Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-05-19


ENsILAGE.
PORT JERv1s, January 5.-Tuesday morn
ing one of the two sios at the Buckley farm,
in this village, was opened in the presence of
several of the citizens of this place. Its con-
tents fully realized the expectations of the
Messrs. Buckley. The silo 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 ensilage was spoiled to the depth
of about two inches, but from there as far
down as it was taken out it was nicely pre-
served. 1t had turned slightly brownish
color, and emitted slightly vnous odor
About half bushel 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 mouldy crust. The Messrs.
Buckley are highly pleased and will undoubt
edly construct two more slos next summer.
Sio is term not very we'll known, nor
what it implies, for it is French word. 1t
means 'preserver," and is neither more nor
less than perfectly air.tight vault or pit on
its four sides and bottom, having the entire
top open. It's purpose is the preservation of
fodder in green state, which is designated
by another French word, "ensilage," literally
" "preserved." To preserve fodder in green
state it is necessary to pack it away in an
air.tight place, the same as one would pre-
serve 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 ascertained that
corn will produce a greater amount on a
given space of ground than any other of the
grasses, and consequently is nearly altogether
used, especially now in the early stages of
the experiment. 1t is raised the same as
corn for fodder is generaely raised, in drills
from two and half to three and half feet
apart. While yet in the milk it is cut and car
ried to the silo, and before being packed away
is put through cutting machine which cuts
it into lengths Of one.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 Au-
gust or September, and in consequence of
there being any quantity of pasture until
late in autumn, the necessity of opening does
not occur until about the present time. When
opened the outer edges are generally q
little musty, but when further exposed it
presents beautiful appearance, and when
given to cattle, be it cows, sheep, horses, or
swine, is eaten with great avidity. A silo
may be built of stone, brick, or concrete,
and should be finished with cement on the
inside. Whichever is the chespest material
in the locality where used is the best. AS a
rule, concrete is the cheapest, as the exca-
vation necessarily made furnishes all the ma
| 81 fhn MI -
form will answer the purpose best. the width
being about one third the length, and the
heig ght about two-6fths of the length. A
side hill will prove the most convenient posi-.
ton, both for filling and emptying. 1t can
be leveled 80 that one side may be made
available for position for the cutter and
power needed to run it, and the ensilage taken
from one end, which may be directly in the
barn. The walls of silo, when above the
surface, must necessarily be very strong to
withstand the pressure caused by the settling
of the enslage.
At the Messrs. Buckley's establishment
there was no side hill to utilize and part of
the cow.barn floor was taken up and pit
excavated % feet long, 81 feet wide and l6
feet deep. Concrete walls were then laid, and
the pit divided into two sios, each % by 9,
and 154 feet deep. The cost of these two
silos was as follows:
Excavating, liz days work at 81 per day."S1I2 90
Men to assist the masons, II days. work. ~ 90
Lime and cement.. ~ III
Total ..... S296. "a
As stated, the ground furnished the remain
der of the materials There were so barrels
of cement and 25 barrels of lime used, 8 bar
res of the latter being a superior grade.
One of those pits will hold 60 tons, that is,
containing over 5000 cubic feet, or 2,400
bushels at so pounds to the bushe, which the
moist and compressed ensilage will weigh.
In filling these silos, eight men and two teams
we're employed, distributed as 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
as possible and tramped 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
cutter Twenty tons were disposed of in one
day, 10 tons in each silo. Although 10 acres
we're planted, it required only six to ill the
two silos, 20 tons being raised to the acre.
1t is said that two tons are equal to one ton
of the best timothy hay. When full as pos.
sible, the sio was covered with six inches of
rye straw, that by cover of planks cut to fit
crossways, 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
before the silos were sufficiently filled.
The reason why ensilage must keep is thus
given by DR.. John F. Bayley: "When the
ensilage is first put in the slo, be it cut ever
80 fine, or trodden down ever so vigorously,
there is still some air left in the little spaces
between the pieces of the stalks; and the
dried leaves, if there are any, are full of air,
which has taken the place of the sap which
had evaporated. The oxygen in this amount
of air Immediately starts fermentation.
The process of fermentation consumes oxygen
and gives out carbonic acid gas, which takes
it's place. At this point the fermentation
stops for want of oxygen. None can get in
from the top, for the compression which is
constantly going on is all the time forcing
the gasses out, and where there is ever so
slight a flow, none can possibly flow in.
Then, as the carbonic acid gas is heavier
than the atmosphere, the sides and bottom of
the silo being tight, the air cannot get down
in the space occupied by the gas. Immersed
in bath of carbonic acid gas, the fermenta-
ton is an impossibility."
The honor of building the first silo in
the United States undoubtedly belongs to
DR.. John F. Bayey, of Billerica, Massachu.
setts, who gives his experiments to his fellow