CORRESPONDENCE OF O. B. POTTER. 91 



between the jambs with well-compacted earth, so that no air can pass 

 into the pit through this doorway. 



In feeding out the pits, when made in short sections, all chance of 

 deterioration from exposure te the air is avoided by opening one 

 small pit at a time. % 



All ensilage I have put down, came out more than satisfactory. 

 This is the fourth year I have practised ensilage, and I never lost 

 ten pounds in putting down several hundred tons. 



I have fed moving milch cows with ensilage, because I cannot 

 spare this food to dry stock. 



I take out the ensilage usually when I feed it. 



I cut down a slice one to two feet wide as wanted, and feed as cut, 

 and have not found reason to expose it more than it is exposed in 

 distributing in the mangers. I always give my milch cows about 

 three quarts meal per day, corn or barley, or sometimes two quarts 

 other, and one quart cotton-seed meal. Sometimes I put the meal 

 on the ensilage, but usually on the cut hay, moistened, which I feed 

 at night. This is best ; as no meal is needed to make the cow eat the 

 green fodder clean, while it is often needed to make her eat the hay 

 clean. I can't compare cost of corn-fodder with hay, better than any 

 one else. I have sowed fodder-crops, corn, clover, grass more than 

 half clover, yard-millet, West India millet, sorghum, and sugar-cane. 

 I am certain it costs less than half to raise and prepare for feeding 

 by this process, than by drying and cutting afterwards, and are 

 worth twice as much. 



Two fodder-crops per year are easily grown the same year on the 

 same ground, unless it be sorghum and cane ; and there are no ex- 

 ceptions here and farther South, the first being sown early, and no 

 time lost in putting in the second crop after first is off. My cows 

 always ate ensilage from the start willingly without urging. I have 

 not fed my cattle much with ensilage. I can't spare it for them 

 till I get more pits. I have computed how much ensilage will feed 

 a cow six months : it will depend on the cow, the kind of ensilage, 

 and how well you feed her. The same food cured this way will make 

 more milk and flesh than if dried. 



Cattle fed on ensilage as I feed them are sleek and fat and healthy, 

 and always fit for the butcher when milked dry. They look better 

 and do better than when fed on dry food only. I do not keep sheep, 

 but fed six on corn ensilage for several weeks, and they did finely ; 

 never saw any do better, and all brought fine lambs, and both dams 



