98 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Feb.^ 1916. 



The past drought accounted for the death of many of our cattle, 

 and the good crops and pastures this year, with the scarcity of cattle, 

 must result in a low price for hay, and it is hoped that more use will 

 be made of the silo. Silage will keep indefinitely, and does not suffer 

 from vermin. Pastures have a very low feeding value after being con- 

 tinually bleached by the elements, and when rain comes after a dry 

 spell, they rot and blow away. 



The future prosperity of our dairying industry depends on the 

 economic production of our milk and butter. Many of our old ideas 

 must be thrown into the melting pot, and force of circumstances demands 

 constant progress. With that in the foreground, our needs will force 

 more attention to the production of silage. We all admire the progres- 

 sive business methods of the American farmers, and their success is 

 greatly due to the use they make of the silo — many thousands are in 

 continual use; in fact, no farm is deemed complete without one. The 

 object of this article is not so much concerned with the making of 

 silage, but to give a concrete example of the great benefit derived from 

 it by a farmer in the Boisdale district. 



Mr. Trevor Harvey has a farm on the closer settlement portion of 

 the Boisdale Estate, and owing to the uncertainty of the seasons, he 

 decided to erect a silo, under the conditions offered by the Department 

 of Agricultui'e. 



If all the dairymen of the State were imbued with the same spirit 

 of intelligent enterprise, failures would be few. Mr. Harvey is proving 

 that success is assured where sound business methods prevail, and in 

 his own words states that any dairyman who fails to make use of silage 

 is ignorant of the best methods of farming practice. He could not 

 correctly estimate its value to him during the past year, as the cows 

 milked well during the drought, and he gained the high prices ruling 

 for milk and butter during the winter months, and through the silo he 

 was in a position to sell £200 worth of chaff. He kept his herd intact 

 and sold £100 worth of cattle. Incidentally I may mention that Mr. 

 Harvey is establishing a pure Jersey stud, which he has entered in the 

 Government Pure Herd Testing scheme, and, judging by his adoption 

 of sound methods and the enthusiasm he displays, his success is certain. 

 The silo is of 70 tons capacity, of the wood and iron pattern. The crop 

 harvested was maize, which did not cob, owing to the very hot winds at 

 flowering time, and was dying off when it became necessary to cut it and 

 commence filling the silo. There was very little waste, as it was good 

 right up to the iron — except at the joints. Any waste was spread on 

 the ground for the dry cattle, where it was cleaned up. The silage 

 was sweet, of very appetising smell, and with good colour and appear- 

 ance. The cows were given 30 lbs. each daily, with a little bran. 



Cost of Production. 

 The land occupied by the maize (9 acres) was previously sown with 

 oats for hay, which was a failure owing to the dry season. After the 

 rains the land was at once ploughed, and the maize sown about the 

 20th December, the cutting was commenced on the 25th March, the 

 maize occupying the land for three months, and immediately after 

 removal the land was ploughed and sown with oats for grazing purposes. 



