Ig BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



elusion is a safe one that all the bearings of the matter are not 

 taken into consideration. Dr. Bailey has published a book under 

 the title of "The Book of Ensilage," which he is selling at an 

 extravagant price, and in which, together with advertising himself, 

 his fiirm and his stock — with what he has done and much mere that 

 he is going to do — he gives an intelligent account of the construction 

 of his silos and his success with ensilage. In this book, and in M. 

 Goffart's also, most extravagant claims are made as to the advanta- 

 ges of the sA'stem. Whether designed or not, these claims are 

 calculated to mislead the careless readers of the books, and raise 

 expectations to a pitch that it is believed is not warranted by facts. 

 The translator of M. Gotfart, with prophetic vision catches a glimpse 

 of a pastoral paradise where real estate is to advance in value to 

 the extent that all the mortgages mav be cancelled, and still land 

 enough be left for the happy proprietor, since not so much will be 

 needed, as " cattle on a thousand hills can be supported in a few 

 vallevs." This increase of wealth wall bring new-found leisure which 

 we may confidently claim will be devoted to picking open the eyes 

 of the community to the wily snares of the trading politician, and 

 thus "■ the whole nation may look foi'ward to lighter taxes and an 

 easier life as the grand result of" — packing ^-our fodder in silos. 

 ''Cat.le can ])e raised in New York — (and in New England as 

 well.) cheaper than they can be driven in Texas to the shipping 

 points." "A growth of farming villages, with all the social priv- 

 ileges, rather than this stupid life in scattered farm houses, ma}- be 

 anticipated as one of the happy results of" — ensilage. And, in 

 closing, he savs with apparent soberness and honest}', that " it cer- 

 tainly seems to promise to contrilnite more to the happiness of the 

 human race than anj- other physical discover}' that has ever been 

 made/ ' 



Dr. Bailey, in summing up the advantages of the sj'stera, says its 

 introduction " will re-people and restore the deserted farms of New 

 England. In short, it will bring about an agricultural millennium — 

 almost." 



These extracts are onlj- a sample of what is being published and 

 laid before the enquiring farmer. I might fill pages with similar 

 extracts, but the above is enough space to devote to that kind of 

 material. Unless one's head is level, it is not strange that extrava- 

 gant ideas are raised, and that grave mistakes are folloAved by 

 disappointment. 



