FARM DAIRYING 



food for all kinds of cattle cannot be overesti- 

 mated. 



CLOVER IN THE SILO 



Next to corn, clover is considered the best crop 

 to use for silage. Being of the legume family, 

 it is rich in protein and makes an ideal milk pro- 

 ducing food. When made into silage, it has a 

 higher feeding value than when cured as hay. 

 There is less crude fibre, it is more palatable, and 

 all of the plant is saved; while, in making it into 

 hay, the leaves and tender stems, which contain 

 nearly two-thirds of the protein, are broken off 

 and lost in the handling. 



The hay should be cut when in full bloom. It 

 is better to be put through a cutting machine. If 

 put in whole it must be spread in layers, otherwise 

 it will be most difficult to get it out of the silo. The 

 clover should be well tramped or weighted, and it 

 is best to have considerable depth to the silo. 



In British Columbia much of the hay is saved 

 in this way, and I saw there many silos used for 

 this crop. It is a safe way to harvest the crop 

 when the weather is likely to be wet. Sometimes 

 the farmers of British Columbia simply stack the 

 green clover outside the barn, where it ferments 

 and cures into a splendid feed. 



I 94] 



