West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-02-06
FEEDING CoRNsTALKs.
How Great Deal which IL Well worth
Ssying IL Carelessly wasted.


How = Great Deal which IL Well worth
saving IL Carelessly Wasted.
One OF the most extensive sources OF
waste among farmers is the mismanago-
ment OF corn fodder The annual loss
In the country at large amounts 70
many millions The value Of stalks ia
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
% at least one-third, and frequently at
more than ne-half the value OF we'll
kept or uninjurcd stalks. In those re-
gions Of the country where the corn is
lett 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 OIL the leaves
and leave nearly all the rest untouched.
which, when mixed through the manure.
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 cornstalks is obtained by the
average farmer. Assuming that their
value when uniniured is az least one
Nth that OF the corn, and the average
corn crop TO be 1000, 900, 900 bushels in
the whole country. then the actual loss
from the imperfect management of the
fodder would be equal TO the value OF
~, 900. 900 bushels, or about 100000
OJO 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 i'm 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
tratcd. Avoid making small shocks.
which arc easily oyerthrOwn. But i'm
making large and substantial ones.
give sufficient ventilation by allowing
crcvices between them, III they are
first bound into bundles, with the bands
Just above the cars, rs 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 desirable to husk and fiEall hlsc-
cure the fodder as soon as the corn is
dry enough TO prevent all danger of
OF mold. The most perfect projection
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 1t would dry without any injury
whatever by exposure. On n smooth
surface under such 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
men long with machine, so that cattle
wlIl eat the whole. This short cutting
'rcakS up or brushes all the hard OF
horny parts, and avoids the danger of
,he hard and indigestible pieces
when cut an inch or two i'm lenplh.
rms mode has been practiced by some
successful farmers for nearly half n CEN
fury, and has not been much improved
81 later years. Our own experiments
'''N'''N NhtNN AAAt dAhC VI Nllt SIdlkS is
improved in value rs two and a half is
% one by this mode of cutting If the
stalks have been we'll cured, the cattle
viii eat the whole. If they have been
partly rotted by rains, they will not be
eaten. Moldy stalks can not be
changed in nature by any amount of
cutting. Sprinklng with meal to make
them more palitable will be unsuccess-
'ui, foa 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 separately, un-
less the stalks are cut so short that tho
meal may be mixed with them in
nearly uniform mass. 1t is here that
ensilage possesses the advantage that il
Is never We ther-beaten or rotted by ex-
pc IRE to rains.
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
powers. or have not procured any,
since ltinerant steam threshcrs have be-
come common. On small farms. where
the owners are in debt, they may not
be able TO procure the power and cut
ter. IGey are not yet rich enough TO
be economical A two-horse tread
power, costing $3.50. and one OF the best
modern stalk-cutters, costing $40 or
500, viii answer well for moderate es-
adjustments. and will cut several tons
day. For large farms. n small steam
engine viii be required. and may be
also used for tire shing. corn-shelling,
grinding feed and saving wood aud
IcncinS. - country Gentleman.