for soundness. The system had several defects. (1) The applications that were first in, irrespective of the quality of the mares, had precedence, and in this way those who were in the show-yard, and who knew immediately the horse that was awarded the premium had a great advantage over their absent neighbours, for they could lodge their application for the horse's service the same day as the award was made. (2) The sire may be sound, and the mare not sound, and consequently the resulting offspring may be diseased. (3) Much trouble arose over the soundness and unsoundness of the sires; for a horse that may be passed sound this year may be declared not sound the next. Many people claimed that a horse that has been raced or hunted and has been passed sound at four or five years ought not be asked to stand further examinations. The £5,000 per annum that was granted for Irish Horse premiums was awarded under a different system. A horse-breeding scheme was drafted by the Royal Dublin Society; selections of approved mares, examined for soundness, were annually made in the various centres; all the horses available and up to the standard for such premiums were examined for soundness—not in the show-yard, but at their own stables-and a registration of all such animals kept. The premium sires were available for the mares of tennant farmers at a considerably reduced fee, thereby enabling those who could not afford to pay a high price for the service of a sire to breed from valuable animals. The selection of the mares by approved judges, and the guarantee of soundness of sire and dam, tended to bring about best results, viz., quality and soundness. The registration of the sound stallions enabled all who glanced at the list to see where they could have the service of a suitable sire. This system has been acknowledged by all to be productive of much good, and there can be little doubt but that it is based on correct lines.

With regard to cattle, a somewhat similar system has been started in Ireland for their improvement, but not to such an extent as to have its influence widely felt. Premiums are offered for the best bulls of special breeds available for the service of cows, the property of tenant farmers, which service is, of course, charged for at very reduced fees. Some of the Irish co-operative agricultural and dairy societies have also recently done something towards improving the breeds of cattle. These societies are supported by the landowners and farmers without any Government subsidy, and the subscribed capital is used in such ways as the joint purchase of manures, seeds, machinery, &c., and they also own stallions and bulls, which services the members can procure at low fees.

We have now to consider whether part or whole of any of these schemes is applicable to the condition of things in this Colony. Certainly, I think a great deal could be done by the various co-operative and other dairy societies in the Colony, and as their members, who are mostly farmers, are more deeply concerned than anybody else in the improvement of our dairy herds, it is surprising that they have not moved in the matter. Of course, the main trouble is that the introduction of new blood means that the animals must be imported, a rather

expensive proceeding. The Department of Agriculture have already imported three bulls (Ayrshires) from New Zealand, two of which have been placed at the State farms of Wollongbar and Bathurst for the use of the public, at the low fee of 2s. 6d. per cow. But this is only a trifle, for two bulls cannot serve more than about one hundred cows per year, while we have nearly half a million in the Colony. No doubt a good many private individuals would import good sires if there was some such scheme as the Queen's Premiums referred to, for then a man would be encouraged to spend some money in the hope of getting it back. Unless there is some such encouragement, the half-bred and mongrelbred sires will continue to predominate; for, unfortunately, the farmer or selector looks more at the money he is going to pay for the service than at the probable value of the foal or calf. As a rule, he adopts the cheapest method of breeding, and trusts to luck to get him something in the shape of a horse or a cow that he can work or sell. Many people are in favour of having all stallions registered and a tax put on them, in the hope that the people owning mongrels would, owing to the small fee charged for the service, find the tax too burdensome, and thus give up stallion keeping or get improved ones. Then arises the question of soundness. How are we to prevent the use of unsound stallions and bulls? By forbidding the use of the unsound? or solely by encouraging the use of the sound? The former is coercion, the latter is education; for once a man thoroughly understands that it does not pay him to use an inferior sire at any price, he will, if he can at all afford it, procure the services of a superior one. The point is how to bring the superior one within the reach of the people? The Irish horse-breeding scheme seems practicable, with, perhaps, slight modifications, both for horses and cattle; its system of selection and mating are correct. If all our best sound females were put to approved and sound sires, we should soon see a wonderful improvement in our cattle and horses, and a corresponding increase in the revenue derivable therefrom.

(To be continued)

Ensilage up to Date.

By J. L. THOMPSON,

Travelling Agricultural Instructor.

NOTWITHSTANDING all that has been written and published under this heading, it is really surprising how few stock-owners have taken the precaution of preserving winter food for their cattle by this method.

The preservation of fodder in the shape of silage, with all its succulent juices retained, has been thoroughly tested by so many practical men that its value as a factor in economical stock-keeping has been proved beyond question.

However, there are many even to-day who have no knowledge of the making of silage, either in a stack or pit, and this article is intended to put the matter plainly before stock-owners, so as to enable them to fully understand the various methods of preserving fodder in this

way.

First, just a word as to the testimony of experienced men with regard to the value of this product, particularly to the dairy-farmer.

The HON. SYDNEY SMITH, M.P., Minister of Mines and Agriculture (on the value of ensilage), at the Dairy Conference, Hawkesbury Agricultural College, 15th, 16th, and 17th July, 1897 :-" The question of ensilage does not seem to have been very well considered by the farmers in this Colony, nor the value of fodder preserved green appreciated, for I find that the total quantity of ensilage made in New South Wales during 1896 only amounted to 3,680 tons. The experience of Mr. J. L. Thompson at this College has shown that ensilage is of very great value for dairy cattle, and that there is very little difficulty connected with the preparation of it in stacks or in pits. The butter and cheese and milk which I trust you will enjoy at the College are the result of ensilage; and I think you will agree with me that these products are of considerable merit. Mr. Thompson will read a paper on this important subject, and deal exhaustively with it, and I am sure you will fully appreciate the information he can give you as the result of his experience. I have instructed Mr. Thompson to visit various districts in the Colony, and give the farmers the fullest advice and instruction on the subject. By his assistance I feel that there will next season be a very large increase in the quantity of this fodder conserved."

