Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-16
FARM TOPICS.
Comments on Feeding Corn-Fodder--Ex-
tensiVs Waste and Gross Misman-
agement.
The Advantag es of Hauling M-nure in
Winter-Insect Pests the
Farm.
FEEDING CORN-FoDpER.

In France farmers expect to realize
enough from the fodder Of corn to pay
for cultivating the crop. In the east
ern states the practice of cutting off the
| stalks of corn near the bottom of the
ear and Of carefully curing and storing
| them is general. In the south it i the
custom to block off the leaves OF corn
while they are green, and to cure them
| for fodder to use during the winter.
In many pats of the west the stalks re-
main on the hills where the grew till
| they are broken down for the purpose
| Of blowing the land. In parts of the
country where early fruits are found.
farmers generally cut up their corn
and put it in shocks. In commenting
on the methods practiced in feeding
corn the Country Gentleman says: One
of the most extensive sources of waste
among farmers is the mismanagement
of corn-fodder. The annual loss in the
country at large amounts to many mil
lions. The value of stalks is uniniured
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 expos
ure to at least one-third, and frequent
ly at more than One-half of well-kept
or uninjured stalks. In those regions
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
them.
A still greater waste results from the
common practice of feeding the stalks
whole. The cows eat off the leaves,
and leave nearly all therest untouched,
which, when mixed through the ma
nure, renders it unfit for handling and
spreading until rotted by several
months exposure in the manure heap.
Taken altogether, it is safe to say that
not more than One-quarter of the best
value of the cornstalks is obtained by
the average farmer. Assuming that
their value when uniniured is at least
One-ffth that of the corn, and the av-
erage corn crop to be 1900, 600, 900
bushels in the whole country, then the
actual loss from the imperfect manage
ment of the fodder would be equal to
the value of $4,000, 900 bushels, or
about 800, 100000 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 ones
give sufficient ventilation by allowing
crevices between them. If they are
first bound into bundles, with the bands
just above the ears, as some farmers
practice, these bundles are to beplaced
loosely together for the air to pass be-
tween. With all this care there Will
be some loss by exposure, and it is
therefore desirable to husk and finally
secure the fodder as soon as the corn
is dry enough to prevent all danger of
mold. The most perfect protel ton
would be, if practicable, to draw the
corn during cutting on wagons in the
small bundles just mentioned, and
place it in shocks under Il broad shed,
where it would dry without any injury
whatever by exposure. On a smooth
surface under such Il shed, with the
shocks placed in close rows, with mar
row paths between, an acre OF average
corn would occupy about three square
rOus.
Inc seconl way to prevent loss is
Ny eating tire fodder about fourth of
IN l..ch long with machine, SO that
cattle will eat the whole. This short
cutting breaks up or brushes all the
bard 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
half a century, and has not been much
improved of later years. Our own eX-
periments indicate that the value of
the stalks is improved in value as two
and half is to one by this mode of
cutting. If the stalks have been well
cured, the cattle will eat the whole. If
they have been partly rotted by rains,
they will not be eaten. MOuldy stalks
can not be changed in nature by any
amount of cutting. Sprinkling with
meal to make them more palatable will
be unsuccessful, for the cattle will only
thrust them about with their noses in
order that they may lick off the meal
and leave the stalks. Meal and stalks
must in any case be given to them sep
arately, unless the stalks are cut so
short that the meal may be mixed with
them in a nearly uniform mass. 1t is
here that enSilage possesses the advan-
tage that it is never Weatherbeaten or
INV o,-oOC111.o 70
The only difficulty in the way of the
general adoption of this management,
IS the cost of the machinery. Farmers
have generally laid aside their horse
power, or have not procured any, since
Itinerant steam threshers have become
common. On small farms, where the
owners are in debt, they may not be
able to procure the power and cutter.
They are not yet rich enough to be
economical. A two-horse tread pow
er, costing $50, and one of the best
modern stalk-cutters, costing $40 or
$50, will answer well for moderate es-