ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN S ASSOCIATION. I3I 



been experimentally tested by many scientific American agricul- 

 turists, and among others by Professor Henry, of the University 

 of Wisconsin, at Madison. Professor Henry's views on the sub- 

 ject seem to be worthy of confidence, because he is regarded 

 by men occupying similar positions as a competent observer 

 and accurate reporter. His field of observation, too, being 

 adjacent to northern Illinois, makes the conditions of the problem 

 there very similar to those which surround us here. 



Professor Henry took from the same field equal quantities of 

 I the same kind of corn plant and subjected them to the two kinds 



of treatment, obtaining in the one case an excellent quality of 

 ; dried corn fodder, and in the other an equally good result of 

 j ensilage. Both of these were fed to the same cows, at different 

 J stages in the trial, allowing due time for passing from one stage 



to the other. 



He found that the ensilage lasted half as long again as the 

 fodder-corn, probably because it was all eaten clean, leaves and 

 stalks, while a considerable proportion of the dry fodder, i. e., 

 the butts or coarser portions of stalks were not eaten. He also 

 found that the ensilage produced 10 per cent more milk and n 

 I per cent, more butter than did the dry fodder. 



Incidentally, I may here say that when ensilage was added 

 [ to the dry feed on my farm at the beginning of the present sea- 

 son, which was on the 23d day of November last, the quantity 

 of milk increased more than 80 pounds on the third day and so 

 continued. The butter made during Professor Henry's experi- 

 ments was all sent to a commission dealer in Chicago, who 

 reported that in no instance could he tell which lot was from 

 ensilage — or other food. Professor Henry's conclusion was that 

 dairy farmers could use the silo with advantage and profit, and 

 this is also the general conclusion of those who make a practical 

 trial of it. 



Ensilage of good quality is very eagerly eaten by most grass- 

 eating animals, from horses to poultry. Cattle prefer it to the 

 best quality of hay when both are placed before them. Very 



