92 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



And it is but fair to say that these analyses do not seem to 

 carry out the proportionate values as shown b}' my feeding 

 experiment. 



The value of the stover is principally in the leaves and 

 sheaths. Where corn is " topped," there is a loss of the lower 

 leaves, and no corresponding gain, so far as I can determine. 

 Indeed, topping corn seems wasteful of the fodder, as it also 

 seems wasteful of labor ; and yet in this region this prac- 

 tice seems quite universal. 



HARVESTING. 



In the autumn the corn-plant is prepared for the husking 

 in one of two ways. It is either " topped," or " stooked." 

 Topping consists in removing the tassel and leaf-growth 

 above the ear, and takes place earlier in the season than the 

 stooking. There seems no reason why it should not be done 

 immediately after ihe fall of the pollen, and undoubtedly at 

 this time furnishes the best quality of fodder to be obtained 

 by this system. Its advantages are supposed to consist in 

 exposing the ear to the sun, and the removal of the part 

 which is now supposed to be useless and to require nourish- 

 ment. This view of the case seems to me to be in general 

 erroneous. If the corn is belated, and is not ripening suffi- 

 ciently fast to secure itself from the dangers of frost, then, 

 perhaps, topping is justifiable ; but ordinarily the season is 

 loner cnoucrh for the hardening of the grain without this 

 questionable expedient. As to the second reason, it can 

 be fairly said, that, after the formation of the kernel, the 

 growth-period has passed, and the influence of the leafage, 

 and green portion cut away in the topping, is rather to aid 

 in the transformation of the juices into grain material tlian 

 to abstract from the plant for its own growth. 



Stooking seems to be the preferable way of harvesting, 

 as saving the corn in good condition, allowing of its harden- 

 ing and drying, and preserving the fodder in good condition 

 for feeding ; but the ear should be husked early, and the 

 stover carried under cover, in order to secure the best 

 results. 



The expense of stooking varies with the method of plant- 

 inof. It costs somewhat more to stook from drills than in 

 hills, partly as being less conveniently cut, and in part from 



