166 



the growtli of Southern and adverse to the Northern varieties. 

 Tests of another season, espeeiall}^ if it be cold and rainy, may change 

 the order materially. 



The Avei.ii;ht of gi-eon fodder per acre is no indication of the true 

 value of the corn, since the dilferences in the percentage of water and 

 actually nutritive substance are very wide. The large, rank growing 

 varieties are apt to be watery. As the corn matures the proportion 

 of w^ater decreases and that of dry substance increases very mate- 

 rially. The ordinary varieties of field corn, either dent or flint, wull 

 prove satisfactory for silage, but the Station favors smaller varieties 

 than have usually been used for silage, and no variety that will not 

 mature in ample time to be gathered into the silo before there is 

 danger of frost. 



Th(cl-nesi< of plant hi (/. — "The corn should l)e planted so thin that 

 considerable grain will mature.'' The tendency now is toward thin- 

 ner planting. For the large varieties the rows should be 4 fee,t apart, 

 with single kernels at intervals of 8 inches. With smaller varieties 

 rows should be 8^ feet apart, with the grains at intervals of 6 inches. 

 Flint corn, planted 3 grains to the hill, with hills 2 feet apart, in rows 

 34 feet apart, will give a large crop of fodder and grain. 



Time of cat ting. — ''Repeated experiments have shown that to 

 obtain the maxinnmi amount of nutritive matter the corn must be 

 allowed to reach a certain degree of maturity." Corn at " the point 

 of fflazins: has nearlv twice as much nutritive matter to the ton as that 

 cut when the ears are just beginning to show the tassel." It should 

 be " sufficiently matured to have obtained its maximum growth, 

 without having lost its succulence; this condition is obtained when 

 the Ivcrnel of the ear is glazed so as not to be easily dented with the 

 nail; " in other words, ''when the corn has just passed the glazing 

 stage in the flint, and is Avell dented in the dent corns." Experiments 

 and analysis indicate, further, that corn cut at this stage is in the best 

 possible condition for the silo, " an important point being that the 

 small proportion of water in the mature corn is favorable to good 

 preservation in the silo and the production of sweet silage." 



Changes in the silo. — These are caused by fermentation, which is 

 favored by tlie presence of air and causes loss of nutritive substance. 

 In 1887-88, the loss of dry matter in the Station silos ranged from 

 14.7 to 31.8 per cent. In some cases air had evidently leaked in 

 through the sides of the silos and made the loss greater than it other- 

 wise would have been. The heat generated by fermentation of silage 

 is an indication of loss of nutritive substance. Some loss is inevi- 

 table. To prevent excessive fermentation it is important to spread 

 the silage evenly and tread it down compactly in the silo. " Every 

 air space filled and every loose corner well pressed down is the re- 

 moval of a chance for molded and rotten silage." 



Temferature and condition of silage — Acidity — Experiments at the 

 Station.— Ti-iiih were made in 1888-89 Avith six experimental silos 



