The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-06-30
farm and Garden.
Ensilage.

The SlloS may be dug under sneu, VI III
the open air, and then must be covered
with roof of some kind, to keep out all
rain. for if the fodder gets wet, it spoils
The usual depth is to 10 feet, the same
width, and as long as convenient, say
80 feet. We have visited one construct
ed by the Messrs Haxhall, on their farm
"Bankstown," near Richmond That is
10 feet deep, 10 feet wide, and 81 feet
long. 1t is bricked up, and the bottom
cernented, and then house built over it
containing a room for forage or grain. A
+ cheaper finishing off, is to plank up the
sides and bottom, and to put a roof over
it. This roof, it appears to the writer,
might be light shingled one resting on
the ground, and movable, probably fixed
on rollers, so as to get at the forage for
feeding. Or it might be in two sections
so arranged that one section, at the point
of meeting, might pass little under the
other, to prevent rain getting in. Mr.
Hunters pit in Amelia, was only planked
up on one side, that next to the weather,
and it is worthy of experiment to try
whether all protection at the sides and
bottom might not be dispensed with
when the pit can be made in hard red
clay-thus avoiding expense. Sweet po-
tatoes are kept in such pits under fodder
stacks, the sides being lined with straw
or "pine tags" M Gofart's pit in
France was more than half above the
surface, (bricked up), because the soil
was wet one, and water was struck at
short distance down, and he had to sink
ditch all the way around it, and below
its bottom.
We extract the following from an article
by Mr. John NJ Bailey, of Bellerica, Mas
sachusetts, published in Land and Home.
The article is headed How to make
milk at a cent quart" Mr.. Bailey's
silo, it seems, was above the surface, why
we do not know, unless the soil was
wet one. He says:
Starting in the spring, we pillow 5
acres and manure it broadcast with 25
cords stable manure, thoroughly har-
rowed in. The Pennsylvania Dutchman's
advice to his son may we'll be followed:
Shon, you shust drag, und drag, und
drag nit your corn liant until she is shust
right Den you shust drag him one more
dime, und he will do Furrow 81 feet
apart dropping 600 pounds of superphos-
phate per acre in the drill; then harrow
lengthwise the burrows, once Plant one
bushel of Southern white corn per acre in
the half filled burrows, and drag the up
turned harrow once crosswise the drill In
stead of the burrows, a corn planter may be
used. When the corn is pricking through
the surface, run light harrow over it
('smoothing harrow" preferred), and re-
peat the same once a week until the
plants are foot high; then it will take
care of itself; if weedy, cultivate once
when waist high.
With the fodder grown on this 5 acres
we are to keep 20 cows from October to
July How? By means of the "silo" and
ensilage." Chose side hill, dig into
the slope sufficient for good foundation
For 5 acres build two 'silos," 80 feet
long, IL feet wide, and IA high; the wall
to be built of concrete about about one
foot thick The material-cement, sand,
gravel, and broken stone will cost about
800, and all complete, besides the farm
er's labor, the cost should not exceed $3.50,
including plank for covers. A cheap roof
to keep out the rain is sufficient. A
powerful fodder cutter, costing $50 is
also necessary, and a small engine or
horse power to run it, which can be
hired.
NCeplenDeI L, wien the corn Is IN IQll
tassel, it is ready to harvest Two men
are employed to cut and lay the fodder
in punches, ready to be taken up by the
teamsters, who each have one-horse cart,
upon which the corn is laid, tops forward.
The cutter is placed on the hill side OF
the silo, to facilitate the filing An ele-
vator, like that used on threshers, at
tached to the cutter, and delivering the
cut fodder over the walls, is a great con-
venience. The cutter is gagued to cut
4-l0 inch pieces. Six men and boy are
required, two in the field, two transfers
one to feed the cutter, one man and a
boy in the silo to level the fodder and
tramp it down solid. The farmer should
be an extra hand to help on any part Of
the work that may lag Thirty tons can
be cut and stored each day for 423 cents
per ton. Following is the account:
Cost Of filing with ensilage, 500. 62J
B Bushels of seed corn, 400
Interest on cost Of silos, implements,
manure, tools and extra horse; total
$3.50 at 10 per Ct $500
$144.62I
These silos hold 225 tons of ensileoe
which the acres should produce, which
will keep 20 COWS more than the whole