Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1895-10-11
SOME FARM TOPICS.
VALUABLE TIPS FOR THE TILLERs
OF THE SOIL.
Shredded Fodder Alleged to be
Equal to Hay-A Creamery Craze-
For Cooling MillS-A Cheap Sflo-
miscellaneous Notes.

Dry seasons and short hay crops may
not be without large compensations.
The inquiries coming to us amidst the
maturing Of the greatest corn crop
these Central states ever grew, sug-
gests that farmers generally are ready
to accept the fact that it has too long
been the custom to utterly waste one
Of the best products Of the farm. We
do not say that all have been practic-
ing these wasteful methods, but that
many have. Last year farmer. on
forty acres gave fair test to his corn
fodder. He tells us that on land that
grew him forty-tive bushels of corn per
acre also yielded him fodder which,
by actual feeding test, proved itself
worth two tons of hay per acre. He
cut his corn as it began glazing or
hardening in the grain, bound it into
small bundles which were shocked up
loosely in the field till fairly cured and
then corded up in the barn shed by
laying the bundles across each other
as wood is corded up, and when, later
on in the fall, he had time he obtained
the services Of husker and shredder
in the neighborhood and huSked the
corn and shredded the fodder, which
he stored away in the dry for use. He
fed this shredded fodder without any
hay, to his cattle from November 20
to April 25, and they came out on
grass in as fine condition as he ever
saw them. He also fed ii to his horses
with equal satisfaction. He was thus
enabled to sell all his hay and 60
through the feeding season on the pro-
duet that had gone to waste largely
before.
Here is a fair illustration Of this
whole matter, and we urge its impor-
lance upon those who have short hay
crops and great prospects for corn:
Let it be said that the corn as IL be-
gins to glaze and harden is at per-
feet state of nutrition in blade and
stalk, as well as in ear. Cut at this
time the very highest per cent of nutri-
ton is saved and preserved in the fod-
der, and the ear is also perfect. Cut.
husked and shredded as this farmer
did, one has not only forty to sixty
bushels of perfectly merchantable corn
per acre on good land, but as many
with the best hay that would grow
upon Ii also. Can anyone afford to
waste so much? Experience has shown
that the method Of running cattle TO
the stalkfield Is equivalent to a waste
Of twO-thirds or more Of it, and that
the old method Of standing the shocks
In the field till late in the season and
then feeding them without cutting or
shredding. is waste. of one-half or
more of the fodder. Can we afford to
waste one-half even: Hay is in great
demand. at high prices this season.
Save the fodder shred and feed 1t
properly, and sell the hay. This is
the way to make the big corn crop
count and make up for the short hay
crop.
Last season we published several
letters from farmers who were using
a shredder. They were uniformly ia
vOrable to this new method of making
hay out of the corn fodder The ma
chine breaks and shreds the stalk till
every part of it may be utilized per-
fectly and fed with equal satisfaction
to cattle, horses and sheep. In
word, 1t saves the great by-product of
the cOrnfield, whereas ii has hereto
fore been wasted.
We have for years been urging the
value Of the silo and corn silage. Only
a few farmers have yet constructed
silOs. But it has been found most de-
sirable to feed dry products along with
the silage. Many have been feeding
hay. This shredded fodder will take
the place Of hay and the two methods
of saving work perfectly together. In
feeding, to balance the ration. wheat
bran and other products may be used.
But now get ready to save and shred
your corn fodder and sell your hay.