July 1, 1908 
MR A. BROWN’S STALLION, “Sr. ELMO.” 
The PWasm, 
The Value of Ensilage. 
It seems staange that the conservation 
of fodder in silos or stacks has not been 
more generally adopted, but farmers are 
disinclined to depart from ways they are 
used to, and the silo, although it is 
steadily making its way, is not yet gene- 
rally adopted. It has been proved by 
chemical analysis that one pound of 
grass, freshly cut in the field, contains 
more nutritive matter than a similar 
quantity of the same grass turned into 
ensilage. On the other hand, it has been 
repeatedly proved that in the matter of 
increasing the flow of milk, or producing 
= flesh, ensilage can more thin hold its own 
with the original mat-rial. The explana- 
‘tion of this is that the stomach of the 
animal, unlike the concentrated acids and 
-powerful reagents used in extracting sub- 
stances for analysis, is only able to assi- 
‘milate and appropriate for the uses of the 
body that portion which is digestible for 
food. But— and it is here where ensilaeg 
Our System 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
HOME Work. 
15 
A Profitable Work for the Home. 
Just what is wanted. 
If you have spare time, YOU CAN 
EARN MONEY 1N YOUR HOME. 
A new industry for Australian Ladies. 
Real Lace making made easy with our Scientific System already worked-out in 
patterns, simple, easy, quick, and inexpensive. 
We want 1,000 Ladies, young and old, 
pay from 7/- dozen to 360/- per dozen yards. - 
TEACHES YOU TO MAKE LACE IN TWO Days. 
you personal instruction. 
We give 
to take up our system to 
make Lace for us. We. 
If you live in the country write for particulars > you can Jearn our system by post. 
If convenient to town call and see us at our offices, 
No. 7 Colonial Mutual Chambers, 
16 KING WILLIAM STREET, ADELAIDE. 
THE TORCHON LACE & MERCANTILE AGENCY, 
has the pull over green fodder—during 
the process of turning grass or other 
material into silage a considerably greater 
proportion of matters susceptible of being 
nutritious is rendered soluble, and made 
more easily digestible by the stomach of 
the animal. The heat and the alteration 
brought about by the action of the enor- 
mous number of germs during the process 
of fermentation to which the green stuff 
is subjected in the silo or stack soften 
and make ready for digestion the fibres 
and nutritious substances of which the 
material is composed. This is why a 
greater proportion of these same nutri- 
tious substances are rendered susceptible 
of being taken into the circulation of . 
animals which feed on them, and are 
subsequently converted into flesh, fat, 
or milk. Writers on the subject of en- 
sliage have frequently compared the 
changes which take place in the consti 
tution of the fodder in the silo to those 
which take place in the first stomach of 
the ruminants, and have found that a 
great similarity exists. The greater diges- 
tibility of ensilage and its more appetising 
properties constitute a reason why it 
produces sush good results when fed to. 
stock. more especially milking cows. 
German Potato Crop. 
Germany, according to an article in the 
‘Mark Lane Express,’ has a wider acroage 
under potatoes than any other country in 
Europe, More than 8,000,000 acres are 
annually devoted to the crop, and the. 
production, according to the season, varies 
from 40,000,000 to 45,000,0L0 tons. Con- 
trast this production with that of Great 
Britain, where the crop, although an im- 
portant one, is grown on about 500,000 
acres, yielding about 3,000,000 tons, It is 
estimated that about 7 per cent. of the 
German crop is bought by spirit factories, 
3 per cent. by starch manufacturers, 
and 44 per cent. used for pig-feed. It is 
difficult to estimate the quantity employed 
as human food, but it has been calculated 
that the yearly consumption is 41b, to Blb. 
per head of population. The variety of 
tubers grown is very great as regards 
form, color, and time of maturing, The 
crop is divided into ‘earlies,” maturing 
about the end of July; medium early, 
ripening towards the end of August: 
main,’ crop dug about the close of Sep- 
tember; and the ‘late’ crop, ready in 
October. The crop is further divided into 
‘domestic,’ ‘fodder,’ and factory potatoes, 
The best position for the crop is con- 
sidered to be between two straw crops. 
The German growers supply the crop 
with liberal dressings of nitrocen and — 
potash, Farmyard manure is the favorite 
manure, and is considered as absolutely 
necessary to produce the biggest and best 
crops Recently the advantages of green 
manuring have become recognised, and 
very good results are being obtained by 
the system. If the available supply of 
farmyard manure is not adequate, the 
deficiency is made up by applications of 
nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia, 
preference being usually given to the 
latter, as nitrogen in the form of ammonia 
seems to suit the crop best. Similarly, 
phosphoric acid is applied generally as 
superphosphate, although in the lighter 
class of soil basic slag is frequently used. 
Potash is a special requirement of tho 
potato plant, and this ingredient is given | 
‘as kainit, or 40 per cent. of potash salt, 
The concentrated salt is the better, as it 
contains less chlorides, which act injuri- 
ously on the quality of the tubers. Itis 2 
