78 HOW TO PLANT. 



it stand a month or more to become well cured. It must 

 be thoroughly cured before housing or it will spoil. 



MILLO MAIZE. 



If the object be to make fodder only, then cut it when 

 five or six feet high, before it begins to head. Shock 

 securely, and let it remain until cured. It may be util- 

 ized to still greater advantage by treating it after, the fol- 

 lowing manner : As soon as the heads appear, break or 

 cut them off ; preserve the heads, as they are good feed. 

 Then, after eight or ien days, "strip the fodder from the 

 stalks, and cure and save it. After a few days more, new 

 shoots will appear from every joint on the stalks that 

 were left standing ; just at this stage the stalks are con- 

 sidered very sweet and nutritious. Now cuj; them down 

 and store an some sheltered place at once ; they will not 

 spoil. Chop and feed through the winter. 



SOUTHERN FIELD- OE STOCK PEAS. 



If it> is desired to use the vines for hay, cut and cure 

 them when the pods are just about grown and before they 

 begin to ripen in the least. Throw into small heaps as 

 fast as cut, and let them remain until cured ; then haul 

 up and put away. Never pull up the vines by the roots, 

 as the roots will not be eaten by cattle ; besides they are 

 of great benefit to the soil if permitted to remain and 

 decay therein. If seeds are wanted, let the pods become 

 thoroughly dry and ripe ; gather and store, and thresh at 

 leisure. If the planting is for the purpose of enriching 

 the soil, then they may be plowed under at the same stage 

 as for making hay. It is extremely doubtful, however, 

 if it pays to turn under any green crop, merely for the 

 purpose of fertilizing the ground. My opinion is, that 

 it is as good, if not better, just to permit such a crop to 

 mature and die upon the surface of the ground. The 

 labor of plowing under is saved, which is no small item. 



