PASTURE OR FORAGE, AND SOILING CROPS 285 



prevalent when the growth of the corn plant has been pre- 

 maturely checked by severe drought or early frost. Some 

 authorities believe that its poisonous nature is due to the 

 presence of prussic acid, as in the case of immature, second- 

 growth sorghum- 

 Others believe it to 

 be due to a mold or 

 fungus on the plant. 

 Because of the danger 

 from cornstalk dis- 

 ease, whatever it may 

 be, the author does 

 not recommend the 

 use of stalk pasture 

 for valuable animals. 

 On account of the 

 cost and the scarcity 

 of farm labor, " hog- 

 ging down " corn is 

 coming into favor as 

 an economical way of 

 harvesting part of 

 the corn crop. It 

 apparently has been 

 demonstrated that 

 more pounds of pork 

 may be produced 

 from an acre of corn if it is harvested by the hogs them- 

 selves than if the grain is husked and fed to them.^ For 

 the best results, hogs should not he given access to the 



1 See Missouri Bui. 95 and 110, and Iowa Bui. 143. 



Fig. 80. — Meadow-fescue. 

 Forage Plants.) 



(Piper, 



