Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-08-11
Improvements In Ensilage.

Some very important Improvements in the
storage of green fodder by ensilage are sug-
gested from the practice of Mr.. o. B. Potter
as narrated by him to the Farmers Club of
the American Institute, New York. Mr..
Potter finds that the silo may be filled and
firmly trodden down and the contents al
lowed TO settle, and then again filled up in
the same way after an interval of thirty-six
hours, the process being repeated until the
pit is filled and settling has nearly ceased.
Then he covers the pit with layer of earth
not less than six inches in thickness and
well compacted. This covering of earth
should be afterwards examined at least
twice, at intervals of week or ten days,
and any cracks that appear be closed with
fresh earth. A covering of straw or hay,
not more than two inches thick, may be laid
over the fodder before the earth covering is
applied, but this is immaterial other than as
a matter of neatness. In feeding, the fodder
should be cut down, and fed from one end
of the pit in sections of convenient width,
the earth being first removed from each Sec
ton. If open pits are used, layer Of hay
or straw may be put over the pits when
filled and sealed, to protect the contents
from frost in winter, if necessary. Mr.. Pot
ter has not found any pressure or weight
upon the fodder, other than the earth cover.
ing, required If additional weight is de-
sired, heavier covering Of earth will &C.
complish this, and make the sealing at the
same time more perfect.
Mr.. Potter constructs his silos very care
fully of hard brick well laid in cement with
smooth joints The bottoms are also laid
with brick in cement. He believes in deep
silos, and would prefer them as much as
twenty feet deep. They may be either
round or rectangular. For our climate he
thinks they should be arched over under
ground, with necks or " man-holes for put
ting in the fodder. He would have them
open by doorways into the basement stable
or cellar. On large farm he would have
one silo built parallel with the stable wall,
and the others opening out of this upon the
ollC. llC iCSuiuo leu CloNCi 90 ohc bCoV Ch-
silage crop, and advises mixing it with corn
fodder in the silos as tending to make the
mass more compact and thus excluding the
air. He says, al have recently put the
fairly heavy clover from sixteen acres into a
space twenty-four feet long, thirteen feet
wide and ten feet Deep But the benefit of
this system, when applied throughout the
country in preserving fodder corn, sorghum
and the large millets will be incalculable.
These crops, hitherto the most difficult, I'M
certain and expensive to cure and preserve,
become the surest, easiest and least expen-
sive in these respects, while they are among
the richest and best milk and butter produc-
ing foods known. By this system the whole
southern portion of our country, where the
tame grasses are not grown, is at once fur
nished with means everywhere applicable
and easily practicable, by which their cattle
may be fed and fattened in winter and sum-
mer as well and nearly or quite as cheaply
as where tame grasses abound Who shall
say how important an agency are corn, sorg-
hum and clover wells and pits, which will
be practically everlasting, and will save two
thirds the labor and all the waste in keep
ing and preserving these crops, too safely to
require insurance" Mr.. Potter claims that
ensilage occupies very much less space than
the same fodder dried, on account of the
great compression, and that it is also far
more nutritive. If the air-tighting can be
made so perfect as to prevent the alcoholic
and acetous lamentations, the chief objec-
tion to ensilage for milk cows will be re-
moved.