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ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



than a small one. Mr. Giirler built three silos, 20 feet in diam- 

 eter and 36 feet high, in .1898, which cost him $300.00 each. 

 These silos had no roofs and they were not sided. H. J. Youngs, 

 of Stillman Valley, built a Gurler silo, 18 feet in diameter and 36 

 feet high, in 1902, which cost him completed $375.00. He did 

 not use the beveled siding but put ruberoid between the sheeting 

 and the studding. The one-half ply ruberoid cost him $40.00. 



A silo completed, that is sided and painted and having a 

 plain roof made of boards, will cost from $1.25 to $2.00 per ton 

 capacity to build. 



What to Put in the Silo. 



Indian corn is the most common crop that is used in filHng 

 the silo. It is cut into short lengths and on account of its solid 

 and succulent stems it packs very closely, thereby excluding the 

 air. The soy bean can be planted with the corn, and made into 

 silage with it. This is important since the soy bean is so rich in 

 protein. The mixing of one load of cow pea vines to two loads 

 of green corn has given good results, in the southern states. Red 

 clover has been used, but so far clover silage has been very unsat- 

 isfactory for it usually possesses a very offensive odor, and is not 

 relished by the stock. The time may come when red clover can 

 be used for silage, but there is much to learn about it before it 

 can be recommended. If sorghum is allowed to mature, that is 

 to develop a well filled seed head, it makes a very palatable silage. 

 The general adaptability of sorghum, its drought resisting quali- 

 ties and its large yields make it an admirable plant to grow for 

 the silo. 



Southern Versus Northern Seed Corn for Silage* 



Digestion trials conducted during five years at the Maine 

 Station by Jordon showed that sixty-five per cent of dry matter 

 in the Southern corn silage was digestible, as against seventy- 

 three per cent in the silage from corn of home-grown varieties. 

 Digestion trials were also conducted at the Pennsylvania Station 



* Henry's feeds and feeding 



