BY-PEODUCTS OF THE FAKM 193 



stalks soak up the liquid portions of the manure, 

 it saves the most valuable part of the manure 

 which is generally wasted. This method of hand- 

 ling the cornstalks not only results in a saving of 

 24 per cent, of the fodder, when handled by the old 

 methods, but is also labor saving, as the shredder 

 husks the ears of corn. Fodder can be shredded 

 at an average cost of $2.25 per acre. The part 

 that is eaten is as valuable as timothy hay. It 

 affords the proper and necessary roughage for 

 stock, and if shredded in the right condition, pre- 

 serves fodder in a better and more economical 

 manner than when handled in the old way. This 

 system, next to putting the corn into the silo, 

 should be commended in the highest terms, be- 

 cause like siloing, the entire cornstalk is conserved 

 to the farmer's great profit, especially in view of 

 the fact that so much of it gets back to the soil to 

 supply it with the precious organic matter. 



It is universally conceded that the salvation 

 of our worn and worn-out soils is the application 

 to them of stores of organic matter; that the two 

 best sources from which organic matter can be ob- 

 tained is manure and green manuring crops ; that 

 the most valuable is manure; that sufficient sup- 

 plies of manure cannot be obtained under the pres- 

 ent system of management of our farms, because 

 they do not feed sufficient stock. It is also con- 

 ceded that the feeding of stock upon our farms, 

 aside from the manure they furnish, is a most 

 profitable business; that by feeding stock the 

 grain, grasses and other feed materials grown 

 upon the farm, we obtain the maximum prices for 

 our farm products grown for stock feeding. The 



