294 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



he relied upon as entirely suited to the purpose, being a heavy yielder 

 and forming a food generally relished by cattle and sheep, though less 

 adapted to horses, and not at all suited to pigs. Clover has been used to 

 some considerable extent, but there is much uncertainty as to how it 

 may turn out. Professor Henry states that of six years in which clover 

 lias been ensiled at the Wisconsin Station, only once has it been entirely 

 satisfactory, owing to the prevalence of mould or defective curing. Sor- 

 ghum is next best to corn, but in the writer's opinion, as based on prac- 

 tical use, is not so satisfactory. The stalks are harder and not eaten so 

 freely as is the corn. The shredder, however, may make sorghum or 

 kaffir corn far more desirable for the silo than ever before. 



At the present time our silo at Purdue contains a quantity of cow 

 pea silage, sandwiched in between corn silage. As we have not yet fed 

 down to it, we know nothing of its condition. There are places in the 

 south, however, where cow peas have been used with corn I understand, 

 and with satisfactory results. 



Professor Robertson of Canada has grown and placed in the silo a 

 mixture of corn, sunflowers and horse beans, a stiff stalked English bean. 

 ¥n experiments with this mixture in the United States, the general results 

 of its use have not given the satisfaction that Indian corn silage alone has. 



Certainly the farmers of the central west, from our present knowl- 

 edge of the subject, can do no better than rely upon Indian corn with 

 which to fill their silos. They ma be reasonably sure of a good heavy 

 er£>p, from which with reasonable care may be secured silage that will 

 foe eaten with a relish by the cattle. Further, while the loss from ensil- 

 ing corn ranges only from 5 to 10 per cent, with clover it is far more, 

 ranging as high as 20 per cent, wh ch adds greatly to the cost of this food, 

 If it can be satisfactorily saved at all. 



