Australia : The Dairy Country. 7 



(3) Occasional Dry Seasons. The effects of dry spells, which 

 sometimes occur even in the 'best-watered dairying districts, can 

 be greatly minimised by the conservation of fodder, by cheap and 

 easy methods of silage. So rich is the country in succulent natural 

 grasses, and so congenial is the climate, that farmers exhibit a ten- 

 dency to rely too much on the bounty of the seasons. This is what 

 the Scottish Commission meant when they referred to the friendly 

 climate as being the dairyman's most dangerous enemy. It is true 

 that in normal years milch cows may depasture the whole year long 

 on the natural pastures, and on this food alone yield milk of magnifi- 

 cent flavour, producing butter and cheese of the highest quality. 

 But there should be put by to supplement the natural fodder during 

 dry times a supply of food either as hay or silage.. The experts of 

 the various agricultural departments strongly advocate the use of 

 the silo, but the advice has not yet been generally adopted. 



As the loss in the silo is insignificant, it can be realised how 

 cheaply ample stores of the best class of stand-by fodder can be 

 conserved. Silos to hold 100 tons cost about $480.00 to construct, 

 and a cutter and elevator about $144.00. To this would have to be 

 added the cost of a horse-works or engine, but until a settler is in 

 a position to indulge in the most up-to-date outfit, he can follow 

 the usual practice of serving his greenstuff in the form of stack 

 silage, which entails a very moderate outlay. 



Many crops excellent for silage are easily grown, and the cultiva- 

 tion areas need never be idle for a day at any time of the year. 



ml- 



Silos, Victoria. 



