CHAPTER^!!. 



THE SUMMER SILO. 



The summer silo is fast becoming popular and even 

 necessary because of its splendid aid in supplementing 

 summer pastures and tiding the herd over the period of 

 drouth, heat and flies. Experiment Stations that have 

 studied the subject, strongly advocate its use and some 

 of the leading agricultural papers have been speaking in 

 no uncertain voice as to its advantages. 



"The summer silo is as certain to assert its value as 

 American agriculture is certain to go forward rather than 

 backward," says Breeder's Gazette of Chicago. "Pasture 

 as at present used or abused is a broken reed. An over- 

 grazed acre is the costliest acre that the farmer supports. 

 Even in normal seasons grass rests in the summer time, 

 and unless a fall and winter pasture is laid by, little good 

 i# derived from grass lands after the flush of spring. The 

 eilo supplements pastures, and carries the burden of the 

 winter's feeding." 



Following the same line of thought Purdue Experiment 

 Station Bulletin No. 13 says: 



"Too much dependence is usually placed upon pasture 

 for summer feeding. Pasturing high priced land is un- 

 profitable in these times. Few stop to consider the de- 

 structive effects of trampling, that, while a cow is taking 

 one bite of grass, she is perhaps soiling or trampling the 

 life out of four others. If sufficient silage is put up each 

 year part can well be used for summer feeding, which 

 will be found less laborious than the daily hauling of 

 green crops for the herd. The herd must not be allowed 

 to shrink in flow unduly, as it is practically impossible 

 to bring them back during the same lactation. The 

 young stock, destined for future producers, must not be 

 neglected on short pasture, for the labor and expense of 



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