384 BOARD OF AGRICULTUKE. 



ered, without any previous knowledge of it, the process of 

 ensilage, and has since made a complete success of it. 



Mr. Francis Morris of Maryland in 1876 first filled brick 

 silos on a large scale with tolerable success. John M. 

 Bailey, Esq., of Billerica, Mass., was the first man in New 

 England who dared to build and fill a silo after the instruc- 

 tions of A. Goffart, and take the chances of loss in the 

 investment, the ridicule and obloquy of his neighbors and 

 the community at large, in case of fiiilure ; or of pecuniary 

 advantage, with the honor and respect of all progressive 

 farmers, if successful. I believe he is eminently satisfied 

 with the results after three years' experience. 



There can be no doubt but that good farming must be 

 based upon cattle, sheep and swine. But each individual 

 farmer must decide for himself whether it is best for him to 

 keep farm stock, taking into consideration his location and 

 kind of farming most profitable for him. 



But for him who does keep live farm stock, the question. 

 How shall it be fed at the least cost, and to be kept in the best 

 condition? is a very serious one, especially in New England, 

 with its hard and comparatively barren soil and severe win- 

 ters. While grass is crowned King, corn must be acknowl- 

 edged queen, of the forage crops. Clover, rye, oats, barley 

 and the several millets may l)e supplemented to advantage, 

 but the principal dependence must be upon the two first 

 named. 



The great question of to-day among farmers is, How shall 

 the greatest amount of nutritious ingredients of the forage 

 plants be preserved at the least cost ? 



Fermentation that tends to decomposition or putrefaction 

 requires the presence of heat, air, and moisture ; the elimi- 

 nation of either one of these conditions will prevent fermen- 

 tation. By dessication, hay is preserved by removing the 

 moisture, while air and heat remain. By the absence of 

 heat, as in cold storage, air and moisture remain, decomposi- 

 tion is checked. And, by the exclusion of air, heat and 

 moisture remaining, the same result is ol)tained. Chemistry 

 teaches that no valuable nutritive qualities of grass or other 

 green forage plants are lost by drying. It also teaches that 

 by the cutting of any green or living plant and slight expos- 



