The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-06-18
ENSILAGE.

joel Benton, IN the New ork ECeRiAg
Eost, gives an interesting sketch Of re-
cent visit to several farms near Armenia,
n Y, where silos have been constructed
and the herds of COWS kept there, whose
factory, are fed in part, at least, on ensil-
age. Dr. William H. Tanner built silo,
costing $500, that holds $50 tons of en-
silaged corn, which he deems equal in value
to 125 tons of hay. Except one bucket
full of ensilage spoiled by a slight leakage
of air at the doorway of the silo, the con
tents opened in perfect order, and arc
greedily eaten by the doctors eighty-six
cows, about ten quarts each at feeding.
The milk produced from it is of excellent
quality. Mr.. James S. Chaffee went into
the enterprise with no great alacrity when
it was first presented to him, but his visit
to DR.. Baileys farm and his present eXpe-
rience have converted him into staunch
believer in the positive merits of the silo.
He intends, eventually, to build another
silo. which he will fill half full of clover in
June, and then cover it up until he can
complete filling it with Hungarian grass
later in the season. The mixture of these
two grasses with the corn ensiage he
thinks viii make perfect feed and he
never expects to raise large regular corn
crop again for the grain product. Mr..
Jacob Pugsley is also firm believer, from
experience, in ensilage. Mr.. Benton gives
these practical answers to questions often
asked by farmers regarding this matter:
/. When green corn is cut and put in
to the silo and pressed down, does it not
heat and decompose?
1t does not; for the exclusion Of the air
prevents this process from taking place.
In the fruit can, exclusion of the air for
the preservation Of vegetables is accom-
plished BY heat; in the silo the same sub
stautial result is produced by pulpy mass
under pressure.
,. What is the appearance of ensilage
when it is taken from the silo and is in
good condition?
1t has the color Of tea leaves when they
have been stepped in water and are ready
to be drawn from the ea-pot-a sort Of
bottle green. The predominatiag favor is
certain sourness, tut when you taste Of
the stalks the sagary clement is apparent;
so that one may say it Is sweet and also
that it is sour.
3. Must the silo be built below tie sur
face of the ground, ike cisiern, or can
it be built above ground?
1t can be built any way if it serves to
exclude the air, bu, the best position for
convenience in filling and taking out the
ensilage for feeding purposes is where the
barn in which stock Is Kept is 50 situated
that the silo can be excayatcd from an ad-
jacent bank or side hill.
The New York Tribune has the follow
inc: Mr.. f. 5. Peer, Els, Palmyrs, y.
Y, converted an old stone building, Is
by 20 feet, iaio sio, aud filed it with
eorn-fodder on which sars kad formed.
eut,in. /; in the field with reaper lie
reported at a rccent meeting ct the West
ern New York Farmers Club that he had
been feeding the ensilase constantly iorious
weeks to swine. sheep calves colts aud
cows, with the most pleasing results The
third dsy rations 10 COWS nearly doubled
the milk they were giving on Germ stalks,
and the butter s more abundant aud Of
higher color Co;sWo.d sheep became SO
rayenous he was Obliged to make parti-
ton between them aud the trou.h. and
Ehca the hitter was filed raised covers
for them TO cat The ralious of cusjia.e
appear to caablc them to cat and digest
more straw than whcu Fed on dried fodder
He is keeping more stock than lie posi-
bly, could On the ordinary products Of the
farm; thinks he eau raise thirty tons %
corn.fodier per acre on land that would
yield ouly ten aud hall Of timo,by hay.
aud estimates that two tons Of ensilage are
equal in feeding value Of ton Of the best
timothy
The Bucks County IafeiEgsResr slys
" Few new things have bccu introduced
which bids fair 10 give rise 10 greater
amount Of study, comment, valuable assis-
tsnee aud zeal advautageto the dairy farm
or than the silo This is a Frcuch Ia.
yention or discovery, aud is Just now rcceiv- +
ing marked degree Of attention anon.
d-irymen in this country
The first American silo Of which We have
any knowledge Is the Que constructed by
DR. Bailey, Of Billerica, Massachusetts,.
which is now being utilized for the third
year with very satisfactory results. There
have been number or new ones made this
year, and SO far as report goes are doing
all that was claimed for them By their ori-
giuator. aud the American pioneer Or
Bailey There win be many more silos
next year Oae holding frcm
two to five hundred tons costs from $500
to $500.