The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1894-09-22

fOmG.Ma0C Torn CuVtefs
and cattle. 1 have eight horses and
a dozen cattle which l have never fed
more than ten tons Of hay during the
entire year. On my 160-acre farm I
plant my corn in check rows as l have
found that 1t does not pay to drill it.
Although this later method gives more
fodder a full crop of grain cannot be
raised. When the husks begin to glaze
l nut TWO men on a corn cutting ma
chine drawn by one horse. The men in
half-sitting positions, one on each seat,
catch the stalks as fast as they are
cut and when an armful is secured the
horse is stopped and the fodder is car
ried to the shock. Tie each shock Sc
curely when completed. I use tarred
twine made especially for the purpose.
1t is strong and mice will not eat it as
they will binding Irvine. Last year I
paid $1.25 a day for hired men at
which rate, not counting my own Ia
Dor. it cost one cent per shock of ten
hills square for cutting. About the lat
ter part Of October / fill the barn with
enough fodder to last during rough
and stormy weather. I have found
that 1t pays to leave as much as posi-
BILE in the field until it is needed for
feed. This to many will appear as
doubtful practice, but from ten years.
experience I am more fully convinced
than ever that it is the best plan.
When putting in the barn the shocks
are loaded on the wagon by means of
an apparatus described below. Near
the barn door I have q two-horse
tread power and feed cutter which
stands just inside and is SO arranged
that the fodder can be rolled directly
onto the feeding table. To this feed
cutter 1 have added a cylinder with
~concaves, a S foot corn shelter, screen,
fan and 16-foot carrier. With this ap-
paratus I can cut the fodder, separate
the shelled corn from it at the rate of
100 shocks a day doing all the work
myself without any help whatever.
l would like to give a description of the
cutter, but fear it would be too compli-
Gated. l have made the whole thing
myself. The, corn fodder liter being
cut and separated from the grain is
I'll to any part Of the barn or NOW and
stored for future use. I have had seven
years experience in using this ma
chine and have not had a single acct
dent or breakage.
For any one who does not care to 90
to the expense Of buying one of the
patent corn-cutting machines now ev-
erywhere on the market, I will de-
scribe the one I have used success
fully in my own fields. A man handy
with tools can make it himself and
as it is very different from the patented
e there is no danger of infringe
ment. A rough sketch Of it Is shown
in the accompanying illustration. Take
three pieces of 2x4 oak studding each
6 feet long. Bolt these together in
the shape of an old-fashioned A harrow.
Rut a wheel, / foot high, at the back
corners and bolt to the cross piece.
Place one large wheel at the front
end. The cutter works best in turning
IL the forward wheel Is swivelled. Next
fasten a brush scythe on each side
of the frame near the back part slant
ing forward so Il drawing cut win be
made. Cover the frame with boards
for the men to stand on and construct
q seat of 2x8 studs, 21-2 feet long
with two sticks 80 inches long for
legs. Brace this by running a stick
from the center Of the seat to the front
end of the machine. Attach a single
tree, to which a steady horse is hitched
and you have a crude looking affair
which will do as good work as any on
the market. IT,.
In loading the fodder in the field I