The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-05-18

find it inconvenient to pay you the gilt
edge price.
If you are first class butter maker
you may have observed some conditions
that would add to these directions. The
writer would be obliged to you for any
suggestion bearing upon this subject, that
he may give the public the benefit in a
future edition.
Replies to Questions on Ensilage.
We give the following on an interest
ing subject, the preservation of fodder
corn.
eff corn-fodder is so much better kept
green, would it not also pay to secure
our grass the same way" This question
is asked by M of Vermont. In reply
will say that for feeding. there is no
doubt but that a grass crop, would be
worth twice as much preserved by ensil-
age as by drying. 1 have ensilaged this
season. % tons of grass and about 90 tons
of green rye. The land upon which the
rye was raised bore crop of fodder corn
last year. 1t was planted again as soon
as the rye was cut, and is now green with
the luxuriant ensilage corn. Thus two
full crops can be raised in one year even
in this latitude. Better dry the hay,
however, and sell it, and raise rye and
corn-fodder to ensilage for the sustenance
of home stock.
A. of Virginia wants to know how
much sowed corn-fodderit takes to contain
as much nutriment as a barrel of corn.
A barrel of corn in Virginia holds FIVE
bushels of shelled corn. Now, it will
depend upon how the corn is sowed. If
sowed thickly broadcast or in drills Gas
some who know no better recommend)
IL to Is inches apart, it will take an
almost unlimited amount, but if the
fodder corn Is sown In drills, 8 to feet
apart, using one-half to one bushel of
seed and cut when it is in the full bloom
or in the milk, and allowed to pass
through the softening and fermentive
process of ensilage, it will take about $50
pounds to be equal to barrel of corn.
DR.. Wolff gives the value of average
hay at 64c. per 100 pounds. Ensilaged
corn-fodder, containing so per cent. of
water, according to the most careful ex-
periments l have been able to make, is
worth one-half as much as good hay This
makes the corn fodder thus prepared
worth, on the same basis, 32c. per 100
pounds. DIR. Wolff also gives the value
of corn as $1.1O per 100 pounds. Prof.
Johnson gives the value of corn meal as
GA per 100 pounds; therefore barrel
OF corn would be worth, according to the
German chemist, $309. By dividing So
O0 by 32c., the value of the corn-fodder,
we have almost 963 pounds as the amount
of,green corn-fodder properly preserved,
which is the equivalent of barrel of
corn. By computing it according to the
valuation of corn meal by Prof. Johnson,
we find that 90 pounds of ensilaged corn
fodder is equal to barrel of corn ground
into meal.
S. R. is informed that judging from my
experience in ensilaging corn-fodder it |
would. be impossible to prevent decay
and loss from the exposure of the outside
of the bales" of green corn-fodder to the
action of the oxygen in the atmosphere.
filled some glass fruit jars the last of
May with ensilage, packing it in as tightly
as possible one jar got broken on the
edge so that it could not be made tight.
[ left it exposed to the action of the
atmosphere. AT this time June 24th) it i
mo NSNoySu uOWH dDOuC Jour inches
there is still over an inch uniniured at
the bottom. filled one large glass lar
and pasted piece of MANILA paper over
the top, and then vanished the paper;
the ensilage (Which had lain in silo near
ly eight months) has not changed par
tlcle since it was packed in the lar over
six weeks ago. There are to be seen a
few maggots in the decayed portion of
the ensilage in the open jar there is how
ever, no disagreeable or strong odor to it.
1t appears to be so completely cured
while lying in the silo, that if packed
solidly so that the air cannot readily en-
ter, decay takes place very slowly. II
shall pack some corn-fodder fresh from
the field, in day or two, in a lar and
see hit decays faster or slower than the
ensilage when left exposed on top to the
action of the atmosphere. At ali events
bales of corn-fodder with four inches of
magotty and decayed matter around each
bale would not be interesting articles to
handle or have about.
E'1siloge mill not be successful unless
rlghty done. Simple pits dug in solid
and impervious clay will answer reason
ably well, although the work and labor
will be much greater than with silos of
stone, brick or concrete. Pits in gravelly
soil, or one that admits the free cfrcula
ton OF air and water, will generally prove
failures.