ENSILAGE CHOPS. 227 



crop required to fill the silo. But what shall be the esti- 

 mate of the expected weight of corn per acre, of rye, 

 clover, millet, etc. ? It is well to strive for a large yield by 

 the best management of the land and seed ; but it is neces- 

 sary to make a liberal allowance of land for ensilage crops 

 to meet unexpectedly-short yields. In a large proportion 

 of silos yet built they have proved too large for the crop 

 intended to fill them. This comes from overestimating 

 the probable crop from ordinary cultivation. They have 

 expected to obtain the largest crop with the ordinary 

 amount of manure and labor. It is quite commendable to 

 strive for the largest crops by the best means, but a con- 

 siderable allowance should be made for an adverse season, 

 and another considerable allowance made for the liability 

 to overestimate crops. The silo makes no loose estimate 

 of a green crop put into it, but weighs it accurately 

 according to the compression. Corn requires about 100 

 Ibs. pressure to the square foot to give a weight of 45 Ibs. 

 to the cubic foot of ensilage. The ordinary grasses will 

 pack somewhat solider and give 48 Ibs. to the cubic foot 

 after compression under that weight. N 



The best method of raising corn for ensilage is to plant 

 36 to 42 inches apart and cultivate it as for a regular field- 

 crop. Corn is a rank feeder, and the land should be well 

 prepared, strongly manured, and that thoroughly worked 

 into the soil. The land, if old, should be worked fine at 

 least 8 inches deep. 



Two hundred and fifty pounds of green stalks per rod is 

 a fair yield of corn, or 20 tons per acre ; but it is possible 

 to double this yield, yet this figure is seldom reached, and 

 any ordinary caculation, based upon this yield for filling a 

 silo, will come to grievous disappointment. When a party 

 has fairly reached this figure he will have a basis for it. 



WINTER EYE, standing thick and 5 to 6 feet high, will 

 often reach 12 to 16 tons green to the acre, but it is not 



