Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-04-13
Good Silage Corn.

(Haro,i s. Osler, Assistant Professor Of Agron
omy, at Farmers Week.)
The corn crop, under average condi'
tiOns of soil aud climate is large yield
er OF nutritious su bstance that is both
palatable and digestible and relished by
all stock. 1t can be used as soi!ing
crop, or as a succulent feed for winter
II can be used as a roughage or ripened
and fed as concentrate In some parts oi
the state. The advantage of silage as a
feed and as source of succulence in the
ration is generally acknowledged by all
stock farmers. In silage preservation,
practically all Of the forage is preserved
10 an edible form and the loss in pre-
serving and feeding is very small. 1t il
more palatsble than dry fodder. It,
preservation is not so dependent on
weather conditions aud it requires less
space for storage than the equivalent
feeding value in hay or fodder.
Corn, to make ensilage OF the bes'
feeding value, should be cut when the
grain is in the glaze. On account OF ouI
short growing seasons, some feeding
value must necessarily be sacrificed fol
succulepce. Because OF the shortness OF
the growing season, the flint varieties
come nearest to maturing, Sanford's
White Flint, Red Cob, being best for the
northern regions. In addition to these
some seed of the Leaning and Southern
varieties are used 10 the southern part O
the state. Canada Flint and Haskell 4
Prizs-taker Flint Corn are used both al
a grain aud ensilage cora. Much i'm
pr0vement can be made by corn growers
of the state to develop desirable accli
mated variety Of ensilage corn.
Good seed and proper cultural meth
DDS are very important in successful
corn culture. The seed should be given
q termination test in order to determine
it's viability. Every seed should grow
1t costs just as much to prepare and cul.
tivats field with Is percent stand al
95 percent. Grading the seed as to size
of kernels will insure more uniform
distribution Of plants. IL ground is free
from bad weeds, larger yield will bs
obtained by planting rowe three feet
apart and one kernel abd every nine
inches in the row. Some ractice plant
ing three kernels in MI three feet
apart each way. Two inches is the
average depth for planting. 1t Is better
to plant shallower In heavy and deeper
iu light soil.
The application of commercial fertiliz
or will depend on the amount of barn
yard dressing available and natural fer
tility of soil. When no barnyard manure
is available, about $50 pounds per acre
of 3-S5 mixture can be used. Will
dressing, the amount can be reduced I,
$50 pounds per acre.
BY cultivation, We control the weed'
and conserve the moisture. Weeds Car
be controlled by the use Of q ligh'
smooth hing harrow or weeder previous to
the appearance Of the plants and thin
method can be continued until The
plants are two inches in hsight If care !,
exercised. Never cultivate in the early
morning as the plants are brittle.
Cultivation during the growing seasor
will depend upon the precipitation sne
the presence Of weeds, and the develop
ment of the root system. During the
first twelve days the roots spread lateral
ly and are three to six inches below ths
surface, fifteen inches on either side o.
the plant. At thirty days, tho depth il
eighteen inches with a lateral spread o.
tw wenty -four inches. At two months
they cover q radius OF four feet and pen
citrate to ardepth of from three to fOul
feet. The growth Of the roots continues
until maturity when they occupy fiou
three to four feet Of soil. These figures
will vary according to soil condition.
and moisture supply. The roots ART
three inches deep six inches from th,
plant and gradually deepen four to fiv'
iuches at two feet from the plant. II
the moisture supply is abundant, the
feeders may be withir two inches of th'
surface. The roots are the source Of th'
food rupply aud should not be- iDjuret
by deep cultivation. Sufficient ,deptf
and frequency Of culture to provide
two inch soil mulch 10 all that Is neces
sary.