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knows it. * * * You cut, for instance, a large crop of ro wen, 

 which is entirely immature, and every farmer knows that it is 

 the most unprofitable thing he can put into his animal. An 

 animal fed on rowen will make an abundance of everything 

 else but milk or meat." 



Thus Dr. Loring and Dr. Nichols, in 1871, called both 

 chemistry and practice before the State Board as witnesses, to 

 prove that immature grass and immature fodder corn are not 

 good. Although the testimony of these witnesses now looks 

 to us practically erroneous, yet from a certain scientific stand- 

 point, they were then, and are now, scientifically correct; 

 and my object in making the quotations, is to show Avherein 

 they are correct, and where erroneous. Take the corn sown 

 broadcast, for example : It may be very thick, and it may be 

 of the Southern or Western variety, and both practice and 

 chemistry have proved that it may be cut 3'oung, and make 

 first quality milk-producing food ; but let the same crop stand 

 a few weeks longer, and it will get into a condition that "will 

 not increase the milk." 



There is a time in the growth of the corn plant, when it 

 has grown all the leaves that belong to the butt stalk. Up to 

 that time it has been the work of the plant to grow leaves 

 filled with elements to be used later in the growth of the 

 plant. After all the leaves that belong to the butt stalk are 

 grown, then the process of hardening the stalk begins. In- 

 digestible matter is rapidly formed, the nutritive matter that 

 was in the leaves is rapidly drawn upon by both stalk and 

 root, and the leaves become like a honey-comb, with the 

 honey drawn out. Now if we wait until this change has taken 

 place before we use our thickly sown fodder corn, it is nearly 

 worthless ; but if we use it before it has finished growing its 

 butt stalk leaves, every part of it, from tip to root, is as good 

 as any part is when the ears are formed. 



There are two ways to grow good fodder-corn, and the 

 way Dr. Nichols recommends is one of them. He says, "We 



