8G HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



Eureka Silage Corn, — its Value for Massachu- 

 setts Farmers. 



J. 1-.. LINDSEV AND V. II. SMITH. 



This corn is said to have originated in Virginia. It is a 

 large southern dent, and is considerably used for silage pur- 

 poses by New England farmers. 



Brooks 1 of this station compared a number of dent varieties 

 durino- the season of 1901. The Eureka grew to be 15 feet 

 high, appeared to be quite heavily leaved, and when cut, 

 September 14, the ears were just forming. This variety 

 yielded rather heavier than the others, producing at the rate 

 of 24 tons to the acre, containing 8,944 pounds of dry 

 matter. Its digestibility was not determined. Brooks con- 

 cluded that the heavy dents were not as satisfactory as the 

 smaller varieties for New England conditions. At the solici- 

 tation of Ross Bros, of Worcester, who recommend and sell 

 the Eureka seed for silage purposes, this department has 

 made a more thorough study of the Eureka, and briefly pre- 

 sents the results and conclusions in the following pages. 



Croj) of 1903. 

 One-fourth acre of medium well-drained loam, in a good 

 state of fertility, was treated with manure from well-fed 

 dairy cow^s, at the rate of 6 cords to the acre. The manure 

 was plowed in, and the land well fitted and seeded May 20, 

 with Eureka corn, obtained of Ross Bros. The seed came 

 up well, and the corn made as good growth as could be 

 expected during the exceptionally cool season. Frosts held 

 off until nearly the 1st of October, and the corn was allowed 

 to grow until Septemlier 25, in order to insure a maximum 



' Fourteenth aumiul report of the Hatch Experiiiient Station, ])]>. ."i'J-IU. 



