Middletown transcript., 1897-09-04
M1DDLETowN. DEL. SEP. 4, 1897.
HARVESTING CORN.
Results Gained During Four Years Tel
at the Ohio Station.

Results Gained During Four Years Tests
nc the Ohio Station.
Two or three years ago, as result OF
the dry season and consequent failure
Of grass, both as meadow and pasture,
it was strongly urged that the entire
corn crop be saved in order that there
might be a better supply Of forage on
the farm. It was insisted that it was
unwise to grow crop and allow half
Of it to go to waste for the want Of addi-
tional labor necessary to save it in good
feeding condition, and large number
Of farmers in the south and west be-
came persuaded that the stover was
worth looking after, with the result
that great deal more fodder is now
shocked and cured than was the case
only few years ago. In this connection
the Iowa Homestead says:
Many objected then, however, some
because Of the amount of work involved
and others because they believed that
to cut and shock corn caused loss in
the grain crop which went far to mega
tive the advantage gained from saving
the fodder. There was at that time lit
tie If any accurate experiment directly
bearing on the question, and the dis
cussion of the subject was based prin-
cipa1ly upon analogies and on some ex-
periments in relation to cutting corn at
different seasons, and the argument was
inconclusive.
There are now, however, more prac-
tical data to 60 ON. The Ohio expert
ment station has issued q bulletin In
which the result Of four years. test Of
the precise question is given. In 1889
field, quite uniform In stand, was di-
vided into three parts. One part was
cut and shocked in the usual way, the
second was topped, while the third re-
mained undisturbed to mature on the
stalks. That left standing produced 80
bushels to the acre, the topped corn
75.9 bushels and the shocked corn 66.1
bushels. This indicated considerable
loss in shocking. But q repetition Of
the test the next year reversed these re-
suits, and the corn left standing pro-
duced 64. 5 bushels per acre, the topped
corn 65. 8 bushels and the shocked corn
72.6 bushels. Three tests on farms In
different parts of the state under the
direction Of the station gave varying
results, two of them favoring the stand
ing corn and one the shocked corn. The
conflicting results made further investi-
cation necessary, and four varieties, no
two ripening at the same time, were
sent to ten different farmers with in
structions as to how to conduct the
test. Counting each variety as a sepa-
rate test, IA gave best yield when
shocked and 16 yielded more largely
when matured on the standing stalks.
The average for four seasons, however,
was 55. 30 bushels from shocked corn
and 81. 45 bushels from that left stand
ing.
In attempting to ascertain the reasons
for the variations careful study Of the
details of all tho trials lead to the con-
clusion that where corn is sufficiently
matured at the time of cutting the
difference in yield of grain per acre be-
tween that cut and that left standing 10
very slight. IL not sufficiently matured
at cutting time, unless it is very green,
more sound corn will be secured by cut
ting and shocking than by allowing the
corn to stand ON the stalk and take the
chances.