The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-09-09
shreddinq Corn Stalks.

Editor Southern Cultivator:
I have been a reader of your paper
for some time and think it a good
agricultural paper and that you are
doing good work for the farmers Of
the South. [ have been farming for
half century and have some expert
ence in that line. In your last issue
think you put too great stress, and
magnifed the saving and shredding of
corn stalks beyond their true value.
That shredded corn stalks have some
! value as food for stock admit, but
all the value is in the blades and
shucks-the hard stalk and pith is no
good and stock will not eat it. True
it does for bedding, but it is rather
expensive bedding. Farmers can get
plenty of bedding for stock without
the trouble and expense Of shredding
it. You say that cutting down the
corn stalk does not hurt the corn. If
this is so it. is strange. Cut down a
tree or sprout, or weed, or any other
plant and it instantly withers and
shrinks away. Is the corn plant an
exceptions We know that all the nu-
triment a plant gets comes from the
root and if this is cut off it dies and
shrinks up. A neighbor who runs a
gin and mill says he can tell corn that
has been cut and shredded as soon as
he puts it in the mill. It is light and
chaffy and not solid like corn that has
stood until the grain is hard and fully
matured. He has tried shredding and
says "a man should not cut his corn
and shred it, if he would do it for
nothing. -
You Say the crop of corn stalks is
worth as much as the corn, and as
much as cottonseed. for one do not
believe it. Corn stalks, taking off the
blades and shucks is worth no more
than cotton stalks and should be left
on the land for humus. True they
will not make much humus but they
are worth more for that than. anything
else.
Again you say :'shredders are not
expensive" Well to run shredder
YOU must have a steam engine and the
outfit costs more than the average
farmer is able to afford. If farmers
would plant or SOW their corn land in
peas and then NOW it after they gath
er the corn they would have plenty
of better hay than shredded corn
stalks.
regret to differ with you on this
matter but with my experience and
the light before me prefer "the old
way.o Il. b. Harris.
Pineville, N. G.
Stuck fast in the old rut. Our cor
reenondent's .naSition is rather pecu-
liar. The shredding of corn is valued
because it prepares the stalk for food
as we'll as the blade and thus very
greatly increases the quantity OF
food.
Experiments and analysis both show
that the stalk is equal in feeding
value to the blades and shucks. Ex-
periments also show, that, when the
shredding is properly done, the stock
eat stalk and all. And further that
they work and fatten on shredded
hay as we'll as on other kinds. Some
times the shredding is not we'll done
or the feeding is not properly pro-
portioned, and then stock leave some
in the troughs. But this is not the
case when the work is we'll and right
~ done.
We have the experience of hundreds
which show that it is fully equal to
other kinds of hay.
AS to the cutting of the corn stalk
injuring the corn we wish to say that
it does not do so if cut at the right
time. The corn sbould stand until
the fodder or blades are we'll ripened
"a week later than you would pull
fodder, until the grains are well glazed.
We will explain how it is that the
cutting does lot injure or make the
grain lighter.
The roots Of corn take the crude sap
from the earth or soil and send it
through the stalk to the blades. The
blades are the workshop of plants.
Here by the aid of sunshine and chic
rophyl this crude sap is worked over.
The food elements are extracted and
sent each to their proper place. The
food suited to the roots is sent back
to them. The food suited to the
different parts of stalk growth is sent
each kind to its proper place. The
food suited to making the grain is
sent to the grain. No mistakes are
made in this wonderful work.
Now if you take off the blades of
corn or leaves of any plant you stop
this work at once. Hence corn grains
do not fill out after the fodder is pull
ed.
But if you will examine corn stalk
you will find that at the time we say
cut your corn for shredding the little
hair-like feeding roots are dead and
will not send any, more sap to the
blades, hence there is no damage done
by cutting the stalk just above the
roots.
Again, it is law of plant life that
if you injure or wound the plant all
it's energies are at once directed to
fastening the production and matur-
ing of seed. Thus in this case as soon
as you cut the corn stalk every energy
of it's being is used to hasten the fill
ing of the grains. And as the leaves
or blades are still on the stalk this
work goes On rapidly as they die.
This is so wonderfully done that the
corn will be heavier than if you pulled
the fodder and left the stalk standing.
Not only this, but numerous careful