The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-11
Fodder Corn.
1Rural I,ife.1


Some years ago the attention of the
oaEymen's conventions was much oc-
oupled by the subject of fodder corn,
or ooTn sown for feeding to COWS in the
summer. The general opinion Of it
was that 1t was miserable food, watery
and devoid Of nutriment, and that thE
COWS, which were held to be the best
judges in the matter, detested the stuff.
AND the COWS were right, at least 80
lar as the fodder given them was con-
cerned. 1t was eolorless, insipid,
Washy stuff. But that was not the
fault of the corn, but the mistake of
the farmers that grew it. The corn
was sown, not planted; three or four
bushels Of seed were broadcasted over
the land and 1t was narrowed in. The
plants came up thickly and grew 50
closely that no air or light reached the
stems or the lower leaves; and they:
were yellow or white in color and
watery and tasteless. As the late
Harris Lewis said, "Aay decent COW
was ashamed Of such food and eonsid-,
cred ita disgrace to have it offered to
her." and the man who compelled his
COWS to eat it was punished for his
mistake by greatly reduced yield of
milk. And after twelve or fifteen
years OF such experience and reams of
writing on the subject there are far
neEs who SOW their corn for fodder for
their COWS and think they are doing a
good thing for themselves.
Now light and air are indispensable
to the production of starch and sugar
in all Vegetable growth, and these sub
stances are the principal part of an
animals food. The butter and sugar
In the milk comes from these, and the
cow is almost wholly supported by
them. Corn, being broad leayed
plant, needs wide space for its perfect
growth, No one ever saw an ear on
sowed corn, and the production of
grain is the result only of perfect
growth. Consequently, corn grown
for fodder should be planted in rows
not less than three feet apart and not
more thickly than three stalks atevery
twelve inches rpart. Thus planted
the common field corn or stowell,s
evergreen sweet corn will yield easily !
twenty tons Of the very best fodder, |
withseas equivalent to forty bushels |
or more per acre. The best yield of |
soWed corn is not more than eight tons |
per acre and has no ears at all.
Thus sown the crop should be well !
cultivated. Ny fodder corn has al
ways been worked weekly until the
ears have begun to harden and the
silks have dried. Every Monday
this work has been begun
through the season unless the rain has
prevented it.
have found sweet corn to be most
desirable kind for fodder fodder, both
for soiling COWS in the summer and for
winter feeding The crop being cut
when the ears are fit for the table, and
'he whole plants, stalks and ears being
ed to the cows Where a market can
'e found for the ears for table use or
or drying, the stalks cobs and the
small ears will afford quite sufficient
ood without any grain; thus there is
IN income from the crop which pays
we'll for the culture of it, leaving the
odder as handsome bonus. BY plant
ng weekly in succession constant
upply may be had until the fall, when
rost stops the growth, and then ensi-
age should be provided. I have planted
evergreen in = Northern =
Sew Jersey on the 14tL of July; and ,
lad large quantity of large ears for
market besides rich supply of the
oe,f 4