Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-07-25
The Question OF Building silos.

Much has been said in the agricultural
journals of late on the particular form of pre-
serving corn fodder for winter use, known by
the French term of ''ensilage," which has
come into some prominence through the pub
LEGATION of translation of NJ. Goffart's work
on the subject. As our readers are already
familiar with this matter through previous
tcles of our own, it is only necessary to say
that in order to preserve corn fodder in a
green condition for winter feeding, according
to the plan so successfully in use in France,
it is necessary to construct ''silo," which is
simply an excavation, pit or trench followed
out of the ground, or any compartment used
for storing green fodder where it may be kept
air-tght. Pits for the storage of green fod-
der are no new thing in agriculture, being al
ready largely in use in Germany and France
for the storage of beet pulp for winter feed
ing, and also TO some extent in England for
keeping turnips and mangels which are fed
ont TO fattening cattle and sheep, but in this
country they are almost wholly unknown.
Indeed, our systems of farming and feeding
have heretofore been such that they have not
been needed, but if the method of preserving
green corn fodder is to be adopted to any
tent, the silo, of one form or another, must
follow as necessary consequence We say
of one form or another, because we presume
the precise form is not matter of great con-
sequence. If constructed as pits, long, mar
row cellars, or sets of cellars simply built,
with walls of split stone or brick, the inside
of the walls plastered and the bottom cement
cd, will be found TO serve the purpose or
these may be built partly below the surface,
with timber roof covered with earth, and
entered from one end If constructed COM
pletely above the surface and built of mason
~, the elliptical form is recommended as the
best for both use and durability, and as Of
fering the least resistance to the packing
down of the cut fodder, When built in eth
or of the above forms, the work of storing
them with the green fodder, will be similar.
It is first cut by means of a power feed cut
ter, and run into the silo, where it is spread
evenly over the floor and firmly trodden or
tramped down until the silo is full. When
the fodder has reached nearly TO the top it is
covered by means of movable planks fitted
into the silo crosswise, like the follower" to
cheese hoop, upon which heavy weights are
placed to keep the mass solid and firm. But
slight fermentation takes place in the pressed
fodder, aud a small portion being fed to the
stock each day, beginning at one end, it win
keep all winter, or even longer if desired just
at this point it is well to bear in mind the in
fuence which the size of the silo has upon the
character of the forage, for NJ. Godart found
that the preservation of the fodder in small
silos is always less perfect than in larger ones ;
OF in other words il has been found that that
portion of the fodder which is farthest from
the walls is the best preserved, while in that
close to the walls there is always some alter
alton, though not such as to seriously detract
from the value of the fodder, although it is
important 10 reduce this waste as much as
possible, and for this reason, as it has been
stated, the size and form Of the silo must be
taken into account
Corn fodder preserved in this way will
very nearly approach in character and feed
ing value the highest condition Of our best
June or September pastures and meadows ;
and as such is more desirable than roots. 1t
forms a superior fodder for mich COWS, and
with the increasing attention being given TO
winter dairying all over New England it must
soon form a question of moment with many
farmers, whether OF not they viii build silo