AGRICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 567 



3. It increases the relative amount of assimilated nitroge- 

 nous materials. Direct experiments in feeding corroborated 

 the truth of this statement. 



4. M. Goffart finds himself able to keep more stock, and to 



fatten them more quickly than when using the old methods of 



curing fodder. 



Corn Fodder and Ensilage. 



M. Lecouteux has written much upon the subject, especially 

 with reference to the application of the process to corn fod- 

 der. His reasons for the growing of corn fodder to be treated 

 in this way are as follows: 



1. Corn fodder gives a larger yield per acre than any other 

 crop. 



2. This yield permits the keeping of more cattle, by ena- 

 bling a large territory to be devoted to grazing. 



3. Corn is less exacting upon the mineral elements of the 

 soil than other plants that produce less. 



4. Corn gives a quick return for capital expended, being 

 a powerful grower, and producing vegetable matter rapidly. 



The reasons for " ensilage " are : 



1. Green-corn fodder has heretofore been in use only two 

 or three months in the year. By this process it can be had 

 at any time. 



2. The corn undergoes a change that renders it a more ra- 

 tional fodder. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Among the many other topics of interest we note the fol- 

 lowing: 



DAIRYING. 



Here again, as in the feeding of stock, we have to report a 

 o-ood deal of investigation ftd enlarodno- of former results, 

 but little that is novel in the science, or the practice, of dairy- 

 ing. Among the promoters of the science in this country 

 Professor Caldwell, of Cornell University, may be especially 

 mentioned. 



The discussions of dairy matters in the agricultural jour- 

 nals and meetings have been very active, and the improve- 

 ments in practice among dairymen rapid and gratifying. The 

 International Dairy Fair in New York in December, 1878, 



