The Harrison times., 1917-05-19
CORN FOR S|LAGE
MEANS MORE MEAT
Sorohum and kafir Corn Also Make
Good silage-Gsrden Work
For May.
BY Dean Martin Nelson, College OF
Agriculture. University OF
Arkansas

Agriculture. University OF
Arkansas.
There is every indication at the
present time that there will be a se-
rious shortage of all kinds OF feed
for livestock, and it will pay the far
mers of Arkansas to plan on silaGe
crops.
Corn the Staple Crop For the Silo.
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 to make good silage. Any va
riety of corn that will produce a good
yield of ears as well as stalks is
good silage corn. We want grain as
well as stalks and leaves, and the va
riety that produces great growth Of
stalks and very little corn is a poor
variety for silage. We want as large
a growth of stalks as possible with
ears in proportion. Any large grow
ing variety of corn standard for Ar
kansas is a good silage corn. See Al
kansas Station Bulletin No. $50 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 suih-
ciently matured. 1t is usually practi-
cal to make a 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 ripper the
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 SiIage.
Sorghum, preferably ripe, may be
used for a silage alone, or with corn.
1t does not actually improve the ST.
lage, but the sugar in the sorghum
serves to add some variety to it as
feed One-third or one-half sorghum
may be used with corn by planting
it in every second or every third row
in the field Sorghum alone is fire.
quently used for silage with satisfac-
ton. The so-called Seeded ribbon
cane" is a large yielder and some
times produces a greater tonnage than
corn under drouthy conditions. The
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.
Kafr 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 Silage.
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 yoI
use a late variety, but better adj
justment can be made by planting
the peas separately say three weeks
later than the corn, and when par.
TALLY 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 Silo Will Prevent Loss.
Care in the filing of the slo will
prevent loss from spelling The ST.
l&ge 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
we'll As the safest proposition
for the man who is making the
first trial with silage, he had
better use corn and corn only of
good producing variety, When the
art Of making silage that will keep
is better understood he can safely
try other crops or mixtures