THK GROWING CROP DIVERTED TO OTHER USES. 



Should there })e, as there was in the writer's case, more of the 

 standing crop of corn and peas grown together than is needed for 

 silage, as already described, it can be very i)rofitably used as a dry 

 provender. Allow the crop to stand till the proper stage of maturity 

 is reached, which is shown by the l)rown husk of the corn and the 

 yellow leaves and ripe pods of the pea vines. Then cut with a corn 

 harvester and shock as with ordinary corn, putting about sixteen hills 

 to the shock. To guard against molding at the center, go through the 

 field two or three days ahead of the harvester and make small shocks, 

 which will give a dry nucleus or center to the main shock and prevent 

 all danger of damage. See that all shocks stand up well, and that 

 they are well tied together at the top with binder twine. Select dry, 

 cool weather in November or December, the sooner the better, pro- 

 vided the cornstalks are dried out enough to keep in the mow, then 

 haul to the barn and run the crop through the "corn shredder and 

 busker."" In one operation the peas will be knocked from the pods 

 and carried, with the small proportion of corn that is shelled in the 

 process, into sacks to be taken to the mill and ground for stock food; 

 the ears of corn husked and dumped into the wagons, to be carried to 

 the crib; and the corn fodder and pea vines torn to pieces and con- 

 veyed up through the blowpipe into the hayloft, to be used as winter 

 stover. Such stover is now being fed, in connection with silage, with 

 as good results, and with as little waste as would be with the ordinary 

 hay, such as is made and sold in this part of the country. The work 

 mules and dry cattle get no other roughage and do well. 



ALWAYS PLANT PEAS WITH THE CORN. 



Considering this necessity of growing corn m some manner for live- 

 stock food and as a rotation crop, the planter should aim to secure as 

 large yields of provender to the acre as possible with a minimum 

 amount of exhaustion to the soil. Therefore none of our uplands in 

 the South, and particularly within the bounds of what is known as the 

 "Piedmont region," where the cowpea seems to have its home, should 

 be put into corn without peas being planted with it. This advice will 

 hold good, whether the crop be intended for silage or dry provender. 

 Peas add to the quality, as well as to the quantity, of the yield and 

 restore to the soil its fertility. To harvest and put away this com- 

 bined growth quicklv and economically requires improved agricultural 

 implements that are especially adapted to the purpose, such as the 

 corn harvester, silage cutter, and corn shredder and harvester. 

 These every well-to-do stock grower and farmer should own or be able 

 to hire. 



