THE BOOK OF ENSILAGE. 



SILICA. 



" It is probable that all silica enters the organs of vegetation in the 

 soluble state. The quantity found is very considerable. 



Table No. 13. 



" Thus the stalk contains only about one-tenth part of the amount 

 in the leaves, which contain 90 per cent of the whole plant." 



Thus it is seen by the Table No. i , that the ear with 

 cob and stem forms but about one- fifth of the whole 

 plant either in its green or its dry state. By Table No. 

 2, that the leaves contain of solid material over 40 per 

 cent of the whole plant. By Table No. 4, that of the 

 mineral constituents the leaves contain over three-fourths 

 of all the mineral element in the whole plant. 



But referring to Table No. 6 we find that when none 

 of the valuable attributes of the plant are lost, the 

 value of the ear as compared to the leaves is as 2.57 

 to 2.54 ; and, as compared to the whole plant, as 2.57 to 

 6.47. This shows the stock, leaves, and tassel to be 

 worth nearly three times as much as the ear, taken when 

 the ear is in the milk. Experiments made last season in 

 the West showed that hogs fattened faster upon green 

 corn (probably past the milky stage) than when fed 

 upon old corn. 



