The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-01-21
Agricultural.


The New EagAaad Farmer. in reply 10
the inquiry Of subscriber ~ 10 tho relA-
tive value Of corn slower and other classes
Of fodder, ays
Corn stover varies NO greatly 10 quality
that no price cAa be named for II that will
be sure 10 represent the value Of any Civ.
en- lot II left standing in the field iii
the corn 10 ripe enough 10 crib, II ia often
very much injured by long exposure TO
bad weather. II may become not only
over ripe. dead. but actually rotten and
practically worthless, or nearly so. Sons.
times heavy winds blow itdowu, aud ii
gets partly covered With mud or sand
which adds TO the injury, - cattle will
not eat 1t well IL very gritty. Such fod-
der may be dear At IS per ton when good
hay 10 worth $40. II corn IL cut and well
stocked a. soon as the grain begins TO
slszs over. and the weather 10 favorable
Tor curing i. bright and green. and il can
be housed and kept sound till used, ii win
be worth At least two or three times as
much rs II cut late and exposed TO bad
weather. Where good English hay Is
worth $40 per ton. corn fodder ''as It runs
Is valued. by those who purchase it. at
from IS or sc 10 sl0 or st2 per Ton.
There are farmers who raise corn add sell
their hay, and who believe that when the
corn fodder is we'll secured its real value
for feed is equal to the value Of the best
hay. Hon. George s. Boutwell, is large
corn grower. and in an address before =
meeting Of the Massachusetts, state board
OF agriculture. once stated that be consid.
cred ton Of corn fodder, well cured, was
equivalent to ton Of hay for feeding his
cows for the production Of milk, and that
every ton Of corn fodder so cured and fed,
enabled him TO sell like quantity Of his
English hay. Mr.. Elbridge Cushman Of
Lakeville, 10 an other Massachusetts, farm.
er who values god corn slower nearly or
quite equal to English hay. Corn fodder
is 20 much more difficult than hay to cure
properly that the latter will usually lie
worth more than the former per ton. II
oil the farmers in the state were to vote on
the question, it is doubtful il corn stover
would be appraised much over half the
price Of good English hay. Swale hay also
varies so much in actual value that no set
rules can be given for appraising it. Its
value will vary from one-third to two
thirds the selling price of English hay.
1t should be mbered, however, that
there is less demand in market for the
coarser folders Of the farm, such as corn
fodder, swale hay, and grain straw, than
for good English hay, and that consequen.
tly they may often be bought for less than
their relative value. Also that coarse,
cheap folders, given in connection with
suitable rations Of grain, will be far more
economical. from money standpoint.
than the hay without the grain. We can
not believe the bes. English hay at $40
or more per ton is so economical food
for cattle as the coarser fodder given with
graip, whether the coarse folders are
raised, or bought at such prices as they
will usually sell for. We should say that
good awalo hay cannot usualiy be bought
for one-hslf the price Of good English
hay. but that wet meadow hay can Be
bought for one half the price ora little
less The best swale hay is sometimes
worth almost as much ss the best OF up
land hay.