The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-04-16
Milo Maize.

Milo Maize.
TAddress on milo maize, by @.
W. Benson, delived before the State
Agricultural Society, Brunswick,
Ga, Feb. II, 1851
Mr. President and Gentlemen of tile
CoaUehtiOn:-
The original name, in Spanish, is
Maize Milo; Milo being pronOunc-
ed Meelyo
Whether it might or might not
be profitable for you to hear, or for
me to make long dissertation mp
on Milo Maize, L Will not presume
10 say, but probably not. Much
has been written about it, which is
accessible to you all, but there is
one very important development Of
the plant about which l have some
thing to say and hope may be of in
terest: That is:
ITS CANES FOR ROUGH STOCK FEED
. AND HOW TO CURE THEM.
Afilllo cane, and when say cane,
it means it is feed, but when I say
stalk, that designates its worthless
ness. Milo cane, then, in cennec-
ton with it's fodder and grain,
feel assured its destined to perform
a most, if not the most important
service 10 the state, in fact, this sec
tion, where drouths do so great in
jury. Indeed, 1 believe 1t can do
more than it ever has done for US
by any cereal.
This, then, is my task or pleasure
this day. What l shall tell you is
not theory nor speculation, but
practical experience, i. e., what
| have learned from those who
know, what l know and have done
At the outset, permit me to get
right in one respect: l am ware
and have keenly felt the position of
a manDwho has an important fact
to press upon his compeers, truth,
very likely to rub against precon
ceived notions and possibly offend
the prejudices of those upon whom
he wishes to impress the fact.
Such is the questions Of Milo
canes! 1 say l appreciate this and
take the risk, for if you will not be-
lieve what l tell you 1 have done,
and act upon it, and hope to be able
to so tell, that every one of you
may $50 and do likewiseW Then,
indeed, we may sing the old saw of,
"You can lead a horse to water, but
you can't make him drink"
The fact is, Milo canes are as
good rougbness for stock as ever
been fed in Georgia.
do not mean Milo forage, nor
Milo fodder. mean the canes, af
ter the seed and fodder has been
taken from it. The fodder must be
pulled and the seedtops cut off
The stalk mnst be stripped bare
and then when with renewed vigor
it has gathered its forces to attempt
the making of another crop of seed,
it is in the right condition to be
saved for feed. They must then be
cut and hurried under shelter; but
not to be cured. The green foliage |
upon them will wither and dry and |
their values will have returned into !
the cane.
l dave fed ten head of stock
three horses and seven cows-upon !
such canes exclusively for rough
ness, from Nov. 1st to date, and |
have enough to last till April, and
what l have was secured from a lit
tie over a quarter of an acre.
Understand Let me emphasize
it. Canes for ronghnessl such |
roughness as hey, shucks or fodoer.
In 1881, Milo failed to make
seed, but the crop yielded of fodder
at the rate of 4, 500 bundles (pulled) |
to the acre, and my stosk ate up the
last vestige of the canes, which |
we're cut and fed to them.
/ had noticed with great interest,
that after pulling the fodder ana !
cptting the tender tops, the plant
telescopcd shoots and spurred out |
foliage at the joints. Its vigor was
amazing. A light frost did not |
stop its growth nor hurt it; but
fearing that a harder one might, l
cut and fed. It is now clear to me
that those canes having failed to
make me seed were in full heart for
feed.
NY subsequent crops of 1882 and
'S3 were satisfactory as to seed, but
they exhausted the plant and the !
stalks were dry aud worthless. Ac-
climation was shortening Its season
for maturing seed, but 1T did not
occur to me that in 1884, the |
stalks would be different from those
Of 1882 and 'S3. So, after cutting
the seed heads the latter part of
September, and telling my man he
could use the stalks for covering
my potato patch, imagine my sur
prise, in s few days, to find the
whole field dressing itself in green,
some Of the shoots growing a foot
long and a few canes making new
head forms for seed. l was careful
then, in my examination and was
satisfied that the canes we're full of
sucrose and nutritious matter. In
tact know no better description of
its condition than to compare it to
sugar cane, which we know will
| keep.
| am not a chemist, but imagine
that it's sugar plays an important
part in preserving the canes from
frost, and it may also prevent its
becoming absorptive, which BY ia
voring alternate moistening and
drying, finally rots the stalks.
This, however, we do not know,
the weather has been warm and cold
during the winter, some severe cold
and much easterly damp wind.
These caDes have not noticed the
changes of the temperature nor
weather, and are almost as fresh to-
day as when put under cover in
October last; while small lot Of ex-
hausted stalks were exposed to the
weather and they rotted.
| Ny notions as to the time when
and how to save the canes for feed
! L. Il