Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-09-28
SAVING THE CORN.
Some Valuauie Suggestions Upon
Conserving Great Fodder Crop.

the COIH arrives UO tlllle SHOULD Ue
lost in the operation if it is to be
gathered while it contains the larg-
est amount of food elements. There
is a period in ordinary seasons last
ing but few days in which the
corn ears are ripe and the blades
and stalks are yet green, and this
is the period at which corn should
be cut.
In shocking the corn in the field
the work will be easier and the
shocks will stand up better If a
two pieces of timber one inch thick,
six inches wide and six feet long. to
one end of scantling two inches
wide and ten feet long. Then bore
large hole in the scantling about
four feet from the end to which
the legs are nailed and thrust an
iron rod or a strong stick into it.
One end of the scantling is support
ed by the Ike pieces; the other
end rests on the ground.
In shocking the corn, put it in
the four right angles formed by
the scantling and the iron rod, with
Do not set the bundles too straight; j;
and see that the corn is evenly dis
tributed throughout the shock.
For drawing the top of the shock
together use a half-inch rope with
a three-inch ring on one end, draw
ing the shock up as tightly as pos
sible, and then tie it securely with
binder twine. Then pull out the
rod and move the rack to the place
where the next shock is to be made.
If the corn is to be shredded the
sooner it is worked up the better
after it is dry enough to keep in
bulk. If. however. it is not to be
shredded it should be hauled in be-
fore winter sets in and placed un-
der cover. There is no rough feed,
think. that is superior TO corn
fodder when it is properly cared for
until consumed
A great many farmers do not cut
their corn, but pull the ears and
leave the husk and stalks in the
field. This is very wasteful meth
od The stalks and leaves contain
over 40 per cent of the total feed
ing value of the corn crop and every
farmer should endeavor to utilize
the entire plant.
Where corn is grown in large
areas and is to be put in the silo
or shocked in the field the corn
binder is an absolute necessity to
handle the crop successfully. These
machines cut the corn, tie and de-
posit the bundles in piles ready to
shock, or to be hauled to the en-
silage cutter, thus greatly lessening
the work of saving the crop. These
machines are profitable for the
small grower, as well as for the
man who plants large areas.
While on this subject of saglng
thae corn it will not be amiss to
speak about the selection of seed.
for seed, it is necessary to go out
into the field and pick them in sea-
son. Take a sack and while select
ing the early-maturing ears also ex-
anime the stalk. Seed should not be
chosen from stalks that are smutty
or that have produced suckers. A
strong stalk should be looked for
one that is thick at the bottom and
gradually tapers, not especially a
tall stalk, for height does not neces-
sarily designate strength. The best
ears of corn will generally be found
on the shorter, heavier-set stalks.
The height of the ears on the
stalk should be considered and in
this connection it will be found that
the early-maturing ears are not
those that are high upon the stalk,
but very largely those that are low
er down. 1t is well to select. as
far as possible, those ears which
are at the best height for husking,
which is from three and one-half TO
four feet.
No ears should be selected for
seed that have not straight rows Of
deep, wedge-shaped kernels. The
cob should be perfectly filled from
one end to the other with grains
as uniform in size as possible.
After the corn has been selected
the ears should be tied together and
hung up in the barn or some other
building, where a free circulation
of air can pass through. The corn
should be allowed to hang there
until the approach of cold weather,
when it should be taken down and
placed in box and kept in a room
during the winter where it will not
freeze. The corn should not be
shelled, but should always be
stored in the ear.
The above advice ought to surely
be in order after the experience of
last year. We doubt il more than
one farmer in ten actually saved
enough fodder to answer his pur-
pose. Throughout the corn belt
the snowfall was much heavier than
usual last winter and it remained
over long period of time. There is
no telling but what the experience
may be repeated. We are far be-
hind our normal precipitation up to
the present time this year and it is
more than likely that things will be
evened up. This being the case, we
very strongly endorse the idea of
putting a considerable part of the
corn i'm shock to be fed out during
the winter months. There are corn
binders enough in the central West
to cut practically the entire acre
age. Those who do not happen to
own one of these machines can gen,
orally get the crop cut at a price
ranging from seventy-five cents to
$1.25 per acre. That Is small
outlay considering the fact that II
mill cop,>tip,ac rocvlf In Gavin O