MISCELLANEOUS CROPS. 159 



As to the use of weeds it is a known fact that live stock of all 

 kinds will eat nearly any kind of weeds in certain seasons and 

 under certain conditions, and thrive on them. At a recent conven- 

 tion of the California Dairy Association the president, Mr. A. P. 

 Martin, stated that the best silage he ever made, besides corn, 

 was made of weeds. A piece of wheat which was sowed early, 

 was drowned out, and the field came up with tar weed and sorrel. 

 This was made into silage, and when fed to milch cows, produced 

 most satisfactory results. 



Alvord says that a silo may be found a handy and profitable 

 thing to have on a farm even if silage crops are not regularly 

 raised to fill it. There are always waste products, green or half- 

 dry. with coarse materials like swale hay, that are generally used 

 for compost or bedding, which may be made into palatable silage. 

 A mixture, in equal parts, of rag-weed, swamp grass or swale hay, 

 old corn stalks or straw, and second-crop green clover, nearly 

 three-fourths of which would otherwise be almost useless, will 

 make a superior silage, surprising to those who have never tried 

 it. 



The following description of the contents filled into a New 

 York silo, which was used as a sort of catch-all, is given by the 

 same writer: 18 in. deep of green oats; 6 in. of red clover; 6 in. 

 of Canada field peas; 3 in. of brewers' grains; 2 feet of whole corn 

 plants, sowed broadcast, and more rag- weed than corn; 5 in. of 

 second-crop grass; 12 in. of sorghum; and a lot immature corn 

 cut in short lengths. The silage came out pretty acid, but made 

 good forage, and was all eaten up clean. Damaged crops like 

 frosted beets, potatoes, cabbages, etc.; rutabagas which showed 

 signs of decay, and clover that could not be made into hay because 

 of rain, may all be placed in a silo and thus made to contribute to 

 the food supply on the farm. 



A peculiar use of the silo is reported from California, viz., for 

 rendering .foxtail in alfalfa fields harmless in feeding cattle. The 

 foxtail which almost takes the first crop of alfalfa in many parts 

 of California is a nutritious grass, but on account of its beards, 

 is dangerous to feed, if cut when nearly ripe or later. By siloing 

 the crop the foxtail will be rendered harmless; the alfalfa- foxtail 

 silage thus obtained is eaten by stock with great relish and with- 

 out any injurious effects. (Woll.) 



