1884.] QUESTION BOX. 1G9 



" I have filled a silo twice with corn and rowen, but do not 

 propose to fill it again. The rowen I consider good, but the 

 corn I consider not as good as meadow hay, and I stand ready 

 to risk any money that cattle fed on corn ensilage alone will 

 grow poor and dry up on it. I fed it to dry cows with two 

 quarts of bran one month, and then gave them five quarts. 

 They lost flesh, never looked plump, and went without drink- 

 ing for days at a time. Folks come to my barn now (I am a 

 cattle trader) and make the remark that my cattle look better 

 than they used to, and I know it without being told. I built 

 a double silo, costing me about $700 in time and money. I 

 consider it about so much money thrown away. Talk about 

 its making a farm richer ! It will make the land poorer, for 

 the reason that it makes poor manure, and if 100 tons of 

 ensilage are raised it takes all of that manure and more to 

 raise the next 100 tons. Farmers in this town have not aver- 

 aged 15 tons of ensilage corn per acre. It takes the best of 

 land and the highest of manuring to raise 25 tons. Those 

 who don't believe it had better try it. A small silo that 

 would give the cattle one feed a day would be good — just 

 about as good as the same amount of apple pomace, and I 

 think no better, if the pomace is sweet. It is all heavy, hard 

 work putting the corn in the silo and getting it out, costing 

 me nearly 11.50 per ton for the getting in. I have' sold cows 

 the past two winters that gave after leaving me from one to 

 four quarts more milk, which I suppose is a credit to me, but 

 rather expensive. One cattle trader told me last winter that 

 I had lost more than ;#200 on the sale of my cattle by feeding 

 ensilage, as my cattle never were full and plump. I think 

 there are but four silos in this town — two of them are empty, 

 never again to be filled. It is my candid opinion that in less 

 than 15 years silos in this country will be no more. There 

 are a few men who have made money by getting the farmers 

 to build and selling them cutters for -$75 or -flOO apiece, and. 

 corn seed for $3 to 11 per bushel. They have made their last 

 dollar out of me, and I am still able to pay my debts, but feel 

 mighty sore to be fooled so. I have said nothing about the 



