Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-31
Agricultural Help
Using Corn Stalks.

II is generally known that corn stalks
exclusive of the ears of corn contain
from 40 to 30 per cent of the value of
the corn plant. However, not all farm
ers are in a position tn utilize all of
the plant. When corn stalks are fed
just after the roasting ear stage To eat
tie and horses, nearly all of their food
value is utilized. But only ii small
portion Of the crep can be used in this
way. The remainder becomes ripe and
dry, and considerable food value is
lost. Where corn is cut and placed
in the silo as silage, practically all of
the value of the corn plant is saved
Cutting the corn for fodder in II prime
condition, md handling and feeding it
before X becomes partly spoiled is Il
means q securing a part of the value
from the STALKS.
Many allow their corn to stand in the
field till late fall or early winter, and
SIMPLY musk the corn from the stand
ing stalks i'll the field. A small amount
IF good may be derived from the stalks
in the field if the husking is done rea-
sonaby early and the stalks pastured
down Immediately after husking in the
field mas been finished.
4 neighbor of ours, believing that
shredded fodder is not always good
for horses. had his fodder cut instead
OF shredded. \ neighbor of his. who
runs dairy and has silo cutter
Furnished him with cutter and gasoline
engine for the work. The gasoline en-
CINE WAS ten-horsepower in size. With
engine anu silage cutter seventy shocks
OF fodder, or stover, We're cut and stor-
ed in slightly more than half a day
He states that silage-cutting machine
does good and rapid work in cutting
dry corn stoVcr. and that he prefers
the cut stover to that which is shred
ded. He believes that shredded fodder
is binding on horses and that il fire.
ouei:tly causes death when fed in this
condition to the animals. II is thought
that the short pieces of corn stalks,
produced in shredding, injure the stom-
ach and intestines of horses
But where the corn crop is simply
husk ID from the standing stalks in the
field, much good may lie derived from
the stalks if they are handled in the
right way. They can be turned into
feed and fertilizer al little expense.
The way 10 handle corn stalks in
the field TO secure the most good from
them is to pasture the stalks imme-
diately after the corn is gathered. Pas
turing may be done with horses, cattle.
sheep and pigs, providing the field is
inclo.sed with fencing that will hold
large and small animals. The husks
and blades of field corn stalks have
considerable feeding value early in the
season, and there will be some shelled
corn on the ground for pigs to pick up.
II, however the stalks are allowed to
stand till mid winter without pastur-
ing they will have very little feeding
value.
AS soon as the animals have eaten
the best from the standing stalks, 1t
Is best to remove the animals from TIE
field and drag the stalks down. Some
allow the corn stalks To stand till spring
before dragging down. Dragging them
down in winter as soon as possible is
much better than delaying the work
till spring. First, the work can be
done better and more economically IN
cold weather. and when the stalks are
dragged down some months ahead OF
piowing time, they have more time 10
rot and become soft. They quickly ab-
serb moisture in contact WIN the
ground, hence by spring they VIII be
partially decayed and in good condition
for rapid decay when plowed under
In addition to these good points. corn
stalks dragged down in early winter
are a great protection to the soil to
prevent erosion. This is especially true
on sloping or hilly land. Stalks on the
bare surface not only prevent erosion,
but they become partly covered with
soil, and are almost rotten when plow-
ed under. Still another advantage in
handing stalks in this way is that the
field becomes evenly fertilized with
the least amount of manual labor. III
is a method of returning to the sou
directly that which was taken away
from it by the crop. 1t is a cheap
and good way TO fertilize.