FOOD OF THE COW. 20 



cow, and a lump to lick at in her manger is perhaps better 

 than the direct addition of so many ounces daily in her food. 

 We must not forget to mention, what is virtually a new 

 source of succulent food in winter, the practice of ensilage 

 which has lately been introduced to this country from the 

 Continent, and which is being rapidly adopted in many 

 districts of this country. Green grass, or rye, or clover is 

 packed tightly in pits, and kept there under a pressure of 

 1 cwt. or more per square foot of surface, and is found 

 at the end of many months in a perfectly palatable con- 

 dition for dairy stock, so as to be available all through the 

 winter. Mr. Kirby, of Hook Farm near Bromley, has 

 fed more than 100 cows during the past winter (1884-5) 

 on the contents of his silos, in which mown grass cut the 

 previous June had been cut into chaff, and packed and 

 pressed. And this is now a not uncommon experience. 

 Cows fed on 50 Ibs. of ensiled grass, with some 30 Ibs. of 

 grains, and 2 or 3 Ibs. of cake, and as much barley-meal, 

 yield abundant milk of admirable quality. When the 

 grass is put at once under pressure, planks being placed 

 upon it, and some two feet of clay piled on the planks, it 

 comes out six months afterwards wet and sour, with a 

 smell something between those of the brewhouse and the 

 tanyard, but nevertheless very palatable to the cattle. It 

 is possible, by allowing the piled grass to attain consider- 

 able heat before pressure is applied, to avoid the sour 

 fermentation, so that the stuff comes out sweet and with a 

 pleasant odour ; and in this condition we should think it 

 preferable as cow food. 



The Cropping of Laud for the Cow, notwithstanding 

 the variety of foods available for her, is generally a very 



