The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-07-07

Is Sl.UU Fer Year. TRl
little figuring and testing will be
found necessary to determine just
which cups to cover or to leave open,
in order to best arrange for the mark
ing and driving. More fodder will be
produced from the double rows, but
more care is necessary in harvesting
with the corn binder, especially if the
corn is lodged. The experiment
station in 1900 planted fodder corn on
July 18th and harvested in the fall a
good tonnage of excellent fodder.
The stalks grew slender and about
five feet high. When fed, the animals
left no stubs of stalks in the managers.
CULTIVATION.
Harrow the land with slant-too 9th
drag the next day after planting.
Harrow again just as the corn is
coming up. If the corn does not come
up Immediately harrow every or 6
days until the corn is an inch or so
high.
Cultivate shallow after the harrow
ing at least once week until the corn
is to 20 inches high. The cuItivator
used should have several, but small,
teeth or shovels; the "duck- bill" or
"eagle-claw'' type. No sulky Guilt
vator should be used which has the
"common shovels-three on side or
in each gang" They are sure to run
too deep. Two and half inches is
plenty deep enough. Do not neglect
this narrowing Or cultivation for the
moisture must be kept in the soil.
The culture prevents surface evapora-
ton.
HARVESTING.
The fodder corn should be cut for
dry forage when the lower leaves
begin to turn yellowish. This is a
sign of maturity. In any event the
crop should be harvested before any
severe frost, or if a severe frost does
catch the crop cut it down Immediately
before it dries out and becomes
worthless.
If no corn binder is available the
crop can be cut with self rake
reaper or by hand. If cut with a
binder shock up at once in medium
large shocks (about the size of an
8x8 hill corn shock) and tie firmly at
the top. If cut with the reaper set up
carefully as soon as possible and tie
as before stated. If cut by hand do
not stop to shock and tie. but drop
the armfuls until considerable area
is cut: then shock and tie. The
cutting by hand is, of course, slow
work, and to get the crop cut in good
season it is best to make the two oper-
ations instead of cutting, shocking
and tying all at one time.
The shocking must be done care
fully to insure against leaning or
falling; thus damaging the feeding
value of the forage. To support the
bundles while shocking a wooden
"horse" is used. This is made of
10 to IA foot piece ('runner") of 2x4
with two pieces (legs) of Ike or 2x4
nailed to the long piece about 6
inches from the end. The edge of the
legs nailed to the "runner" are
beveled so as to leave the feet "a to 30
inches apart. A brace is nailed to the
front of the legs about knee. high.
Sometimes another brace is fastened
between the leg brace and the runner.
About knee high and about hip high
one-nich holes are bored through the
runner to admit of cross stick.
This is usually made of a broom
stick. e..
When the horse is in place, set up
the fodder around the cross stick,
keeping the corners about it uniformly
filled: tie firmly when large enough
and pull out the cross stick; pull the
horse forward to the next site: replace
the stick and you are ready again to
set up fodder.
STORING.
Exercise great deal OF caution in
storing corn fodder. The pithy stalks
hold much moisture, even when field
dry, and cause heating, etc., in a
stack or NOV. If thoroughly field
cured (dry) the fodder may be hauled
to the barn and ricked up. In cold
weather this is done by piling alter
nate rows with heads and butts
opposite, making them only as wide
as the stalks are long. A safer way
is more often used, viz: stand the
shocks up on either side of rail or
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