ENSILAGE IN CANTERBURY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1882, 29 July 1884, Page 3

ENSILAGE IN CANTERBURY.

Silos aucl Ensilage occupy a great space ia all agricultural newspapers, in the United Kingdom and America, and certainly all writers who hivo preserved their green grass and clover in silos do with scaicely an exception speak highly of the plan. It is quite a surprise that the scheme should have remained &o long in abeyance. It is now fully torty yeais since Piofessor Johnson directed attention to the subject of the Journal of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, or as it is called " The Transactions of the Highland and Agiicultuial Society in Scotland.', He argues that by the saving of the gras-> in a gieen state it is more digestible and more nutritious. The Professor theu descnbes the method lately tiied in Ger111 my for picseiving these crops in a moibt state—containing as much food as the fiesh cut grass is capable of ailbrduig. Pits are dug in the earth about 12 feet squaie, and as many deep. These arc lined with wood, and puddled below and at the sides with clay. Into this pit the gieen ciop is put, just as it i&cut, with about lib ot salt to eveiy cwt. It is tiampled haul and weighted on the top. Alter fui mentation, and in übout six days, it has sunk to one-halt its oiigi nal bulk. It air is allowed to enter, putrefactive fermentation will come on A pit ten feet squaie, when peifeetlv full, w ill contain neaily ten tons, equal to two or tluee tons ot dry hay. It has the appeal anco of ha\ing been boiled, has a hliarp taste, and is greedily eaten by cattle. The cautious Professor, in conclusion, 1 ecu m mends a seiies ot c\netunents to teat the tine relitive \alue of the pioccb-i The following interesting communication has been lecened irom Mi M. Campbell, Dalbeg, Balcann, and with much niteiest : — Sir — As a good deal has appeaied in the p^peis, ot Lite, on the sub jeet of Silos and Ensilage, it may be in taiesfcing to you to Know that tins system ha^abeadj been put in piactice in Cant 1 l)iii y, and with success. On llth last Fein uai y I finished digging mj .-ulo, on tin 1 13th I commenced tilling it, and on the 23td 1 closed it. The Silo was of tiie most piimitive description, being simply a pit dug in the side of a ten ace, about IStfc. x lift, and 10ft. in depth, and without any lining cither of the sides or bottom. The foddei I stored was meen Oits (it was stoied as cut fiom the field, as I considei the use of a chaff cattci would needlessly increase the expense, most of it quite wtt) o" which I put m twenty two loads— say fiom 20 to "Jo tons. I coveied it with I inch boards, and tilled in eaith, as I had not time to ariangi' a better system of weighting. On the :Mth of list month I opened it, and was pleased to find it an sippaient success, as I had been lathei doubtful, for a good deal of lain fell upon it befoie I got a roof over it. It was damp to the touch, of a ncli blown colour, and carried a tine biewcry feoit of smell ; but theie was a good deal of m bite mildew, caused I suppose by the damp that had soaked in. I ofFeied it at once to the horses, cows, and pigs. Two of the former turned fiom their feed to eat it. Of the cows, only one I think, took to it at once, but in a few days they all took it, and now they are mad for it The pigo like it equally well, but it is lather thrown aw ay on them, as they hunt after the giaui, and do not eat it all clean up. The cows, on the other hand, eat it stiaight away with no waste. Then the fowls follow and eat the gi.iin that falls— there lias been a gieat mei ease in the numbci ot eggs since I opened the silo. I cannot claim that my silo is an unqualified success, as it has undoubtedly taken damage ; but " the pioof of the pudding, &c," and the stock pio\ed it — 1 ne\ei saw cattle so greedy after anything before, lint the gieat point in my evueumont is, that it shows that the b\steni may be canied out with veiy little nther of skill or expense. If it will inteicst yoiuselfand the committee of your association, I shall be \ei y glad to send you a sample ot the stull for inspection.— Mich vkt, S. Cvmpisul. — N. Z Country Journal.

A book piinted in 1771 says that it was a tiadition that Shakespeare shut himself up in Westminster Abbey all night when lie wrote " Hamlet." Yes ! It is ccitainly true. Ask any of jour ft lends who have purchased there Garlick and Cranwell h ive numerous unasked foi and vi'ry favourable commendations from country customers on their excellent packing of Furmtute, Crockery, and Glass, &r. Ladies and gentlemen about to furnish should remember that Griilick and Cranwcll's is mi Cheap Furnishing Warehouse of Auckland Furniture to suit all classes ; also Carpets, Floor Cloths and all House Necessams. Ifj'oui new house is neaily finished, or, you are ffoinfj to get mairied, visit Garlick and Cianwell, Queen-street and Lome-street, Auckand. Intending purchasers can flare a catalogue c nt free