246 EXPERIMENT STATION— BULLETINS. 



20. What is your opinion of ensilage for milk production? 



21. In your opinion, is the quality of milk injuriously affected by feeding 

 ensilage? 



22. Have you had any experience in feeding ensilage to sheep, swine or 

 horses? 



23. In your opinion, can storage be secured in any other way, for an 

 equivalent amount of fodder, so cheaply as in the silo? 



24. With your experience, do you consider this method of preserving fod- 

 der economical and satisfactory? Would you advise your brother farmers to 

 build silos? 



The numbers used for the replies correspond to those of the questions. 

 Some of the matter used was not received in reply to the inquiries noted, 

 but bears an earlier date, hence the difference in arrangement. 



I. H. BUTTERFIELD, LAPEER. 



1. In 1886. Have two compartments in bay in barn. 



2. Of boards and tarred paper. In one a double coat of paper, with an air 

 space ; the other, but one coat of paper and one thickness of boards inside 

 the studs, set up against the girts in bay. Do not see any difference in 

 keeping ensilage between them. 



3. Corn mostly, filled once with uncut clover ; did not like it, although 

 cattle ate nearly all of it. 



4. Have used several kinds of corn, common yellow, white, dent and 

 Southern ensilage ; prefer common dent, planted in rows 3£ feet apart, and 

 hills 18 inches apart, or in drills. 



6. Using about twelve quarts of seed per acre. 



7. At full growth. 



8. Estimate, ten tons. 



9. 



10. Put in ten or twelve tons in bottom of one silo in 1888, and filled with 

 cut corn. The uncut came out in good condition, but is not as convenient to 

 feed as that cut ; think it a good method for one who wanted but a small silo 

 that would not pay for the expense of preparing for cutting. 



11. Slowly, partly because I thought it the best method, and partly from 

 convenience ; would fill rapidly, if more convenient. 



12. Have packed it well while filling. 



13. Tarred paper and boards, think one foot of straw or marsh hay (cut) 

 just as good. 



14. Ensilage has kept good with very little weight. 



15. Have not filled in a manner to keep any account of expense ; would 

 prefer handling the corn in this manner to that of cutting and curing in 

 shock, hauling in and cutting when dry so far as expense alone. 



16. About two months. 



17. Generally good ; occasionally some loss in corners. 



18. Think not ; practice now uncovering top and taking from surface 

 daily. 



Under date of February 22, 1887, Mr. Butterfield says: "I have fed it to 

 all my cattle, one feed per day, making ond-third of the bulk of fodder I 

 feed them. Previous to this they had a feed of hay, which the ensilage took 

 the place of, and to all appearance the ensilage fully supplied the place of 



