SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII 471 



Feeding experiments with rape silage have not yet been conducted, 

 but are contemplated. However, a number of samples of pure rape and 

 mixed silages were offered to pigs to ascertain whether they would be pal- 

 atable. The pigs ats the silage quite readily, after a few preliminary sniffs, 

 and appeared to enjoy it, in contrast to their then regular ration of corn 

 and tankage. The second day it was offered to them, the same animals 

 ate the silage with relish. It is, however, well to remember that the 

 feeding of rape silage is still in the preliminary experimental stage, and 

 while there is no apparent reason for its failure, it should be attempted 

 only with caution. 



The sugar content of rape makes it an excellent complement of alfalfa 

 as far as having the proper composition for good silage is concerned. 

 Neither plant will make as good silage alone as the mixture of the two. 

 As it is often of advantage to ensile alfalfa, especially when weather 

 conditions are not right for making hay, the combination of the alfalfa 

 with 20 to 50 parts per hundred of rape will make excellent silage, and pre- 

 serve the alfalfa crop in an excellent condition, besides avoiding the great 

 loss in feeding value which occurs in making hay during unfavorable 

 weather. This kind of silage would probably be of value in feeding cattle, 

 although too high a percentage of rape in the mixture would be likely to 

 taint the milk if fed to dairy cows. 



OTHER SILAGE CROPS. 



Many other crops have been advocated and used for silage, such as 

 pea vines, beet pulp, beet tops, sorghum, oats, rye, vetch and many others. 

 In Iowa it will rarely be found necessary to ensile these unusual materials 

 except when the material would otherwise be lost, as in the case of waste 

 from canneries. Certain mixtures are not without their value, however, 

 such as the addition of clover, soybeans, rape or cowpeas to corn, as pro- 

 tein supplements. In these cases it is best to plant the material between 

 the corn rows, to be cut and ensiled at the same time as the corn. It 

 is well to remember that as far as its contents of protein and sugar is 

 concerned, the corn plant furnishes the most nearly ideal single plant 

 material for silage. Plants similar to the legumes contain too much pro- 

 tein material in proportion to the sugar content; and rape has a rather 

 high sugar content. Thus it is easily seen why a mixture of rape and a 

 legume makes such excellent silage. 



GE'NERAL PRECAUTIONS. 



The following facts regarding corn silage are briefly reviewed on ac- 

 count of their value at silo-filling time. 



The corn forage should be ensiled when the grains are well dented, 

 which is generally when the lower leaves and husks are beginning to 

 dry up, and the corn is nearly ready to be cut for shocking. The sizes of 

 pieces into which the corn should be cut is not of very great import- 

 ance, but an average of one-half to one inch long is very generally ac- 

 cepted as correct. The corn will usually not need added water if cut at 

 the proper time in a normal season. In general it is better, however, to 



