358 



changed with the increase of vegetable mold by plowing under successive crops, 

 and the power to retain moisture is greater. Whether its capillary power is increased 

 and the ability to draw upon the permanent store of ground water found in the soil 

 at the water level remains to be determined. It is probable that suitable cultivation 

 and care of the soil may increase its power to withstand drought, both by increasing 

 its ability to hold the water that comes in the rain, and by augmenting capillarity, 

 enable it to draw upon the ground water. Some investigations on soil physics, espe- 

 cially as related to soil water, are already planned for the coming season. 



Conclusions. — (I) The problem of the plains is a complex one, involving considera- 

 tions of climate, as well as constitution of soil. 



(2) The problem is not yet solved. 



(3) It is worthy of further efforts at its solution — patient, conscientious, and thor- 

 ough work to find the truth. 



Silage vs. dry fodder, from corn cut at different periods of growth. — "In 

 order to determine quantitative results in the silo, and the value of 

 silage made from corn stalks at different periods of growth, as well as 

 the relative value of stalks and silage at the same period of growth, the 

 investigation reported in this bulletin was carried on in August and 

 September, 1889, and extended into the winter of 1890." Hathaway, a 

 variety of dent corn, was grown on the college farm in 1889. 



The first cutting was August 10, when the corn was fully tasseled, the ears had set, 

 and the silk was appearing on the ears. The subsequent cuttings were made at in- 

 tervals of about a week, the last cutting September 14th, when the corn was ripe. 



Two square rods were measured off for each cutting, the stalks immediately 

 weighed, cut into half-inoli lengths by a feed cutter, a part placed in an oak cask used 

 for a silo, a tight-fitting head placed on the top and forced down by a strong screw 

 and securely fastened ; the balance rapidly dried by steam heat and reserved for 

 analysis. Knowing the weight of the stalks for a given area at the time of cutting, 

 and finding the per cent of dry matter at each cutting, it was easy to calculate the 

 amount of dry matter to the acre at each cutting. 



The seven casks of silage were kept in a cool cellar till February, 1890, when the 

 amount of dry matter was determined and a complete analysis made of the silage. A 

 considerable amount of water was poured off from the top of cask No. I a short time 

 after the material was placed in the cask, and a less amount from cask No. 2. Some 

 anomalies exhibited in the analysis of the silage, particularly iu regard to the amount 

 of ash, may be explained by the disturbing influence of the juice poured off". 



A table gives for each cutting the amount of green and dry matter in 

 the corn before ensiling, the per cent of free acid and amount of dry mat- 

 ter in the silage, and notes on the condition of the corn at the time of 

 cutting and on the weather. 



From this table it appears that while the weight of green stalks does not vary 

 widely, the amount of dry matter increases steadily from 2,672 pounds per acre Au- 

 gust 10, to 4,536 pounds September 14, nearly doubling in five weeks. * * » The 

 percentage of dry matter iu the silage steadily increases from the first cutting, 10 per 

 cent August 10, to nearly 30 per cent September 14. 



The estimated amount of dry matter in the silage from 1 acre shows a steady in- 

 crease from l,92r» pounds to 4,411 pounds; the loss of dry matter by ensiling passes 

 from 752 pounds per acre to 125 pounds. The amount of acid falls from 1,26 percent 

 in No. 1 to 0.70 per cent in No. 7 — a decrease of nearly one half. This shows clearly 

 the loss occasioned by using succulent and immature corn for silage, and the ad- 

 vantage of using corn that is nearly ripe. [Another table gives the results of chem- 

 ical analysis of the corn before ensiling and of the silage, for each cutting.] 



