9 



Tight jyacking assists preservation. — For this reason it is best to 

 cut the ])lants into short pieces. Tliis is done by means of silage 

 cutters. Where a silo of considerable capacity is to ])e filled, steam 

 power is preferable, tliough liorse power may serve the purpose. 

 Cornstalks are usually cut into lengths varying from one-half to one 

 and one-half inches. The harder and more fibrous the stalk the 

 shorter should it be cut. 



Experience of Cornell University E.eperiment Station in feeding 



silage in snmmer. — The following is by L. A. Clinton, assistant 



agriculturist of the Experiment Station, written the summer of 



1900 : " The Cornell University herd consists of 15 cows, which are 



giving milk at the present time. The pastures upon which these 



cows were kept dried up, as have all pastures in this vicinity. In 



the bottom of a large stave silo there remained several feet of good 



corn silage. The cows w^ere brought to the stable and fed a ration 



of silage dail}^ They at once increased their daily milk yield from 



two to three pou/ids each. After being fed on silage a few days we 



cut some oats and peas wdiich had been grown for soiling. These 



oats and peas were in prime condition, l)ut instead of increasing the 



milk flow the cows actually fell off in their production. When put 



back on silage they immediately increased their flow again. While 



soiling crops are valuable, the necessary work during the busy season 



is so great, by any soiling system, that many farmers and dairymen 



do not practice the system. Where silage is fed the heavy work 



comes late in the season, when other work is well out of the way. 



Xo further attention is then required until it is desired to feed the 



silage." 



351 



