The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-05-01
pkeAagssa,zmg. / I
Ensilage of Maize.

of agricultural terms. We find some ex-
planatoiy remarks on the system pub
lishcd in the Farmer and Planter, Rich
mond, Va. NJ. Auguste Gticrt, dis
.inguished agriculturist Of France, made
the discovery and has swFitteu II book
explaining the merits of Bis dissOvery,
which hasbsah translated Into Edglish.
His own convictions OF its success Is con-
frmed by many agricultural societies in
France, as well as by experiments tried
in our own country. 1t is considered
one of the most valuable agricultural
discoveries of the age, having for its OBJ.
Jcct the preservation of forage plants
through all seasons OF the year, SO as to
retain all their original nutritivc value,
which, by the usual sun-curing, is in a
great measure evaporated and lost. AS
recognition of 'the immense benefit
which has accrued 10 France" the Min
lister Of Agricu. lure conferred the decora-
ton of the Legion Of Honor upon 'Af.
Giffcrt. IT. 10 not very probable, how
ever, that this new system will be adop-
ted to any great extent by our Southern
farmers, while they depend solely on
droomsettge fol summer pasturage, and on
shucks and wheat straw for winter forage.
But this presents no reason why they
should not understand, study and apply
any system that would enable them to
care for their stock more humanely du
ring the winter months. The author de-
fines the word he has chosen, to convey q
correct idea of his system to others, as
follows:
"Ensiiagc-she act of COMPRISING into
pits, trenches or compartments, called
silos; also the green crops so preserved"
"Sh-excavation, pit or trench hol-
lowed in the gro md, or any compart-
ment usea for storing green fodder in IN
air-tight manner"
Any greel. crop may be preserved in
this method, but corn seems To be pre-
ferred by the author, for the reason that
so large yield can be obtained per acre.
His mode Of procedure is this: With
the mid Of som. power (cither horse or
steam) he cuts his green corn stalks,
whenever they have tasseled, in hAlf-inch
lengths, andIinmediqfety packs thenfin o
silo or trench prepared for the purpose
rs quickly and compnctly as possible.
The whole mass is then covered with
closely fitting boards, weighted down
with stones or logs 80 that the covering
can descend with the setting mass. Chm
Gn,ious pressure is the secret of SUCCESS.
This expels from the ensilsge enough of
the mir contained i'll it to prevent fermcn-
tation and consequent decay
When the cnsilage j, taken from the
short time, induces Alcoholic Representation,
70 setfn, ana then II is in its beat state
for cattle, and they eat it with great
relish. 1t is then in a pulpy mass, and
the whole of it is consumed. It's nutri-
tive qualities appear to be Increased by
II The Sh author says :-i.d}pon my reserve
of thirty-fv hectares "a hectaro is about
two anu half acres.) l have kept, du-
ring the winter of 1876, forty-three
horned cattle, and 1 shall keep during
the winter of 1877 seventy, with The as
snrnnce of going much beyond this at the
end Of 1873"
We may we'll believe this statement to
be within. bounds, when we reflect that
fly tons. Of flc5rn-fodders per acre is. not
an unusual yield for land in good coudi-
tion. In regard to its value for fattening
purposes, quote agaihia u B Ift
"It is only by experience that we solvs
the question of the alimentary value of
maize. / can assert, however, that ut
my homo at Burton, in the way in which
prepare it, maize with one-tenth cr lis
weight of Oat straw, maintains iny ami.
mails in perfect condition. 1t would be,
confess, going too far to say that maize
alone has the faculty tof making very fat
animals for fairs, or for High quality
butchers stalls. Cows which are not be-
ing .milked, quickly take q, condition. en-
ureiy satisfactory to our country butch
ers. who are, as class, less exacting than
those o; the city. But for perfect iatten-
ing. it Is necessary to add other elements
to the regular ration. have tried the
experiment Of fattening fine animals
with my. preserved maize, and in addi-
tpn, ,in'thp commencement, of, four ktso-
igranimes'sof oil cake Ia kilograriime Il
about two and half pounds.) They be-
come fat toih surprising rapidity.N 4
This matter fas been the subject of
earnest investigi tion and experiment by
many of the learned societies Of France
devoted to agriculture, and is. by them,
universally commended. ,,..f1 os,i,
But we are not entirely5o lepcndent
upon the French people for information
in regard to this matter. Mr. Francis
Morris, of Maryland, for more than two
years past, has experimental with this
process, and adds his testimony to its
great E,al..es Es His gIs.s,,.es;s:.ase.;s G.
jia Germ fotlde q presefvipg il IN Siios al
tEehctes 2Rna Y Feeding it to Stock,ps is
contained in this same volume.
In it he says, "In very long experi-
ence in raising stock, I'have found corn:
fodder, preserved as above stated, TIE. best
food for milking cotrs thGE 4 Ebdrs evcr ssS5ifs
1t is equal, If not superior, to June grass,
and its ID SO 0Teasy, its preser.
vatiohNso Inexpensive, that tn-day no one
can estimate its advantage to the agri-
culturist." = - ~ y
What induced tiis gentleman to try
the experiment, and with what success,
will not be uninteresting. 'In tho early
snmmef ofIlS76 received from France
newspaper containing an account Of q
plan they had adopted of raising maize
,ofF:, Cutting % tho SAINT, when in
tassel and buryipg it in trenches, cover
ing 1t with earth, and feeding it out to
their stock the following Winter and
spring. This statement induced me to
make tho experiment. Il aowed on the
LIST of August, 1876. about five acres in
drills. three feet apart, and about a
bushel of corn TO the acre. This was
worked twice with the cultiyator, and
was in tassel on the 1st day of October.
We cut the same with the moving ma
chine, carried it in wagons to the feed