1882.] ENSILAGE. 115 



light upon the matter that he will he able to give in regard 

 to it. I think it is a matter that needs investigation. I think 

 the exaggerated statements that have been flying about in the 

 agricultural press rather tend to retard the introduction of 

 the system. The statements are made in such a manner 

 that they can hardly be believed. To illustrate the manner 

 in which this thing is figiired, in a boolc published on this 

 subject of ensilage, I find an analysis of the ensilage, an 

 analysis of the fodder corn, and comparisons made. The ensi- 

 lage has 19.3 per cent, of dry matter ; the corn, 11.96 of dry 

 matter. Now, how are these facts used ? I turn over the 

 leaf and I find the statement that there is a gain in the dry 

 matter of 19 per cent. ! How that difference can be figured 

 into 19 per cent. I cannot conceive. I cannot compare the 

 analyses throughout, but I will just take another item that 

 comes to my mind. Tlie fat is .62 per cent, in the ensilage, 

 and .26, I think, in the corn before it was put into the pit. 

 Now, the writer says, "here is a gain in fat alone of 138 per 

 cent." Now, statements like these do not have any force. 

 Tliey are exaggerations and misrepresentations of the facts. 



I have no doubt that, under certain circumstances and 

 under certain systems of management, ensilage will prove a 

 very valuable addition to our cattle food. I think, however, 

 that very many who practice ensilage believing that it is 

 going to be the royal road to success, that they can neglect 

 everything else upon the farm, w^ill find that their sanguine 

 anticipations are not realized. I have seen the statement 

 that one man had seven acres of corn that he put into a silo, 

 and he says if he had fifteen acres, his profits, at the same rate, 

 would have been between three and four thousand dollars. 

 Those statements are a little too strong. I would rather 

 wait and ascertain what the results are. I have no doubt that 

 ensilage will be more desirable to the eastern farmer than to 

 the western farmer, and that it will be of more advantage, in 

 the long run, to the man who farms on system and brings 

 in tlic ensilage as part of the general system of farming in 

 which it is not made the all-in-all. I think when we have 

 investigated this matter and it settles down to the level wdiere 



