The National tribune., 1885-09-10
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
CURING CORN FODDER.

CURING CORN FODDER.
When well cured, corn fodder that has been
| properly grown is quite equal in value to av-
erage hay. To secure the full nutrtive value
OF corn fodder, it should be grown in rows suf-
fccntly wide apart to admit an abundance of
| light and air Light and air are both nece5-
sary for the full development of the plant, and
| the production of starch, sugar, and other nu-
| tritious constituents of the stalk and leaf The
| pale, yellow leaves and stalks that result from
broadcast sowing, are of little value, and when
dried, become harsh brittle and tasteless, so
that horse or cow rejects such food with dis
dain, unless starved into eating it. But the
dark green, well-grown fodder is sweet, tender,
and, as we have sad is equal to hay for Winter
| feeding. To save the fodder in the best con-
diton it should be cut before frost has touched
it, or the tassel has dried. If it has been grown
Tor grain, the time to cut it is when the kernel
is glazed but is yet soft enough to be impressed
by the thumb-nail. When the crop has been
! grown fer fodder alone we cut it before the
blossom has quite faded, and when the ears
upon it are haf-grown. To cure a 1uxuriant
crop of fodder, weighing, while green, 20 tons
| per acre, is not an easy matter, unless one goes
| the right way about it. The stalks should be
| cut close to the surface Of The ground, so as to
| leave no stubble in the way of fitting the ground
at once for crop of rye. For this purpose we
find the old fashioned corn hook, made of
piece of an old scythe attached to short, stout
| handle, to be the best and easiest tool. stout
| brush-hOok, at the end Of a handle four feet
| long, is also an excellent implement for cutting
| by hand. But q reaper may be used, II 1T IS
drawn diaGonally across the rows, and the land
has been cultivated on the level. But III what
ever way the crop is cut it should lie on the
ground for "a hours, to become thoroughly
wiIted. 1t is then bound in small sheaves,
weighing about p pounds, which Is conve-
nicnt way to use it for feeding, and these
shcavcs are set up in Shocks and protected
from the rain. In this way the fodder will
cure perfectly we'll without mOlding, and pre-
serve its color and sweetness, until it is ready
to hC taken in, when the best way to dispose of
| it is to stack it in open barrackS.-AmericGn
| AgricuHariSt
SELECT YOUR sEED-CoRN NOW.
The selection of seed corn should be made
while the corn is standing in the field. 1t is
then that its progress in growth may be noted,
as also its prolifcacy and adaptation to the eli
mate in which it is grown. Seed-corn should
be selected from special plants. The farmer
mark the stalks containing the ears desired
Only those who have given this mode of selec-
| tiOn their attention are aware OF the advan-
tagcs of annually selecting the best ears on
well grown stalks. A field of corn in Nelson
County, Va, 10 years ago, which was inspected
| by committee from Philadelphia, yielded at
the rate of 160 bushels per acre, the stalks con-
tanning from four to seven ears each, and yet
this had been obtained simply by selection The
corn had also been adapted to the soil, and
though giving such good results in that locality
proved a failure elsewhere. The farmer had a
variety of corn best suited to his purpose, but
| which possessed no advantages to farmers in
other sections, which should convince those in
terested of the Importance of selecting seed
corn on the farm instead of depending on
Others
Prolific corn is not always desirable on some
farms. Unless the soil is fertile such corn will
not fill up in the ear as it should. The climate
and soil must correspond with the quality of
the corn in order to secure satisfactory results,
and hence it is sometimes unwise to resort to
new varieties without testing them III few
rows. One of the difficulties to be encountered
with secd-Corn is its proper preservation
through tho Winter. Dr. Sturtevant has given
much of his valuable time in experimenting as
to the best methods of SO doing, and is of the
opinion that no corn should be used for seed
unless it has been thoroughly dried, and, if
necessary, dried in the kiln The manner of
preservation Of seed seems to have strong in
fucnce upon its vitality. COrn-seed thoroughly
dried at q temperature of from 20 to 50 degrees
germinateS better than seed not so carefully
managed, but it is better to dry the corn at 100
degrees, and keep it in some place of even
temperature and free from dampneSS
| Although corn will not ordinarily germinate
at lower temperature than 49, according to
experiments made, yet, when dried at a tenn
perature of 1902 grains have terminated at Al +,
crn Il n If
cases is due to the corn not being sufficiently
dried before being laid away for the Winter.
When the selection is made in the field, as it
should be at this season, the corn may easily
be cured by keeping it in 4 room containing a
stove 1t should not be harvested, however,
until fully matured, and only the best formed
ears chosen. Should it be desired to change
the seed, as is often recommended, do not dis
card the old variety, but plant few rows of
some suitable kind among the rows from the
old seed, and let q cross be made by fertiliza-
ton bat care should be taken not to make a
radical change. Cross the flint varieties with 4
flint variety only, and under no conditions mix
yellow and white corn. All that is necessary is
TO grow and select your own seed-corn, crossing
il occlsiOnan.- with the same kind of corn from
another farm, but it is not advisable TO procure
seed from distance unless certain it is suitable
to your soil and climate.-Er.
NOTELErs
The american CnliratOT says that the cut
worm has an aversion 10 saltpeter, and that a
solution of one tablespoonful to 4 gallon of
water has so far proved . sure preventive. 1t
is applied with dipper, and poured on the
plants and all around the hill. We give the
suggestion as we find it, and hope some of our
readers who are troubled with the pests will
try it and report the result. The same authority
thinks a solution Of equal parts each of chloride
of lime and coppcraS would be as effective as
saleratus.
- Good crops are the best-known remedy for
hard times, but when those crops are fed to
stock, and in this way turned into meat, wool,
milk and butter they assume q more valuable
FORM and the curative properties OF the remedy
are greatly augmented.
- Currant and gooseberry bushes should be
pruned every year. If they are pruned III tree
form they will bear larger and finer fruit, and
the latter will not be so apt to mildew.
Although the rich soil Of Holland is worth
from $500 to $500 per acre, a large portion is
devoted to pasturagc and meadow. She feeds
over 10000 head Of cattle, although her area
is only 100000 acres, and produces annually
100000 pounds of cheese and 100000 pounds
of butter. The cows used have been carefally
bred for centuries for producing the largest
yields of milk, and are now unexcclled.
The introduction of the creamery has
wrought a wonderful revolution in dairy meth
DDS Scarcely 10 years have passed since CO.
operative buttermakng came into vogue. Yet
| in that brief time the butter product of Iowa