Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-03-17
Ensilage.

"Au Inquirer" writing from Calais, asks,
talking into consideration the expense of
building silo, and Of cutting, do you think
it would be profitable for the average farmer
to raise large amount of green fodder with
that object in view 7 ~ Should the top Of
the silo be made air tight ? (2) A question
has also been raised in regard to the advisa-
bilty of feeding of green fodder to stock in
cold weather, owing to the increase of per-
SEPARATION, and the liability of stock so fed
taking cold. (3) There is difference Of
opinion respecting the kind of corn raised
and what kind is best as milk or butter
producer, some advocating the Sanford corn,
others the western kinds, while yet Others
think that our small northern corn, partially
matured, will give the best results. (4)
Which is best, and which can we raise at
the best advantage ?"
REPLY BY THE EDiToR.--The subject of
ensilage has, in this country, hardly passed
the most preliminary of questions concern
it--whether fodder can thus be preserved at
all, in fit condition for feedng2 The ex-
peiiments of the past season have, however,
pretty well settled that point. The silo at
Winning Farm" Billerica, Massachusetts,,
seems to have preserved its contents as well
as those used in France, or nearly so. There
was little more acidity in the ensilage,
when the silo was opened, than the owner
expected to find; but it was greedily eaten
by the cows, and gave a good return in
milk. Whether the first question of In
quirer can be directly answered in the
affirmative to doubtful. For the process Of
ought to be practiced on pretty large scale
larger than the average farmer of Yer
mont is likely to go into it. Substantially,
it involves an entire change, or nearly so,
from dry feeding to green feeding during
the winter months. Storage for vast bulk
of green feed in silos must be provided,
while our large supply OF barn room for hay
becomes unnecessary. We think it will be
long, if ever, before Vermont farmers will
do this. Vermont is too natural for grass I"
to make it necessary. And as winter
feed for dairy COWS early cut hay can hardly
be surpassed--we doubt if it can be equaled
by any sort of ensilaged fodder. AS an
appetizer, or partial feed, ensilage offers nc
superiority over beets or potatoes for dairy
beasts. We believe that the ensilage of corn
for feeding purposes will be found much
better adapted to our southern states, where
grass for hay is grown with more difficulty
and of poorer quality than in what used to
be called "the dairy belt" (2) The silos
should be built air-tight on the sides and
bottom, and when filed, and well COM
pressed by treading, stiff planks, at least
two inches thick, should be laid closely
upon the top of the mass and heavy
weights placed upon them The report
of the experiment at swimming Farm .
says that boards were used for this pur.
pose, and the springing of these boards
under pressure may account for the unex
pected excess of acidity in the ensilage
when opened. (3) We have seen cattle fed
all winter almost exclusively upon English
turnips, which contain about as much water
as ensilage,-so much, indeed that the cat
tie would not drink drop while thus fed
There was no trouble in this case from tax
ing cold but how it would be with large
stable full Of cows in milk, fed upon ensil
age, we cannot say. az In France, a very
large and strong growing corn is used fol-
ensilage. Any kind of corn, clover or Other
green crop, can be thus preserved. What
would be best suited to the different sec
tons of this country where ensilage may
be adopted could only be determined by ex
pertinent. The Sanford corn is the sweetes
and best liked by cows of any we have eve
tried, but it might not prove the best for en-
silape