THE VALUE OF ENSILAGE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 118, 11 July 1911, Page 3

THE VALUE OF ENSILAGE.

o In responding to the toast to the Agricultural Dcpai tmeut at the annual dinner given by the Winter Show directors, Mr Dibble (of the Field Inspection branch of the Agricultural Department) made some interesting remarks about ensilage. He said : “I am very pleased to see such a large competition in the class for ensilage. .1 must say some of the samples Ijero at this show would he hard to beat, although in some samples they require a touch up to bring them up to the standard of perfection by regulating the temperature. To attain first-class ensilage the temperature requires keeping on the right mark, viz., from IJUdcg. to 140 deg. Fahr. for sweet, green silage. At IGOdeg. it will be sweet, but at less than 120 deg. Fahr. it .would be sour; still stock will cat it even then. 1 have found for feeding purposes sweet ,green silage is preferable to brown, black and sour. The secret is this: When commencing to build your stack, # get together sufficient material to raise it to about six or eight feet. Then leave it for a day if the crop he very succulent, until the temperature has reached about TlOdsg. Fahr. Then add three feet daily until you have completed your stack. You can ascertain the temperature by inserting a pipe perpendicularly into tiie centre of the stack, and by letting the thermometer down by a string you will then get the correct heat. Lay out your stack nearly square; then erect your derrick or

stacker and arrange it so you may drop the material when hoisted to where it is required, as it’s no use dumping it into the centre of the stack, as it is the sides that require firming to prevent waste. The stack can be .raised to a height of 25 or 30 feet. Then level off and lay rough boards over the stack; put a fairly strong fencing around with an upright edge of about 20 inches; brace well with plain wire. This should hold the earth when lifted on to the stack. Tho layer of earth when finished 'should lie 24 inches in thickness. The cost for making will run into 3s per ton on an average. By making silage it will enable you to carry onequarter more stock on the same area. Danners often say to mo, ‘What can I. do to carry more stock on my farm?’ At the price you are paying for land it is very evident some of you want to get all you can out of it. Nowadays,it is a very rare thing to see any ploughing done at all on a dairy farm. If there should lie a downward tendency both in butter and cheese it would become very serious, and I recommend you to get the plough going now in the good times and plough up now, this month, six, eight, or ten acres, according to the size of your farms and the number of cows you are milking, and lot the land lay up to the weather. Cross plough in October and .run the cultivator through now and again so as to get your land in tip-top order for the sowing of maize, sorghum, and millets in December. It will lie no time then before you have a 100 or 200 ton stock on hand, and if you do not require it in the summer it’s there for the winter. Tn regard to making silage out of grasses and clovers, 1 would advocate top-dressing your pastures with 4cwt. of basic slag per acre early in April of each year. Close ii]) your paddock about September 20th and cut your grass as early as possible, as you will then be independent of the weather . By doing so you will get your paddock cleaned up and have a splendid; aftermath by New Year to keep up your cheese supply. Silage is also a splendid thing to give to cows prior to calving as a preventive against milk fever.

There is a gentleman in Manaia, Mr Wells, who can bear me out in the value of ensilage, having made over 500 tons this last season. First-class silage is also relished by calves.”— “Star.”