No. 4.] CATTLE FOODS. 33 



something that will ripen early. Where I grow it for fodder 

 I sow it closer together than I would plant, perhaps, for 

 ensilage. I do not want it too coarse ; and yet, at the same 

 time, where the ijround is rich enough it will mature nub- 

 bins, and this year it ripened. 



Question. How much seed do you sow to the acre ? 



Mr. Sage. I think not far from one bushel. That would 

 be considered a large seeding, but where the ground is rich 

 it will grow finely. I had one piece that would average 

 ten or twelve feet high. 



Question. Why would you rather have a small stalk 

 than a larii^e one ? Do vou think there is more nutriment 

 in it ? 



Mr. Sage. I do not. I })lant it thick because the stock 

 will eat it much better whei'e it is cured and fed without 

 cutting. I never see any butts left in the manger. Of course 

 I understand that where corn fodder is to be put into the 

 silo or cut up and steamed, as it is sometimes, it is better 

 to grow it coarser ; but for feeding dry, in the place of 

 hay, I want to grow it thick enough so that the cattle Avill 

 eat it all. This year we had a very severe storm that beat 

 down our corn fodder, and while there was no waste we had 

 to expend a great deal more time and labor in setting it up. 

 I have grown it a great many years, and think I have 

 learned something about growing and cutting it up. I can 

 do it with half the labor that I used to expend upon it. I 

 used to think that I had got to bind it liefore setting it up, 

 but now I just cut it and leave it several days, if it is good 

 weather, which gives it a chance to cure, and then I can set 

 it up in large stooks. They are standing in the field now, 

 as we had no room in the barn. It saves a great deal of 

 labor in handling it, and it is as bright and nice as it was 

 when first set up, and will be until spring. 



Professor Cheesman. I have had no experience in the 

 growing of corn fodder. My practice has been always to put 

 my corn crop into the silo. I believe that a majority of 

 farmers who have practised both systems have decided that 

 siloing corn is the cheapest possible way of disposing of the 

 crop. But, whether you have ensilage or not, I say grow 

 corn and grow it as Professor Roberts would, not as this 



