The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1881-02-11
PRESERVING CATTLE FooD.
A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT IN Pre-
PAIRING ENsILAGE.

Port JcrvlS, January 3.-Tucsday morn
ing one of the two silpS At the Buckley farm,
in this village. WAS opened in the presence
of several of the citizGus of this place
Its contents fully realized the expectation
OF the Mc>srs. Buckley. The siln was
opened at the end, about four or five feet of
the covering being removed The fodder
had settled about two feet. On top, Just
beneath the rye straw, the cnsilage was
Spoiled to the depth Of about two inches,
but from there as far down as it was taken
out it was nicely preserved. 1t had turned
Il slight browuish color, and emitted Il slight.
ly vinouS odor. About half bushcl was
given to each COW, and though they had
been served with their morning meal, it was
all eaten up, with the exception of the mol
dy crust. The Messrs. Buckley arc highly
pleased and will undoubtedly construct two
more slos next Summer.
Silo is Il term not very well known, nor
what it implies, for it is French void -
1t means ''prcscrvcr," and is neither more
nor less than Il perfectly air.tight vault or
pit on its four sides and bottom, having the
entire top open. Its purpose is the prcscr-
vation Of fodder in green state, which is
dcsi signatcd by another French word 'cnsi.
lagc." literally "prcscrvcd." To preserve
fodder in 4 green State it is necessary to
pack it away in an ar-tight place, the same
as one would preserve fruit, and to make it
pack closely, and drive out all the air, it is
necessary to cut it up very finely. 1t has
been asccrtaincd that corn will produce
greater amount On Il given space Of ground
than any other of the grasses, and c0nsa-
now in the carly stages of the experiment.
1t is raised the same as corn for fodder is
generally raised, in drills, from two and
half to three and 4 half feet apart. While
yet in the milk it is cut and carried to the
sio, and before being packed away is put
through cutting machine which cuts it
into lengths Of onc-half inch or less, and
then pressed down by heavy weights being
placed upon it. The top is then made air
tight. This work is necessarily done in
August or September. and in consequence
of there being any quantity Of pasture un-
til late in the Autumn, the necessity of
opening does not occur until about the pres
cnt time. When opened the outer edges
are generally a little musty, but when fur
thcr exposed it presents beautiful appear
ancc, and when given to cattle be it cows,
sheep, horses, or swine, is eaten with great
avidity. y silo may be built Of stone,
brick, or concrete, and should be finished
with cement on the inside Whichever is
the cheapest material in the locality where
used is the best. AS rule, concrete is the
cheapest, as the excavation necessarily made
furnishes all the material except the cement.
y rectangular form will anSwcrthc purpose
best, the width being about ono third the
length, and the height about two litihs of
the length. \ side hill will prove the most
convenient position, Doth for filling and
cmtying. 1t can be lcvclcd SO that one side
may be made available for a position for the
cutter and power needed to run it, and the
enSiaSc taken from one end, which may be
directly in the barn. The walls of Il silo,
when above the surface, must necessarily be
very strong to withstand the pressure caused
by the settling of the cnsilagc.
At the Mcssrs. Bucklcy's establishment
there was no side hill to utilize, and part
Of the cow-barn floor was taken up and Il
pit cxcavatcd % itct long, 81 feet wide, and
81 feet deep. Concrete walls were then
laid, and the pit divided into two slos, each
22 hy ., and 15! feet deep. The cost Of
these two silos was as follows:
Excavating, II days work at 81 per
day.... ........................Sll2 90
Mason blll... ~ 1j
Men to assist the masons, - days work II 90
Lime and cement. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. rs 10
Total S29G 81
AS stated, the ground furnished the re
mandcr of the materials. There were 80
barrels OF cement and % barrels of lime
used, s barrels Of the latter being Il supc-
rior grade, One of thcS, pits will hold 60
TONS that is, containing over 5000 cubic
feet, or >, 100 bushels at 80 pounds to the
buShcl, which the moist and compressed en-
silagc will weigh In iling these slos,
eight men and two teams were employed,
distributed rs follows Three men to tend
the cutter, taking the corn from the wagon,
feeding it to the cutter and sliding it to the
pit. where one man spread it evenly rs pos
siblc and trampc it down; one man to drive
the team conveying the corn from the field
to the barn. and three men to cut it. One
team was required as power to run the cut
ter Twenty tons were disposed of in one
day, 10 tons III each silo. Although 10
acres We're planted, it required only six to
fill the two silos, 20 tons being raised to the
acre. 1t is said that two tons arc equal TO
one ton Of the best timothy hay. When
full rs possible, the siIo was covered with
six inches of rye straw. that by cover Of
planks cut to fit crosswrys, but short enough
not to bind. On these were piled stones,
fully 100 pounds to the square foot, which
pressed it down firmly. This pressing was
done three times bclor" the siOs were SUI
iicicntly filled.
The reason why cnsilagc must keep is
thus given by DR.. John +. Baylcy. when
the cnSilagc is first put in the slo, be it cut
ever 50 fine or troddcn down ever so vigor
ously, there is still some air left in the little
spaces between the pieces Of the stalks and
the dried leaves If there arr any are Iull