170 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Under these circumstances, we cannot otherwise but no- 

 tice with satisfaction the daily increasing interest manifested 

 in our farming community regarding feeding experiments 

 to determine the economy of introducing, in particular, corn 

 stover, corn fodder and corn ensilage as substitutes in part, 

 or in the whole, for meadow hay in our farm industry. 



The Indian corn, or maize, is pre-eminently the most val- 

 uable grass we cultivate. Judging from personal experi- 

 ence in this direction, I am persuaded to believe that the 

 solution of this problem is much advanced, and I feel con- 

 fident that the pecuniary advantage derived from its con- 

 summation will be marked. With these prospects in view, 

 it seems but proper that the discussion of a fodder article 

 ought to assume a more comprehensive character, consider- 

 ing not only its individual inherent merits, but also its 

 relation to other fodder substances of a similar character, 

 and with reference to a complete diet under given circum- 

 stances. 



To stake the financial success in any branch of farm in- 

 dustry on the successful production of one single crop is, 

 to say the least, very risky. The experience of the past 

 does not endorse that course, nor do we know at present of 

 any mode of operation which promises better results in the 

 future. 



We have learned of late to raise, under certain circum- 

 stances, all kinds of farm crops successfully without the 

 material assistance of the standard fertilizer of the past, 

 the barnyard manure ; and we will know better, before many 

 years have passed by, what particular place to assign to the 

 hay-field in a more extensive and intensiv^e system of raising 

 remunerative fodder crops. A due consideration of the 

 preceding remarks requires apparently no farther argument 

 to recognize the fact that local advantages, supported by a 

 systematic management of the work involved, are more 

 needed than ever before to secure remunerative returns 

 from grass lands. 



Within a few subsequent pages I propose to give a short 

 description of the course recommended for the successful 

 production of a good English hay, and also relate our own 

 experience at the Experiment Station, of comparing the feed- 



