Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-11-06
To Save Corn

One of the great problems that il
likely to demand the farmers atten
tion this year at least, and possibly i
not probably in years to come, is how
to save corn. During most of the
past twenty years corn has been
cheap, due to the vast increase in
acreage. There is a limit to this
however. The corn area can not be
very greatly extend ed, and for reasons
that we have often pointed out. The
use of corn for manufacturing pur-
poses has largely increased and will
increase. The increase in the yield
of corn is, therefore, matter of edu-
cation and better methods of cultiva-
tion, and especially of increased fer
tility of the land, and therefore will
be slow one. Hence we may as we'll
begin to study on this question more
than we have done in the past.
| One method that is worth studying,
and on some farms and among some
breeders adopted, is that of grinding
the corn for dairy cows, for horses
when hard at work, and for steers in
the last stage of feeding. Heretofore
farmers generally have been Of the
opinion that it would not pay them
to grind corn, and they are supported
in this by the conclusions of the ex-
pertinent stations. Whether it pays
or not depends on circumstances.
1t will not pay to grind corn for
sheep worth feeding at all, nor for
horses that are not hard at work, nor
for hogs unless the cob is ground with
it, in which case, provided it is
ground fine, corn and cob meal is gen.
orally considered to have the same
value per pound as corn meal pure
and simple. However, it is differ
ent problem when corn is worth sixty
cents a bushcl than when it is worth
twenty cents If grinding will add
eight per cent to the value, as some
OF the experiments seem to indicate,
then it would pay to grind corn at
sixty cents when it would not pay at
thirty cents. 1t will often pay when
the farmer can grind it on his farm,
when it would not pay if he had to
take it to the mill. 1t would pay to
grind it for dairy COWS when it would
not pay to grind it for the feeding
steer, because the dairy COW is hard
at work. Circumstances differ so
widely that no fixed rule can be laid
down. We have simply aimed to in
dicate what might pay under certain
circumstances.
A great saving in corn, however,
will be in the composition Of rations.
If the farmer has only timothy hay,
he can not afford to feed corn either
ground or unground to his dairy COWS
as a balance for the ration, for the
simple reason that the com bination
does not furnish milk making ma
terial. He had better sell some of his
corn at present prices and buy oil
meal or bran or alfalfa meal to feed
with the rest of it. Any of these
will make a cheaper and better bal
ance than corn with timothy hay for
his dairy COWS.
Then, again, if the labor problem
does not interfere, it will pay the
farmer to chaff his hay when he
grinds his corn, and feed it to his
dairy COWS. When corn meal is mixed
with chaffed hay it is all carried to
the first stomach, regurgitated and
before being sent to the re-
naming stomachs, thus insuring bet
ter digestion. We notice that many
breeders of improved cattle adopt
this method, to the great saving of
corn and improvement in the appear
ance of the cattle.
We apprehend, however, that the
greatest saving of corn will be made
in somewhat lengthening our period
of feeding both with hogs and with
cattle, particularly the cattle. The
cow and the steer can utilize very
great amount OF roughage; and, pro-
vided it is tirst-class, such as we'll
cured clover and alfalfa and silage, a
much greater percent Of the weight
can be added on this cheaper material
than has been done heretofore.
These are some of the phases of the
problem, and it is time that farmers
were giving it due considera tien and
feeling their way toward the proper
solution. The proper solution will
differ on different farms, but we are
quite sure that great saving can be
made in one or other or ali of these
ways, and that farmers who are put
tiLg brains into their work will find
what is the proper solution of every
particular case. Wallaces' Farmer.
State Treasurer elect George G.
johnson received the congratulations
of his friends Tuesday night with be-
coming modesty, and seemed happier
over the election of Taft and Vessey
than anything else.