ENSILAGE. 381 



farmer who will make the trial. Farmers who have had experience in feed- 

 ing stock know how desirable it is to have some succulent food as a part ration, 

 at least, during our long cold winters. Roots are a desirable cattle food but 

 an expensive crop for the average farmer to raise and handle. But few 

 farmers have the facilities for storing them in any quantity. They must be 

 buried in the field; and in the winter, with the thermometer below zero, dig- 

 ging out the roots and getting them to the stock is not a pleasant task. If 

 ensilage will give us the succulent food at less cost, in shape to be easily 

 handled and occupying but a small space in storage, it must prove of value. 

 What are the farmers in Michigan to do with the coarse fodders raised on our 

 farms, but feed them? They are too bulky to transport to market — they 

 must help make beef and mutton; but the farmer needs something to feed in 

 connection with them to make them of more value, and the ensilage will 

 help out in this direction. 



The large number of silos erected during the last year in all parts of our 

 country indicates that ensilage has the sanction of a number of our leading 

 farmers, and that actual tests confirm reasonable claims as to its value as a 

 cattle food. 



The following discussion on the same subject took place at the Dairymen's 

 Convention at Flint: 



Mr. Moore : I would like to ask Prof. Johnson whether he thinks it takes 

 more skill to make a silo thao to raise clover hay? 



Prof. Johnson: No. 



Mr. Moore: When open, does the ensilage spoil or freeze? 



Prof. Johnson: No; we take off the top weight on one side, and a few 

 planks, and cut off, the same as a hay stack. 



Mr. Rosecrans: How much more expense is it than to put up clover hay? 



Prof. Johnson: Ensilage costs us $1.50 a ton. 



Mr. Boyd : Do you get more butter from the use of ensilage than from 

 the use of common foods? 



Prof. Johnson: The quality is improved and we think the quantity is 

 increased. 



Mr. Power: In what stage of maturity do you recommend that the corn 

 be cut? 



Prof. Johnson: In the roasting ear. 



Mr. Power: What variety of corn do you prefer? 



Prof. Johnson: Any large dent variety, Southern dent preferred. 



J. H. Monrad: Why do the milk condensing factories refuse to receive 

 milk from cows fed with ensilage? 



Prof. Johnson: It has been the policy of some writers and scientists to 

 decry the silo, but from the fact that they are veering around to our side, I 

 think their opinions are entitled to little consideration. 



Mr. Monrad: I speak of this at this time to show that much of the oppo- 

 sition to the silo is based on the old process of preparing ensilage. That was 

 emphatically a process which generated acid and mould, and rendered the 

 ensilage very sour. 



Prof. Johnson: The old idea was that the silo must be filled in a hurry — 

 within a day or two. By taking more time to fill the silo, less fermentation 

 results, so that now we have what may be called sweet ensilage. 



Dr. Montague: Do you prefer ensilage to roots for milch cattle? 



Prof. Johnson: Comparing ensilage with roots, I should say that the 

 advantage is in favor of the former. 



