1882.] ENSILAGE. 105 



said, " yes, I can taste it very decidedly. I thought I could 

 taste it before." 1 might get caught in the same trap. 



Mr. Farrar. What is the best variety of corn to grow for 

 ensilage ? 



Mr. HuRD. My preference is for Blount's Prolific. It is 

 the quickest-growing variety I know of, and very large. I 

 should select a large, quick-growing variety, preferably from 

 the South. Whatever you select, select for the stalk, not for 

 the leaf. The principal value is in the stalk, and only a small 

 fraction in the leaf. 



Mr. Farrar. In cutting it, the butts drop right down and 

 the leaves fly off. 1 conceive it right that those butts should 

 be shoveled over the silo ; is that right ? 



Mr. HuRD. Yes, sir ; spread it as evenly as you can. I use 

 a hooded carrier, which carries the leaves and stalks together. 

 Without the carrier the leaves, being lighter, fall nearer the 

 walls, and then need mixing with the stalks. You must com- 

 pact it thoroughly. Tramp, tramp, tramp, and then keep on 

 tramping, if you would have the best success. 



Mr. Farrar. You spoke about water. I am a little suspi- 

 cious about my silo ; it is pretty near a brook. As I get to 

 the bottom I find an inch or two of liquid. 



Mr. Hurd. Uow thick is it ? 



Mr. Farrar. As thick as molasses. 



Mr. Hurd. Tliere is no water there ; it is the corn-juice. 



Mr. Farrar. The bottom does not smell as clean and 

 healthy as the top. 



Mr. Hurd. Put it on the barn floor and let it lie twenty- 

 four hours, and the smell will be gone, I think. 



Mr. Briggs. If Prof. Johnson is present I would like to 

 have him tell us how it is that green corn put into a silo is 

 enhanced in value in its feeding qualities to about double. 



Prof. Johnson. I cannot give any answer which will cor- 

 respond with the question. We have enthusiastic testimony 

 as to the feeding value of ensilage. We learn that the 

 ensilage is made from a very thrifty and rapidly-growing kind 



