Alfalfa in Kansas. 



263 



Under normal conditions it can be said that alfalfa is too valuable as 

 hay to be put into the silo. Silos, which are generally empty at this 

 time, can be filled with alfalfa silage and fed out before the silage be- 

 gins to deteriorate and before the silos are needed for other crops in the 

 fall. 



In order to obtain first-hand information upon the subject of alfalfa 

 silage, and perhaps suggest methods of improving alfalfa silage, the 

 dairy department of the Kansas State Agricultural College has erected 

 six 7 by 16 ft. experimental silos, and in cooperation with the bacteriology 

 and chemistry departments is trying to find suitable and practical mix- 

 tures with alfalfa for making silage. The silos were made of %-inch 



FIG. 211. The silo can be made the safeguard of the alfalfa crop. 



tongue-and-groove flooring, and were built on a cement foundation. The 

 silos were filled with first-cutting alfalfa in the following combinations 

 in May, 1914: alfalfa alone; alfalfa and corn chop; alfalfa and black- 

 strap molasses; alfalfa and molasses feed; alfalfa and rye; and alfalfa 

 and straw. 



The alfalfa was cut in the early bloom and was run through the silage 

 cutter in a very moist condition. The silos were allowed to stand until 

 January 1, 1915, a period of eight months, before being opened. The 

 silage had all kept quite well, but was a very dark-brown color, with a 

 very strong odor. A difference in odor could be noticed for the different 

 mixtures. The odors were so strong that it was not considered safe to 

 feed the silage to the dairy cattle in the milking barn. 



