462 IOWA DEPARTMEMT OF AGRICULTURE. 



feed when grass and pasture fail in time of drought. You farmers who are 

 in the milking business think of the advantage of good rich feed to give your 

 cows at all times; please listen to what good authority has to say of silage 

 for milch cows: "The economy of feeding silage in preference to any other 

 sealing crops was conclusively demonstrated in the Pan-American model 

 dairy this last year, as the awards were made on the economic production 

 the effect of various rations were closely studied." In a letter recently 

 received from Mr. S. J. Murphy, heardsman of the Guernseys, he says: 

 "The supply of silage was exhausted about August 5th, and we found it 

 absolutely impossible by any combination of grain and green sailing crops 

 to maintain the flow of milk or production of butter without it any attempt 

 to eliminate it from the ration, being followed by an immediate decrease in 

 production." 



The following is the summary of an experiment made by Professor Henry 

 at the experimental farm Brandison. It is as far back as 1882. 



First, as to the food, thirteen rows of fodder corn converted into silage 

 actually lasted two cows seventy days. Thirteen other rows equal in all 

 ways to those made into ensilage, when cut, shocked, bound into bundles 

 and housed lasted two cows forty-seven days. In this regard the value of 

 the ensilage exceeded that of the corn fodder by nearly fifty per cent. Of 

 the three thousand eight hundred seventy-four pounds of dry fodder fed one 

 thousand five hundred sixty-eight pounds were never eaten but left as refuse 

 stalks. This is about forty per cent of the whole amount fed, and the result 

 of this experiment was a gain of ten per cent more milk and eleven per cent 

 more botter. If time and space permitted we might go on giving expert 

 testimony as to the many advantages of silage for feeding all kinds of farm 

 animals, but volumes have been written on the subject and those who may 

 become interested can easily find what they are looking for or see a living 

 demonstration of the thing itself, with but little inconvenience to themselves, 

 and if these few lines shall have been of any assistance to anyone, then their 

 mission shall be fulfilled and the writer feel himself rewarded thereby. 



SILOS, 



Geo. V. Fowler, Before the Black Hawk County Farmers' Institute. 



Your secretary has assigned me a paper on the Silo, and I infer that the 

 subject includes ensilage as well. I do not deem it wise to take much of 

 your time as I have had no experience with ensilage, and what I will give 

 you will be only what I have picked up by coming in contact with some of 

 the best farmers in different parts of the country, just as I am doing now. 



I built a silo last fall after the plan of H. C. Geuler, of De Kalb, Illinois, 

 which I believe to be the best type. Mr. Gueler now has five and as he sells 

 all of his milk to consumers in Chicago, at twelve cents per quart, which is 

 positive proof of its being a success. It seems strange to me that many 

 people consider it good feed for cows but not so good for the steers. I 



