230 Feeds and Feeding. 



The table shows larger yields of green forage in every instance 

 from southern corn, which likewise leads in dry matter and digestible 

 substance. Southern corn is, however, percentagely lower in diges- 

 tibility, as shown by Jordan of the Maine Station,^ who found as a 

 result of studies covering 5 seasons 65 per ct. of the dry matter 

 of silage from southern and 73 per ct. of that from northern corn 

 was digestible. 



355. When to use southern corn for silage. — The table shows that 

 larger returns of total dry matter and digestible matter are assured 

 at the North by growing the large southern varieties of corn. How- 

 ever, such corn should not be used for either silage or dry forage 

 unless the climatic conditions permit the ears to develop kernels 

 which reach the glazing stage at time of harvest. This southern corn 

 will prove a favorite for both silage and dry forage where there is an 

 urgent demand for the largest possible amount of palatable roughage 

 from a given acreage. By its use northern farmers can provide an 

 enormous quantity of forage from a given area. On the other hand, 

 the stockman who has hay, straw, or stover at command will aim to 

 fill his silo with a richer feeding stuff than southern corn yields, and 

 for this purpose will use northern dent or flint varieties, planting in 

 such manner as to secure a relatively large proportion of grain to 

 roughage. The smaller varieties of northern corn, planted not too 

 thickly and carrying a goodly weight of ears, will provide a rich 

 silage that will materially reduce the amount of concentrates that are 

 required when feeding southern corn silage. 



356. Removing the ears before ensiling. — It has been recom- 

 mended that, instead of ensiling the entire corn plant, the ears be 

 removed and cured elsewhere, and only the stalks and leaves con- 

 verted into silage. This grain-free silage would then be fed along 

 with more or less of the grain separately saved. This matter has 

 been tested by WoU of the Wisconsin Station- and Hills of the Ver- 

 mont Station"* with adverse results. Hills found that 1 acre of green 

 corn fodder, including ears, reduced to silage was equal in feeding 

 value to 1.26 acres of silage from stalks stripped of their ears fed with 

 the meal made by grinding the dry ear corn which was produced by 

 the crop. 



357. Frozen com silage. — Hills of the Vermont Station* found 

 that frozen-corn silage is not necessarily poorer in quality because of 

 having been frosted. It is not dangerous to cows and does not in- 

 juriously affect the milk. He concludes that it is often advisable to 



^Rpt. 1893. ' ^ Rpts. 1891-2. ^Ept. 1892. *Kpt. 1906. 



