Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-05-15
The farn1 aud fireside,
RAISING CORN FODDER.

RAISING CORN FODDER.
There are some important points in rails
ing corn fodder, which have never been
sufficiently settled by accurate experiment,
but which are worthy of careful trial by
farmers who are willing to give the neces,,
sary attention, as well as by experiment
stations.
Among other cticalquestions, is Wheth-
er the fodder should be sown so quickly in
the furrow as to prevent the formation OF
ears, giving all the strength of the land to
the stalks or whether more valuable feed
may be obtained from an acre by thinner
growth with well-formed ears. In the lat
ter case, there might be enough grain mix
ed with the chopped stalks to .obviate any
addition of meal; it being understood that
whether cut for the silo or fed dry, the stalks
shall be cut not more than half an inch long,
by which their value is more than doubled.
In connection with this question, is the fact
that by preventing the formation of grain,
the land would be rather enriched than 9TH
erWise from the mass of roots left in the
ground; and also the fact, proved by trial,
that with very thick growth OF stalks IN
the furrow (say four bushels of seed to the
acre), more tons per acre were obtained than
from thinner sowing, although the latter
were taller, and to superficial observer ap,
peared heavier. This result was obtained
from the small northern corn. With the
different and with wet season, or with
deep soil or subsoiled land, thick growth
would do better than otherwise.
It would therefore be we'll to try the
following experiments, continuing them
through three or four unlike seasons:
Sow the fodder in strips four or FIVE rows
together, and extending across the field
first with small northern corn at the rate OF
one bushel, two bushels, three bushels and
four bushels per acre, which will be about
ten stalks to the running foot, and twenty,
thirty and forty. stalks. Repeat this trial
on we'll subsoiled land ; and also on heavily
manured land, and observe by weighing if
the subsoiling and manuring are paid for by
the increase of product.
Try the result of cultivating frequently,
say every five days, narrowing broadcast as
long as the crop will bear it; and compare.
this treatment with the common practice OF
narrowing but two or three times in the
season.
Repeat the above experiments with large
southern corn, but in quantities OF seed,
one-half and two-thirds as great as with the
small corn.
ments will be suggested to those who under
afford valuable information, which may in
the future and in extensive raising OF fodder
save large sums. 1t is quite important that
everything be submitted to accurate weigh
ing and measuring, for mere guess work
would be of little avail, if not lead to erro-
neous conclusions.-Coat,y Gentleman.
THE Cow PEA.-The cow pea of theSouth
is nearly, if not quite, as rich a nitrogen as
clover, and of, perhaps, equal value Tor
turning under as green manure. Unlike
clover, however, it natures in few weeks
from sowing, and can follow an early har-
vested crop like winter grain, and being
turned under in the fall, puts the ground in
splendid condition for the next springs
planting. In the South where the corn
crop natures and is harvested early, the
cow peas are soWn among the corn at the
last working, and after the corn is harvested
stock is turned in to feed the crop on the
land, thus making it serve ouble pur-
pose, of feeding stock and returning the
manure to the soil. Southern growers also
claim that if the crop is moved and saved
for fodder, the roots alone, like those of
clover, serve valuable purpose in enrich
the soil, though in such cases the improve
ment is quite likely to be largely due to the
ground to the heat of summer being dense
~ shaded by the growing crop, which
conditions are favorable to the develop
ment of nitrogen in the soil. We are
strongly of the opinion that the Northern
farmer, certainly as far North as Central
able and cheap fertilizer. 1t could follow
the winter on the same ground and be turn
ed under in the fall or sown early in the
spring, and turned under the first of Septem-
ber, would put the ground in fine condi-
tion for fall sowing.
KEEP ACCoUNTs.-A great many farmers
90 to the grocery or dry goods store and buy