182 Practical Farming 



Then, too, the land is left bare all winter, and loses 

 fertihty in the winter rains, when it should have a green 

 winter cover crop to catch the fleeting plant food and hold 

 it to be returned to the soil in the spring. 



Carefully made experiments have shown that the stalks, 

 leaves and husks of the corn have a feeding value equal 

 to the grain. Hence, in this way for using the crop nearly 

 half of its feeding value is sacrificed. Of course, in a 

 large part of the corn belt the sale of the matured grain 

 is an important matter, and few feed to stock all that they 

 grow, though in most cases this could be done with profit. 

 But even where the grain is largely sold the fodder can be 

 saved in a way that will make it far more valuable as stock 

 food. Letting the stalks stand till the grain is mature 

 enough to gather and store, leaves the stover of very little 

 real value. 



But if the corn is cut while the fodder is still good and 

 untouched by frost, that is, as soon as the ears are well 

 glazed, and is cured in shocks, the fodder is of far more 

 value for feeding. Modern machinery has greatly lessened 

 the labor of cutting and shocking the com. We now have 

 machines that cut and bind and shock the corn. Then, 

 when it is cured, we have the buskers and shredders that 

 separate the corn from the stover and tear up the whole 

 stalk and leaves into such a shape that not only is a far 

 larger portion eaten, but the waste part is in such a shape 

 that it makes a more valuable bedding material and ab- 

 sorbent for the manure liquids. 



The clearing of the land from the stalks leaves it in 

 shape for the sowing of small grain that should follow, 

 and even where it is the practice to follow the corn crop 



