The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-04-18

have opened the holes for exit from the
peas, but the rest escape.-lCountry
Gent.
Ensllage of Corn Fodder Once More.
Mr.. j. b. Brown, 55 Beekman st.,
New York, translator of NJ. GofIart's
recent French pamphlet on this sub
ject, writes us in reply tothe communi-
cation of j. M. Bailey, page 14S. The |
material portion of his answer relates |
simply to Mr. Bailey's remarks upon
the quantity of corn fodder preserved
by Mr.. Morris and the number of ami
mails to which it was fed; and on this
point, Mr.. Brown says:
l regret with Mr.. Bailey, that the
statement of Mr.. Morris is so short, but
Mr.. NJ, it must be remembered, is a
learner like other Americans, and what
he has done was without knowledge of
the improved methods of M. Goffart
since 1876. His statement that his silos
enabled him to feed nearly 1000 head
for two months does need, as MIR.
Bailey suggests, some explanation.
Mr.. Morris raises upon his Maryland
farm mules, cows, pigs and sheep. In
the winter they have the range of wheat
fields. In mild winters in MARYLAND
the extra stored feed required by these
animals is not SO great as in colder parts
of the country. But Mr.. Morris was
not seeking to state the amount that
all these animals required, but to show
that of all this number of animals that
had fed upon this new kind of pre-
served food, (Which was, however,
more than 1876 tons) "none. of them had
refused it," it had all been eaten up;
it was "the best food for milking cows
that he had even SEEM"
Mr.. Brown then proceeds to translate
from the Paris Journal de PAgriculture
of Oct. 10, 1878, an account of a visit
by a large party OF leading %agrieultur-
lists, the previous week, at the farm of
NJ. Goffart, for the purpose of witness
ing the process o fensilage as there con-
Quoted. I'VE give below the essential
portion of this extract:
The operation of gathering and emf
laying the maize had been under way
for several days. One of the silos was
already full, the second was being filled.
The gigantic maize is brought from the
field in wagons, which stop Just behind
the feed-cutter. The stalks are fed to
the machine, which is run by a steam
engine. They are cut into discs of one
centimetre long (about GA inch), and
carried by an elevator above the wall
of the silo and fall within it. "A man
spreads the layer, a woman .tramples
around the silo. When ii ii is full, it
will be covered with planks, which will
be loaded with large stones. About
400 kilogrammes (about 900 lbs.) per
square metre (about 10 1-2 So. feet) will
be perfectly preserved, without fermen-
tation, until the time when it is needed
for use. In the month of MAY we took
from the last silo at Burton the last
layer of maize II still kept the same
temperature that 1t had at the time of
ensilage and it presented not a trace of
any deterioration. There is no doubt
that the result will be the same this
year. All the agriculturists who have
followed exactly the directions of M.
| Goffart, have obtained the same result.
and their numerous testimonials bear
witness to it. There arc three silos for
maize, and one for oats cut green. which
was filled in the spring, and which has
been fed out to the working animals.
NJ. Gofiart has to-eay GO horned cattle
III nib bihOiCbs OLA lIOibCS UIiu Ollt mlllc.
With his resources of maize fodder. he
can not only cupport for seven months
$50 horned cattle, but also put them in
condition for the butcher, upou 80 hec-
tares-about "a acres. (Note.-The
writer does not say, but it is probable
that this estimate does not include the
crops of winter grain.)
Mr.. Brownsalso furnishes us the fol-
Nnsnn ofotarnouf In opcuvor 40 ;,o,,;
ries received-by him from a Duchess
county correspondent:
l.. As TO danger ofinjury from freez-
ing, Mr.. Morris states that his elevated
silos have not been affected in any way
by q temperature of zero, and does not
think that they would have been by a
much lower degree. 1t is probable that
there is sufficient chemical action in
the ensilaged material, even under the
greatest compression, to prevent injury
from the lowest temperature of this
climate. OF course al Underground
silo would not be liable TO injury ever
at 20 deg. below.
2. A silo need not be cemented on
the bottom where it is permanently |
above the water level, but it would Of
course be better to do so. In a commu-
nication from M. Goffart, Feb. s., 1879,
he states ss follows: "If water inyades
a silo, whether it enters it from without, |
or whether 1t results from compression
upon maize that is very wet at the time
of ensilage, it is important not to waste
it. Animals drink that kind of grass
soup with great satisfaction, and thus
all that loss can be avoided"
8. The cementing of the sides where
the silo is above ground is important as
to exclusion of air, but the principal
advantage is a more sure and perfect
subsistence and compression where the
sides are smooth and perpendicular.
A. A silo dug in solid ground is of
course very much cheaper than one of
brick. Mr.. Morris underground silo,
which was not oemented, preserved his
ensilage this winter to his land his ami
mails entire satisfaction, and it is all
eaten up. Having oxen and scrapcrs,
it cost him very little. lie says that he
shall increase tho length of it and con
time to- use 1t, not as a permanent
method, but until the best form shalt
have been settled upon for a permanent
structure. But there is another use for
silos, almost as important as for winter
preservation of fodder, which will re-
quire a more permanent structure than
earth trench, and that IS the alcohol
of all green crops before feed
ing. This is the latest French idea, and
| have just received a communication
the subject which / will have pub
lished as soon as possible. NJ. Goffart
Feb. s, "since the practical COM
mon sense and great ingenuity which
distinguishes the American people is
engaged in this subject, | believe that
they will solve all the questions con.
nected with ensilage ina satisfactory
manner" A~
5. The onsilage subsidies gradually
to about one-half its original height in
the silo. 1t is this fact, requiring con-
finnnua nraEsnrn which wna innnrod