The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-07-09

auu IN y ury stale, mas becOme one I'll
the staple crops. Sweet corn IL the sort
very generally preferred Cor fodder.
While mo-, making 80 large . growth ~
some kinds. there IL le.s waste In feed.
Ing than in the gourd varieties, because
cattle will en-, large proportion ii the
stalk. Sweet corn IL, however, more
difficult To- cure, being liable To mold,
aud for this rca.on some farmers prac.
tee sowing field curn when the fodder
!. required Tor winter u.c. Bloun,'s Pro.
liiic corn, owing b. it, large yield, has
proved popular sort In some sections
tor fodder.
Corn for fodder Il still occasionally
sown broadcast, bu, NJ q rule this prac.
ticc j. not advised. The seed IL usually
drilled in with sufficient space between
rows In insure the asr and sunshine hav.
Ing Tree access to the plants. A plan
bringing good results Is planting in drills
three feet apart, with about ten kernels
dropped per foot. Thicker planting
viii make more fodder, but the quality
will be poor. Many Of our most sue.
oc-siul farmers are using only one To
one and half bushels ot sod Ia an
acre. Thi. amount grows q yield sulli.
GENTLY thin 10 allow the stalks tn stand
up In ordinary summer weather. When
sown excessively thick the fodder Is
liable Ia lodge, under heavy storms,
losing afterward the beneficial effects VI
ample sunlight aud ventilation, and
often rotting In consequence ON the
ground.
For early feeding. the first planting q
fodder corn should be early, oi course.
Much of the seed Ia put In, however,
during June aud July with good results.
as this crop makes heavy growth on
land comparatively dry, and in dry
weather.
rs soon ~ the plants arc two or three
inches high cu;tivator may be run
close to the rows. The crop ought 10 be
cultivated two ar three times, for hes,
results. The fodder may be fed green
when two feet high. and provides an cx'
ccllent material for tiding over the sea.
son between the pcrching up Of grass in
July until fail rains have revived the
pastures. ..
The difficulty Of curing and saving !,
in its immature state tcmpts many farm
ers into permitting fodder corn to be
come too ripe before cutting. The YER,
best time 10 harvest fodder corn Is NJ
important consideration. II cut tot
early, it has not Q sufficient amount q
tho albuminoids, sugar and starch, 4
make il nutritive, and loses much weigh
In drying because Of the water In It.
cut too late, on the other hand, the eel
lulose, which for the most part Is diges
tible, Il changed into crude fiber, whicl
i mostly indiycs.ible, and the epidcrmi
or external layer Of the stalk, that other
wise would be soft and easily mssticatetl
becomes glazed and Is thereby rcndere
; not only indiges.ible but injurious to III
mucous membrane OF the alimentar
canal. The stage Of towering Is cor
considered tho best time 10 cut Othe
. forage crops, and corn appears to be n
exception. The rule Is to cut corn-fOd
der for drying in the early blossom Z
|. the tasssl. Prof. PendletOn, who ha
given the subject consideration, think
the most nutrition Is secured when III
cropis cut just rs the corn Il beginning
develop the tassel. An analysis mad
. gives to corn.stalks cut and cured
! early tassel sixty per cent. Of digestib
matter, and corn.stalks cured in tn
usual way forty per cent.
The general impression prevails tbs
fodder corn, ut whatever stage, Ougl
n be cut previous to . frost, thong
: there are occasional cultivatOrs VII
contend IL corn be cut Immediately aft
: frost no great harm will be done. I'll
2 safe plan is to harvest the crop before
has been touched by the frost.
y When large areas Of corn fodder q
P grown the Wholesale way Of cutting
+ with . reaping. machine, and gatherir
? it, like hay. with steel-tooth rake.
Z practiced. Another plan Is to cut d
8 stalks with . corn.cutter in the rig
+ hand and the cut corn under the Il
!. arm, and without dropping 1t on 4
. ground, forming 1t into erect, sn,
shocks, which when dry may b. draw
q 70 the barn or stacked near the feedil
yards.
's Cultivators frequently leave fodder O
q In the shock. When this il done t
stacks are best made medium to SIN
u size, with the middles kept high, 20
to turn off water. Fodder KICKS are CO
70 veniently built just outside of the fee
70 ing Enclosure, on . spot where water Y
~. not stand. One plan for building
!" fodder rick ID - iollows: First plac,
layer Of bundles in the direction it Is {
q. sired to build the rick, 80 IS to raise
D. middle. Next lay bundles crosswi
with the butts out, tapping them SUI
" ciently to keep the middle highe
Build In sections Of, cay. six feet, Us hi
!" - practicable, for II will settle cons
b. erably. Finish each section by plsci
=. . few sheaves lengthwise In the midd
ID over these stand others slanting % a.
u form . sort Of roof. This rick may
10 made any length required, and shol
% be fed out from the end the buildl
~ was left OF 1t. .srIeI '7,.
All who haye, had no experience
q. curing fodder Will do we'll to Ont th
10 crops during settled weather; permi
=. to dry . day or two before binding il
% small bundles, and expose these in Il
OF to drying Influences before setting W
ne stock or storing elsewhere.
Hsw 70 Keep Ceol.
Al warm weather approaches, We
wise al sorts Of plans to keep cool, I
!. one must b tranquil-snd svoid UNI
'c0 assarv axer1ion. The prudent HOT