260 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



As doubtless maii}^ of you farmers know, the roots I have been 

 talking about make splendid food for brood sows, especially 

 when fed with a few ears of corn or a little barley or some- 

 thing of that kind. It is an exceedingly cheap food. 



Secretary Brown. There is one point in regard to feed- 

 ing animals on a Connecticut farm that I think should be em- 

 phasized, and that is this : depend upon your farm for just as 

 large a per cent, of the food of your animals as possible. Do 

 not go to the west or to the grain dealer for a single dollar's 

 worth of feed for your cattle that you can raise on your farm. 

 The present year my ensilage corn was not quite as thick as I 

 intended to have it, and the consequence was I grew a great 

 deal heavier crop of ears than I expected to. I had a couple 

 of acres of corn that I could not get into my silo. That corn 

 was heavily eared. We cut it, partially cured it, and set it up 

 in big shocks. Last Saturday (December 9th) I commenced 

 to feed that corn. We ran it through the cutter, ears and all, 

 and into the shed, and I am feeding that to my milch cows, 

 without any other grain. They do not get a particle of other 

 grain except what is in that corn. I am not going to pay out a 

 dollar to Minnesota or Illinois for grain to put into my cattle 

 while this lasts. 



Question. How thick would you advise us to plant corn 

 for a silo? Thick enough to grow a few ears? 



Prof. Shaw. I would prefer in planting corn for the silo 

 to have quite a considerable amount of grain. I do not think 

 it is at all hurtful to get the greatest possible maximum of 

 grain because I do not think in that case there would be enough 

 for the stock to waste. A fodder crop, however, may be al- 

 most entirely without ears, but in the other case a crop which 

 would produce the greatest maximum amount of grain. 



The President. At what stage would you cut it? 



Prof. Shaw. I would cut it at the green stage. I do not 

 think that that can be improved upon. If the corn was planted 

 very late so that I was not likely to get it into the silo before 



