168 FARM ANIMALS 



side and also, in the fact, that the expense of har- 

 vesting and preserving the crop in the form of 

 silage is by no means a serious one. In fact, 

 as the result of hundreds of experiments to test 

 the economy of harvesting corn in various ways 

 it has been demonstrated that the most economic 

 one consists in ensiling the plant, ears and all, 

 and feeding in this form to cows. More silage 

 is fed to dairy cows than to any other class of 

 animal, although it is a valuable food for all farm 

 animals. In numerous experiments it has been 

 found that corn silage is the most economical 

 succulent food available for dairy cows at a season 

 when pasture cannot be obtained. It is, of course, 

 not a balanced ration, but it tends to a heavy 

 milk production, especially when fed in con- 

 nection with a leguminous hay. Moreover, silage 

 can be fed not only during the winter, but also 

 during the summer, particularly if the pasture 

 should run short or become dry on account of 

 the prevalence of drouth. Corn is, of course, 

 the chief silage, and in most instances is the only 

 plant concerned when silage is spoken of. It may, 

 however, be combined in the silo with cowpeas 

 or soy-beans and when this has been done the 

 feeding value of the mixture is greater than that 

 of corn alone, ton for ton. If corn is to be pre- 

 served in the silo is should be harvested just as 

 the kernels begin to glaze. It is then cut by 

 machinery and tightly packed in the silo, using 

 care to tramp down particularly the outside por- 

 tion of the cut corn. The top of the mass of corn 

 in the silo is usually covered with a layer of straw, 

 but this does not seem to be absolutely necessary 

 since a certain amount of the top is sure to decay 

 anyhow and be unfit for food. In a series of 



