32 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



Some other farmers related a like experience. 



Question. — lias a farmer, who feeds his cows ensilage, any right 

 to draw his milk to a cheese factory or milk station in this State? 



Mr. Smith. — Yes, sir; there is nothing in any law on the stat- 

 ute books to prevent it. The best butter made here and in the West 

 i- made largely from ensilage, during the winter. 



Question. — Is milk made from ensilage acceptable in the New 

 York market ? 



Mr. Smith. — Milk made from ensilage is acceptable anywhere, 

 except at some of the condensaries. There is no better milk pro- 

 duced than that from ensilage. Nearly all the fancy butter made 

 in the West is of milk from ensilage-fed cows. The only trouble 

 has been with farmers who overfed their cows with ensilage that 

 was green and immature, and which soon turned sour. But a cow 

 may be fed 40 pounds of good ensilage a day, in two feeds, without 

 injury to her milk. 



Question. — Is mold in ensilage caused by the corn being too ripe 

 when cut ? 



Mr. Kice. — Very frequently it is the cause. When, however, 

 corn is cut before it becomes too ripe, put into a tight silo and well 

 packed, it will not mold. If the air gets in, the ensilage will not 

 only mold, but rot. Cut it when it is in the dough stage, and 

 put it directly into a good, tight silo. 



Question. — Can whole ensilage be kept as perfectly in the silo 

 as can that which has been cut ? 



Mr. Gould. — I do not believe it can, although I have seen it 

 that was all right. It was very closely packed. But it requires 

 too much labor to get it out of the silo. 



To Mr. Litchard. — What is the best way to grow corn for 

 i Qsilaee? 



Answer. — We manure a clover sod during the winter. Plow 

 it early, roll down, fit well and plant Pride of the North or Learn- 

 ing, both dent varieties, give good cultivation, and, just as the 

 earliest ears are glazing or denting, cut the whole mass and put 

 it into the silo. 



Question. — IToav does it affect ensilage to wet it before it goes 

 into the silo? Will it spoil if the silo leaks? 



Mr. Lillie. — Sometimes, when the corn is overripe or has be- 



e too dry, we wet it before cutting it into the silo. This is 



t( prevent the ensilage from molding. Wetting, causes it to heat, 



thus preventing its molding. If there is no crevice where air can 



get in, I do not think there ought to be any loss from leaking. 



