FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 2T 



for weeks. When the crop cannot longer be cultivated the weeds may 

 still attempt to grow. In August pass through the jQeld and pull by 

 hand all remaining weeds. This is a small job, but if neglected the field 

 will show it in after years. 



THE SUBJECT OP HARVESTING 



must now be taken up. If you have a milk trade or are pursuing dairying 

 that needs a liberal flow of milk through the winter, a silo is essential. 

 The silo should be round and as deep as it is practicable to fill it. Silage 

 is a succulent and palatable food and undoubtedly assists in the digestion 

 and assimilation of dry foods. All domestic animals like it. The silo, 

 however, creates nothing. There is, of course, more or less loss. No 

 other crop but corn has been found practicable in this State for silage. 

 I have put up and used large amounts of it. I should annually use it 

 liberally if I were interested in winter dairying. My pits are square and 

 the loss in such is much greater than in round pits. The loss on the grain 

 content of silage is much more than upon the balance of the corn plant. 

 If your corn plant is carrying 100 bushels or more of corn per acre it is 

 too rich for economical silage. There will be large loss on the corn con- 

 tent. 



To ensilo our corn crop, that is now grown, is not the most economical 

 way to utilize it in an ordinary system of mixed farming. The actual 

 crucial test as determined by absolute results in figures will show that 

 among the most economical ways of harvesting and using at least a lib- 

 eral percentage of this corn crop is to cut it with machinery and 



SHOCK IT IN LARGE SHOCKS 



in the field, and draw it thence without husking as needed directly to the 

 fields or yards wh^re the farm stock, both growing and fattening, con- 

 sume it. In this manner of handling the crop, the corn content is cured 

 and preserved in the most perfect condition and without appreciable loss. 

 The forage is in elegant and palatable shape on all but the exposed parts. 

 On the outside of the shock some damage is done to forage. This item 

 of loss should receive due consideration. I am assuming that such corn 

 as is husked in this field will not be sold in the crate. It should be sold 

 in the hide or as butter fat. The fine steer will husk his own corn, if 

 desired, and carry 100 bushels of it down to the station and up into the 

 car and if in the process he has scattered some, the fine pig will gather it 

 all up, follow the steer to the station, and go to market in the next car 

 to the steer. In utilizing the crib of corn husked from this field, you will 

 seldom need to go to mill except for some corn and cob meal you may 

 desire to mix your cow's ration. For the horses, hogs and sheep, it is 

 better not to shell it. For cattle, when the corn gets dry and hard in 

 summer, it is better to either soak or shell it. 



The corn field we have been considering is in ripe condition, free from 

 weeds and well cultivated. It 



MAT BE SOWN TO WHEAT AT ONCE, 



or it may go over to spring and be sown to oats or barley, if these crops 

 are grown, or it may be planted to corn the second time with the expecta- 



