CHAPTER XV 



ENSILAGE FOR PROFITABLE DAIRYING 



IN South Africa, where we have only a six months' 

 pasture owing to our dry and cold winter, it becomes 

 an important matter to the dairy farmer to provide 

 for his cows in advance suitable feed for this 

 period of scarcity. This may be accomplished by 

 growing drought-resisting crops, crops less resistant 

 with continual cultivation, by irrigation, and by 

 haymaking or by ensilage. 



Of these several methods for conserving cattle 

 food for times of scarcity, ensilage is undoubtedly 

 the best, cheapest, and most reliable. It consists 

 of green crops harvested before they are ripe and 

 preserved in a green and succulent state to over- 

 come periods of drought or scarcity. 



Ensilage has all the corrective and laxative 

 qualities of good summer pasture, so that it is 

 almost equal to " grass in winter." 



By ensilage stock may be kept in a healthy and 

 sleek condition, and dairy cows fed on it will give 

 greater quantities of milk during the dry season 

 than they would if fed on hay. 



