140 SILAGE CROPS. 



one foot apart in the row, etc. The question of planting 

 corn in hills or in drills is therefore largely one of greater 

 or less labor in keeping the land free from weeds by the 

 two methods. This will depend on the character of the 

 land; where the land is uneven, and check-rowing of the 

 corn difficult, or when the land is free from weeds, drill 

 planting is preferable, while, conversely, on fields where 

 this can be done, the corn may more easily and cheaply 

 be kept free from weeds if planted in hills and check- 

 rowed. Since one of the advantages of the silo is econom- 

 ical production and preservation of a good quality of feed, 

 the economy and certainty in caring for the growing 

 crop is of considerable importance, and generally planting 

 in hills not too far apart will be found to facilitate this, 

 especially during wet season. 



Corn is planted in hills or in drills, and not broadcast, 

 whether intended for the silo, or for production of ear 

 corn; when sown broadcast, the corn cannot be kept free 

 from weeds, except by hand labor. More seed is moreover 

 required, the plants shade each other and will therefore 

 not reach full development, from lack of sufficient sunshine 

 and moisture, and a less amount of available food con- 

 stituents per acre will be produced. 



Other Silage Crops. 



Clover. Clover is second to Indian, corn in impor- 

 tance as a silage crop. We are but beginning to appreciate 

 the value of clover in modern agriculture. It has been 

 shown that the legumes, the family to which clover 

 belongs, a/e the only common forage plants able to con- 

 vert the free nitrogen of the air into compounds that may 

 be utilized for the nutrition of animals. Clover and other 

 legumes, therefore, draw largely on the air for the most 

 expensive and valuable fertilizing ingredient, nitrogen, and 

 for this reason, as well as on account of their deep roots, 

 which bring fertilizing elements up near the surface, they 

 enrich the land upon which they grow. Being a more 



