ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
2 9 
heese are of the finest quality, and, being produced in large quantity, 
ind brought to a ready and high market, the total receipts from sales 
nake a most encouraging showing in the annual income of the dairy, 
vlany milk producers in the vicinity of New York are now feeding, 
nd will continue to feed, ensilage and the meals mixed during the 
vinter, thus securing large extra winter supply of milk. 
It is estimated that ensilage can be secured at from seventy-five 
‘ents to a dollar per ton, or by this means a full grown cow or ox can 
>e fed for from one dollar to a dollar and a quarter per month. Added 
o ensilage, a small quantity of corn meal will cheaply feed the work- 
ng oxen, mules and horses of the farm. / 
Next to a good pasture, no kind of food will so -rapidly bring 
'oung stock into maturity and into cash so satisfactorily as ensilage, 
fo animals, ensilage furnishes not only a safe, but a most profitable 
vintering, so that the spring finds the herd strong, healthy, and fit 
or the labors and purposes of the summer. 
The country must furnish a large supply of milch cows lor milk 
iroduction for towns and cities. Most of these must be kept within a 
onvenient distance from the cities. The system of ensilage furnishes 
hese cows in perfect health, and the cows in turn supply the citizens 
nth good, sound, healthy milk ; so that it it guarantees both health 
o the cows and health to the children and persons using it. For sick 
nimals there is no food so good as ensilage ; for it is as near to green 
gass as possible. There is a positive disadvantage in cutting ensilage 
rops too late, for late crops have too much woody fibre. 
The past season has taught us that we might have saved our 
tock great suffering, and saved ourselves much money, had we pro- 
ided against the drouth, by having secured early ensilage crops for 
eeding in the dry time. 
Early calves and lambs will greatly improve on ensilage, as they 
at of it as readily as they do when they come on fresh and flush 
msturage. These very early young animals not only take kindly to 
•nsilage, but they may be fattened rapidly and salely for early and 
dgh markets, by judiciously and gradually adding and increasing 
orn meal, oat meal, or cotton-seed meal to the ensilage, by sprinkling 
: upon it before feeding. 
. For fattening and finishing beef or mutton stock for market, 
nsilage is the most convenient and reliable fodder when the meals of 
ereals or cotton-seed meal is used. 
Ensilage is a cheap and nutritious fodder, and the crops to furn- 
sh it do not impoverish the soil, because the phosphates are not re- 
aoved. 
During the drought of summer, ensilage secures a uniform and 
onstant supply of milk and butter, thus obviating the scarcity of these 
iroducts at the very season when these necessary articles are in the 
,'reatest demand. 
Milk and butter must be perfectly fresh and sound to be at their 
inest flavor. A. S. Heath, M. D., 
President of the American Institute Farmers ’ Club , Professor 
of the Department of Cattle , Sheep and Swine in the Columbia 
College of Comparative Medicine . 
