The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1902-10-23
VALUE OF SOFT CORN
Result of Experiments at Agri.
cultural College.

Ames, Oct. 17.--An experiment that
will be of great value to farmers he's
just been completed by Professor WI
]. Kennedy, expert in animal hus-
bandry, and Professor p. G. Holden,
expert in agronomy, to ascertain the !,
feeding value of 'sot corn" They !
have prepared an article for the press !,
giving the results as well as suggcs-
tons to cattle feeders as to the best !
methods of utilizing the same. This !
is most timely topic and this great
article has been prepared to meet the
requests of thousands of feeders
throughout the middle west. Chemical
analysis made by them show soft corn
to contain as much protein and fat as
mature corn; also that it contains
about 20 per cent more water. The
report of their investigation and sug-
gestions follow:
The cattle feeding business has al
ways presented many perplexing prob
lens. New FACTORS are constantly max
ing their appearance. This year the
main problem is, how can the soft
corn crop" be utilized to the best adj
vantage. The early September frost
has caused many farmer 70 change
| his former methods. In former years
men engaged in the cattle feeding
business because they liked it, and
considered it to be the most profitable
market for their corn. They also pur-
chased corn from their neighbors and
realized profit on the same by con-
verting the raw material into fin
ished product in the form of a fat
steer. This year many men who for
merly belonged to that large but I'M
fortunate class (this year, known as
grain farmers" are obliged to change
their methods and become cattle
feeders.
In the cattle feding business, like
any other kind of work, the expert
enced man is the most likely to reap
the cash profit while large percent
age of men who are new in the bust
ness are likely to have as their reward
one years credit in that costly but
never failing school of experience"
Many cattle feeders are inclined to
believe that the early frost has al
most completely ruined the feeding
value of the late corn. The corn be-
ing soft and presenting a chaffy ap-
pearance is considered to be almost
worthless. In order that we might be
able to furnish some reliable data on
this all important subject, we have
taken the matter up both from scien'
tific and practical standpoint. Sam
pies of corn of the various varieties
representing different stages OF de
velopment and collected on many dit
ferent farms, have been analysed and
the results compared with the analysis
OF mature corn grown in 1900 and 1901
A car load of good feeding steers was
also purchased and divided into two
/. lots of as nearly uniform weight, quail
|. ity, breeding, ETC., as it was possible
to divide them. One lot is being fin
ished on 1900 corn. The other lot or
soft corn" While it is too early tc
give any definite results as yet to the
public, as the experiment will be car
ried on for at least three months
longer, making in all a five months
: test, the results up to this time would
j.. indicate that soft corn" possessed
nearly as much feeding value as fully
i. matured corn.
: The chemical analysis shows tina
q the "'soft corn" contains about the
/ same amount of protein and fat al
!. mature corn. The only perceptibl'
q difference is that it contains about 2
! per cent more water and in some in
4 stances a trife higher per cent o
protein. On a waterbury basis, the re
suits are practically the same. Thi
would indicate that when the corn !
husked out and dried, that pound TO
pound it will contain as much nourisf
h ment as fully matured corn.
The chaffy appearance of the cor
is unmistakable evidence that tn
q yield per acre is very much less tina
% it would have been had the corn full
e matured. Another point to be col
p sidered is that there will be muc
e larger percentage of COB in compar
IS son to the amount of corn than in TO
d mer years. Thus corn and cob me;
d, will not be as valuable as when full
D. matured corn has been ground. Ou
M analysis differs from that reported b
le Professor Snyuer of the Minnesot
'e station, who stated that the cob COZ
se tanned much of the nourishment whic
70 was not to be found in the corn itsel
s. We we're unable to find any noticeabl
difference in the chemical composite
of the cob of the "solc corn" and thu
of the cob of matured corn. AS tn
" soft corn" dries out, the differenc
= will gradually grow less, pound n
N pound, until the soft corn" is tho
A. oughly dried, when they will be
~ equal value, pound for pound.
" The weather during the next 8
8 weeks will be the greatest factor
y determining the value of the.corn Gre
n of 1902. Clear, warm, dry weath'
Is will mean millions of dollars to Il
y farmers of this country, while dan
~ weather will mean millions of dolla
= of damage to the corn crop.
If the corn can be properly drit