Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1882-06-01
4arm aaS 5susebo!S.
Corn Fodder as an E1hausting Crop.

An esteemed correspondent wishes to
know if fodder corn for the silo is not a very
e1haus,ing crop. We have often heard this
question discussed among farmers, and the
affirmative 10 the question generally prevails
among them. We have even heard 1t said
by the same person. tina, fodder corn is a
very eNhausiing crop, and also that it pos
sesses bat little value as food for stock, with
on, apparently bc'0- aware Of the oonuadio-
tory character Of Il. luo assertions. \ mo-
ments reflection will convince any one that
both statements cannot be true. No crop
can draw more fertility from the soil than II
contains. and If green corn fodder as feed
ing stuff Is deficient in nutritisn. il cannot
be exhausting 10 the soil Let u examine
the subject \ fair Weld per acre Of green
fodder cut before the kernels have formed
i, say ten tons. Now let Us SET Of what
these ten tons or 20. GOO lbs. are made up.
First, they contain l. 900 lbs OF water. no
one will claim that the extraction Of this
from the soil has impoverished ii. This
leaves $3.50 lbs. 10 be further considered.
or this amount 1850 pounds are nitrogen
free extracts, large portion Of which were
drawn from the atmosphere, and TO that
extent Of course. has not exhausted the soil /;
OF the balance 1000 lbs are crude fibre, POO
lbs fat. and lSO is albuminoids. !, will
be seen that the proportion 7f albuminoids
is yery small, and these are the only substan-
oes which have drawn upon the rich fcriIli-
gers Of the soil In the above examination
We have used round numbers in ead Of frac-
tons, and claim to be only approximately
correct, but II is near enough TO prove that
Germ fodder is not an exhaustive crop. Il
is when TIE kernel is being formed desel-
oped and ripened, that the niirates and
phosphates Of the soil are. largely drawn up
on. Twenty bushels Of average corn require
more Of these valuable fcr,illzing SUBSTANCES
from the SOIL than DO ten tons Of fodder
1t follows in,er>ely that green corn fodder
given alone cannot possess great value a. a
feeding stuff and such /, the fact. 1t is de-
heien, in muscle producing substances and
should always be fed in connection with
more concentrated food such a. corn. gram
or what Is better, cotton seed meal. In the
animal economy, the Carbohydrates serve a
valuable purpose. They keep up the animal
heat, 70 to form fat and by their mechani-
ca action, keep the animal system in the
best condition. In fact. it has been found
that Carbohydrates in all respects are fully
equal to fat in the functions they perform in
the animal system, and in some respects
much better. They DO not form flesh, but
they favor It's formation, as has been clearly
proved IN German feeding experiments. The
value OF green fodder therefore, as feeding
stuff, Is not to be measured by the amount
Of soil exhaustion in producing it. for lis
valuable Carbohydrates, as has already been
stated. are drawn largely from the atmos-
phere- The atmosphere contains 8 small per
cent. Of carbonic acid which by the action Of
the suns light, plants are able TO approprl-
ate through their leaves, and this in connec-
ton with water, natures grand solvent, goes
10 form the cells BY which growth is effected,
goes also 10 form starch dextrine. gum aud
sugar, all Of which in the perfect plant con-
stitute those substances which chemists
have designated under the general name Of
Carbohydrates. Animals are not nourished
directly BY the air, though the aneients
thought this to be the case with the chanel
con, but through the medium of the vege-
tsb!s world, the atmosphere contributes large
ly to the support of the animal system,
Whether it contributes Of its vast stores Of
nitrogen or not is problem yet to be
solyed.-Maiae Farmer.