8 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



It is also claimed that cattle may be fed solely upon en- 

 silage ; but the evidence shows conclusively that a large 

 amount of corn-meal, bran, or cotton-seed meal has to be 

 added to it ; and the question naturally arises, How much is 

 credited to ensilage that should go to the credit of tlie con- 

 centrated food? This aspect of the question would seem to 

 show that at best the ensilage sj'stem can be valuable only 

 as an auxiliary in feeding our stock. 



How its continuous use will affect the health of cattle and 

 the vigor of the race, is a matter for serious consideration, 

 and can only be determined by time. The Board of Agri- 

 culture has taken care that the best scientific information 

 upon the subject shall accompany this report. 



DAIE.Y PEODUCTS. 



The product of the dairy is, after the hay-crop, the chief 

 item in our agriculture. The year 1879 was the most unpro- 

 ductive, for this branch of our farming, ever experienced. 

 The season was unfavorable, while the prices of all dairy 

 products were lower than at any time during a generation. 

 The cause of low prices, in the face of expensive and light 

 production, was from complicated economical conditions. In 

 prosperous times our people are great consumers of milk and 

 butter, the use of butter being probably near twenty pounds 

 to each of our population ; but the long-continued commer- 

 cial depression, and the poverty of work-people depending 

 upon manufacturing, had reduced the demand, so that there 

 seemed to be a glut of dairy products. At that time there 

 were not wanting the usual prophets, who predicted that the 

 cause of the low prices was in the fact that the business was 

 overdone, the market permanently overstocked, and that the 

 only branch of agriculture left by Western competition to 

 our farmers could no longer be made profitable. In the 

 latter months of this same year there was a series of eco- 

 nomical changes : the business of the country suddenly re- 

 vived, long-closed mills resumed activity, money returned to 

 the pockets of the people, and there was a rapid rise in dairy 

 products. 



The charge that we were ruined by Western competition 

 was at once disproved. We found that we had onl}'- suffered 

 from common calamity, and began to enjoy our share of 



