Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-03-24

( AqucHlfaral Editor By1aocnat: 4
The issue Of your paper OF Feb. 25tl
had an article entitled The Ensilsg,
/ Question" the other Side OF ia,
I Question, which read carefully at IN,
/ time, but hardly thought To attempt Il
review or answer il, but now | find ,
marked copy of the paper on my desk
il having been sent BY some one who de
sired 10 call my attention TO the articl,
in question.
Now, there are several points made by
the writer. which il we'll taken and cor
rect in fact, would appear 10 place ia,
agricultural department Of Maine il
grave, II not criminal error; for IL !,
well-known that il Is the strong adyocat,
of silage As n safe, nutritious, aud econom.
icsl food for nearly or quite all classe,
of farm stock.
To take up the first point, will SAY
that | Sm prepared To maintain that
there Is but 'epe side to the question OF
iis Use a. an economical stock fodder.
fully believe the accumulation of sta
tisJicS and facts from experiment sta
tions, as well as from practical stock
feeders In Maine aud sl. over the coun-
try, will fully bear me out in this opin-
ion. OF course, | mean good, well-pre-
served ensilage from fairly mature corn.
la speaking OF any stock fodder by WAY
OF comparison, Of course only the best
of each l. used. have seen poor en-
silage, that Was unfit 10 feed 10 stock Of
any kind, and | have seen poor hay,
equally unfit for stock fodder. Hay
ruined In the handling and curing.
As proof OF the opinion OF the practi-
cal stock feeders in Maine. Nho are using
ensilage, would refer your readers IL
the ,ilo bulletin issued from this office IN
July, lS95, in which MIR. Ira J. Porter OF
HOulton SAYS on page 10. 1.-The feeding
value on that two aud one-half acres
Maine corn eusilOed with the ears on }
I consider equal 10 eight acres in grass. "
From personsl knowledge, can say that
Mr. rorter's grass fields are not excel
led In AroOStook County. Mr.. W. W
Andrews of Otisfield SAYS, on page Il,
Il AIN persuaded that II a man wishes
TO increase his stock feeding capacity,
ensilsge corn aud the Silo offers the
greatest inducements ot anything AT our
command. Nv cattle like 1t better than
ANYTHING else can give them.
Mr.. +. III. Gerald of Clinton, on page
l.. saws: Il plant large variety of Maine
corn for nv >ilO. Consider one acre of
such corn a. good aS six tons oi hay.
Mr.. /. l.. Jones II China, on page 20,
SAYS: Il think ensiage one OF the very
best foods. aud the cheapest for stock OF
All kinds" Mv Jones butter took fret
prize 40 the heunebec Pomona butter ex-
hihit Feb -. IL was made with ensi-
lage Ted COWS. aud without feeding any
hav. Hi, ration was corn ensilsge, oats
and peas dried aud fed unthreshed, and
a mixed grain ration.
\. z. Starrett 81 Warren on page 2l,
SAYS. Il have found il 10 De- a good
,hiug To help out The hSy NOW"
\. \. FasSett X Son ot Pemsquid, have
used peas and barley for enSilsge. AMI
they SAY on page %, We prefer the
corn. although the peSs were nice feed
and the stock ate IL we'll. Mr. FaSSett> :
butter took first prize Al Bristol fair last
fall in competition with that from cows
fed hsv and 10 pasture.
On page -, Mr.. Herbert NJ. Tucker
OF Paris speaks In high terms of his corn
en>ilage. Mr. G.. +. Valentine of Bethel,
on the same page, who has fed ensilAge
eight wears calls IL good fodder.
Mr. I. Il. W. SjetsOu of Hartford,
sav.. on page 96 ''UusuAllv feed three
quarts Of cotton seed and three quarts of
hran With hay, and one-half that amount
when feeding cnsilage, aud my cows do
the best when feeding ensilage. sheep
90 better on ensilsge than any feed |
have ever tried. think ensilage thc
nearest 90 grass feed Of anything We can
get ia winter, aud when fed with dry
fodder i, OF more benefit TO stock than
its value might Indicate
Mr.. \. H. Mason OF Porter, on page
2I SAYS. Il believe the silO 20 be almO,t
a God-send 20 the farmer who keeps two
or more cows with other stock in pro-
portion.
GU page -. Mr.. ". W. Rose OF Can
ton saws. "Oue acre of corn sweet
corn with ears on sui sold At factory l.
worth more than two acres OF grass.
our cows Vere driving up and We could
not make Sny more butter for the winter
when We opened the silO they increased
in milk. 50 made butter aud sold enough
70 pay for the lumber for building the
lilo. We had four COWS.
Mr.. \. h. L. GCogins OF Hiram, on
p4ge - saws: We are more than sat
i>iied With our silo, In fact should have
no courage 10 farm without u, a. II
makes n man comp ,ratively master of
Z h. situ4tiDu