Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-07-21
Edward Atkinson on Ensilage

Ooclety OF ARTS OF the Institute OF Technolo,
gy, 10 which referred to cnsiage as one of
the forces that might greatly affect tho fu-
ture distribution Of population. especially
In New England, l have had several inqni-
ries by letter, tho purport Of which has
seemed to be to find out how much 7 do not
know about farming. Since that address my
conviction has been strengthened 90 to the
vast importance of this now method, or, per.
hape, we might say, this rediscovered method
evidence and witnessed facts that appear to
moro than confirm the most e8truvagant
statements yet made 10 any Of the printed
books. used the expression that 'enslage
means four cows to one aero, instead of ono
COW to four acres." ! devoted Inst Sunday
morning to visit to Now Jersey farm with
the owner, Mr.. 9. w. Mills, an active busi-
ness man in Now York city. who could show
this modern miracle only on that dag. The
farm is Mt Pompton, New Jersey; and con-
sists of light soil, very much worn by long
continued oultivation-30 acres in oil. |
there saw l2O head of cattle, mostly COWS,
md twelve horses, which had been carried
through the winter without particle Of hay.
no hay being made on tho farm. Their food
had consisted for owe: seven months of four
quarts Of poor quality Of midllings, the
l33 acres of land. They were being fed on
portion of tho last two feet of the last section
in the second sio 1t was sweet, fresh and
apparently sound rs when first put in. NJ
fermentation appeared to have taken place in
this silo. Mr.. e. w. Mills. the originator of
this special method does not accept the the
ory which assumes that there is generation
OF carbolio acid gas in the material. lie
disproves this theory by the allegation that
his silos are 20 feet deep, 10 feet long and l3
feet wide, two III number. lie feeds from
sections Of 4xl3 feet, in oil ten sections, each
ono removed vertically. Occasionally The
chickens fly down to tho bottom Of
section, where, if oarbonic gas werc
generated, they would die. but thoy seem to
enjoy themselves in the abundant food that
they there tind. You will observe that tho
proportion in this case is substantially 10
head of stock to each acre, for period of
between seven and eight months, 80 far as
the enslagc fodder is concerned. Mr.. Mills
expects to increase this proportion, and not t.
send his cattle to pasture at all hereafter. lie
will ensilage winter rye in Juno, thon plant
corn to be saved in September, thus making
two crops por year, which will enable him to
carry from, eight to ten head of stock to an
aero the year through. His two silos are 10
his barn, each twenty feet deep below tho
surface of tho floor, they cost him $700.
Tho cost OF raising, harvesting and putting
away the ensilage last season, estimated at
$50 tons, was between $500 and 5000. His
milk hos the preference in Now York over
any ordinary milk, and by analysis proves to
DO richer than sample Of tho best product
Of Orange County. For q m re minute state.
mcnt in regard to this establishment refer
ence may be had to an article in the irst
number of the Journal of the American Ag>
ricultural Association" just Published Ny
object in calling attention to Mr.. Mills sys-
ten, at the present timo is this: lilo discov-
cred the method himself in 1876, not know.
ing that any experiments had been made
elsewhere. His practice and his theory both
differ from those Of others. First, in respect
to maize Or other annual plant, he holds that
the plant itself is not ripe or ft to use as food
until it has approached its maturity, ind cnt.
ed by the Towering season. lie holds that
maize should not be fed or ensiagod until
the corn is in the silk. Tho plant is then
full Of saechariue matter. lie holds that the
common green fodder known as "cow corn"
often sown broadcast and cut in the leaf to
exc out Insult Efficient pasture, is unwholesome:
that it will produce disease in tho animals
and is injurious to the children who drink the
milk. The juices of such uhripo or imma-
ture plants will be found to be bitter, and
are, in their efforts similar to tho effect OF
nnripe fruits. lie proves this cnso by refer.
ence to the examination Of tho cheese facto-
ries in iierkimer County, where tho periods
in which it has been found difficult or i'm
possible to make good, sound cheese have
been found to correspond substantially with
the periods in which unripe corn fodder was
fed in tho latter part Of the summer. Second
Mr.. Mills thinks it very desirable that the
stalks shall be cut with very sharp tools
while they are perfectly fresh and unwilted,
and that the mass shall not bo troddcn into
the pit. lie holds that to break the cells 10
which tho juices ore contained any more than
is absolutely necessary in cutting may be
extremely Injurious and likely to promote
fermentation. Io, therefore, fills his silos
with the utmost speed, piling on the fresh
material inside of q wooden case Of the samo
size as the pit itself to SUCH height that
when the mass is settled Of it's own weight,
the surface Of tho enslagc will bo even with
tho top Of the silo. This occurs very Quickly
under the continuous and even prossuro
which he places upon it. Ilo manages the
pressure by having plank sections, each four
by thirteen feet, which arc placed upon tho
surface Of the mass and each ono loaded with
five tons. lie says tho secret Of success is
immediate, continuous and even sprcssure,
the use Of ripe plants. and tho avoidance Of
any crushing or breaking Of the coils that
can be avoided lilo allows tho enslage to
stand twenty four hours before feeding, in
which time it becomes little acid and is
moro readily digested. IIe is of opinion That
change takes place in the moss as it be,
comes older, similar to that which occurs in
vino in ,ho cask in its change from now to
ripo wine, as he fnds that tho fodder taken
out from The bottom Of tho pit at the end Of
the season--tliat is, the Oldest in tho pit
ferments when exposcd TO tho air much less
quickly than that which is taken out near
the top at tho beginning of the fecding sea-
son j n m sOmeWlJnt particular in piVinO