194. FEEDING ANIMALS. 



When the land is appropriate the millets cannot be 

 safely left out of the list of soiling crops. 



VETCH ( Vicia Sativd). There is both a winter and a 

 spring variety of vetch, but the winter is thought the best. 

 It may be sown with winter rye, or, if the spring variety, 

 with oats. We have had no experience with the vetch, but 

 know that it is grown between Toronto and Montreal, in 

 Canada, and see no reason why it may not be grown in a 

 similar climate on the American side. It is a valuable 

 soiling crop in England and Europe. Its food value is very 

 similar to the pea. It is highly esteemed as food for work 

 horses during summer. It may be cut several times in a 

 season, and furnishes a large amount of food. 



FODDER CORN. This, although given near the last, is 

 not least. Corn is adapted to the soils of all the States, 

 and produces, under favorable circumstances, enormous 

 yields of green fodder. The author has grown 28 tons to 

 the acre ; but M. Goffart, of France, grows from 30 to 50 

 tons, as he has stated in his work upon "Ensilage." His 

 statements seem quite reliable 1 , as he weighed whole fields 

 when brought to silo. There is no doubt that it produces 

 a larger weight of green food than any other crop raised in 

 the United States except, perhaps, sorghum, and this ren- 

 ders its study, as a soiling crop, of the highest importance. 

 Its nutritive ratio is about one to nine ; so it is not so nu- 

 tritious as grass or millet ; yet, being digestible, and fur- 

 nishing such an abundant quantity, it is a most desirable 

 crop, as it can be fed in combination with clover, oats and 

 peas, and other more nitrogenous food. The largest crops 

 may he grown with the large Western or Southern varie- 

 ties of field corn ; and next to these, mammoth sweet corn 

 and Stowell's evergreen sweet corn. The quality of the 

 sweet varieties is better than the field varieties. The 

 greatest amount of desirable nutriment is obtained by 

 planting in drills 32 inches apart, so that the corn can be 



