Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-03-23

(Frou the Southern Planter and Fsrmer.)
For more than two years | have
been reading of success in using
ensilage for feeding cattle in France
but could not determine to try the
experiment until read a letter
from Mr.. Haxall, of Richmond,
Va. on the subject.
lat once prepared fifteen acres Of
sod land, by tOp-dressing it with
all the manure from the cellar Of my
cattle barn, where | had fed eighty
two cattle and twelve horses four
hundred and fifty barrels of corn,
besides their long food, during the
winter. After the land was plowed
and thoroughly narrowed and rolled,
| drilled IN three bushels of corn
and 400 lbs. OF bone 10 the acre,
BY stopping alternate tubes of the
drill. the rows were eighteen inches
apart, and there were from eight to
twelve to the foot in the row.
had intended to plow this crop three
times but after one blowing with
single-shovel plow there came sew
eral hours Of rain; After which the
corn grew so rapidly that soon met
across the row, and could not be
plOwed again.
l dug pit rs feet long, 20 feet
wide, and y feet deep, and lined it
with two-foot stonewall. which
was continued for three feet above
the ground, and cemented che. sides
and bottom.
1 should have cut the corn, which
was the heaviest lever saw, as
soon as the ears began TO fern, but
had to wait until l finished the pit.
When l commenced, some Of the
c)rn was too old for roasting ears,
and the blades near the ground had
lost their green color. The field
was four hundred yards from the
pit. It required three and some
times four frst-rate hands to cut the
corn two OK carts and one four
four horse wagon, with an extra
hand TO assist the drivers to load,
to haul the corn, which was being
cut up into FIVE. eighth inch pieces
By two lS-inch cutting-boxes, 1t
required one man at each box to
iced, and two men to keep each sup
Piled with the fodder. los
Tie boxes were at the side,
equally distant from each end of the
pit and driven by an 8-horse en-
CINE. The ensilage was kept equal
ly distributed over the floor. and
six large farm horses were ridden
over it from 10 to II and from 5
to Z o'clock, to pack it. AS the
horses could not pack that against
the walls and at the angles at the
ends, that had to be trodden down
byth men when the engine was
stopped.
We we've fourteen days with four
teen men in filling the pit TO With
in three feet Of the top. / then ran
enough straw through the cutting,
box to cover the whole mass three
inches deep; then covered with
two-inch boards laid across the PIT,
and the boards with stone two feet
deep.
On the 10th of January, l open.
81 tie pit by taking off six feet o
tie stone and plank. When / saw
the straw black and rotton, / feared
that tie prophecy of my neighbors
that l would have an immense
quantity Of rotten fodder to hau
out in the spring. had been fulfilled
but on getting to the fodder,
found only an inch deep a littl'
moulded, and all the rest. except ir
the angles of the building anC
against a part of the wall iron
which the cement had falleD), il
perfect order. Eighty-two cattle
are eating with great relish 81 lbs
each day,ald 200 ewes l l-2 lbs
zach.
I have now fed for three weeks
and have only used about one sixth
OF the ensilage. At this rate it vii
keep my cattle and sheep unit
April goth, at which time I usual
lyturn on grass. From flock o
100 sheep that have fed on eusi
lage since the pit was opened,
have lost but one; whilst from 25(
fel on corn, straw, and fodder / los
80 III two weeks. These ewes wer,
49, ,,,,&l, lo.oLc Cd 2kn -