Farmers Institute. 51 



enthusiast in its use, but said that it is good to make if the farm and stock are 

 adapted to the use, the inference being that it makes a good flow of milk of 

 average quality. The first year he sowed 14 acres, filled two silos, and had 

 about half left. He then made a large wooden silo in one corner of his barn at a 

 cost of $25, and filled that, the remainder be buried in a hole in the ground. 

 He fed from the latter until frost, then the barn silo, and finally from the other, 

 the last one from May to August, finding all in good condition. At first he fed 

 two bushels, but found it too much. He found an increase of milk, but not as 

 much as from grain. It can be put in for $2.40 per ton. The corn should be 

 sowed in drills, and not hilled, plow it straight, and manure as for heavy corn. 

 Stowell's Evergreen is better than Southern corn. He plants and cultivates his 

 corn with horses, and has got 31^- tons of ensilage from an acre, thirteen tons 

 being a good yield. From two acres of cabbage, last year, he sold #200 worth 

 of cabbages, and fed the outer leaves to his cattle, feeding once a day after 

 morning feeding. Black pepper thrown on the young plaut will keep off worms. 

 He has the best luck with greensward and would not use old land. The cab- 

 bage plants should be set a foot apart, or if the large kind, two by three feet. 

 Put the land in ridges, then roll flat and set the plants. 



The meeting then adjourned while an excellent collation was served in the 

 hall, after which Mr. John E. Kussell, Secretary of the State Board pf Agricul- 

 ture, who had been present during the morning session, addressed the meeting 

 for two hours or more, receiving the closest attention from all present. He 

 spoke first of the subject discussed in the moming, agreeing with many of the 

 ideas advanced by Mr. Noble, but disapproving some of them. When asked re- 

 garding cultivated grass, he said he considers it the best of any crop to produce. 

 Thinks it best to plough up every four years, but different soils require dif- 

 ferent treatment. He considers grass better to seed with corn than oats. With 

 the last cultivating he seeds with grass ; clover is good. He thinks some artifi- 

 cial manures good to use with barn-yard manures. If grass seed cannot be got 

 in before the 20th of September, he prefers to leave \t till just before freezing 

 up for the winter. He recommends rye hay for sheep. They like it and will 

 eat it all. He was frequently interrupted by questions and discussions. Mr. 

 Russell is a ready talker with a mind quick and humorous, yet full of sober com- 

 mon sense, and his talk abounds in many strong points drawn from full informa- 

 tion. To do him justice a short-hand report of what he says should be given. 

 He talked upon many aspects of the dairy, and had spirited discussions with I. 

 D. W. Baldwin, L. K. Kline, Mr. Byington, James BuDard, Mr. Noble, Pat- 

 rick Bossidy, Cyrus French, John D. Noxon. Zacheus Cande, Lester T. Os- 

 borne, Rev. Robert Bennett, who talks very entertainingly upon agriculture, and 

 many others, and the meeting broke up at a late hour. 



