No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 553 



it, and so many milk producers are doing jnst as tliis man, only 

 saving by the closest economy, which in most instances either is 

 taken out of himself or some of his family. While I think it is often 

 as important to learn Iioav to save money as to know how to make 

 it, I clo not like to see the line too closely drawn, and I think that 

 every producer when he comes to figure out for himself whether 

 he is making any profit in the production of milk should take into 

 consideration this labor account. 



Having decided to go into this dairy business, one of the first 

 things to consider is, how can I keep this cow profitably? How 

 can I handle her milk satisfactorily, and how can I know a profit- 

 able cow? What shall I raise, and how can I handle it at the least 

 possible expense? 



Before buying the dairy herd, build yourself a silo preferably of 

 stone. Some kinds of silos are better than others, but any one is 

 better than none. Not that more milk can be made with silage 

 than with concentrated foods, but it can be made at less expense. 

 Prei)are yourself with a crop of any variety of corn, whatever will 

 raise the most corn per acre in your locality, and do not make the 

 mistake of so many and raise your corn too thick. I think it is 

 clearly demonstrated that corn will not do well in the shade of a 

 tree, and just in such proportion will it not grow in t^e shade of 

 itself. Good corn, well eared, fully glazed and husks commencing 

 to dry, just in proper condition for silage, wil be one-third total 

 weight of ear alone. How can we expect a fodder to take the place 

 of feeding value of ear. Actual weights carried through a series 

 of years and with different kinds of corn have always shown the 

 fodder in weight, not bulk, to equal or exceed that planted thicker, 

 and always an excess of grain. 



Do not be afraid of the stalk or ear being too large, as you can 

 yirepare yourself with a cutter that Avill handle them. Cut this 

 corn as low to the ground as iiossible, thus doing away with any 

 long stubble in seeding, and loss of valuable feeding matter in 

 stalk. In the handling of corn from field to silo, many farmers add 

 unnecessary expense, first by not having low down wagons to haul 

 this corn on, and second by carrying or turning it half around to 

 get it upon the cutter. At the end of elevator or blower pipe, 

 always have a hopper with a funnel hanging to it, and made in 

 sections to inioint as you go up, to carry corn from hopper to bot- 

 tom of silo. This always insures an even distribution of your corn, 

 avoiding all mould spots, caused in many instances by throwing 

 bunches of leaves in one place, as is often the case in leveling with 

 a fork. This shute always saves one man, as the person who carries 

 it lean both distribute evenly and tramp at the same time. I always 

 advise the ramming of silage as getting it denser, thus avoiding all 

 air s])aces possible. Silage may be spoiled by leaving too much air 

 in the corn in filling as well as from outside air. Just here I will 

 say that a poor silo properly filled is better than the best stone one 

 carelessly filled. Good silage should always be cold after the first 

 heating has gone, as this second heating is the first stage of decay 

 and should never be found when the work is properly wet and rammed. 

 There has been quite a bit of experimenting in order to find some- 

 thing with more protein in it than corn, that is adapted to silage 



