Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1900-06-20
GRO FODDER CORN
And Save
The LIVE STOCK.
The Minnesota Experiment
Station Has Some Urgent
Advice for the Faf4ners.


reduced. Farmers must look to stock
for their years profits. The greatest
crop for stock is fodder corn. It may
be planted as late as July LIST. By
putting in a crop of fodder corn profits
on live stock can be saved. Plow and
drill crib corn on fields containing
unpromising grain. Every acre of
fodder corn planted before July 1st
will winter five head of CATTLE Fodder
corn is better feed than timothy hay.
Common dent corn is our best variety
for fodder corn. Plant thickly in drills
and cultivate.
Severe drouth early in the season
brings to the farmers of Minnesota
new problem in field and farm manage
ment. The Lay crop will be so short
that live stock must be sacrificed if
something cannot yet be done to pro-
,1uce cheap rough food. Common corn
planted thickly for fodder is the best
OF all substitutes for hay; it is our
best hay crop. Numerous experiments
show that thlckly grown fodder is a
better feed than timothy hay. It can
be planted late in June and cut for
fodder in September, producing a good
yield. This plan has been extensively
tried by dairymen and others, and all
agree that it is a success. The expert
ment station uses it extensively for
dairy and other cattle, and for sheep
and horses. Ten to twenty tons of
green corn, or four to seven tons of
cured fodder corn can be secured from
an acre.
HOW TO SECURE SEED.
Every farmer whose hay crop is
short should at once secure seed for a!
large crop of fodder corn. The best
place to secure this seed is from his
own crib. Dent corn is a little better
than flint corn. Dig into the crib and
secure 100 ears. Take ten kernels from
each ear and plant them in soil which
can be kept moist; few days will tell
how much will grow. If over so per
cent: terminates it will do for seed.
To make sure of securing seed visit
several farms and try the corn in each
crib found, getting an option on the
desired number of bushels. Every
farmer who has crib corn which he
thinks will grow should at once test
it, and if it will grow advertise the
fact that he has fodder corn seed for
sale.
HOW TO PLANT. CORN.
A field should at once be made ready
by blowing under wheat, oats, barley,
or other crop which the drouth has cut
short. Harrow the soil and plant a
bushel per acre if all the seeds will
grow; or two bushels if only so per
cent. terminates in the test. Use the
common grain drill, allowing two
tubes to be open for every row, with
three feet between for the cultivator.
Plant SO as to have stalk every three
inches apart in each drill in the double
row, and thus secure a heavy yield of
fine stalks and blades. A one horse
corn drill, or furrow into which the
corn is strewn thickly by hand are
other good methods of planting fod-
der corn. A potato planter on which
man rides and let's the corn run
from his hand will put the seed deep
in the moist furrow, where it will GER
inmate. The corn should be drilled
at this season of the year two, three
or even four inches deep in. dry soils.
MANAGEMENT s OF THE CROP.
Harrow across the rows till the corn
is six inches high, then, cultivate till
three feet high. When the lower
leaves begin to turn brown, or when
the frost threatens, harvest the fodder,
The corn binder is by far the best
machine. The common binder will do
we'll in. short corn. The sled corn har-
vester can,sometimes be used to-. ad-
vantage, and where necessary the
hand knife may be used. Stand the
bundles up in medium sized >or smaA
shocks and tie at the top with binding
Irvine. In two weeks small shocks
may be collected into large shocks,
as far across as the stalks are long,
that the: blades may be protected and
remain green and palatable. These
shocks may be left. IN the field till
wanted for feeding; or the fodder may
be drawn to the barnyard and placed
in narrow stacks or in large shocks;
or # very dry it may be moved away
in hay bays. q. z
This fodder may be used, cut or un-
cut, as hay; or the green uncured fod-
4 der corn may be stored in silo and
used even to better advantage, as its
ssucculency will make possible the pro-
ftable use OF larger quantities Of
wheat and oat straw, which will prob
ably be abundant even the present
year. ...z. .. sS.
III Write for Press Bulletin No. 10 on
i Fodder Corn from which this suns
married statement is made, address
ing Director Vim. A. Liggett, Exper-
liment Station, st. Anthony Park,
MINI. s E S.t.. 81, .# Il. t g# y