Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-03-22
Ensilage.

Our readers are well aware that we have
never "gone crazy" on novelties. We take
as our motto in agriculture the sensible
couplet;
"Be not the first to lay the old aside,
Nor yet the last by whom the new is tried"
But we were the first in the state to cal
attention to the discovery (or rather the
perfectioD) of this process of saving green
fodder by Mons. Goffart, and to express an
opinion in favor of its usefulness, if not fol
cows in milk, at least for feeding Other
stock. We have repeatedly cautioned our
readers against the exaggerated statements
of men like DIR. Bailey of Massachusetts and
Mr.. Mills of New Jersey in regard to the
feeding value of such fodder, and the crop
to be expected from an acre. We do not
regard corn in any form as suitable feed
for any kind of stock when given alone. Its
elements are not rightly proportioned as a
single ration for any animal. This is shown
theoretically by agricultural chemists, and
we have proved it to our own satisfaction by
many trials in practice. No kind of stock
can be kept healthy and thrifty for long
time together on corn fodder, or on corn
fodder and corn meal. The proportions OF
the Matchmaking to the flesh-forming constit.
uents in this grain are not right to make il
a perfect or even an economical food for
any animal. This is especially true for
stabbed stock, and still more especially true
for stabbed COWS in milk. Store cattle ex-
posed to the weather at all seasons can get
along on corn, but housed stock require a
smaller proportion of carbohydrates, Cheating
food) than cattle running out, while COWS in
milk not only require less of Carbohydrates,
but they require more of the heterogeneous ele
ment, full proportion of which is required
to make the casein (cheese materially of the
milk. And for the fatty part, cows do bet
ter with a somewhat oily, rather than a
starchy ration, which, if transformed to fat
at all, is so done at great loss both of food
and vital energy.
Weare not yet quite certain that dairy COW s
will keep their health year after year whe n
literally fed on ensilage in the acid state in
which we usually see it, Already the evi.
dence begins to accumulate that while a lib
eral feeding of ensilsge increases the flow of
milk, there is no increase of butter, unless
cotton-seed or linseed meal is fed with it
This practical result is just what the chem
istry Of these foods would lead us to expect,
and ought to help to give farmers confidence
in agricultural chemistry. But that COWS
appear to do well on ensilage, and are very
fond of it, is fact not to be overlooked
To our mind ensilage is simply cheap and
easy substitute for roots. 1t occupies the
same place in the dietary as beets, turnips
and carrots, while it is very much more ca
silly and cheaply produced, harvested and
preserved. Succulent food is essential, in
some form, in dairying, and more particu-
larly in winter dairying. Ensilage is un
questionably the cheapest succulent we can
grow, and if care is taken that it does moi
become too sour, and is not feed in too large
quantities, or without liberal feeding of
grain and some hay, we believe it will prove
very valuable addition to our resources
Certain it is that all who have used it tes
tify to the increased flow of milk and thu
good appetite OF the cows fed upon it. Very
few dairy herds, however, have been fed OIL
ensilage more than one two seasons.
Most exaggerated statements have been
put forth as to the yield of ensilage corr
per acre, and upon these estimates, to
gether with others equally exaggerated re
garding its feeding value, calculations have
been made showing that by this means foul
or five times as much stock can be kept a'
by other methods. One hazards little il
saying that such calculations are misleading
in the highest degree. But they ought mo-
to mislead any practical farmer who is {
man of thought Figuring upon facts, WI
cannot make ensilsge in the long run yer,
much cheaper than hay, in proportion to it
feeding value. We must manure high fol
corn; and if we would manure our gras
lands as we do our ensilage fields, we shoulc
then have better and fairer basis of com
parison. Hay is made of lighter grasses
than ensilage corn, and to get the sam,
amount Of food in the form OF hay we mus
take more land. But on the other hand W,
save in labor, whether we dry our grass o
ensiloe it. A silo filled with green gras
(Which for ensilage may be allowed to at
tain its full growth) would contain mucl
more feeding material than if filed will
corn. 1t is also much more perfect ratiol
than corn, the analysis of our best grasses
especially when mixed with clover, showing
them to be complete food, requiring N
grain or oil-meal to give the best results
1t will probably cost less to ensiloe gras
than to make it into hay, and it would Gel
tainly would be a more nutritious feed il
the moist than in the dry state, and woul,
be more freely eaten. 1t would not astonis
us at all If the silos now being built TO
corn should eventually be filled with grass
clover, Hungarian, moved oats, and othe
kinds of green food more concentrated an,
better balanced as feeding ration thai
corn. When farmers are willing to "faru
high" on the meadow as we'll as in tn,
corn field, ensiloed grass will be found quit
as profitable as anything. But meantime
we may rejoice that we have found chea
and easy way of putting up and preserviu
milk-making food in that succulent stat
which is essential TO the best success i
dairying, and which replaces roots wit
cheaper and more easily handled feedin
material, having all their merits and few O
their drawbacks.
DIR. Cutting ON PhOsDhates.
AS we supposed the case to be, DIR. Gu
| ting has been misunderstood on the nho.