The midland journal., 1889-04-19
Our Experlment Station


by Prof. Alvord, Director of the Sta
ton. The Bulletin gives the result OF
the experiment at the Station last year
of fodder corn. Future reports from
the station promise to be most valuable
to Maryland farmers, and it is to be
hoped that they will show an enlight-
ened enterprise in availing themselves
Of the experiments conducted for their
benefit by the State and National gov
ernments. Although bankruptcy
threatens the Agricultural interest
farmers are SO drilled by the force OF
habit and confined to trudging along
in old grand fathers ruts, that they
will brave even incipient starvation
before consenting to leave them; and
when forced out will strive to get back
into them again if the ruts are not
filled up and obliterated from view.
We were forcibly reminded of this
dq, icultural trait not long since, when
speaking with Zone Of our prominent
farmers on the value of A'sike clover
as c ompared with the common va
rieties. He manifested an entire want
of information regarding this valuable
pasture and hay plant When told
that we had with considerable care aud
effort prepared and published several
articles in the JOURNAL on the merits
and history of Alsike, he admitted that
he did remember noticing articles un-
der that caption, but thinking they
we're of no Importance to him did not
take the trouble to read them.
Here is the great granite ledge which
the Experiment Station will find its
hardest work in breaking down. The
fund Of useful knowlege which careful
experiments will produce, will be in
large measure, wasted like fragrance
on the desert air. among farmers. The
only person who has discovered the
secret of organizing and controlling the
farmer is the politician. He can utilize
for his special purpose, every square
inch of the farmer Solomon says go
to the ant for lessons OF wisdom; but it
you would lead the farmer 60 to the
politician. He is the only man who
possesses the secret. The next most
~successful is the patent right aud hull
less oats man. The prospect Of getting
something for nothing has seductive
charm forSfarmers.
The following are the conclusions
reached by the Station in the expert
ment with fodder corn and cane:
CONCLUSIONS.
The experiments at this Station and
elsewhere, enough of which have been
given to show the character of the ev-
idence available, appear to justify these
conclusions:
l. In Maryland and adjacent States
the maximum crop of green forage per
acre, in bulk and weight can be obtain
cd by growing Indian corn or sorghum
cane, and the largest yield per acre OF
dry matter and of digestible substance
can be produced by wen-selected varie.
ties Of the same class Of plants.
2. For the greatest quantity Of fod-
der, green or dry, corn or cane should
be grown in drills far enough apart to
permit easy aud sufficient cultivation,
the space between rows to be governed
somewhat by the size of varieties
grown, and the plants to be thin
enough in the drills to give ample air
and light to assure maturity. For corn
of the larger varieties the nearest def
mite rule that can be safely given is to
plant the rows to 81 feet apart and
single stalks 6 to 8 inches apart in the
rows.
8. For best quality Of fodder the
same method should be followed as for
greatest quantity. The chemical COM
position of fodder corn grown in differ
ent ways is found to be very similar,
and the exceptions occurring do not
justify any modification of the advice
just given for getting best quality.
4. The nutritive ratio and percentage
of dry substance digestible are slightly
in favor of the thicker seeding, but not
enough SO to compensate for loss in
quantity of crop.
s. Thick seeding appears to cause
decrease in the relative amount of nj
trogen in the albuminoid FORM, This
diminishes the value of the fodder, as
the amide nitrogen is considered to
have less nutrtive value.
9. To get the most food value on an
acre of corn or cane it should not be