The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-01-21

your own pen, you have made a record
worth much to your readers, as you
have generally given favorable ex-
preston in regard to this matter, adj
vising your readers to use good dis
erection, move carefully and give the
question fair and candid considera-
ton, and make trial on a scale that
would enable them to judge from re-
suits before running headlong into the
use of ensilage or any other new line of
farm management.
am now using ensilage for the third
winter, and instead of being disposed
to ego back" on it, am more than ever
truly anxious to have all enterprising
farmers know from experience how
good it is-good for the man and good
for beast. Good for the body of the
latter and for the soul of the former, in
that he may uniformity grow ample sup
ply of fodder corn and not depend on
the good or poor stocking of his now
ing lands, or the winter killing of his
grass, and in great measure be free
from the shortage of dry seasons or
damage of wet weather in harvesting
good for him in the satisfaction of an
unfailing supply of perfect and COM
plete fodder in small compass, and in
seeing every mouth alcays ready to re-
ceive it with as keen relish as he does
his regular table fare. And more than
all, to see every animal, from the calf
of four months to the cow whose age
makes dentistry an art to be studied,
gain in flesh and give unexceptionally
good returns in every direction. What
is good for the few who have tried it.,
must be equally good for the many who
have only heard and read from those
who only show their utter ignorance of
the whole matter by their array of ar
guments against facts, whether they
object from (un)scientific or imaginary
standpoints.
Facts and true science never disagree,
and when a fact is as clearly proved as
ensilage feeding is, it is high time for
every man of intelligence to fall in line
and seek for the true cause of success,
rather than batter his nose against the
open door to farmers success by clos
ing the eyes and CROPPING on in the dark.
In recent issue you quote the state
ment from Secretary Tinkham in refer
ence to the effect of ensilage on butter
as given from the butter show at the
meeting of the Dairyman's Association.
While the position of the secretary is
such as to make his statements have a
show of authority, every reader will
understand that it is but the opinion of
one man, and if he is posted, will know
that Mr.. Tinkham does not speak from
his own experience in feeding ensilage
Every one who has at all studied the
matter very well knows that no single
expert, however he may have "an edu-
Gated taste" can be relied on as in
talHble in his decisions. Only the aver
age of several such experts can give an
approximate classification of one hun
dred samples of butter. Change the
packages and rearrange the specimens
and the marking of quality will be some
what varied also.
While all must admit that certain
degree of experience will enable some
persons to make fair acreage of CLASH
fication, no one will be willing to abide
by single testing of many samples by
a single " erpert." In the article writ
ten by Secretary Tinkham for the Maine
Farmer which you copy in The
icle, the statement is made, and has
been heralded over the land as strong
positive evidence against ensilage as
food for cows making g gilt-edge" but
ter, that " eight out of eleven samples
marked as No. 2 by the expert were
made from ensilage-fed cows" Does
the secretary know that none of those
marked No. /, were also from cows fed
on ensilage. He does not say that, nor
does he intimate it, yet the average
reader might infer that only eight
samples of butter were sent to the
Dairyman's meeting by the vast NAM
Der of dairymen in Vermont, who pride
themselves on the quality of their but
ter made from cows fed almost wholly
on ensilage.
Every person who reads carefully
and well the report given in the agri-
cultural press during the last three
years, must know that the great ma
jority of ensilage feeders regard their
butter product as shown by the prices
received for their butter, equal to, or
exceeding in, quaRtgas well as quantity,
that made from the best of hay with
only the same rations of grain, while
very many assert that less grain pro-
duces better results. If any reader
doubts this let him come to Randolph
and take the Average statement of the
ten farmers who feed ensilage, some of
whom make it almost the entire feed,
only adding two quarts of grain per day
to COWS in milk.
If any readers doubt whether it will
pay them to build silos or not, let them
come here and take thes average testi-
mony of these men and of the'neigh-
bors who have watched these pioneers
and are planning to follow suit and
build silos at no distant day.