Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-07-21
Sowing Summer Fodder.

There comes time every summer,
during the hot and generally dry days
in August and September, when the
pastures dry up. The grass is close,
and stock cannot thrive so well as they
should. 1t is ut this time when a sup
Elemental feed Is SD much needed that
green fodder comes in To fill a vacant
place, the same Us good rye pasture
comes in as help In the early spring,
before the pastures get started sufficient
ly to give full feed in the spring. Es-
pecially is this the case where consider
able stock is kept and the pastures are
grazed closely. When this Is the case
no food can be given so cheaply and in
such quantities as corn fodder.
In our own experience we have Oft
times found it Invaluable, and in the
East. where land is high. stock is kept
rs much to enrich the soil as for the
profit in keeping, and it is a necessity
to raise as much food as possible on the
smallest space. TO the Western farmer
q supply of winter fodder is generally
raised when he raises Il crop of corn, so
that, generally speaking, to sow corn
simply for fodder would hardly be
necessary, as he gets all the fodder he
wants with his corn crop.
Very few Western farmers care to cut
corn during August and September to
feed cattle, horses or sheep, preferring,
if possible, to wait until the corn ma
lures. To those who want to keep their
stock growing a supply of corn fodder
to cut and feed at this time will be found
very valuable.
The soil should be rich and as clean
as possible. Plow well, harrow fine and
roll, so as to get into good condition
as soon as possible, so as to insure
quick growth. Sow about one and
half bushels of shell corn to the acre.
This will sow it very thick. When up
well it will shade the ground COM
pletely, and if the ground is rich and has
been put in good condition, the corn
will grow right along, so that by the
last Of August 1t will be all tasseled out,
and be ready for feed, when it can be
cut and fed out as needed. What may
be left over can be cut before hard
frost and shucked up, and will make
good winter iced. There is very little
if any waste. Stock will eat nearly
every bit of it up clean, and so they will
OF the fodder in the winter. Where it is
raised for winter use alone, we would
prefer sowing not more than one-half
this quantity; that is, three pecks would
be sufficient. Where sown so thick, the
stalks are very small, and there is little
or no chance for ears. If sown thinner
for winter feed, let stand until Septem-
Der, just so as to cut and cure before
hard frost; considerable nubbins will be
made on the corn, which will make the
fodder more valuable. When sown ex-
clusively for late summer feeding, this
is no item, and, as a larger amount can
be grown on the same ground, we adj
wise thick sowing.
On a plot OF four acres that had been
well MANFRED the summer before, and
then sowed to rye for sheep pasture, the
sheep kept it down, and the first of
June it was turned under, narrowed
twice and rolled, then drilled at the
rate of one and half bushels per acre.
After cutting off and feeding one-third
of it to stock in August and September,
we cut and hauled off forty-four three
horse loads of good fodder for winter
use.
Nothing else could have given any
thing like the same quantity of feed with
SO small an outlay. But to get such re-
suits the ground must be made rich by
liberal manuring. Chicago Herald.