474 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



cumstances is always carried out with plants of a correspond- 

 ing stage of growth. Progress in the growth of plants alters 

 their composition in regard to the quantity of vegetable matter 

 which they contain in a given weight ; it also changes very ma- 

 terially the absolute and relative proportion of their essential 

 food constituents, i. e. their nutritive value. 



The amount of vegetable matter in a given weight of green 

 fodder corn cut at the beginning of the glazing of the kernels 

 is known to be not only nearly twice as large as compared with 

 that contained in an equal weight of green fodder corn cut when 

 just showing the tassels, it is also known to be pound for 

 pound more nutritious, for it contains more starch, more 

 sugar, more of valuable nitrogenous matter, etc. 



Considering the previously stated views correct, we filled 

 our silos during last autumn with fodder corn, which had just 

 reached the point where the kernels began to glaze over, 

 expecting to secure an ensilage of superior feeding value. The 

 results of our experiments in that direction have been very 

 satisfactory, and may be summed up as follows : — 



1. The course adopted for the production of corn fodder 

 for the silo secures the largest amount of valuable matter 

 which a given area of land planted with fodder corn can pro- 

 duce under corresponding circumstances, as far as land and 

 season are concerned. 



2. The ensilage of a more matured fodder corn has a higher 

 feeding value, pound for pound, than that cut at an earlier stage 

 of growth. 



3. The more matured fodder corn, on account of a harder 

 texture, is less crushed by close packing, and consequently 

 better resists the peculiar influences which tend to deteriorate 

 and ultimately destroy the contents of the silo. 



As a more detailed description of the products of our silo 

 may not be without some interest to our readers at this 

 period of the season, we publish below the essential part of 

 our results, beginning with an abstract from our late annual 

 report, which relates briefly the course pursued in filling the 

 silo. 



The corn fodder^ when cut for the silo, September 3 and 4, 

 began to acquire a slightly yellowish tint along the outside of 

 the field, yet was still green and succulent in the interior parts ; 



