The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-01-24
FEEDING coRNsTALks.
How . Great Deal which Is Well Worth
Saving Is Carelessly Wasted.


waste among farmers is the mismanage-
ment of corn fodder. The aEAual loss
in the country at large amounts to
many millions. The value of stalks is
injured in the first place by exposure to
rains, and if the shocks are carelessly
made and become Frustrated, they are
soon rendered of-no value whatever as
food. In passing through the country
and observing the condition of most Of
the corn fodder. safe average estimate
has placed the loss by needless exposure
to at least one-third. and frequently at
more than one-half the value of WELL
Aept or uninjured stalks. In those re-
gions OF the country where the corn is
left standing and not cut or secured in
shock, exposure to all kinds of weather
soon reduces Their value and spoils
hem.
A still greater waste results from the
common practice of feeding the stalks
whole. Tne cows eat off the leaves
aud leave nearly all the rest untouched,
which, when mixed through the manure.
lenders it unfit for handling and
sprea ling until rotted by several
months exposure ID the manure heap.
Taken altogether, 1t is safe to say that
not more than one-quarter of the best
value of cornstalks is obtained by the
average farmer. Assuming that their
value when uniniured is at least one
,ifth that of the corn. and the average
corn crop to be / 500, 900, coo bushels in
the whole country, then the actual loss
from the imperfect management of the
fodder would be equal to the value of
225,0J0. 900 bushels or about 800, 00o,-
0J0 annually to the farmers of the
| country at large.
How may this loss be prevented In
two ways. First, by taking special
pains in securing the corn in shocks.
Place the stalks equally on all sides of
the center, so that in settling they will
not incline to one SIDE, or become pros
trated Avoid making small shocks,
which are easily overthrown. But in
making large and substantial al ones.
give sufficient ventilation by allowing
| crevices between them, Ii they are
| first bound into bundles, with the bands
! just above the ears, as some farmers
practice, these bundles are to be placed
| loosely together for the air to pass be-
| tween. W tn all this care there will be
| some loss b. exposure, and it is there
| fore .sirable to husk and finally Sc
| cure the fodder as soon as the corn is
| dry enough to prevent all danger OF
| of mold. The most perfect protection
would be, if practicable, to draw the
corn during cutting ON wagons in the
small bundles just mentioned, and
! place it in shocks under broad shed,
where it would dry without any injury
whatever by exposure. On a smooth
surface under such a shed, with the
shocks placed in close rows with mar
| row paths between, an acre of aver
age corn would occupy about three
square rods.
| The second way to prevent loss is by
cutting the fodder about fourth of an
inch long with a machine so that cattle
will eat the whole. This short cutting
breaks up or crushes all the hard OF
horny parts, and avoids the danger Of
the hard and indigestible pieces
when cut an inch or two in length
This mode has been practiced by some
successful farmers for nearly halt a cen
tury, and has not been Emuch improved
of later years. Our own experiment.
indicate that the value of the stalks i,
improved in value as two and half ii
to one by this mode of cutting If thu
stalks have been well cured, the cattle
will eat the whole. If they have beer
partly rotted by rains, they will not bt
eaten. Moldy stalks can not b.
changed in nature by any amount o
cutting. Sprinkling with meal to max,
them more palatable will be unsuccess
full, foa the cattle will only thrust then
about with their noses in order tina
they may lick off the meal and leave tn,
stalks. Meal and stalks must in am
case be given to them separately, un
less the stalks are cut so short that tn,
meal may be mixed with them in {
nearly uniform mass. 1t is here tina
ensilage possesses the advantage that j
is never weather-beaten or rotted by ex
poSure to rains.
The only difficulty in the way of tn
the cost of the machinery. Farmer
have generally laid aside their horse
powers, or have not procured any
since itinerant steam threshers have be
come common. On small farms, wher
the owners are in debt, they may no
be able to procure the power and cut
ter. They are not yet rich enough t.
be economical. A two-horse treat
power, costing $3.50, and one of the hes
modern stalk-cutters, costing $40 o
$50, will answer well for moderate es
Establishments. and will cut several ton
a day. For large farms, small steam
engine will be required, and may b
also used for threshing. corn-shelling
grinding feed and saving wood an