BOOTS, TUBERS, AND MISCELLANEOUS FORAGES 249 



382. Kale, Brassica oleracea, var. acephala. Kale, a cabbage-like plant 

 that does not form heads, is grown extensively for stock feeding in this 

 country only in the northern Pacific coast district. Here, a large-growing 

 variety, " thousand-headed kale" is considered the best fall and winter 

 soiling crop for dairy cows and is also used for sheep and swine. On rich 

 soil yields of 35 to 45 tons or more are secured. 29 Kale, like others 

 of the mustard family, should be fed after milking to avoid tainting the 

 milk. 



383. Pumpkins, squashes, and melons. The pumpkin, Cucurbito pepo, 

 is often planted in corn fields and the fruits used as a relish for horses, 

 cattle, and pigs. (1003) One ton of pumpkins, including seeds, equals in 

 feeding value, for dairy cows about 333 to 400 Ibs. mixed hay or 800 Ibs. 

 corn silage. 27 Tho often cooked for swine, trials show equally satisfac- 

 tory results with the raw pumpkins. As the seeds contain much nutri- 

 ment, they should not be removed before feeding. Squashes and melons, 

 especially pie melons, or citrons (also called cow melons), are sometimes 

 fed to stock. 



384. Sunflowers. Recently a tall variety of sunflowers, Mammoth 

 Russian, has attracted considerable attention^ as a silage and soilage crop. 

 Especially in districts of the western states where the season is too short 

 and cool for corn, quite favorable results have been secured, yields of 22 

 to 36 tons of green forage per acre having been obtained. 28 The crop is 

 commonly drilled in rows and cultivated, and is ensiled when most of 

 the plants are in bloom or even before. Sunflower silage resembles in 

 composition silage from rather immature corn, but is somewhat higher 

 both in crude protein and fiber and furnishes slightly less total digestible 

 nutrients per 100 Ibs. Sunflower silage, has been fed with good to fair 

 results to dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, and even brood sows. (636, 

 783, 870) In certain cases, however, the silage has proven unpalatable 

 to stock. Sunflowers have also been used with success as a soiling crop. 

 In humid districts, where sunflowers are often seriously injured by rust, 

 their value compared with other silage crops has not been fully deter- 

 mined. Where good crops of corn or the sorghums can be grown for 

 silage, sunflowers should be grown only in an experimental way until 

 their value for a particular locality has been determined. 



385. Apples and other fruits. Windfall apples, pears, peaches, plums, 

 oranges, figs, etc., may often be fed advantageously to stock and sound 

 fruit may be thus used when prices are too low to warrant marketing 

 the crop, for all farm animals relish these fruits. (511) Fruits contain 

 somewhat more dry matter than roots, the chief nutrients being the 

 sugars. Since they are low in protein, they should be used with protein- 

 rich feeds. For dairy cows apples have about 40 per ct. of the value of 

 corn silage, and apple pomace is practically equal to the same weight of 

 corn silage. (635) In trials at the Utah Station 29 when fed with shorts 



2a Wash. Bui. 2, Special Series; Ore. Cir. 5. "Vt. Rpt. 19$$; Mass. Bui. 174. 

 ^Mont. Buls. 118, 131; Colo. Exten. Bui. 158a; Nev. Bui. 91.^ w Utah Bui. 101. 



iff? 



