No. 4.] TliK DAIRY II Kill ). 397 



be ted given if needed in the absence of oats, millet or corn, 

 or if they are in short supply to be fed in eonjunetion with 

 them. Whatever elover is not needed in this connection is 

 e(]ually acceptable when hayed for winter use. 



Barley sown with peas during the fu'st half of August 

 makes a good feed for late fall, after frosts have stopi)ed the 

 use of corn as green forage. We have experienced much 

 ditiicultv in securing a satistactory crop of barley ; and, 

 while it is relished bv cows and good for forage, it is not 

 always a profitable crop. 



Rape, although a rank grower, and relished by cows, be- 

 longs to the cabbage, turnip and mustard tamily, which have 

 been regarded with suspicion by milkmen, on account of the 

 taste they impart to dairy products. It is our belief that, 

 used in moderation, and fed after milking, it will not seri- 

 ously affect the quality of milk, and it may become a valualile 

 forage plant for fall feeding. It may be fed to dry cows, 

 hogs, young stock and horses, to the saving of winter's stores, 



at all events. 



Summer Silos. 



There is much that might be said in favor of summer silos. 

 Undoubtedly the invested capital is somewhat greater where 

 provision is made for ensiling a sufficient quantity of forage 

 to su})ply the dairy herd through the summer. Perhaps the 

 summer silo will even cost more for a given capacity than 

 will a winter one, inasmuch as summer feeding takes cogni- 

 zance both of the lessened appetites of the cow^s and the 

 greater rapidit}^ of fermentation. It becomes necessary, 

 therefore, for sunmier feeding to materially reduce the sur- 

 face area from which silage is fed. One should so limit the 

 surface area for summer feeding that one and one-half inches 

 will be daily removed when the cow's appetite for silage is 

 lightest, and that the average feed will remove about two 

 inches. If this is not done, not only will there be a waste 

 of fodder, owing to excessive fermentation, but the quality 

 of the whole feed deteriorates, even to a point of imparting 

 undesirable flavors to the milk. 



Summer silaiic has a great advantaoce over e^reen soiling 

 crops in the cost of production. With a heavy-yielding 



