82 



HARVESTING AND UTILIZING CORN 



tory. These machines cut one or two rows at a time and are verj 

 satisfactory where the corn is to be shocked and husked in the field. 

 Also the harvesters built on the same principle, but mounted on 

 wheels, are in common use. 



Corn Harvesters and Binders. The attachment of a binding 

 apparatus to a corn harvester was first successfully applied about 

 1895. Since then the corn binder, as it is called, has generally 

 replaced other methods (Fig. 31) . This is especially true where the 

 fodder is to be put in silos, as it facilitates handling, a rather 

 laborious task with green loose fodder. 



Shocking Fodder. Where the fodder is cut by hand with 



knives it is usu- 

 ally set directly 

 into shocks of 

 about 10 to 14 

 hills square. This 

 is about as large 

 a shock as can 

 be depended on 

 to cure out prop- 

 erly. Later the 

 ears may be 

 husked and sev- 

 eral shocks set 

 together if the 

 fodder is to re- 

 main in the field. The large shock protects the fodder better, espe- 

 cially if it is intended to leave it in the field for several months. 



When cut by sled harvesters, or wheel harvesters built on the 

 same principle, the green fodder may be immediately set into shocks, 

 or left in piles on the ground until half dried, then set up into very 

 large shocks and securely tied. The same plan may be followed 

 with bound fodder. 



Hauling and Storing Fodder. Corn fodder is commonly 

 hauled in on a rather damp day, as leaves are easily broken off when 

 very dry. The fodder may be stacked, but care must be observed 

 that it is well cured and that the stacks are narrow, as it is very apt 

 to develop spontaneous heat to a high temperature, For the same 



FIG. 31. Harvesting corn with a corn binder. 



