40 



greatly in quality. One part of a field may be infested by weeds 

 not relished by cows, which when fed cause a marked shrinkage 

 in milk. Seasons vary, the weather is bad, it is inconvenient to 

 take time for getting in green feed, and other reasons work against 

 its practical value. 



The use of silage in summer is an approach to perennial winter 

 feeding, — a practice that is growing more and more common, but 

 which needs no exposition in this paper. 



That pastures have grown poorer in many sections appears to 

 be a common opinion. Their uncertainty and irregularity of pro- 

 duction are largely responsible for the demand of this discussion. 

 The system that provides for supplementing our short pasturage 

 will incidentally produce great improvement in the pastures them- 

 selves. By the use of supplementary forage, pastures may carry 

 larger numbers of cattle, which will check wild growth, and enrich 

 the soil with droppings from additional feed. The farmer himself 

 will be more progressive, and will manage his pastures with greater 

 skill. Thus the prosperity of the farmer, which is the concern of 

 the Board of Agriculture and of agricultural education, will be 

 increased. 



