15 



WINTER COARSE FEEDS. 



Among the most ecouomical winter coarse feeds for dairy stock 

 can be mentioned corn, barnyard millet, hay, and soja beans. On 

 natural grass land not easily affected by droughts the farmer will 

 naturally giow a considerable area of hay, and depend upon this crop 

 to a large extent for coarse feed. Such laud should be made to pro- 

 duce three tons of hay, equivalent to about three thousand pounds of 

 digestible matter per acre. Similar laud planted to corn and equally 

 well manured would probably produce fully four thousand pounds 

 digestible matter [ler acre, but the increased cost of growing an 

 acre of corn would in the writer's judgment fully balance the increase 

 in yield. 



There are however considerable areas on every farm that are not 

 natural grass lands. Such lauds are so easily affected by frequent 

 droughts, that from one to one and one-half tons of hay per acre are 

 maximum crops. Land of this kind is far better suited for corn and 

 will yield fully three times as much digestible matter per acre as 

 when in grass. 



Ensilage : Corn or any crop put in the silo is not improved in 

 quality. The various fermentations which such materials undergo, 

 decrease to an extent their nutritive effect, i. e. a ton of fodder before 

 being ensilaged would have a greater nutritive value than after being 

 ensilaged. The writer does not believe in putting any crop into the 

 silo that can be properly cured. Unfortunately it is very difficult to 

 cure Indian corn fodder. It is also difficult to cut or shred it and 

 preserve it outside of the silo in quantity for any length of time. For 

 these reasons, the silo all things considered is undoubtedly to be pi'e- 

 ferred for preserving the corn plant, and practical experience has 

 demonstrated its value. 



For those who desire corn meal during the winter for feeding 

 horses, pigs, and poultry, it is a very good idea to remove the ears 

 from the stalk just previous to cutting for ensilage. They can be 

 thrown upon the ground and allowed to remain for about two weeks 

 to cure, and can then be husked. If it was not for the increased^ 

 labor involved in removing the ears and in husking and grinding the 

 same, the writer would not advocate putting any of the grain into the 

 silo, for it has been clearly shown that the loss during fermentation 

 is considerable. 



The medium green soja bean is a valuable crop to put into the silo 

 with corn. The method of cultivation has already been described. 



