The Bossier banner., 1893-11-16
FARMER AND PLANTER.
CORN FODDER.
Its Care and Value In the Economy of the
Farm.


this country every year, and it truly
says that good, bright corn fodder is
excellent food for cattle and horses"
l have fed very little hay for many
years, preferring the corn fodder on
the score both of economy and salts
factory results. The worlds crop of
hay is short this year, and although
fear that extensive shipments to Eu-
rope will not be practicable, yet prices
this country should rule fairly good,
and there are tens of thousands of
farmers, dare say, who will continue
to feed their hay and let the fodder go
to waste, when they could utilize the
fodder and sell the hay, thereby net
ting nearly the entire selling price Of
the latter.
l find that ten acres of good corn
will produce sufficient stover to supply
ten horses and milch cows with all the
coarse fodder needed from the first of
November to the first of May, even
when it is fed long, and consequently
at least one third of it is wasted, or
rather is converted into manure with
out being eaten by stock. When one
makes use of some wheat straw, per-
mitting the horses to eat the chaf and
tenderest part of the straw that is used
for bedding, one acre of corn fodder
will supply a greater amount of forage
than one animal will consume. The
character of the food is superior to that
of ordinary timothy or clover hay, be-
ing safer for horses as it is free from
dust and is laxative as well as nutri-
tious.
have heard extensive corn growers
ridicule the advice of some farm writers
that stover should be housed in the
winter-time, pointing at the time to
their hundreds of acres of fodder that
would indeed require immense storage
room. But can not see why anyone,
no matter how extensive a corn-pro-
ducer he may be, should not be able to
care for all the forage his stock may
need, even if scores of other acres of
fodder are left standing in the field,
and what l now write is based upon
my own experience on farm that
grows only about as many acres of corn
as there are heads of horses, colts, cows
and other cattle on the farm, and those
who usually have greater number
of acres of corn than head of stock are
comparatively few.
In order to have good stover one must
care for it, and not do as the majority
of those do who underrate its possibili-
ties--sadly neglect it. The best fodder
is gotten by pretty early cutting OF
corn, yet 1 would not advise going to
any exteeme, as this will cause loss in
weight of the grain. There is a right
time to cut corn, just as there is right
time to cut wheat, and for the sake OF
the fodder the work should not be de-
layed beyond this. A majority of the
ears should have brown husks and be
about ripened, but the corn should not
stand until all the leaves are dead an6
becoming bleached. just as soon as
the corn is dry enough to crib it should
be husked out of the shocks and the
fodder tied in bundles. Tarred twine
is the best material for the purpose
and the band should be placed little
nearer the butt than the tips of the
| bundle.
If the weather be dry, the fodder may
be left on the ground until it is ready
| for drawing to the NOW or stack, but i
is always safer to have three shock!
| put into one in the field, drawing the
tips of the bundles together with com
mon twine or corn stalks, and let tn,
fodder cure thoroughly, as the sap in thu
| 10 ;c ~ - =
in the bottom of the NOW unless tn,
curing is well done A few days O
windy weather make it ready for draw
ing in, and then any further exposur,
is harmful. Even some of those wh,
seem to value corn fodder leave it il
the field, drawing it in as needed; bu
l estimate that winter rains cause
loss of fully one-half of it's value
When mow-room swas insufficient
for all the fodder l have draw
in all that would be needed iron
Christmas until spring, and then draw
from the field for use in November an
December, but even this degree @
neglect l can recommend no more thai
that of having hay in the cock fo
| weeks dIUef IN SnOulu De IN Une SUaCH
If the fodder has been tightly boun
into bundles of the proper size, it ca
be handled with forks easily. Mine
always moved away like wheat, and i
the winter these bundles are throw
down upon the feeding-foor with NOR
ease than an equal amount of hay. Th
feeding-mangers are so arranged tina
a bundle can lie lengthwise in the bot
tom of each one, the bundle containin
enough for two horses. AS the fodde
is bright and dry, the stalks ar
picked SO closely that nothin
but the butts remain. AS til
managers are double length tn
refuse is easily gathered up in tn
hands or arms and removed to basi
just outside the door leading from th
feeding-hoor. If no refuse is allowe
to accumulate in the managers, tn
work is not unpleasant in any way, an
occupies only few minutes. In til
basin the stalks are tramped and lie,
eled by stock in winter afternoons, an
together with the straw that is mike
with them, form rotten mass by nit
summer, ready for the top-dressinp {