The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-07-03
8be Tarnt.
BURYING CORN STALKS.
to Have Green Food for Stock
the Whole Year Round.
(Concluded. J

Nv maize is cut IN the fleld by Wonheh'
with sickles. They have great skill I'D the
use of that implement, and eight women
will cut easily one hectare a day C23 acres.
They receive ID francs per hectare, ana
therefore earn about two francs a day each.
| found a difficulty in roofing over my three
united silos. on account of the great size OF
the group thus formed. On this account !
would prefer to unite only two sllos, anu
increase the length, while preserving the
other dimensions, SO as to Obtain the same
capacity. Something would be gained also
by replacing the semicircular ends with
arcs of a circle of a greater radius, Whlcn
would diminish the expense OF roohng, ana
increase the capacity, without, THINK en-
dangering the preservation OF the maize.
The proximity Of the silcs to the stables
is important, as to economy OF labor, put
it is an advantage sometimes to put them at
a distance. as the land may be more suit
able. The solidity and the smooth work
ing of the cutting machine are of great I'M
portance, The French machine, with eight
horsepower, will cut 100, 900 to l2O, 900
kilogrammes per day, in pieces of one cent?
metre long 4-1O inch), and costs 500 francs.
If water invades a silo, whether it enters
from without or from compression upon
maize that is very wet at time of ensllage,
it should not be wasted cattle VIII drink
that kind of grass-soup with great avldlty.
When | opened, last October, the silo
in which had enclosed in May about co.
900 kilOgrammrs of green rye, l found 1t
darker in color than usual, and it exhaled a
disagreeable odor, indicating the presence
of butyric acid. Although this order IS
disagreeable to man, it does not cause to
animals the same ~repugnance, and my rye
was eaten entirely, and without the least
hesitation. Never before had my ensilaged
rye presented this kind Of alteration. The
alcoholic fermentation, though less than in
maize, had always before developed suffi-
GENTLY to make it agreeable, both In taste
and smell, to both man and beast.
There was, therefore, an abnormal effect,
a special alteration, which it is important
to avoid since, when it passes certain limits,
it will disgust the animals and also in jure
their health. if we persist in feeding it to
them. AT the time this rye was cut down
for ensilage it had been .tdUeR for a long
time, and the foot for more than eight
inches had yellowed it was already under
going the commencement of decomposition.
To prevent this | used salt in considerable
quantity, but it had not served to neutral
ize the effect Of the evil; the butyric fer
mentation had already invaded the ensll-
aged vegetation, and this fermentation re-
NAMED. Notwithstanding the presence of
Tie SdlU. L DtllCNt. GOMCNCl. thdt III lhlo
case salt was useful, su%spending by it's an
%tiseptic qualities the decomposition, and as
sisting to excite the appetite of the animals,
who, perhaps, without the salt, would have
refused it, since the more important condi
ment, alcohol, was absent.
l ensilaged in September several wagon
Z loads of clover that was fully ripe and had
fallen for several weeks, and though | took
specisl care with it, and compressed it very
energetically, and mixed salt with it, viz,
3 k~ilogrammes to the thousand, on dis
charging the silo at the end of December, |
found a blackened mass, ~viscous, and near
ly insipid.
This ensilage was entirely eaten by the
animals without any aversion, but it quick
IL contracted butyric acid, and if it had
been exposed to the air for q considerable
time the animals would have manifested an
increasing aversion, and finished by refusing
to eat it. ! have frequently observed this
in ensilaging whole maize. give this ex-
PLANTATION with hesitation, because so much
obscurity still rests upon the science of fer
mentatiOns. When the butyric fermenta-
ton permeates an ensilaged mass, and this
mass is exposed to the air, does there not
form, to the detriment of the nitrogen con-
tanned in that mass, a liberation of b~utyrate
of ammonia, which impoverishes the ali
mentary matter and finishes by taking away
all its nutritive power? The animals there
upon refuse to take into their stomachs a
food which is fictitious, its nourishment be
ing exhausted.
Vegetation which has been attacked bv
butyric acid, before cutting, in the field,
needs also to be covered and compressed at
once, or the air that is not expelled will in
crease the activity of the pre~eXisting acid.
Prickly comfrey, Notwithstanding great
Mains tatnp hove foun1 r1fractorv - 81
coholic fermentation, and when exposed to
the air quickly becomes invaded by butyric
acid, requiring quick consumption in order
to save it. While this plant is a very ex-
cellent fodder, it is we'll known to be poor
in saccharine matter. Therefore, alcoholic
fermentation may fail in two cases: when
sugar is not abundant in the ensilaged ma
terial; when a considerable alteration ex-
isting at the time of ensilage prevents it's
development.
EXTRACT FROM A LETTER OF NJ. DE BEAU