezes, if he cares much for
his .cornstalk ashes, will naturally be
put the probability is that his neighbours
field will be as much benefited as his
own: When turned under by the pillow,
all there is in ashes or other elements
in stubble, cornstalks, weeds, or any
vegetable growth whatever, goes back
to the soil to decay, and keep the soil
loose and lively; whereas, when vege-
table matter of all kinds is yearly taken
away, the soil in a few years becomes
sterile and unfruitful, and when plowed
is lumpy, or of a tenacious nature.
Plow under all that remains when the
harvest is gathered, and the soil will be
friable and mellow, and of course will
be enriched to no small extent.
Some farmers are in the belief that
the burning Of cornstalks disposes more
or less of the chinch bugs, thinking that
these little pests deposit their eggs in
the fall, under that part of the leaf
which encircles the stalk, at and neal
the joints, thus having secured winter
quarters. This belief, I think, is er-
roneous, as have sought repeatedly to
find them, but have always failed. AS
was the custom among MANY of our
early settlers, after the cattle had free
access to all sides of the straw stack
during the winter, and the stacking
and threshing were done almost any
where on the farm, the remaining pile
of straw was burned. to be out Of the
way. There was no desire for large
quantity OF manure from cattle drop
pings, and the straw, if left till fall,
would furnish good supply of manure.
Now this STRENGTHENING is, for the most
part, abandoned. The straw, when
allowed to remain in stack to be nib
bled at by the young stock in the win
ter season, is spread out in spring in
way favorable to rapid decomposition,
and in the fall an abundant supply of
well-rotted straw is ready for any field
on the farm. Even could the ashes from
burning be secured, the benefit to the
soil would be very small, indeed, COM
pared with the many loads of rich vege-
table manure produced by natures own
process. 1t would thus seem that to
use the fire brand to dispose of what
nature demands to preserve her pro-