64 VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



in the other, less dry matter was actually put into the cows' mangers 

 from an area planted to the large varieties than was derived from an 

 equal area planted to the smaller kinds. The comparison was not made 

 with the crop of 1901. 



The silages were fed in the course of the feeding trials of 1900-1901 

 and of 1901-1902. When cows were changed from Sanford silage to that 

 derived from the larger corn, shrinkage in milk flow ensued if no in- 

 crease was made in the weight of silage fed in order to offset its 

 lessened feeding value. 



A survey of the analyses of these silages as shown in the report, indi- 

 cate that: 



1. The dry matter of the Sanford corn tends to be a shade richer in 

 protein, a good deal richer in the more desirable carbonhydrates 

 (starches, etc., fat) and less rich in its less desirable form (cellulose") 

 than the other varieties. This, no doubt, is largely due to its greater 

 maturity; that 



2. Its dry matter carries less potash than that of its rivals, a good 

 point in its favor; that 



3. The dry matter of the Sanford silage was richer in protein, 

 starch, etc., than were those of the immature corns. 



The large corns look impressive, but they yield at best but little and 

 often no more actual food matter than do some smaller varieties. One 

 has the satisfaction of seeing immense growths, but gets no other re- 

 turn. The farmer has, moreover, to harvest and house large tonnages 

 of water which may generally be procured cheaper in other ways. 



POTATO DISEASES AND THEIR REMEDIES. 



I. GAINS FROM USE OF BORDEAUX MIXTURE. 



Experimental sprayings of potatoes with fungicides and other com- 

 pounds have been conducted at this Station each summer for fourteen 

 years. During this time a large number of preparations have been 

 tested and nothing equal to bordeaux-arsenical mixture has been found 

 for use in the latter part of the season. The gains from the right use 

 of this mixture have been large on the average and are chiefly attrib- 

 utable to the prolongation of the life of the foliage into the autumn, 

 through protecting it from both fungus and insect ravages. In general 

 two applications of the mixture have proved most profitable. Owing, 

 however, to the late appearance of the blight in 1903, and the fact that 

 its development was checked by continuous dry weather in early Sep- 

 tember, a single application of the mixture, about the tenth of August, 

 proved sufficient for the preservation of the most of the foliage from 

 blight. On heavy soil there was some rot where the plants were sprayed 

 only once, but the crop in the main field of the station farm, which 

 was a sandy loam, three and one-half acres in extent, thus sprayed once, 



