SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 761 



PROTEIN IN THE SILO. 



I have stated that corn silage was not a perfectly balanced feed, being 

 short in protien, the flesh former. How can we get succulent protein 

 into the silo and secure the most perfect feed imaginable and make us 

 still more independant of clover. Of all the legumes or nitrogenous plants 

 the soy-beam, which ranks with alfalfa in protein contents, is best adapt- 

 ed for cutting up with corn into the silo, it grows erect, yields abaut as 

 much as corn, can be cut and bound with a corn binder and matures 

 with corn. Humphrey Jones of Indiana raises from 150 to 2.50 acres of 

 soy-beans, the greater part of which is cut up with corn into the silo at 

 the rate of one load of soy-bean to three of corn. This gentleman has 

 tested no less than a dozen varieties of soy-beans and prefers the medium 

 black as the best kind suite<l with corn silage. My own efforts with soy- 

 beans have been disappointing, the first planWng with the com in the 

 hill was too early a variety, maturing too far ahead of the corn. My 

 second planting last year proved to be worthless seed and did not grow. — 

 This year I shall renew my attempts with several varieties of the 

 late type. There is no question in my mind but what the silo will be 

 a necessary adjunct in the future to every well managed farm and once 

 being established it might as well be filled with a wholesome, well bal- 

 anced delicious food for the livestock. 



SILOS AND SILAGE. 



W. E. BROW>', BEFORE LHK COU>TY FARMERS' INSTITUTE. 



A silo is, or may be a tank, pit or place prepared for the storage 

 and treatment of green plant food, such as Corn, Clover, Sorgum, Alfalfa, 

 and other green products of our fields, thereby retaining a degree of their 

 natural juices and moisture, in palatable from for future use as food for 

 domestic animals. 



Ensilage means, the storing and treatment of green fodder or plants, 

 in a silo for use as before stated. 



Silage is the substance or product so treated. 



We will take up for our first consideration the finished product. Silage; 

 It is one thing to preach, It is another thing to practice. The Gospel of 

 Silage as an economical stock food has been preached, like many other 

 Gospels, for more than two decades, and like the other Gospels, not wholly 

 disbelieved, but slowly to be accepted. 



It is the wonder of the "true believer", in the various Gospels that any 

 and all who come to the knowledge of their teaching, do not at once accept 

 and put into practice, and receive the blessings they offer. With some of 

 these G«spels the reward seems rather remote, too much on the plan of 

 the Life Insurance Deferred Dividends, that we are hearing so much 

 about just now. 



