196 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



comes, and put it where you can take care of it. I have no 

 question that Mr. Thompson has made a success with ensi- 

 lage. There is one thing very certain, — that, when he 

 spends a dollar, he does not lose a tenth or a mill on what 

 he puts out, because he earns his money by hard work ; and, 

 gentlemen, if you understand this, you will appreciate it. 



Mr. Ware (of Marblehead). I was not present when the 

 essay was read before you ; but, as near as I can judge, you 

 want experience, you want facts. I will tell you my expe- 

 rience in a very few words, without any theory whatever. 



I was convinced years ago that we in New England, if we 

 would succeed in farming, must make a change ; and, on 

 looking about, I felt that the change was indicated in the 

 building of silos, and the use of ensilage : therefore this 

 year I have built a silo, and have put in about one hundred 

 tons of ensilage, — the product of four acres of fodder-corn 

 and three acres of heavy rowen, mixed, and put in together. 

 I have built a good silo on the most approved principles, 

 and filled it according to the best directions that I could 

 get, and I am now feeding out the ensilage ; and what you 

 want to know, I suppose, is the result of the feeding. 



Mr. Taft. What did your silo cost ? 



Mr. Ware. The silo cost about five hundred dollars 

 to build : the machinery necessary to run it completely and 

 practically cost about four hundred dollars more, I should 

 say. I have not figured it exactly ; but in round numbers, 

 say, I have invested about nine hundred dollars. 



The question has arisen here, whether farmers can afford 

 to build silos. I have never heard the question asked, 

 whether farmers can afford to build barns to put hay in, or 

 whether they can afford to build root-cellars to put their 

 vegetables in to feed to their cattle. Now, the question 

 comes, Can they afford to build silos to put ensilage to feed 

 to their cows? In answer to that, I will say that it takes 

 the product of two acres of grass to winter one cow. If we 

 can winter six cows on the product of a single acre, it seems 

 to me that question is answered ; and that is the result of 

 my observation and experience. I am now feeding my herd 

 of ten cows, four calves three months old, six horses, and a 

 dozen or more of swine, substantially on ensilage. The 

 cows are having nothing else, except that those that give 



