Food for Plants. 



47 



Silag-e. 



When grown for silage, tlic object is to secure the 

 largest amount of digestible matter per acre. Hence, 

 varieties with larger stalk and leaf are generally used 

 and the corn planted much closer together and thicker 

 in the roAvs, but not so thick as to prevent many of the 

 stalks from producing ears. When cut when the ears 

 are beginning to glaze, good crops will oftentimes yield 

 as much as 5,000- to 6,000 pounds of dry matter per acre. 

 Larger amounts of plant food than for grain are re- 

 quired, as a rule, in order that the vegetative functions 

 may be increased, hence on most soils, even in a good 

 state of fertility, applications of fertilizers are neces- 

 sary, more particularly those containing Nitrogen. 



One Hundred Bushels of Ears of Corn per Acre, Before Harvesting. 



Soiling. 



In growing corn for soiling, the object is to obtain 

 the largest amount of succulent food per acre, which may 

 be completely eaten by the animal. Hence, for soiling, 

 quick-growing varieties, with a large proportion of leaf 

 and small stalks, are grown and planted thicker than for 

 silage, and still greater care in the use of manures and 

 fertilizers is required in order to enable the plant to 

 absorb food throughout its entire growth. 



