THE FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF CATTLE. 



457 



be fed to stock. Dr. Armsby lias uiadfe some very careful studies of 

 the corn plant, and some of his results are given in Tables IV and V. 

 Table IV shows the proportion of ears to stover. By stover is meant 

 all of the dried corn plant less the ear, or practically shock corn with the 

 ears removed. 



TABI.K IV. Showing the actual weights of ear corn and storer at four experiment 



stations. 



We see that nearly half of the weight of a corn crop is in the stalk, 

 husk, leaf, and top. In Table V is given the digestible portions of 

 the ear and stover. 



TABI.K V. Showing the yield of digestible matter in pounds per acre. 



This table shows that of the digestible matter in an acre of corn 2,670 

 pounds are in the ears and 1,578 pounds are in the stover or cornstalks. 

 ( )n many farms the stover is almost wholly wasted, or at least but poorly 

 saved and carelessly fed. Can the farmers of the Mississippi Valley 

 nuirli longer afford to waste 37 per cent of this great crop after they 

 have gone to the expense of producing it? Of course I do not hold 

 that all the cornstalks produced in a corn crop can be fed to fattening 

 steers, for this would mean the consumption of too much roughage in 

 proportion to grain. But there are always on the farm horses, cows, and 

 young things that can well be maintained on the surplus stover of the 

 (Mm crop. That farm which can hot utilize all of the cornstalks pro- 

 timed Hhould change its management. 



I <lo not think the heavy corn-feeding commonly practiced at the 

 \\rst nearly so wasteful as many have thought. The corn is fed with 

 a prodigal hand, but this does not necessarily mean a heavy loss when 

 the cost of material and the economical conditions under which it is 

 often fed are all duly considered. But now that the price of beef is 

 lower and the price of land and corn rising, it is time for a careful 

 study of the problem in order to save as much as possible. Corn may 



