457 



matter (average of all the periods) was consuinefl per ])oiiti(1 of niillv 

 solids ]>ro(luced. Assuinin.ii this rate of yield, and that tlic milk would 

 have averaged 12 per cent of solids, au estimate is made of the amount 

 of milk which might have been produced from the edible digestible food 

 ingredients calculated above for an acre of pasturage and of soiling- 

 crops, and the value of the milk at 1 cent per pound. And on the 

 assumjitiou that 25 pounds of milk make 1 i^ound of butter, worth 25 

 cents, the net returns per acre from the sale of butter are estimated for 

 eac^h system. 



In conclusion, the authors state that "on the whole it seems to us an 

 open question whether the farmer who raises his own grain will lind 

 much advantage in the soiling system as practiced here compared with 

 good pastures supplemented during the season of short pasturage by 

 grain or green crops." 



Comparison of ensiling and field curing for Indian corn, 

 II. P. Armsby, Ph. D., and W. H. Caldwell, B. S. (pp. 113-137). — 

 For the purpose of making this comijarison, 4.2 acres were fertilized 

 with 42 two-horse loads of barnyard manure, 125 pounds of dried blood, 

 and (JOO pounds of dissolved rock phosphate, and were drilled at the 

 rate of about 0.7 bushels of seed per acre with an " unnamed dent 

 variety." The harvesting of the crop was commenced September 24, at 

 which time the kernels were in milk and the lower leaves in most cases 

 quite dry. The silo was of wood, and contained two j)its, each about 

 10 by 12 feet and 14 feet deep. 



The field was divided into tliree portions, one for each of the two pits of the silo 

 and one for tiehl curing, as follows: For the first pit the 6 outside rows were cut, 

 then 10 rows were left standing and 6 more rows cut, and so on through the held 

 until the pit was filled. For the second pit the middle 6 rows out of each 10 left 

 stauiUng were used, while the remainder of the crop was set up in stooks and cured 

 in the field. * * * The material for both pits was cut ab»ut three fourths of an 

 iuch long. * * * 



The first pit was tilled Septemher24 with 37,717 pounds, cut from 1.27 acres. * * » 

 The filling of the second pit extended from September 24 to October 1, five layers 

 in all being put in. * * * The temperature of the separate layers rose to So'^-iO^ 

 C. before additional material was put in. The total amount of green material put 

 into this pit was 34,755 pounds, cut from 1.21 acres. [In the case of both pits] the 

 edges and corners of the pit were tramped, and the whole was covered with build- 

 ing paper and straw. Neither pit was weighted. * * -^ 



The portion of the crop used for field curing was cut at practically the same time 

 as that used for silage, and set up in stooks in the field. The green material was 

 not weighed. The fodder was hauled to the barn after having stood about a mouth 

 in the field and then weighed 9,610 pounds. The area from which it was cut was 

 0.87 acre. * * * 



The rapidly filled pit was opened December 27, and the slowly filled pit on February 

 8. Considerable moldy silage was found on the top and around the sides of both 

 pits. * =* * The silage in the middle was well preserved and of good quality. 

 It seems probable that had we been able to fill the pits a week earlier or had 

 we weighted the material moderately it might nearly all have been well jire- 

 served. » * * 



