158 SILAGE CROPS. 



with the legume in the proportion of two- thirds legume and one- 

 third rye. In this way, rye may be sown for fall and spring pas- 

 ture, cut for silage and the ground plowed and used for some other 

 crop. 



Occasional mention has furthermore been made in the agri- 

 tural literature of the siloing of a large number of plants, or 

 products, like vetches, small grains (cut green), buckwheat, arti- 

 choke tops, cabbage leaves, sugar beets, potatoes, potato leaves, 

 turnips, brewers' grains, apple pomace, refuse from corn and pea 

 canning factories; twigs, and leaves, and hop vines; even fern 

 (brake), thistles, and ordinary weeds have been made into silage, 

 and used with more or less success as foods for farm animals. 



The value of fern, or common brake, for silage is very doubt- 

 ful. It grows on the wild pasture lands throughout Western Ore- 

 gon and has practically no feeding value. The Corvallis, (Ore.) 

 Station says that it is very dangerous when fed to horses because 

 of a stringent quality which causes a serious nervous disorder. 

 Where farmers are troubled with a large quantity of fern in their 

 hay crop they should use a crop rotation, including a cultivated 

 crop, which will soon get rid of the fern and permit the raising 

 of profitable crops. 



A Wisconsin farmer has been using Canada thistles as silage 

 for several seasons. He claims that after they have been cut up 

 and placed in the silo for a week or two, they become very soft 

 and palatable and says that the cattle eat this food ravenously 

 to the last scrap and never seem to get enough of it. 



Russian Thistles have been used for silage to a considerable 

 extent in the Dakotas west of the river, and in Colorado, Wyoming 

 and other semi-arid sections, with good results. They have strong 

 drouth-resistant qualities and are very nutritious. Analysis shows 

 them to closely resemble alfalfa in food value with about 18% 

 protein. The plant is eaten with relish by all kinds of live stock. 

 The Russian thistle has usually been considered a detriment and a 

 pest. Farmers are advised against raising them either for silage 

 or forage, or allowing them to take possession of their places. But 

 the very fact that they thrive most abundantly in dry years, just 

 when silage crops are most likely to be scarce, is the soundest 

 reason why the pest should be turned to good account in the silo 

 and this is just what hundreds of farmers are doing. 



