Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-05-03
CORN FUR S|LACE
 MEANS NORE MEAT
Sorghum and kafir Corn Also Make Good lase-Garden Work
 For May.
By Dean Martin Nelson. College of Agriculture. University of
 Arkansas.

By Dean Martin Nelson. College oi Agriculture. University of Arkansas.
 There is every indication at tho rious shortage of all kinds of feed for livestock, and it will pay the far mers of Arkansas 10 plan on SiIaG5 crops.
 Corn the Staple Crop For the SiIo. The staple crop for the Silo is corn Other crops mentioned later are good and may be used, preferably, with corn. No special kind of corn is nee essary 10 make good 4ilage Any va riety of corn that will produce a good yield of ears as well as stalks is q good silagp corn. We want grain as' well az stalks and leaves. and the va- riety that produces great growth of stalks and very little corn ia a poor variety for silage. We want as large a growth of stalks a# possible Wi1E ears in proportion. Any large grow ing variety of corn standard for Ar- kansas is a good silagc corn. See Ai- kansas Station Bulletin No. 150 for large growing varieties
 Corn for silage may be planted a little thicker in the row than usual. Silage corn may be planted at the usual corn planting time, provided the other farm operations permit fill ing the silo when the corn is suii- ciently matured It is usually practi- cal to make q second, later planting in order to fill the silo after the first filling has settled or to prevent some Of the corn from becoming too ripe before the silo can be filled for the year. Stage of maturity is important in point of feeding value as well as in keeping quality. The riper tho grain the better, but filling the silo should be done when the corn begins to dent well and the leaves begin to dry.
 Sorghum Also Makes Good SIage.
 Sorghum, preferably ripe, may be used for a silage alone, or with corn. It does not actually improve the si- 1age, but the sugar in the sorghum serves to add some variety to it as a feed. One-third or one-half sorghum may be used with corn by planting 1t in every second or every third row in the field. Sorghum alone is fre- quently used for silage with satisfac- ton. The so-called seeded ribbon cane"' is a large yielder and some times produces greater tonnage than corn under drouthy conditions. Tine larger tonnage, when fed to cattle oc- casionally gives returns per acre equal to returns from corn silage Ton for ton, corn silage is slightly better feed, safer also in keeping qualities.
 kafir May Be Used in Same Way.
 Kafir corn may be used for silage in the same way as sweet sorghum. However, sweet sorghum is to be pre- ferred.
 Cow Peas Will Add To Value Of
 Corn SiIase.
 Cow peas added to corn will improve the feeding value of silage. They may be used to the extent of one-fourth to one-half of the total bulk of silage Not more than that proportion is prac- ticable because of the poor keeping quality of the peas. They may be planted with the corn, provided you use late variety, but better ad. justment can be made by planting the peas separately, say three weeks later than the corn, and when par tially matured, cut and haul so as to mix one load of peas with one or two loads of corn as it goes to the silage cutter Soy beans may be grown and used in the same way as COW peas, with practically the same results as a feed.
 Care In Filing SiIo Wili Prevent Lose.
 Care in the filling of the silo will prevent loss from spelling. The si- lage should be well packed, especial ly around the outside. Water should not be applied unless the corn has become too dry and will not pack well. As the safest proposition for the man who Is making the first trial with silage, he had better use corn and corn only of a good producing variety. When the art of making silage that will keep is better understood he can safely frv Othar crOno or miYturec