DESCRIPTION OF THE "WINNING-FARM" SILOS. 17 



the system in a thorough manner : therefore I resolved 

 to brave the danger of being " laughed at ; " and as no 

 one could be induced to try the great experiment, and 

 that the public should not lose the benefit of a system 

 of such vast importance to the welfare of our nation, 

 and fearing also that the grand discovery of M. Goffart's 

 might fall into disrepute in consequence of not being 

 tried in a thorough and scientific manner, I decided to 

 make the experiment. 



For several years I have been trying to find the way 

 to raise profitable crops, or to turn them to profitable 

 account when raised. I eagerly scanned every item 

 which appeared in the public press bearing upon the 

 process of preserving forage-crops in their green state. 

 All the plans seemed to give but imperfect results ; 

 nevertheless, there seemed to be value in the idea. 



It was therefore with pleasure I saw a notice of Mr. 

 Brown's translation of M. Goffart's work upon " Ensi- 

 lage." I sent for it. Upon a careful perusal of the 

 work, and some little discussion in the columns of " The 

 Country Gentleman " with Mr. Brown upon some parts 

 of it, I became satisfied that the principle was right, that 

 M. Goffart's method with such modifications as cli- 

 matic differences demand faithfully carried out, would 

 bring success. 



Having resolved to try the experiment thoroughly, 

 on the seventeenth day of July, 1879, I broke ground, 

 selecting a side hill, and locating the Silos so that the 

 corner joined the north-east corner of my barn : I ex- 

 cavated on the west side and south end seven feet deep, 

 and put in a solid stone wall on the west side, 44 feet 

 long and 12 feet high. This was built of very heavy 

 stone and in the most substantial manner. 



I afterwards graded up on this side to the top of the 



