Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-08-12
Agricultural.
The Corn Crop-.-Preserving and Feed
Inr Cnrn Enhder...Ita value.

ing Corn FOdder-.-Its value.
The warm days and the abundant rains Of
the past two weeks have brought the corn crop
forward rapidly. On warm, dry, or sandy
soils, there is more than an average growth
of fodder, and IL is now only about week
behind its usual condition at this time. There
has been little too much water for corn on
the heavier soils, but there is now, on an av-
erage, prospect Of full crop If it is not in.
jured by early frost.
Though the spring was cold and unfavora-
BILE for corn planting, our observation leads
us to believe that in this section, at least
the area in corn is larger than usual. The
discussion of the ensilage system has had the
good effect of calling attention to the value Of
corn fodder not only as ensilage, but preserved
in the ordinary way, and the tendency Of the
discussion has been to increase the area of
the corn fields, with the object of obtaining
moro winter forage. We know of several
farms in this vicinity where the corn fodder
winters as much live stock as the hay, and
this too where much of it stands for weeks, if
not for a month or MORE in. the stocks before
being drawn to the barn and husked Its
value is, of course, considerably diminished
by such exposure, though it is not always
easy to cure large quantities of corn without
it. If, after drying for two or three days, it
could be safely packed away in barns like hay,
we should have no need of silos but If cut at
time when its full nutrtive value will be re-
tanned, while the stalks and leaves are still
green, it requires a long time to dry so that
it will keep if slowed away like hay. The
consideration that the subject of preserving
the green fodder is now receiving, may lead
to improved methods of dry curing by which
nearly all that the plant contains that is valu-
BILE for animal nutrition may be preserved,
and the expense of building silos, with the ne
cessty of freighting so large proportion of
water from field to silo, and handling it
again in feeding, will be avoided. If it is
impossible to save as much as in o silo, it
will be question that experience must de-
eide whether the difference in favor of ensil-
age, if any, is sufficient to pay the increased
expense.
writer, whose name we have forgotten,
recommends method of curing corn fodder,
which he has practiced, as follows: The
sheaves or stocks are stacked around n kind
of tripod made by fastening three poles TO-
gether at the top and setting them several
feet apart on the ground. The corn is first
cut and set up in bundles or stocks, in the
usual way, and after becoming partially cured
is gathered into the stacks, where it remains
until it can be conveniently and safely dis
posed of under cover. 1t is claimed that by
this method the fodder is preserved bright
and uniDjured below the outer surface of the
stack. Probably the stacks were made of
such size as to allow the air to circulate
through them; otherwise the corn would be
liable to be damaged by heating. We have
never seen corn stacked in this way, but the
experiment may be worth trying by those
that raise a large quantity and have difficulty
in curing and getting it all under cover in
seasonable time. With US the cultivation of
corn is profitable for the fodder rather than
the grain. We cannot afford to raise it for the
grain alone when the West can deliver it here
SO cheaply. But the value of the fodder has,
evidently, never been fully appreciated. The
discussion that has arisen about the value of
ensiage has caused it to be more generally
understood. With the fodder all preserved
SO as to be utilized without waste, corn be-
comes profitable crop Notwithstanding the
cheapness of the grain.
In an address before the Massachusetts,
board of agriculture, DR.. E. L. Sturtevant,
who appears to have made specially of corn
culture, testing the value of the fodder by ex-
periments in feeding estimated the worth OF
that which was well cured at over $13 per
ton, where good hay was worth $22. Planted
rather closely in drills his corn yielded about
four tons of dry fodder per acre equal, al
his place, to little more than $50 worth OF
hay. Ex-Gov. Boutwell,, in discussion fol.
lowing DIR. Sturtevant's address, said that
contrasting could be profitable in Massachu-
sets only when cattle could be employed to
consume the fodder-which is equally true
of nearly all New England. From field Of
sixteen acres he obtained twenty-four tons Of
fodder, which he had proved worth $40 a
ton, leaving the cost of the grain at 22 cents
basket. The fodder is cut an inch long
with power machine, put in a tight box
meal added and hot water poured on, ant
left Twelve hours His thirty COWS fed will
this fodder give as much and as good milk a
when fed on hay. He sells a ton of gooC
hay for every ton of corn fodder that his cat
tie eat. His best COW gave last year 8 ,G0I
pounds of milk, and five COWS averaged 7,SOt
pounds, which he mentioned as a proof o.
the quality of their food. Mr. Emery o
Lowell had found that steaming had rendered
fodder unpaatable TO his COWS, and the,
would not eat it readily but when cut an,
treated with cold water, they devoured
freely. The steam appeared to general
some offensive taste. He did not agree witt
DIR. Sturtevant (who fed the stalks whole
that the leaves and sheaths of corn fodde
contained nine tenths of the value of tn
whole, and in cutting it an inch long so tina
all would be eaten, he found the value in
creased at least % per cent.
Mr., Cushing, who supplies milk to til
Boston market, had experimental with feed
ing alternately each week corn fodder an
English hay, and was surprised that he coul,
perceive scarcely any acknowledgement
there has been no difference in the quantit
of milk. He feeds the stalks whole. II
suggested the experiment of feeding Who'll
and dry, then changing to the same quantt
wet, and again to the same quantity cut an
steamed-taking into the account the cost G
the cutting and steaming apparatus. Nj
Hadwen of Worcester said that when ha
was S15 per ton, well saved and well cure
corn fodder was worth $40 ton.
Though it is now near the middle of Augu
the country is looking nearly as fresh an
green as in the month of June. The pasture
yield grass abundantly, and rich meade
lands will produce good second crop Thel
will be no scarcity of winter forage in til
portion of the state. All the crops are no
beyond danger of injury by drouth unless
may be late fall feed.