92 BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



he fed for six weeks one hundred cattle, mostly milch cows, from 

 five acres of oats sown in the spring," or, in other words, one acre 

 of oats kept one hundred cows eight days, and one square rod, fed 

 five head eight days. Fair crop that for even an ensilagist to 

 raise. But, gentlemen, I do not believe Mr. Mills ever uttered any 

 such nonsense as that. He is too sensible a man. You see many 

 such articles. Another class while telling of results obtained un- 

 der very favorable circumstances, are claiming by implication at 

 least, that the system will give these results usually. The common 

 farmer tries the " new ways," he only realizes a fraction of the 

 result he is led to expect, he is disgusted and pronounces the sys- 

 tem a humbug. Great crops of any kind are obtained only under 

 favorable conditions of land, season, manures, and skillful culture, 

 and without all these, great crops cannot be obtained. Furthermore 

 the silo will not increase the quantity of the crop grown. 



On the other hand, here is a statement from Dr. Abraham Rob- 

 ertson, in the Mirror and Farmer. He says, "I once gave an 

 almond to a squirrel that had been caged six months, and been fed 

 on cake, raisins, and other soft food. It picked up the nut, nibbled 

 and dropped it, repeating these operations at least a dozen times. 

 On examination, I found its teeth had not made the slighest im- 

 pression on the nut. Having been fed only six months on an 

 unnatural diet, had deprived the squirrel of its ability to eat its 

 natural food. Farmers who have intended to make silos will prob- 

 ably consider this case analogous, and draw their own conclusions." 

 Perhaps. I had supposed until I read this article that hay was an 

 "unnatural diet," that in its "natural state," the animal browsed 

 the twigs of trees as the food nature provided for its maintenance 

 when snow covered the ground. I had supposed ground grain an 

 unnatural diet. But I doubt if any farmer present would care to 

 go back to the strictly "natural diets," or who believes so doing 

 would render his stock more healthy, thrifty, or profitable. When 

 I read these articles I feel like turning Churchman and reciting 

 from the Litany, " Good Lord, deliver us " from friend and foe. 



Your Secretary's request was for a chapter from my own expe- 

 rience, which will render me more personal in my talk than I 

 should otherwise be. It is two years since my first attention was 

 called to the method of forage preservation. After a careful study 

 and investigation which extended over several months, and which 

 was as thorough as I could make it, I decided to adopt the system. 

 The knowledge of my decision caused no small amount of ridicule 



