Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-10-21
agricultural.
Waste Of Corn Fodder,

1t has been stated by one who has
made observations in a large number of
States that the annual waste of corn
fodder in this country is so great that,
we're it turned to account, the gain would
give every farmer a handsome profit.
This is fact which may be demonstrated
every winter by visiting the farms in
any locality. Corn fodder is left stand
ing in the fields to be soaked by rains,
blown to the ground by winds or the
blades torn to pieces and scattered
through the same agency. The crop
of fodder from a field of corn should
equal in value the grain taken there
from, and yet the fodder is wasted and
the grain saved. In fact, if the fodder
is given no better treatment than it
receives on some farms it would be
cheaper To drive into the field, pull the
ears from the stalks, throw them into
wagon and haul direct from the field to
the crib, and leave the stalks standing,
than to expend labor cutting the corn
and putting it into shocks, with the ad-
ditional work of housing the grain after
the corn is shocked, as it will save labor
by so doing if the fodder is to be wasted
1t is very disagreeable task to husk
the corn in the field in cold weather,
and it is an easy matter to pull the ears
from the standing corn, which can be
husked more conveniently at the barn.
oHEAPENING THE FOOD.
Careful experiments made at several
stations show that the fodder crop is
more valuable than may be supposed,
and that a larger proportion of the fod-
der would be consumed if it was properly
cared for SO Ms to be kept in a bright
condition. If hay was treated in the
same manner as fodder il would be re-
iected, but even in the condition in
which fodder is given to stock they ac-
cent and consume fair quantity of it,
Farmers who have been careful with
their fodder have found that when it was
cut up fine with feed cutter and fed
in connection with ground oats, not only
cattle but horses have been brought
safely through the winter N good con-
dition and at less cost than with any
other kind of food II is willful waste
of labor to carefully shock the fodder
and then leave it, Tor even if not de-
stroyed by winds and rains in the fields
il is so deteriorated in quality as to be
unacceptable to stock
sHREDDING THE FODDER.
Corn fodder can be made to assist the
hay as food, but one point to observe,
and which is known to all experienced
farmers, is that corn fodder must be
bright. Of course, when cut down in
the fields it must be done at the proper
stage of growth, so as to have the stalks
as succulent as possible, and as soon as
the ears are removed the fodder should
he nut under shelter 1t is too bulky
crop to go into the barn, but, allowing
that point to pass, more care should be
used 10 shocking it. With the shredder
or ensilage cutter large portion can be
prepared and made ready for use, and
il will not heat if the fodder is well
cured. but one method is to have cheap
sheds under which the stalks can be
stored, being packed in a manner to
permit of free circulation of air. Still,
il may be contended that it will cost too
much to store under shelter and that the
corn can be fed more economically by
throwing it into the barDyard 1t will
no halter however If the corn is to be
used in such manner, to make change
and shred all the stalks before throwing
them into the barnyard. as they will
then be serviceable for bedding, or may
be baled in the same manner as hay.
Economy of feeding with fodder is to
make it assist hay, as the more fodder
used to advantage the more hay can be
sold or used for additional stock The
main point is to pcrserve the fodder in
winter and make it assist in producing a
profit on the farm.