HUSKING EARS 



83 



reason care must be exercised when storing in barns. Frequently 

 the fodder is hauled and set up in a yard, only one tier in depth. 



When to Harvest Fodder. It has been clearly shown by many 

 tests that the yield of dry matter increases up to maturity. This is 

 illustrated by the following table, which is taken from results secured 

 by the Michigan Station 3 : 



Yield per Acre of Green Corn Fodder and Dry Matter 



While the corn plant was full height August 10, when tasseled 

 out, yet it had developed at that time less than one-half its dry 

 matter. Also note the high water content at the early stages. 



It has been shown that the dry matter improves in quality as the 

 corn matures. There is an increasing proportion of starch and sugar. 



Relative Proportion of Parts. In good corn, that will make 50 

 bushels per acre, about one-half the dry weight is represented by the 

 ears and one-half by the stalk and leaves. This does not represent 

 the relative feeding value, as the ear is more valuable pound for 

 pound than the other portions. Feeding experiments show from 

 60 to 70 per cent of the digestible nutrients in the ears. 



With low yields the proportion of ear is much less. For ex- 

 ample, at the Indiana Station 4 records were kept in one series of 

 experiments for a number of years, on the yield of ears and stover. 

 Some years were favorable and the yield was good and other years 

 were adverse. For results, see following page. 



Therefore fodder or silage from a large crop of corn is more 

 valuable ton for ton than from low-yielding corn. 



Husking Ears. Ears are commonly husked by hand from the 

 fodder or standing corn. To aid in this a " husking peg " or hook 

 is used on the hand. When fodder is shredded the husking is com- 



3 U. S. Department of Agriculture, Farmers' Bulletin 07. 12. 



4 Indiana Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 64, 4. 



