Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-02-21

their bearings from time to time. There
has been great deal said and written
about the value of sweet corn fodder as
food for COWS, and especially for its
superior value as compared with the
fodder from the common yellow belt
corn. We have been strong advocate
all the while of the common grasses and
especially clover, as an economic fodder
material, and have believed we have
found the evidence of its value in its use
through summer and fall, as from time
to time fodder material is called for TO
supplement pasturage; as well as into
winter season. From evidence gained
we have for many years used the hay
rather than to grow fodder corn to nil
the place instead. At the time i'll our
intercourse with the farmers ct large, we
failed to find SO high an appreciation of
grass as cheap fodder crop as our
own experience has led Us TO claim it will
bear, so they use fodder corn and
sweet corn instead. Some practical ex-
perIence has recently con- to our know
ledge which affords an opportunity for
a measure of com parison and it leads Us
to raise the question whether the teach
ing of the time has not lead to an over
SotAAA~NO VI SOlA ds q lOuUSE SIOp. par
ticularly as compared with hay or a good
grass soil.
Mr.. j. L. Howe, of Greene, raised the
past season three and q half acres of
sweet corn, on high land where it was
not injured by frost. The land was
MANFRED heavily, and the COTE was even,
thick and stout. Being planted late and
the latter part of the season being so I'M
favorable for ripening corn, only about
half crop went to the factory, and the
remainder was left without picking.
Eighteen COWS were put into the barn and
fed on this corn green from the field.
The entire crop was eaten up clean in
thirty days. Nograin was fed. 1t was a
surprise that the field of corn did not
serve to feed the stock longer. Though
no record was kept of the quantity of
corn eaten per day by an animal, yet q
rough comparison may be made.
Land so ri3h as that would easily have
grown three tons of mixed clover hay, in
two crops or 1015 tons on the field. This
would have furnished each COW forty
pounds of hay per day for the time they
were consuming the corn crop.
Twenty pounds of hay per day is full
ration for COW, with grain feed added.
So the field in clover with grain added,
would nave carried the COWS twice as
long as did the corn; or at the end of
thirty days feeding, the value of the hay
left would fully meet the cost of the
grain feed given. Every feeder knows
that mixed clover and grain feed in pro-
duction results would be more equal to
con. Thus it is easily seen that the
field ia grass would have been at least of
as much Valde for the keeping stock as
was the corn fodder in this case, while
the labor attending it's production would
be less. It is not claimed that this ex-
perience is definite proof of anything in
the matter. 1t is, however, pointer viii 81
may we'll set farmers studying the prob
lem, and it may well raise the inquiry
whether we have not been placing too
high an estimate on fodder corn SIS a
comparative crop and also as a fodder,
when fed with meal, whether in the form
of green fodder or ensilage.