278 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



-any other crop. The adaptability of soil and climate, the 

 certainty of a crop, the usual heavy production and the ease 

 and economy of culture, all dictate the general cultivation 

 of a good acreage of corn, while the animals fed are all 

 partial to it in nearly every form. Whatever the crop 

 system pursued, whether soiling, pasture, or any hybrid of 

 the two, a liberal provision of corn fodder for the month of 

 its maturity is the best possible practice. 



The problem for the dairyman to consider is, not whether 

 to grow corn or not, but How much corn can my cows get 

 away with? for, the more corn the farmer grows and feeds 

 the more independent is he of feed markets, and the fuller 



.his pocket-book at the end of the season. 



Always calculate to have a full su})ply of corn fodder, 

 from the tirst variety that forms an ear till a week or more 

 after frost has stopped its growth. A succession should be 

 })lanned, so that corn may form the staple fodder as long as 

 possible. Select the earliest varieties that make a passable 

 growth, follow with medium early varieties making a larger 

 growth, and finally finish the season with the largest sort 

 that comes to maturity. The cow's taste is not to be over- 

 looked in the selection, and a decided preference may be 

 observed for the sweet varieties over the flint corns, and 

 especially over dent varieties which have too coarse, woody 

 stalks to feed to the best advantage. 



Some fallacies in corn culture are prevalent. One of the 

 common ones is that of too thick planting. The maximum 

 feeding value is obtained in corn making a full ear. The 

 ideal planting secures just as many stalks as will produce 

 fully developed ears. If corn is sown so thickly that no 

 ears form, neither the quantity nor quality of forage are 

 increased, and there is a loss of seed. Another common 

 notion that corn in blossom is in its best feeding condition 

 is an error. Corn never improves in feeding value faster 

 than from the silk to the glazing stage. Cows fed upon im- 

 mature fodder do not milk so deeply as when fed upon fod- 

 der with ears fully developed, although they consume much 

 more of the former. Immature fodder has so much water 

 that a cow can hardly eat as much as she needs. The rule 



