60 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Sand.. $3 40 



Four barrels cement, at 81.45 5 80 



Grouting bottom, cementing sides, etc 10 00 



Doors and frames above .-. 30 00 



Plank for covering silo 6 00 



'to 



$151 80 



CORN-FODDEll GROWN FOR ENSILAGE. 



The land upon which the fodder corn grow is a sandy loam — sand predomi- 

 nating. It had grown a corn crop the previous year, and was clean, but not 

 sufficiently fertilized to produce a large crop. It was jiut in good condition to 

 receive the seed, and drills marked three and one-half feet apart. June 11th 

 the plat of 1^ acres was planted with the Hathaway dent corn — the variety 

 grown upon the farm for some years. Corn Avas dropped in the drills and cov- 

 ered by hand, at the rate of one and a half bushels to the acre. I think less 

 seed would have given a larger yield as it was too thick to make a large 

 growth. The corn came up well and grew very rapidly, receiving three culti- 

 vations, and being kept free from weeds. In August the severe drouth began 

 to tell upon its growth — the leaves and some of the stalks turning yellow, 

 occasioned by the dry weather and the crowded state of the plants. But few 

 ears formed. I quote from our field notes :_, July Jilst — The ensilage corn is 

 rolling considerably. July 28th — The ensilage corn has been at a stand-still 

 for a week, on account of the extreme dry weather. August 8th — The ensi- 

 lage corn has been shortened a good deal by the dry weather. August 18th — 

 Continued rains. The ensilage corn, though cut short, seems to be making 

 some growth at present. August 26th — The ensilage corn is again nearly at 

 a stand-still, owing to the dry weather. That the dry weather shortened the 

 crop was plainly evident. 



FILLING THE SILO. 



We began cutting the corn and filling the silo on Monday, Sept. 13th. The 

 most of the stalks were green and full of juice at this time. On some parts 

 of the plot some stalks were browned and the lower leaves dried, but to no 

 great extent. A two-horse tread-power and our ordinary stalk-cutter, made at 

 Fulton, N. Y., were used. A one-horse cart, and a double team and wagon 

 drew the corn to the silo, which was only a few rods distant. The work was 

 mainly done by students, who only work three hours in the afternoon, and so 

 no full day's work was performed. On Wednesday, tlie 15th, it rained, and 

 the cut fodder was somewhat wet, and some corn was cut while the water was 

 dripping from it. On Thursday, the 16th, we finished the cutting. The 

 corn, cut in pieces about one-half inch in length, was run directly to the silo, 

 where it was spread and tramped down as compactly as possible. Nothing 

 was mixed with the fodder, and no other crop but corn was put in the silo. 

 We cut at the rate of two tons an hour. I think, and we found the tread- 

 power to answer a very good purpose. With a large machine more power 

 would be needed, but twenty tons a day works it up quite as rapidly as most 

 farmers will desire. Farmers will, I think, find any good power cutter will do 

 as Avell, perhaps, as some of the more recently patented machines known as 

 ensilage cutters. The stalks were not weighed when put in, but we have 

 weighed the ensilage as it was taken from the silo, and it weighs out 40,000 



