The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-02-03
}VOI.. VII.-NO. 15
{ siiagc.

x
AMrSIA. y. Y. Jan s.-The trans
l,tion of NJ. Goffart's book on the In
slage of Maize. and the success OF p,.
Bailey experiments ia the frsheta
system at Billerica, Mass, have pcen
f potent, with other influences, IN caus
ing a good many farmers, here ana
there. during the last year, 10 construct
expensive silos for the preservation OF
corn fodder. In Amcnia and IT. neigh
+ borhood in Duchess county, pr "n;
II. Tanner. James ;. Cha'fee and JACOB
Pngslev built in August large aud capa-
cious rcceptacles Of this Description
which have now been IN active use Tor
some weeks. SO great has been the m
tere.t in these experiments here that
DR.. Tanner, one of the farmers referred
to, lately gave invitation TO consiaera,
bic number of his neighbors who would
be most likely 10 enjoy the exhibition, To
visit his silo and see the ensiiage. as
well as witness the distribution OF IT 10
his large herd Of mich cows \ good
sized company of Us accordingly met
there, and gave the subject our pest
attention. We at once passed through
she cxcavated cavern Of maize directly
into the silo. and made lnguisitlve in-
.pecton of all that concerned 1t:
1t was pleasing and novel sight'
Nothing attached 10 the farm, or con
nected with the farmers vocation since
the moving m,chine began to cut us
first swathes, had so much TO offer IN
the way of practical benefits, or plquant
curiosity, as the institution OF the silo.
L hGr
served. and OF of excellent quality. Inc
doctor said that there had beer little
leakage of air into the sllo at the door
way, owing 10 slight Imperiection IN
plastering up the door alter the siio
was filled and as result single corn
basketful of this ensilage was found un-
fit for use, and was thrown away. AlteT
the removal of this, the rest appeared
TO be in perfect order and has been ois-
pensed for three weeks, as single
ration, in connection with other iced,
| to his cows that are giving milk. These
| -eighty-six in numbcr-were standing
/ battered TO their stalls as we entered
/ the barn. and we saw the foreman and
| his assistants take er slagc from the
| silo-whi1h is entered on the rear oil one
/ the lines of cows-and scatter 1t at the
rate of something more than peck 10
each COW. A b,lshel and a half basket
full was divided between tour five COWS
They all ate it greedily, although at
tractive little tubs of meal stood IN the
middle distance between the two rows OF
heads for distribution later in the day.
When it was first offered in November,
a few of them. as we have been told IL
usually the case, did not take it at once
But only few fa.tidious, and, after
making the discovery that 1t was really
good, which they very soon did, no iur-
lther instruction was necessary.
| While standing within the siio sever
al of the spectators pulled out from uu-
lder the plank covering the adjacent sec
tions not yet cut down, samples OF the
ensilage nearest to the layer OF straw,
and which. it was supposed, might pos
sibly get some detriment from the ont
side air. But nothing serious could DO
discovered Some Of US tasted OF IT and
. found it moist and OF that ac'd na'or
which indicates acetic fermentatlCn-a
condition which is expected and desir
liable. Next to the walls OF the silo, IN
few places where the cement had not
been smoothly laid on the stone, part
Of the enslage exhibited a dry mould,
but not to any extent or depth. 1t was
rather strange, in fact, that some
serious failure had not happened to that
. part of the corn which had not been cut
as VI Goffart prescribes; for the knives
T Of the cutting machine were found duli,
. the doctor said, when it was too late
for him to stop and apply remedy, and
50 a considerable part Of the corn, IN
, stead of being cut isto pieces as It
: should have been-a little less than halt
! an inch long, was lorn rather than cut
I and many pieces of the leaves were to
{ be discovered several inches long. 1t
| was owing to such a circumstance a.
: this, NJ Goffart says in his book, that
g he lost an entire crop during his early
Ieynetiments-fr the fact that the
long leaves prevented the preparation
, of that compact pulpy mass which IS
= necessary TO secure perfect exclusion
u Of the air. In this case the rule wa'
; disobeyed in part without failure, bu'
it is true rule, nevertheless, and those
who make silos should it IN respect