The Question Box. 25 



Answer. — I get a white iiint field corn, grown on the Bine 

 Ridge in Virginia. It is a rank grower and will produce 15 

 tons per acre; but it does not mature in every locality sufficiently 

 for seed. 



Question. — How about ensilage for working horses? 



Mr. Smith. — EnsiJage fed to working horses, in not too large 

 quantities, is all right. Prof. Roberts bought a horse 13 

 years old, and used him to peddle milk all winter. He had all the 

 ensilage he would eat, and came out fat in the spring. But, there 

 are men who fail in feeding ensilage to any animal, because they 

 either do not have good ensilage or else they feed it improperly, 

 i. e. : feed too much. There are many sheep breeders who feed 

 ensilage to both sheep and lambs, and succeed, while others fail. 

 It is so with cows or horses. Good judgment must be used in either 

 case. 



Question. — Does corn ensilage injure the quality of milk ? If 

 not, why do some conclensaries reject it ? ■ 



Mr. Smith. — The Bordens reject milk from ensilage-fed cows. 

 It is because some farmers persist in overfeeding with ensilage 

 made from immature corn. But there are condensaries which do 

 not. On the other hand, they are bidding for it. In hundreds 

 of creameries and cheese factories, milk is received from herds fed 

 ensilage, and no objections are made. 



Mr. Lillie. — I never spoiled any milk by feeding ensilage, but I 

 have heard of its being spoiled by improperly feeding it. But, 

 good ensilage made from matured corn, will not injure milk, but it 

 should be fed after milking, for the purpose of avoiding the ab- 

 sorbing of any odors. 



Mr. Smith. — Good ensilage — that from mature corn — prop- 

 erly cured, if it is properly balanced with nitrogenous grains and 

 not too much of it fed, will produce better milk than any other cat- 

 tle food I know. That is the universal verdict of those who arc- 

 feeding it. 



Question. — If ensilage is such a fine food, why can it not be 

 fed alone? 



Mr. Smith. — I will as'ain say that it should not lie fed alone, 

 because it is a one-sided food, its elements being sugar and starch. 

 The cow should have protein foods to balance it. A man would 

 not care to live on pie or some other one food, alone; so, too, the 

 cow does not want to be confined to ensilage. If she is expected 

 to make milk, she must have something beside starch and sugar. 



Question. — 'What is the best ensilage crop aside from corn? 



