Annual net Income, £594,370. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
July 1, 1907 
NE Ww ZEALAND 
Imswmramnce Coa., Ltd. 
This old Established Colonial Office covers every description of 
Fire, Marine, and Accident Business, 
At Lowest Rates. 
£6,000,000 paid in Claims. 
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH, 112 KING WILLIAM STREET, ADELAIDE. 
--LOUIS E. WILSON, Manager. 
Active Agents Wanted. 
Feed for Stock. 
One of the chief requisites of a ration 
for profitabfe milk-production is that it 
be succulent, by which is meant that a 
portion of the ration contains a large 
percentage of water, This watery condi- 
tion, or succulency, adds to the palatability 
of the fvod, and also seems to have a bene- 
ficial physical effect upon the animal 
- digestion. The cow, therefore, eats a 
larger quantity of food, digests and assim- 
ilates it more thoroughly, and conse- 
quently gives a larger flow of milk. 
Every section of our State has a longer 
or shorter period during the year when 
pastures are dry, The provident dairy- 
man, therefore, anticipates these dry 
months, and either lays in a store of 
green feed beforehand, or has some grow- 
ing which he may cut and feed to his 
cattle. 
Roots.—Several of the vegetables are 
valuable in supplying succulence for the 
ration. Among the root class the one in 
most common use is the mangel-wurzel 
beet, because very large quantities can be 
grown per acre, aud because it is palat- 
able to all kinds of live stock. Carrots 
are also used in some sections, and they 
have the advantage of containing a slightly 
larger amount of dry matter than mangels. 
Of all the roots, moreover, none are mvure 
relished by horses than carrots. Sugar 
beets are not found profitable to grow for 
feeding stock, because they yield so small 
a tonnage in comparison to mangels, and 
the greater cost of growing and gathering 
can only be undertaken on the ground of 
their greater value for sugar. Potatoes 
contain about twice as much dry matter 
as mangels and three times as much car- 
bonaceous material. They are, therefore, 
of greater food value, but, like sugar 
beets, have too high a commercial value 
as human food to make them profitable 
for stock. 
Squashes, —Another class of vegetables 
which are useful and easily grown is that 
of melons or squashes. A very familiar 
example is the so-called pie-melon. This, 
like the ordinary field pumpkin, can be 
produced readily in large quantities on 
most lands, and it ripens at a time when 
green feed is likely to be scarce. All of 
these vegetables when fed to dairy stock 
produce an increased milk yield, which is 
more than commensurate with their actual 
content of food substance. This is because 
of their palatability. beneficial effect upon 
digestion, and the addition of a wholesome 
variety to the ration. Any of the vege- 
tables named may be fed with profit to 
swine and poultry when in confinement, 
and to sheep, especially when in the 
nursing pariod. 
Silage.— One of the most economical 
means of preparing succulent food for 
seasons of drought and for supplementary 
feeding is by the use of the silo. Itis, no 
doubt, generally understood that the silo, 
as at present constructed, is a huge tank 
having perpendicular walls and being 
made as nearly air-tight as is convenient. 
‘The usual size for the silo is 15 to 20 feet 
in diameter and 30 feet high. Into the 
silo is put the green fodder immediately 
after being cut fresh in the field. The 
most common crop for ensiling is Indian 
corn or maize, which'is, moreover, the 
most profitable plant to grow for this 
purpose. 
larger tonnage per acre than any other 
crop. The stalks, which if cured dry 
would be largely wasted, are kept in so 
soft a condition in the silo as to be com- 
pletely eaten by the stock, Other plants, 
such as lucerne, barley, oats, and orchard 
grass, are sometimes ensiled, but we would 
not recommend their general use except 
in seasons or localities where corn may 
not at the time be available, or in caae 
they might otherwise be rendered more 
or less useless if cured dry; as, for 
example, the first cutting of lucerne with 
its asual mixture of grasses. Almost any 
plant grown on the land may be ensiled. 
The chief question is, what can be most 
profitably made the main crop for the 
purpose? The proof is abundant that 
Indian corn is the most profitable. The 
sorghums and sweet corn do not answer 
well for ensiling, because of their high 
content of sugar resulting in too much 
fermentation in the silo, 
No better combination of foods for 
feeding cows in the stable can be imagined 
At one harvest it furnishes a ~ 
than lucerne-hay and corn silage, and 
possibly a little grain, although a fairly 
well balanced ration may be made up 
without grain. In such feeding it 1s best 
to give hay and silage each once a day. 
The amount of silage per head ranges 
from 35 to 60 lb. daily, depending upon 
the size and appetite of the animal and 
upon the supply of silage. The cattle 
will eat corn ‘silage at all seasons of the 
year, even when on good lucerne or other 
green pasture; but if the supply be 
limited it can be most profitably fed 
when pastures aro dry, ov if the cattle 
should be kept oft tem because of heavy 
rains, or until the grass is of sufficient age 
and size to be of value. If the dairyman 
will erect silos and h:ve their cows calve 
in the fall instead of spring they can 
secure as large a supply of milk during 
the season when dairy products are usually 
high-priced as they now have during the 
low prices of the spring months. Corn 
silage may be fed with profit to sheep as 
well as cattle, but not to other stock, 
Lucerne silage is fed successfully to all 
farm stock, including swine and poultry. 
Horses working hard should be given 
such watery food in very small quantities ; 
while those at light work or doing nothing 
may be fed more, and will even make 
profitable use of some corn silage. 
Salt-bushes.—The salt-bushes have a 
two-fold value, in that they are not only 
valuable forage plants but can be culti- 
vated in soils containing alkali beyond 
the limit of tolerance for any other plant 
of similar food value. Of these the 
Atriplex semibaccata is the only one 
which has received any extended atten- 
tion in this State. 
It is specially worthy of mention that 
re 
2 af 
= oy emt 
while the salt-bushes differ materially — 
botanically, and are not af eqnal adapta- 
tion, there is very little preference so far 
as chemical cumposition is concerned. 
But much further experimentation will 
be required before the same can be said 
ef them physiologically, or with respect 
to nutritive values. 
The choice of the best variety for a 
special locality would depend on soil 
adaptation and the results of feeding 
experiments. 
