502 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE' 



permits a much larger proportion of the silage to spoil around the edges 

 of the silo. The small silo not only costs more proportionately but also 

 makes the keeping of good silage more difficult. For this reason many of 

 the causes advanced for feeding summer silage do not apply to the small 

 dairyman. 



Lack of variety in the (succulent portion of the ration may become 

 evident when silage is fed both summer and winter. This becomes increas- 

 ingly important as silage tends to become the main part of the succulence 

 during the summer. The deficiency of the corn plant in ash may also 

 prove important unless due attention be paid to the ash content of the 

 other feeds supplied. Furthermore, soiling crops carry a higher percent- 

 age of protein which is an important consideration in the corn belt. As 

 dairying intensifies agriculture in a community, it is believed that soiling 

 crops will fit more admirably into the crop rotation as well as the feeding 

 program of the dairy farmer. 



PRODUCTION OF SOIUNG CROPS. 



The chief hindrance to the successful production of soiling crops is in 

 keeping a continuous supply of succulent green feed available throughout 

 the summer. The main factor in determining the success of this attempt 

 is the season, but under even favorable conditions, at least four or better 

 still, six individual sowings should be made for a partial soiling system. 



Wliere possible the soiling crops should be put in the regular rotation 

 of the farm, in the place of small grain or corn. If the farm is large or 

 scattered this will not always be practicable and then it will be necessary 

 to grow the green crops continuously on some piece of land located con- 

 venient to the barns. 



The land for soiling should be well worked and a suitable seed-bed 

 prepared. As large yields are aimed at, liberal use of manure is necessary. 

 This is especially important where continuous growing of soiling is 

 practiced as the production of large yields of green feed year after year 

 tends to impoverish the soil. 



Seeding should be liberal — this is most important with crops such as 

 amber cane — for not only will crops be slightly heavier in some cases 

 with heavy seeding, but they will also be much finer in quality. Crops 

 that are seeded thinly tend to produce coarse-stemmed plants which are 

 not relished by stock and result in a large amount of waste. Thick 

 seeding, on the other hand, gives a fine-stemmed succulent forage that is 

 readily cleaned up by the cows with a resultant decrease in waste 

 material. 



The harvesting of soiling entails a very considerable amount of labor. 

 The majority of the crops can be cut with a mower and sometimes can 

 be put on the wagon with a hay loader, but where the yield of grain feed 

 is exceptionally heavy the loader will not be suitable. Amber cane can be 

 cut with a small grain binder as it generally stands up well and the 

 bundles are much more convenient to handle than is the loose material. 

 Corn, when used for green feed, should be cut with a binder, if any large 

 amount is used daily. 



