FORAGE CROPS. 34j^ 



leaf, are not nearly so good as the gourd-seed varieties, and of these 

 the large, white. Southern corn is much better than the yellow 

 corn of the West. 



There is no doubt that sweet corn is better for forage than any 

 other variety, as even the stalk contains much more sugar ; but the 

 seed is costly, and is sometimes not to be obtained at any price, 

 while " white Southern " is always to be had in abundant supply, 

 and it is — in the absence of sweet corn — good enough to satisfy 

 any reasonable man. 



My crop of this variety, during the past season, — planted as 

 above described, — grew to a height of six feet, and occupied the 

 whole area, — the leaves interlacing between the rows, — as com- 

 pletelv as a heavy crop of any grass would do. I had no means 

 of measuring the precise quantity grown, but I am confident that 

 it would have made eight tons per acre, dry weighty while so far as 

 I could judge from its effect when fed green, as compared with 

 green grass, it would have been fully equal to eight tons of the 

 best hay. When at its full growth, a half rod of it was ample 

 for the daily support of a cow in full milk, while young stock and 

 swine flourished on it as well as they possibly could have done on 

 any other feed. 



The most profitable time to cut corn fodder, whether for green 

 feeding or for curing, is when one half of the plants are in full 

 tassel. At this stage the nutritive constituents are the most evenly 

 distributed throughout all parts of the plants. 



The best means of curing fodder corn is a question that has long 

 occupied the attention of thoughtful farmers, but as yet no satis- 

 factory result has been attained. It seems almost impossible to 

 thoroughly dry a heavy crop on the ground on which it is grown. 

 I have tried many experiments, and the best one I have thus far 

 been able to hit upon has been to spread it as evenly as possible 

 during the hottest days of September, occasionally turning it by 

 hand. Even after two weeks of such exposure it contains too* 

 much water for safe storing, while the effect of dews and rains 

 must be very injurious. Unless some means of drying it rapidly 

 and cheaply by artificial heat can be devised, I see no hope of being 



