46 H. R. STEVENS ON ENSILAGE. 



from the silo, and expose to the air from eight to ten hours before 

 feeding, a part of the time, and then feeding direct from the silo 

 while yet warm. I have found, by the experiment, that the cattle 

 enjoy it either way, and I think perhaps as well, if not better, when 

 given them directly from the silo, and with full as great advantage to 

 the stock. 



My mode of feeding has been, in the morning, to give a feed of 

 corn cut and steamed, which was cut and left standing in the field at 

 same time the corn was cut for the silo. This the cattle will eat in 

 the morning very well. At noon I give each cow about sixty pounds 

 of ensilage, and in the evening I give a small quantity of hay from 

 the mow. 



I feed ensilage without any thing else -mixed with it, and obtain 

 equally good results as when I fed hay and grain ; yet I believe 

 still better results might be obtained by feeding about three quarts of 

 oil or cotton-seed meal, or corn-meal and shorts : but whether enough 

 better results might be obtained in producing milk, to pay for the 

 expense, I doubt ; but for the laying-on of flesh, or fattening for the 

 stall, I am convinced it would pay well. 



It certainly costs me one-half less labor to feed ensilage than 

 either hay or corn-stalks, as ordinarily cured. 



The horses, calves, milch cows, turkeys, ducks, and chickens (all 

 except the mules, true to the very stubbornness of their nature, even 

 on ensilage) have eaten it from the very first, feed with avidity and 

 relish I have seldom witnessed. The turkeys and chickens, etc., have 

 not been fed an ounce of grain this winter, except such as they have 

 obtained from the silo, and a finer plumaged set of birds I never saw ; 

 and I have never succeeded in getting as fat turkeys as I now have, 

 even by the most skilful feeding. 



The milch cows have eaten it with equally great if not even bettei 

 relish than the young cattle, and have kept up their full flow of milk 

 all the while. 



I consider, from my present experience, that from five to five tons 

 and a half of ensilage, on an average, will keep a cow through six 

 months without grain, in good fair condition. 



I have now fed my milch cows and young stock on ensilage since 

 the 1st of November last ; and I challenge, not only the county of 

 Onondaga, but the entire Empire State, to produce a practical work- 

 ing dairy of milch cows, with better forms and condition, brighter, 

 healthier eyes, softer skins, sleeker coats, and more extended udders, 



