Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-05-18

OF all animals eat IL greedllyi ncluulhB
pigs and poultry; though in one or two
instances an animal or two showed no
" hankering" for it at first.
Mr.. Griswold has had excellent results
in flesh and milk. and is strong advocate
for en>ilage.
Gen. Grout was feeding, when we visit
ed his farm, seventy nine head of cattle,
of which thiIty-six were one and two
years -olds. and forty three other cattle
seventeen horses and one hundred sheep,
mostly grade Cotswolds. He feeds ensil-
age once day, giving from thirty-ive
pounds for the largest down to fourteen
pounds per head for calves, and feed OF
cut straw with two pounds of shorts per
head for each animal at night. His stock
was in good condition and thriving, He
will have hay left over more than he will
feed. The year before he kept eighty
sheep, the same number of horses as the
present and sixty head of cattle of about
the same class. To this stock he fed the
hay raised on the home farm and about
fifty tons from another farm. He believes
in ensilage, for the crop he put in last fall
estimated at seventy five tons, came from
about eleven acres of land which did moi
average much over half ton per acre Of
hay. The butter made from this feed is
nearer to June butter in color and flavor
than hay butter.
MI. Hazen appeared candid man
deliberate of speech and of conclusions
one in whom one would not look for much
of enthusiasm. He said he should be able
if he could continue to raise corn on the
same ground, to keep four or five times
the amount of stock on the same land
which he had been able to heretofore. lie
says the feeding of ensilage to his mich
cows improves the quality and increases
the quantity of the butter.
Mr.. Pierce, began feeding ensilage Jan
uary 18th to fifteen cows morning and
night, an average of about twenty pounds
each per day, and what hay they wanted
together with the usual two quarts of corn
meal and shorts, and January 22d noted an
increase of eighteen quarts more milk than
when kept on hay and grain alone.
Gen. Thomas very high opinion of the
fodder we have given in our reports Of the
board meetings.
Capt. Morton is very guine-thinks
he can raise seventy-five tons per acre
and says his pigs and cows eat it alike
well and thrive on its use. This comprises
the ensilagists of Vermont
Of those in other states, we note other
like opinions.
The milk from Dr. Tanners farm is
sold to the Wassaic condensed-milk com
pany, corporation that exercises an
almost Papal authority over every farm
that supplies them not only in the matter
of cleanliness and care in handling the
milk, but also in the way the cows tina
are MIXED for the factory's use shall bt
fed. | asked the doctor if their observa
lions, or the trial of their lactometer, haC
resulted in any fault finding with the
present quality Of his milk and his reply
was that the authorities at the factory
found no fault whatever. ought to have
said that the amount of ensilage fed tt
each COW is not specially measured; bu
a bushel and half cornbasketful is dis
tributed to four or five, so that from one
fourth to one-fifth of that quantity consti
tutes the daily mess. The object 0
feeding it slowly now is to make certain
of having full supply in March, Apri
May, when its value will be greatest; anC
until the silo has been once completely fee
out it is not easy to apportion the ensiIag
in accordance with the quantity warranted
by the amount on hand. Inc evidence al
goes to show though that it will mucl
more than hold out to pasture time, AM
that the last months of feeding may b.
allowed a double quantity
Mr.. Chatfee says he feels that his silo j
a substantial success and II very impOrtan
one as he never expects to raise crop c
corn in the regular way again, except to
very moderate extent for family use an,
for special purposes. His idea is that 70
mich cows, and neat cattle of all kinds
the whole value of the crop Of corn can b
best secured by putting the green stalk
into the silo at Just the fit moment-whic
is when it is fully mature and begins
silk out, and before any part of it begin
10 dry. He expects, as soon rs it is cor
venient, to build another silo, for tn
purpose of slowing away Hungarian gras
and clover conformity, which, when fe
with corn ensilage, will make sufficient
various and complete ensilage fodder
, The clover would be put in the silo
time, and when the Hungarian grass
ready, later in the season, the silo can /
F., safely uncovered to receive that.
, Mr.. Jacob Pugsey of Stanford, N. Y
reports the ensilage not well preserved o
top from imperfectly built silo but say
his cattle all eat it well. He has increase
. he ratio n from few quarts lat frsO t
half bushel, to each cow-and feeds
once day, mixing the meal feed with i
He has also fed it to calves three month
old with success, and to his horses wit
not quite so much success, 80 far. He doe
not believe its value has been exaggerated
and thinks that the twenty pounds that b
feeds are quite equivalent to one-third of
days fodder, if he can be permitted
give rough guess" IF it proves to /
"a fact" says Mr. Pugsley, THAT six
pounds per day is q full ration for GOV
ensilage will be considered the most in
portant discovery mankind has ever mad
since Adam found Eve"
The Messrs. Buckley opened one {
, their slos January 4th in the presence
: several interested persons gathered t
witness the operation. Immediately III
n der the rye straw the ensiage was foun
4 comps cted into crust ABOUT one inch an
= half thick; under this it remained
very near the same condition as when pl
y in last September, and had very agre,
able odor. The only difference was i
y - L. l.