The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-04-11
EnsilaSC of Maize.

Some weeks since. | saw in the col
umns of your valuable paper notice of
the translation of the pamphlet OF Mons.
Auguste Gollart on Ensilagc of Maize,
by Mr.. j. Il. Brown Of the New York
Plow Company. | became at.once in
terested, and obtained the book. The
name of Mr.. Francis Morris was given
as the only man in America who had
actually preserved com fodder on Mr..
Gotiart's system, and fed il out TO stock
On Wednesday, March 3, ! met Mr..
Morris at his home in Mary land bv ap-
pointment His farm lies five miles
from Ellicott City, and contains 800
acres. ! wish here simply to state, to
the many persons who have become in
terested in this matter from translation
and publication of Goilarl's work. inst
what saw of the actual results in the
preservation and feeding OF corn tod
der, cut with reaper when in faesel.
cut mp in halt-inch pieces, and packed
as tightly rs possible in what NJ. Gonar
has styled silos.
Mr.. Morris first took me 10 see the
silos in his barn. They are plain brick
vaults, and Mr. Morris says they would
have preserved the corn fodder com
pletely had they been thoroughly lined
with hydraulic cement, and the bottom
filled with small stones and then cover
ed with cement. This not being done,
fully half of the fodder went 10 waste.
We then examined the one bnilt out of
doors; it was simply trench dug in the
hard clay soil and tightly packed, by
tramping, with the cnt fodder. The
top was simply covered with the same
clay, over which few rough boards
were thrown. This trench in the hard
clay proved much better silo than the
brick vaults in the barn. In fact there
was no waste in this silo; all was pre-
served in good order. We then went
into long shed. where on one side was
rack filled with good clover hay, and
on the others were tronghs filled with
preserved corn fodder; 200 ewes with
lambs by their sides ware ihon driven
INTO the shed. Up TO this time | had
been skepticaI, and from the imperfect
experiments had seen, lost faith. Ey-
cry sheep and lamb passed by the clov-
er hay, and with the utmost cagerness
deyoured the preserved corn fodder.
was amazed; il was II complete yicto-
ny Tor the ensilage. The sheen were
very fond of ii. devonring il all, except
the straw which was cut up and mixed
with it, as Mr.. Morris said, 10 the def
riment ofthe ensilage; the Patent Office
Report for 1879 and Gonart 10 the con
trary Notwithstanding. At 4 O'Clock
on that same afternoon saw abont II
head of mich cows fed in the same
way. They too, eagerly devOured the
ensilage before touching the hav. |
was now satisfied that corn 4odder put
down green in silos will make good food
for stock in the winter and early spring
months.
My conclusions are /. The silos
must be constructed so rs 10 absolutely
exclude the air and moisture. 2. Straw
of all kinds, unless green, should be
kept ont of the silos. 3. II mnst be
must be very firmly packed in The slos
by the tramping of men, and upon n
large scale, with horses, oxen or mules.
4. Surface water should be thoroughly
drained away from the sides, and The
top thoroughly protected from rain.
"Corn-kraut' think n very expressive
name for this preserved fodder. Far
mers should not rest satisfied until they
have seen as | have, this corn-kraut fed
out to stock in the winter. / am intend
ing to build a silo and keep two cows
or two sheep where | now keep one
-lCountry Gent