6 



SILOING AND FEEDING THE CROP. 



The crop was put into the silos in the usual way. The field being 

 half a mile away, four two-horse wagons, with one hand to each wagon 

 and two, sometimes three hands, loading, were required to keep the 

 cutter going. The knives were set to cut half inch in length, the cut- 

 ter being preferred to the shredder, because it did its work more 

 cheaplj^ and quickly. The silos being side b}'^ side, the work of filling- 

 was all done at one setting of the cutter by simply shifting, when 

 required, the table chute at the top of the carrier over the pits, and 

 were both filled as nearh^ at the same time, as possible, on alternate 

 days, so as to allow the contents to heat and settle. In this way a 

 greater quantity can be put in the same space. Two men were kept 

 in the pits all the time, tramping the sides well. When full the con- 

 tents were covered with some of the chafl:y, less valuable part of the 

 same material, without putting on anj^ weights. They were well 

 tramped once a da}" for a week, after which thej were let alone till 

 time for using. 



The feeding should begin at the top, using the windows in the sides 

 for removing the silage as the pits are emptied. This crop of silage, 

 as that of former years, has kept well, comes out of the pits with fine 

 color and flavor, and is much relished b}'^ the cows, about 40 pounds a 

 da}', in two feeds, being allotted to each cow. As silage of any kind, 

 of itself, is not considered a perfectly balanced ration, the cows receive 

 in addition, during the winter, 4 quarts of wheat bran, 2 quarts of 

 corn meal, and 1 pound of cotton-seed meal, night and morning, 

 together with one feed of corn-and-pea stover. Good clover hay would 

 be preferred to the roughage named, if it could be had. In feeding a 

 breeding or dairy herd during the winter, silage, however good or 

 plentiful, should always be supplemented by some kind of mill feed 

 and well-cured hay or other stover. When the increase of the herd 

 is the greatest consideration, the cows forward in calf and the breeding 

 bulls should be given silage sparingly. 



THE QUALITY OF THE SILAGE ON TRIAL. 



The quality of this kind of silage and its influence on the character 

 of the dairy product are now receiving a fair trial. The cows are 

 apparently in perfect health, and the cream from the herd averages 

 33^ per cent of butter fat. A portion of this goes to a near-b}'' city, 

 where it is scientifically manufactured into various kinds of food for 

 the table. The balance is made into butter and sent to customers in 

 a Southern city, some of whom have been using my product for 

 eighteen years. Thus far no complaint from either source has been 

 heard and none is anticipated. 



