IO 



THE BEST PERIOD FOR CUTTING. 



As the results of analyses made at different periods of growth 

 in 1888 we strongly urged* that only such varieties of corn should 

 be grown for ensilage as would reach a good degree of maturity 

 in the locality grown. These conclusions have been abundantly 

 confirmed, not only by our own experiments repeated in 1889, 

 but 03- similar experiments at several other stations. 



The variety used was the same as last year, viz : Pride of the 

 North of a strain that has been grown on the farm for several years 

 and has become well acclimated. The soil was a clayey loam. 

 It was in clover and timothy sod and had received a good dressing 

 of farm-yard manure during the winter. The corn was planted 

 in hills three feet three inches by three feet eight inches apart, and 

 received ordinary cultivation. 



The season was late and very wet. The corn was planted 

 about May 12, and the first cutting was made on August 2, at 

 which time it was just coming into blossom and was at the 

 same degree of maturity, as well as could be judged, that it was 

 in 1888 on July 24th. On Aug. 17th the second cutting was 

 made, the kernels were just beginning to fill with milk. The 

 corn matured much more slowly in 1888 than in 1889, and fur- 

 ther cuttings were made on Aug. 31st and Sept. 10th, during the 

 period of "roasting ear" condition, The final cutting of the 

 mature corn was made on Sept. 24th, no frost having intervened. 

 The corn at this cutting was perhaps a trifle more mature than it 

 was in 1888 on Sept. 3. 



The samples were taken as follows : At each cutting three 

 average hills were selected and cut close to the ground. They 

 were then treated in the same manner as the samples of the different 

 varieties already described. The table below shows the percent- 

 age composition at the various periods. It will be noticed that 

 the most marked difference is in the great increase in dry sub- 

 stance between Sept. 10th and Sept. 24th. It will also be noticed 

 that there was more water on Aug. 17th than on Aug. 2d. This 

 is entirely out of the usual experience and may perhaps be due to 

 the individuality of the plants sampled. In regard to the dry 

 substance we find, as is usual, that the per cent, of protein gradu- 



* BurjvETiN No. IV, Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 P- 52. 



