20 PKOCEEDINGS AT GEXEEAL MEETINGS. 



this report, and that the Society should he congratulated on having a chemist who 

 took such an interest in his work. They had learned much in the past, and he hoped 

 they would learn much in the future. There was one question which he wished to 

 ask. Their expenditure was kept on year by year, and they were credited with 

 nothing for the crops in the past. A sum of £20 was allowed, but this was got up by 

 subscrii^tions. It was, perhaps, too early to realise the last crop, which was barley ; 

 but he thought the crop of turnips for 1882 should have been put into the^'market. He 

 would be glad to hear from Dr Aitken what he had done with the turnip crop for 1882. 

 Dr Aitken replied that he believed there was a considerable amount of arrears at 

 one of the stations which was at present being looked into, and he had no doubt that 

 it would soon be put in order. The receipts from Harelaw Station had been regularly 

 transmitted, but the money received for the turnip crop of 1882 had been received a 

 few days too late to be included in last year's accounts. 

 The report was then adopted. 



Ensilage. — ^Iv Mackenzie of Portmore gave in the following report: — ''I have 

 the honour to report that in accordance with the arrangement made at this time last 

 year a silo of about 100 tons capacity was duly made during the spring at the farm of 

 Harcus, and filled during the summer. In order to make the experiment more com- 

 plete, another silo of about 100 tons capacity was made at Earlypier Farm and filled. 

 These silos were formally oj^ened on the 20th Decemoer last, when the contents of both 

 were found to be well preserved, and to be palatable to cattle. As the public press 

 reported very fully upon them at the time they were opened, I do not propose to 

 occupy your time with any detailed description of them or their contents ; but I think 

 it wiU be interesting to the Society to know that the ensilage shows no signs of de- 

 terioration as we approach the centre of the mass, but rather improves. The cattle 

 continue to eat it heartily, and it appears to agree with them well in every way. The 

 committee therefore think they are justified in reporting that the experiment has 

 proved successful up to this point, and, along with other experiments in Scotland, 

 England, and Ireland, goes to show that green fodders can be efficiently preserved in 

 silos for use in winter and spring in these countries as well as in those where the 

 system has been longer in use. But the proof of the fact that fodders can be thus 

 preserved is only the first stej^. Before it can be expected that the system should 

 become general it is necessary to show the value of this preserved fodder as compared 

 with other foods in present use, and the attention of the Committee on Ensilage is 

 now directed to this end. It has been arranged to experiment this spring upon twelve 

 cross polled stirks ; the half of these are being fed upon a certain quantity of ensilage, 

 and the other half i;pon a certain quantity of turnips and oat straw, while each lot 

 gets an equal amount of cake. The cattle were Aveighed one by one at the commence- 

 ment of the experiment, will be weighed once or more during its continuance, and 

 again at its conclusion, when they are turned out to grass. In this manner ensilage 

 will be tested in comparison with turnips and oat straw by a calculation of the money 

 value of the food consumed by each lot of cattle, and of their increase in live weight. 

 It has also been arranged that in the event of a scarcity of grass at lambing time an 

 experiment shall be made with two fiocks of ewes in parks to test the value of ensilage 

 against turnips and hay for the production of a flow of milk. These are the only 

 experiments which the committee find themselves able to undertake this spring, and 

 the results will be reported to the Society in due course. Dr Aitken proposes to take 

 samples of the difi"erent kinds of preserved fodder from both silos during the current 

 week for the purpose of analysis, and the committee feel sure that the Society will 

 look with much interest for the result of his investigation. " After reading the report, 

 Mr Mackenzie said that with the assistance of Dr Aitken and ]\Ir Mylne, and other 

 members of the committee, the subject would not be allowed to flag, and that the 

 most practical and reliable results would be brought out. 



The Chairman said he thought every member of the Society, and indeed the whole 

 of Scotland, must feel very grateful indeed, not only to the committee, but principally 

 to the convener, for the practical manner in which this question of ensilage was being 

 carried out, and in regard to what was proposed to be done as to making it practically 

 useful, and showing how the ensilage could be best applied. He thought they would 

 all asrree with him that it was right that they should give a special vote of thanks to 

 Mr Mackenzie of Portmore for the way in which he had enabled the ensilage to be 

 thoroughly tested and carried out in operation. 



Mr Mackenzie, in thanking the meeting for this unusual compliment, said that he 

 believed this system of ensilage was to be one which would very largely benefit every 

 section of agriculture in this country. It had given him the very greatest pleasure to 

 be able to do something in furtherance of the demonstration of it. He had been 

 materially aided in this matter by the committee that the Society were good enough 

 to appoint along with him to look after it, and further by the admirable exertions of 

 his land steward, ]Mr Brydone, to whom, he believed, the whole of the success of this 

 experiment was due. 



