St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-06-23
The Fodder Corn Crop.

The Fodder Corn Crop.
During July and August pastures be-
come dry and brown and COWS fall off
in. both mil TX and flesh if some provision
has not been made for tiding over the
time until fall rains revive the grass.
Fodder-corn has proven an excellent
supplement to failing midsummer past
ures, and has come to be, especially on
dairy farms, a staple crop. 1t makes
heavy growth and thrives so much
better in dry weather than most grasses
that its cultivation for feeding green is
increasing every year. A majority OF
farmers now raise it by the acre and
feed it daily from July to September.
By growing fodder-corn plentifully
farmers aye enabled to keep the stock off
their moving fields in early autumn; for
this object alone the fodder crop pays.
Sweet corn is the sort generally pre-
ferred for fodder. While not making
so large a growth as some kinds, there
is less waste in feeding than in the
gourd-seea varieties, because cattle will
eat large proportion of the stalk.
Sweet corn is, however, more difficult
to cure, being liable to mold, and for
this reason some farmers practice SOW
inc field corn when the fodder is re-
CURED for winter use. Blount's Pro-
life corn. owing to its large yield, has
proven a popular sort in some sections
for fodder.
For early feeding the first planting of
fodder corn ought, Of course, to be
early. Mach of the seed is put in, how
ever, during June and July with excel
lent resulrs, as this crop thriyes in COM
paratiyelY dry soil and in dry weather.
Occasionally corn for fodder is sown
! broadcass, but as rule the seed is
drilled in. with sufficient space between
| rows to insure free access OF air and
sunshine to the plants. A plan APP
proved of by some of our best cultivat-
| ors, is planting in drills three feet apart
with about ten kernels dropped per
foot. Thinner planting will produce
more fod;ler, but the quality will not be
so good. One and a half bushels of
seed to the acre will induce yield
sufficiently thin to admit of the stalks
standing; up in ordinary summer
weather., When sown too thick the
fodder If liable to lodge under heavy
storms, losing afterward the beautiful
effects of ample sunlight and ventila-
| ton and often rotting, in consequence,
on the ground.
So soon as the plants are two or three
| inches hlgh cultiyator may be run
close to; the rows. The crop, for best
results, ought to be cultivated two or
three times The fodder may be fed
green when two feet high.
The exact stage at which fodder corn
ought to:be harvested for winter use is
an important consideration. Ii cut too
early it has not q sufficient amount of
| the albumoids, sugar and starch, to
make it nutritive, and loses much
weight iii drying, because of the water
in it. II cut too late, on the other
hand, the cellulose, which for the most
part is dEgestible, is changed into crude
fiber, which is most indigestible, and
the external layer of the stalk that 9th
erwise would be soft and easily masti-
Gated becomes glazed, and is thereby
renderednot only indigestible but inju-
rious to che mucus membrane OF the ali
mentary canal. The stage of Towering
is accepted as the best time to cut other
forage crops. and corn appears to be no
exception. The rule is to cut fodder
corn for huring in the early blossom of
the tassel.
A general impression prevails that
fodder corn. at whatever stage OF its
growth, out to be cut previous to frost.
When large areas of fodder are grown
the wholesale plan of cutting it with a
reaping machine and gathering it like
hay, with steel-tooth rake, is practiced.
i N. y World.