Mr. DAVID WILSON, the well-known Dairy Expert in Victoria, in addressing a meeting of the Bureau of Agriculture in South Australia, on the 9th September, 1897, stated:-"You may speak of breeds as you like until you go to your graves, but unless you cultivate and make greater efforts to feed your dairy stock, you will get no benefit. I confess to have been a dairyman for thirty-five years, but until I got the idea of making ensilage from Mr. J. L. Thompson (who introduced the system into Victoria), and growing feed artificially, I never made money at dairying, but I made it quickly afterwards." On another occasion Mr. Wilson said :-"During periods of drought, and consequent want of succulent food, many butter factories and creameries had to be closed for months, because there was no food for the cattle. Silage would supply the food required. At a time when the market price for dairy produce is at its best, plentiful supplies of good silage would obviate this."

Mr. O'CALLAGHAN, Dairy Expert, at the Dairy Conference, Hawkesbury Agricultural College, in July last, said :—"I must call attention to the failure, in most instances, to provide sufficient winter fodder for cattle. Ensilage as a provision for a winter supply cannot be bettered. Maize, sorghum, vetches, lucerne, or any of the forage crops, can be stored in the form of ensilage, and without lowering their value as food."

Mr. D. L. DYMOCK's opinion of silage:-" Silage prepared from maize with cob just well formed and soft grain, when well made (and it is easily done by placing the stalks all one way) will give at least 25 per cent. more milk than green food. Maize will produce at least 20 tons to the acre sown broad-cast, if a height is attained of 5 feet, which is easily done. Planter's Friend silage is easily made, as its own weight in stack settles down rapidly. As to chaffing, it is too expensive for ordinary farmers in labour; but chopping out of the stack with a cleaver or axe actually cuts it small enough for stock. I cannot emphasise the value of ensilage too much. The necessary growth is obtained in summer, and the paddock is then free for winter feed."

Extract from Mr. Samuel Lowe's paper, "The Dairy Industry in the Colonies," on the value of silage and winter feeding dairy cattle:"Breeding, however, is not everything in a dairy herd. It is quite as essential to study feeding. Summer feeding is very easy. It is the winter food for cows that requires the greatest amount of labour and skill in its preparation. A fact that impressed me as most curious. during my visit to Australia and New Zealand was the almost complete absence of any preparation of winter food for cows. At the Hawkesbury Agricultural College in New South Wales, however, Mr. Thompson, the able President, who seems fully alive to the necessity for winter feeding, showed me a silo of splendid ensilage, made from Indian corn and other constituents, which he had prepared for the cows. He told me the results of feeding the cows on this ensilage gave him great satisfaction. He was at that time busily engaged in finding out the best food for the production of milk and butter in winter. Unfortunately, I am unable to give the outcome of his experiments, but I can

supply the results of a very valuable and interesting experiment made in Canada for the same purpose by Mr. James W. Robertson, Dairy Commissioner to that colony. In an official report he says the ensilage he recommends for the feeding of cows may be prepared as follows:- Half a bushel of horse-beans are mixed with one-third of a bushel of Indian corn, and are sown or planted on an acre in rows 3 feet to 3 feet apart; when the corn reaches the glazing stage of growth, the product from 2 acres of the mixture (which being grown together is necessarily handled as one crop) is cut and put into the silo, together with the heads from half an acre of sunflowers. Two acres of fodder-corn, at 15 tons per acre, furnish 1,200 single feeds of 50 lb. each.' This means that 2 acres of this ensilage and the acre of sunflower heads will give a cow food for 1,200 days, or (say) eight cows for 150 days. The cost of this ensilage is 6s. per ton. The sunflower heads are for providing the fat which is deficient in the Indian corn and beans.'

Mr. C. R. CASSIDY'S (Dairy Instructor, Hawkesbury Agricultural College) testimony as to the value of ensilage :-"The ensilage turned out well, being made from chaffed green corn with cobs on. The cows at first did not eat much of it, but soon took a ravenous liking for this fodder. For a while the ensilage scoured them freely, but after the first few days the scouring stopped, due largely to the dry grass they ate while out in the paddock, modifying the tendency of the ensilage to scour. It was found that the ensilage did not increase the flow of milk, but gave a marked increase in the percentage of solids, thus increasing the value of the milk for cheese-making. Excellent butter was also made while the cows were fed on corn ensilage. This is clearly shown by the fact that we obtained 128s. per cwt. in London when the best Danish butter was only realising 120s. per cwt. At the time this butter was made the cows were fed entirely upon corn ensilage."

Mr. JAMES BELL, of South Australia, on the value of silage.-"Mr. James Bell gave the result of his experience with ensilage at the Adelaide Conference. He has increased the number of his silos, owing to the satisfactory results obtained, and he has managed to make a saving in the cost of his pits. At first the cost was 28s. per ton holding capacity, but the last silos cost only 10s. per ton. The saving was effected by employing ordinary labourers at 7s. per day, instead of masons at 15s. per day, and making the silo of less costly material. "The wheat or oats are cut green, and chaffed at once into the silo. After lying about a day to settle, more is put in, and then weights are put on in the shape of kerosene tins filled with clay. Two or three men tread the stuff in as the silo is being filled. In conclusion the writer says I think I have told you all the proceedings I have followed in providing silos and ensilage, and you will naturally say, What has been the result of all this labour and outlay? Well, the result has been this: The milk produced by silage is richer in cream, butter is sweeter and of better colour, and the cost of feeding on silage is about one-half as compared with bran and chaff. Bear in mind I am not telling you what can be done with silage, but I am