Ensilage on Farms.

Southland Times, Issue 11672, 28 February 1891, Page 3

Ensilage on Farms.

■♦ There can be littl* doubt that th« »yitem o ro»kin2 en^ila^f is capable of bein^ consider t.bly developed in the later and wetter districts <.f tbe country, where difficulty i» often experienced in •ecnrintf the h»y crop in anythinp hke a aatisfaciory condition. Mr Rotfereor, of Ht'.ckdale, who farm* oneof the highest fairjog in tbe Long leddale district of Westmorland, bad the mater put to a practical test duriDg tbe pa»t season, and tbe result has been verj *&ii«tiictory. In the end of the bay b»rve»t it wae wejy wet in tbe district, and a* the kny wag not likely to be all secured in good condition, Mr Bo?erioo determined to mak*" the produce of a sx-»cre field which wan still esp< aed into en»iltf(p. He accordingly had a largi stß<-k built, and a* the hsy wa» dripping wrt at the time, the conditions were favourable for a thorough test. The ■tack teaviag been pressed down by meansjof bo»rd» with a number < f heavy gtoof« on tbe too, it wm left unt.l thr firet of November, •vb'O it wm cu f iaio. Mr Rogerann foond the grass swert and good, and the cattle ate 'it titerrly, ami throve well up>n it. The miik of the cow* was Dot mueli mcreia^^cl in qu«nti'y. but it ji'H^d as much cr^m per t«l un as n generally di lin Jun^. <>f conr»r, there *»• a part round tbe uut»i<lerf tbeitacktbat »ap prajiirally lo«t ; but with a little care in bui'ding, the lo«s from this c»u<«e need not an nnt to mncb. Xnsi'atre-making bss lost a good part of the hold which it ha 1 in Scotlaud nor very lorg ago. but in tbe southern distric s paricu arly it is still in n«e on many of the larger sheep farms And i* fonnd a mo«t sprviceable and coi venient metbo ■' of pr jvidine wbol^tome and nutritious food fcr the »b»ep cork during a snow storm, or wben from other causes they cannot forage • *ti«factotil^ tor tbemfelve*. — N.B. Agricul tariet.