The Atlanta constitution., 1898-08-22
FODDER PULLING:
SLIDING; SHREDDING.

Haven't the farmers had n nice time
(over the lefD for pulling fodder this sea-
son? Heavy rains every day or two and
showers all along between have been
enough to wear out the patience of q less
patient man than Job of Old. The farmer
with a silo to fill has had fresh evidence
of the great economic advantage OF this
method of putting up green corn for his
COWS The stalks blown down, the blades
uartlv burned with oVer-ripeness, split ana
ragged from the heavy winds and beating
rains. the fields have presented an unlnVlt-
Inc, spectacle TO the farmer who IS intent
only on saving the blades. or puilinS
fodder in the old way. But to the farmer
who has a silo to fill with corn these condi-
tfons are not at all embarrassing. Even the
continued rainy weather does not count eX-
Ccpt in so far as the frequent showers OF
continuous rains prevent outdoor work.
The fact that the corn plants are dripping
wet or are liable to get wet alter cutting
when down or while hauling, amounts TO
nothing The processes of cutting and
hauling and putting the stalks through the
ensilaee cutter and into the Slo suffer no
interrupti0n excepting the mere hciHeHt
that the workers may occasionally get WEI
from a passing Shower, or from hahoiIhE
the wet corn. We have just inlshed III
less than two days. cutting down, hauIllS
TO the barn and putting through the cnsi-
siIo the corn from about four acres. About
EIGHT hands did the work. including every
detail from cutting the stalks, hauling TO
the harm. operating the machinery, running
the engine and trcadiug down the cut ensl-
lace in less than two days steady work.
The sn0 holds fifty tons, but was filed to
about four-ffths of its full capacity, or,
cav forty tons-the product of four acres
,r land This amount will feed ten cows
ut the rate OF forty pounds of en31laSe
each per day for Il period Of over SIX
months.
The siIo being filed. the hands were put
~ vyorI, cutting and shocking corn. the
earns to be shucked out when dry and the
stalks to be shredded for hay about six or
seven weeks from now. AS in the case Of
cutting corn for the silo the weather is or
M great consequence. IF a shower comes
I'D the hands simply get out Of the ram
uutI it is over and in Il short time they
are at Il again, the work being so ar
r,ooad ana divided that there is very little
l-.n down on the ground" ut any one
lime After getting the stalks into the
s1ocIls the work SO far IS over (and prop
ahIy the showers Of RAIN and we wait pa
,icu+'y during the usually hot and dry
month OF September for the ears t" cure
ana tho stalks to dry in readiness for the
shredder which will be operated ABOUT inc
first days Of october.
Aswo have before stated, By this method
ormaryestinrr the corn crop, whereby every
nart OF the plant that IS above the ground
is saved and utilized the farmer saves not
less than forty pounds Of food material foF
every buahcl of corn that would pe IeIl III
The field under the old method OF merely
saving the blades. We mean TO say INA.
the naked stalks. excluding the blades ana
e.ucl4. WIN yield Of dry shredded stun an
average of forty pounds for each busheI Oh
corn produced.