The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-07-20
PULLING FODDER, SHOCKING
AND SHREDDING CORN.

Before two weeks shall have passed by
the old-fashioned fodder pulling" Will
be under way in a large part of the ter
ritory reached by The Weekly Constitu-
ton The work will roll northward like
a huge wave extending from North Caro-
lima TO the western limits of the arabic
region of Texas. 1t will roll on until 1t
reaches the Ohio river, broken here ana
there by few farmers who have re-
solved not to pull fodder any more.
Why does the practice prevail almost uni
versally in the south while it Is but
rarely practiced east of North Carolina
and Virginia and north of the Ohio l
suppose there are more than one reason
for the prevalence of the practice in the
cotton states. Perhaps the first reason IS
because this has never been stock
growing region and with our mild, short
winters and a good range" the old time
farmer could easily supply what amount
of cured forage he needed from other
sources. The second reason. maybe, is
that the idea has long prevailed that we
of the south cannot cure our large stalked
and larn,-eared corn by cutting and
shocking the crop. The first of these rea-
sons if ii ever had any real consistency,
is no longer true and has not been true,
as proven by the many thousands of car
ais of hay that have been bought from
the west TO supply our lack and the
thousands of half -famished cattle whose
pounches cannot be filed ard kept filled
with Shucks cnd straw.
IN 1860 q severe and ruinous drOuSiL
struck the southwestern part of Georgia
(where I was then engaged In farming)
and very few fiat grains" of corn were
made that year. I cut and shocked my
entire crop. True the stalks were small
and the ears wero mostly 'nubbins." but
the large supply Of good forage thus Sc
cured saved the necessity of buying Cor
doing without hay the next spring and
summer. / had to buy only 100 bushels
of corn. The experience Of that one year
convinced me that there was no real
difficulty In thoroughly curing our corn in
that wav. Subsequent experience and OH
servation prove that our southern cOndi-
tions are even more favorable for harvest
ing In this manner than they are at the
north.
Our corn is ready to be cut and SHOCK
ed from one TO two months earlier than
in the north. while our fall season is not
only later. but drier.
But since the invention Of the cornstalk
shredder there is no longer a shadow OF q
reason why the southern farmer should
permit to go to waste so large and valu-
able portion of his corn crop. unless it be
the shadow Of our fathers memory
they did not do 1t that way" Peace 10
their memories ara honor to their no.
blity Of soul and integrity of character
But we will honor them the more by Inn
proving on their methods-as they would
have done had they lived and retained
their physical activities until now.
Assuming that not a farmer In Georgia
will cut and shock his corn this year, but
that it is going to be a good year for
corn q fear 1t will not, however, and
every farmer is going to leave his corn
stalks in the field as "of old time what
do you suppose the loss would amount
to? Or we viii suppose crop of 30 ,dO,0o0
bushels of corn is now Fastening on TO
maturity. How many tons Of dry corn
stalks exclusive of the blades) would
there b.? Here are the proportions
On one acre of land yielding 20 bushels
of shelled corn. there would also be pro
duced as follows:
shelled corn go bushels) e. Il 12o MS.
CObs.. e. e. .. e. :. o. $50 lbs.
Stalks (drU:
Butts '.o3i
Tops. :. E. E. :. :. =. les $50 lbs.
Blades dry:
From buttS.... ..IIS
From tops .loo- % IDS
ShuCks =. e. .. :. =. :. :. :. 81 IDS
Tassels...... 81 IDS
in the above the S95 pounds represents
the total dry weight of the naked, dry
stalks that would be left in the field. 1t
IS sos divided by 20-45 pounds Oearly),
say 40 pounds of dry stalks to each bushcl
Of corn Now multiply the $50 900 bush
els of corn that we have assumed as the
amount of a full crop of corn in Georgia
by 40 pounds and We get a result no
less than 400 000 900 pounds, or 100000
tOns
Now how much cured fodder" CORN
blades) would be gathered if every blaze
! be carefully ''pulled?" The comparatively
/ insignificant amount of 800, 900 900 pounds,
/ or $500 tons. Let q farmer calculate
on his own crop. Say he has 100 acres in
] corn and that he expects a yield of 10
J bushels per acre, or 1900 bushels. His
I FODDER would not exceed 21,000 pounds.
or 1912 tons. But the dry stalks would
amount to GO 900 pounds, or 80 tons.
In regard to the substantial value NJ
the cured and shredded cornstalks Gi.
Guiding the blades, of course) there re-
mains no question among those who have
dried ana shredded them properly. The
shredded slower Is reished fairly well by
/ cattle mules and horses. Analysis shows
! ii to be little inferior to Timothy hay
| and better than cotton seed hulls or dry