The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-18
Correspondence of the press.1

Paris, January 26.
Alimentary combinations for the feeding
of stock make rapid progress, since farmers
club together to purchase the materials at
the fountain head, through the banks which
afford them accommodation; the analyses
Of the agronomic stations, prove also
powerful means TO have sound products, as
the latter are analysed in sample, and then
in bulk, before delivery is accepted. 1t Is
thus, that cotton cake is making way
now, not only mixed with maize -four for
fattening, but with various meals-pea,
vetch, and barley,-for milch cows. The
only cotton cake in favor, is that from de-
corticated cotton seeds from America. 1t is
the safest, and the only cotton cake that can
be employed without danger for young ami
mails. Embarked cotton cake, or its -four,
is offered at very low price; it should be
avoided, as it contains filaments of cotton,
or cellulose, which, from their indigestibili-
ty, are inimical to the production of either
milk or meat. Thus decorticated cake con-
tains Is per cent, of fatty matter, and 43 of
albuminoids; in the undecorticated state,
not more than one-half of these per centa-
ges. A mixture much in favor for milch
cows, consists of lbs. each of pea and
vetches -four; half pound of barley meal
and one pound of cake. This feed of 3 lbs.
is given in moieties, morning and evening,
on the cattle leaving and returning 10 Craze.
NJ. Quatremarin has adopted the Nelson
system for the deslccation of forage, On his
farm in Normandy; he dispenses with steam
worked machinery for the production of
ventilating currents; he has invented ma
chine, worked by an ordinary laborer, which
makes 1900 to 1000 revolutions per minute,
can be trundled on wheeloarrow, and set
to work anywhere. The price of the ma
chine is about 1853 francs.
The Ensilage of green fodder in silos or
trenches, continues to be one of the fore
most questions in the agricultural world. 1t
has now passed out of the domain of expert
iment and ridicule, and become concrete
fact. Yet 1t was only in 1852, that the
discoverer of the plan, NJ Goffart, of Burtin,
in Selogne, fast commenced his trials of the
preservation of the green stems of maize, in
trenches made in ordinary soil. Agricultur-
al commissions, and inspections by unbe-
levers, have since borne unanimous testi-
mony to the success of M. Goffart's discov-
cry. In order to encourage system SC
fraught with practical advantages, several
of the local agricultural societies of France
have offered prizes for the trench-preserya-
ton, or ensilage of folders. Among other
reports, that by the Meaux society deserves
special notice; the tests were chiefly applied
to clover, and many of the competitors
commenced as disciples of st. Thomas, but
ended, as is usual, in presence of palpable
conviction, as Zealots.
One farmer, Bernard, trenched the yield Of
II acres of red clover, In an ordinary silo 40
inches deep, so wide at bottom and 12o at
top and IS yards loug. The mass was re-
duced two-ffths by shrinking. A second
trench SO yards long contained the yield of
acres of red clover. The commissioners
found all the clover to be conserved, of a
clear brown color, giving off the alcoholic
odor; the animals eat it With avidity. M.
Bernard recommends, that the clover be cut
when In full flower, and to select time
rather humid than dry for cutting and pit
ting the clover, the better to exclude the air
and water.
A. M. GILES employed his pits, 20 10 K
feet, destined for distillery pulp, to the
preservation of clover, cut between the 9th
and 10th June, and when commencing to
form seed; SO tons o. stuff were pitted. 1t
turned cut well. M. Guibert trenched four
acres of white clover and obtained medal
for his results, though he expected to find
his clover 'oDly heap of manure;S' he had
the clover irodden down in the silo by bull
locks.
AM. Martin pitted the yield of five acres
of late red clover, in trench So yards long;
the men shook the clover winnowed, it as it
were, as they spread it in the silo; the next
day they resumed work late, and then cover
ed in. The volume OF the preserve lost 70
per cent, but was in UNBEATABLE condition, be-
cause the enslage was not finished within
the day commenced, and the forage was
| aired too much.
The commission concludes, that all clo-
vers and aftermaths can be perfectly
trenched, as well as other green forage,
that the trenches exact no outlay of capital,
| that it is at the moment of Towering
such forage ought to be mown, as 1t then
contains its maximum of vegetable humidi-
ty, that neither rain nor dew affects the pit