460 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 COKN AND COR2Sr-FODDEE. 



Mr. Editor : — The profits of farming usually 

 turn, not on a single article, but on the various 

 productions of the farm, and on none more, es- 

 pecially in New Hampshire, than in securing in 

 a good condition corn and corn-fodder. The risk 

 to the farmer on his corn crop, if I am not mis- 

 taken, is now much greater than it was forty, 

 fifty or sixty years ago. From a child I have 

 been somewhat accustomed to farming in a small 

 way, usually cultivating from one to three acres 

 of corn. Those whose corn fields cover ten, fif 

 teen or twenty acres, will not, of course, feel in- 

 terested in such small business. But you have 

 probably more readers who will class with me, 

 than with them, and it is for their benefit I write. 

 What I have learned has been chiefly by experi- 

 ence and observation ; and I am confident that 

 my profits from a single acre have been greater 

 than some of my neighbors from four or five 

 acres. With your permission and aid, Mr. Edi 

 tor, I will tell your readers "how I work it." 



I endeavor, in the first place, to have good ripe 

 seed, and to get it into the ground as early as 

 the soil and season will warrant its quick germi- 

 nation and growth, and not before. I plow or 

 cultivate and hoe three times. In respect to the 

 ingathering, I first consider what advantages I 

 have for securing, in a good condition, both the 

 corn and the fodder ; for the fodder from a single 

 acre, if well secured, is quite an item in keeping 

 stock. By cutting the stalks in a straw-cutter, 

 wetting or sprinkling on a little meal, not a 

 pound will be left. Most farmers have more or 

 less room in their barns, or sheds where, for a 

 time, the crop may be secured from rain, and in 

 such a manner as not to be damaged by mould- 

 ing, if set up or spread upon poles, where the air 

 can circulate freely, and drying be eflfected with- 

 out injury, although put in while quite green ; 

 and all kinds of stock are fond of such fodder. 

 The corn, also, will be sweet and good for table 

 use. As the time for frost approaches, I calcu- 

 late, if occasion requires, to avail myself of all 

 such advantages on my premises. If frost does 

 not come at the proper time, after the corn is 

 glazed over, and the tassel sere and dry, I cut 

 the stalks of a part of my field and give them the 

 best chance I can to dry for one or two days be- 

 fore binding up. I then bind and stook; and if 

 y the weather is favorable, let them stand until 

 they can be safely packed away in the barn. But 

 if a storm threatens, I get them in, and scatter 

 about to dry, as best I can. That part of the 

 field from which I cut the stalks I let stand until 

 the corn and husks are so dry as to be in no 

 danger of moulding. Ripened in this way, the 

 husks are usually bright and good — much better 

 than if cut up green and stooked out. 



But sometimes in the early part of September 

 there comes "a nipping frost." Previous to such 

 a frost, if I can foresee the danger, I cut up at 

 the roots, the remainder of the field ; or if the 

 frost steals upon me unawares, and is so severe 

 as to affect the stalk, I cut it early in the morn- 

 ing and throw it into piles with the frost upon it. 

 In this way the injury by the frost is much less 

 tlian to let it stand until the sun abstracts the 

 iVosl. I then bind with a band near the top. For 



convenience in handling, the bundles should not 

 be very large. 



If the weather is favorable, I give it what 

 chance I can for two or three days to dry on the 

 ground ; but mean, if possible, to get it under 

 cover before rains come. (And here let me say, 

 that I imagine caps might be even of more use 

 than in securing hay.) I then put it. in as good 

 condition to dry as possible, in leantos, sheds or 

 out-houses, upon poles or hooks, where the air 

 can circulate freely, and let it remain until it is 

 so dry that both corn and fodder may be packed 

 away without liability to mould. Thus I have 

 good sweet corn for bread ; and for my stock, 

 fodder which is eagerly devoured. 



I remember one year when the fall was unusu- 

 ally wet, I secured my little crop of about one 

 acre in this way and had it good. One of my 

 neighbors had about five acres which he cut up 

 and stooked out and let it stand through long 

 storms until it was almost worthless. I would 

 certainly not have exchanged my one acre for his 

 five. In this way I am confident the scale is often 

 turned ; and farming proves profitable or unprof- 

 itable just according as it is conducted. But 

 "wisdom is profitable to direct, and they that are 

 wise shall understand." N. s. 



Monadnock, 1858. 



AGKICULTUBE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



We learn that the Hon. Caleb Cushing, of 

 this State, has accepted an invitation from the 

 Connecticut Paver Valley Agricultural and Indus- 

 trial Association, to deliver an address before 

 them at their Annual Fair, to be held in Charles- 

 town, on the 21st, 22d and 23d days of Septem- 

 ber next. 



The limits of this Society, we believe, embrace 

 all of the Vallem)f the Connecticut River within 

 New Hampshire and Vermont, a territory un- 

 equalled, perhaps, by any other of the same ex- 

 tent in New England, not only for the beauty of 

 its scenery and the fertility of its soil, but also 

 for the variety and excellence of the most impor- 

 tant domestic animals. 



We hope that General Cushing will find the 

 occasion graced by an assemblage of the yeo- 

 manry of the valley, with their wives, daughters 

 and sweethearts, who will be attentive hearers of 

 what he says. 



From a knowledge of the hospitality and ur- 

 banity of the people of Sullivan county, gained 

 by frequent association with them, we feel confi- 

 dent that all who visit them on this occasion will 

 be cordially received and handsomely enter- 

 tained. They have made extensive preparation 

 for the accommodation of exhibitors and visitors, 

 in ample halls, stables, pens, &c., and have se- 

 cured the services of HalVs Boston Brass Band 

 to enliven the occasion, and to awaken new 

 echoes among the hills of old Sullivan, and per- 

 haps across the river in a sister State. 



Our opinioji, we. trust, is well undersi..)od, as 



