34^ AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



comes out easily in flakes, and is less inclined to mold than 

 corn silage. One spring, we had just begun to feed from the 

 clover when we turned the cows to pasture, and stopped feeding 

 silage. When we began to feed again, in July, we found that 

 the silage had merely dried over the surface, and was all good 

 feed, except for a moldy strip about a foot wide, around next 

 the silo wall. If the clover cannot be put in entirely green and 

 unwilted, it should be well wet down while filling. 



Last summer we had a short crop of corn, and a big second 

 crop of clover, so we filled two of our four silos with clover. 

 The weather in September usually makes it difficult to cure 

 clover for hay, and by putting it in the silo, we make sure of it. 

 Clover roots are much more likely to winter over safely if the 

 second crop is cut, than if it is left to mature seed, and we are 

 anxious to secure all the clover hay possible. 



We 'have tried oats and peas, barnyard millet, and green corn 

 as soiling crops, to supplement short pastures, but the cutting 

 and hauling of the crop breaks up the day's work for a team, 

 the green stufif heats and spoils if left piled in the bam, and 

 silage will give the same results at less labor cost. 



Mangels are of great value to us, not only as a feed, but 

 also as a medicine. When we see the first signs of garget, we 

 take away all grain and silage, feed only hay and chopped man- 

 gels, and massage the affected quarter of the udder. This treat- 

 ment will generally effect a cure, if given early, and avoid the 

 drop in the milk flow that usually follows dosing with Epsom 

 salts or saltpetre. We use beets as a special feed in addition to 

 ensilage, to check a dropping off in the milk flow, or to stimu- 

 late the flow of a fresh cow. If a cow goes off her feed, we 

 can take away all grain and silage, and give mangels until her 

 appetite returns. If the cow off feed will not take beets, we try 

 apples, sometimes sweet, but sour apples are more appetizing. 

 Sour apples are safe feed if not given in excessive quantity; 

 half a peck at a feed is plenty to start with. 



We have tried many varieties of mangels. Most of the seed 

 on the market is very ragged as to type. I have never tried a 

 sample of Golden Tankard that did not produce half a dozen or 

 more distinct types. Giant Yellow Eckendorf seed comes very 

 true to type, and gives us heavy yields of large, smooth beets, 

 that are very easy to pull. 



