Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-07-17

About Corn ShreddIng.

be serious one; and some in this
section who have never before con-
sidered it, are thinking this season
OF shredding their corn stalks. For
the benefit of these and others, YOU
will greatly oblige by giving full
discussion of the subject in The
Cultivator, noting particularly tho
following points:
l. Will horses and mules do as
we'll on shredded corn stalks the
year round as they will on hay or
fodder2
2. Recently have seen it stated
that it is best to do the shredding
only as the stovcr is needed. Will
it deteriorate if shredded in the fall
and kept in bulk until used?
3. Is it liable to spoil when kept
in bulkp
4. What could person with
good shrcdding outfit afford to shred
for others per ton? On the other
hand, what could one afford to paw
per ton for shredding, in preference
to pulling foddcrP
8. What is stover worth per ton
as compared with corn fodder and
with hay Very truly yours,
j. B. Wright.
Answer 1. We have from time to
time urged our readers to quit pull
ing fodder, because it Injuries the
corn, and costs too much. We have
urged them to cut the corn and shred
the stalks, and thus save not only
the fodder, but also the stalks and
shucks.
Repeated experiments have proven
that the hay made from corn stalks
is about as good as any hay we can
save. Analysis shows it to be equal
III food elements to clover or Timo-
thy and much more digcstiblc than
either. Stock Of all kinds do as
well when fed upon shredded hay as
upon any other. First class peavine
hay may he little better, but very
little.
This is not guess work, nor is it
reasoned out from analysis. 1t has
been tried and proven over and over
again.
2. If the corn is thoroughly cured
and dry when shredded, the hay will
keep indefinitely either in bulk or in
bales. There is no danger whatever,
except from water. Some recon-
mend a little salt sprinklcd in as it
IS put away, to make the animals
more eager for it. But this would
be just as true Of any other hay.
You can keep the stalks until it is
convenient TO shred, but there is no
necessity Of waiting after they are
once dry.
3. There is no danger if properly
kept. Perhaps less risk than with
any other hay.
4. This is question Of local bear
ing and personal convenience. Some
shred by the day. Some by the ton,
some Gy the acre.
A man can afford TO pay 81 ton,
and a shredder will soon pay for
itself at that. The help question
often enters into this trade But it
is certainly cheaper for some farmers
to hire than to own a shredder, and
it is profitable business to the party
running the shredder.
If you think how much more for
age or hay farmer will have when
he saves all, than when he saves less
than onc-fifth, you can see at
glance how it pays to save it all.
What are we farming for? To
make something to eat, feed with,
and sell 1? Then, if we have crop
OF corn stalks and they are valuable
to feed with and to sell, is it not
wise to save them? We think so.
5. Stovcr is worth as much per
ton as corn fodder or other hay. 1t
sells readily at about the same price
as No. 2 Timothy, which is the
standard of pricing for hay. 1t will
bring anywhere from Sl2 to $50 per
ton, according to quality and loca-
uon.
The stalks made into stover arc
worth as much as tn u corn or ear
crop
Not blade Of fodder should be
pulled in all this land. Pulling
fodder is luxury that costs too
much
We are glad to get your letter and
to know that you farmers arc waking
up upon this important question.
There is more money to them in
grass, hay, forage and cattle than in
cotton.
We hope you will encourage them
in this line; and see that they quit
losing so important part of their
crops Help them to get enough shred
dors IN the community to shred all
the corn stalks.
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