Connecticut western news., 1881-03-23
FARM AND GARDEN.
Ensilage Again.

1 again for while, or until had seen one suitable to the wants of the small farmer who keeps not more than a half dozen COWS, and had examined its work ings. .--...ai
 But the excitement increases. I have received three letters and tract relat- ing to it. Have received four agricul- tural papers each week, each one con- taining one or more articles in regard to it. Have been on trip into theseouns1 try, where it was the topic of conversa- tion at every post office and grocery, and have received call from the pro- prietor of Winning Farm, who was as enthusiastic as ever in regard to it,
 Then there has been q hearing in re- gard to it before the Committee on Ag- riculture at the State House, and a con- vention of those interested in it at Wor. cester, and if I read and hear SO much of it, I cannot help but write of it, and if any of the slower, cautious, conser- vative farmers look upon it as a hum-' bug, they may either skip this article or read it. ''--..' -- ..
 Letter No. 1 informs me that the writer has just visited small silo, such as I desired to examine, one estimated to hold about eighteen tons, and found it had preserved the fodder in fine con- dition. This is in Ipswich, and I learn that there is another in Weymouth of about the same capacity, which has worked equally we'll. I hope to find op- portunity to visit one of them soon.
 A gentleman from Southbridge before the convention also declared that he had built one very cheaply by making it of two thicknesses of pine boards with tarred paper between. It measured twelve feet each way, and supplied six COWS. f..
 This seems to settle the question of its adaptability to small farms, and l know of one who proposes to test it by packing his ensilage in hogsheads, as he only wants it for his hens. Perhaps
 this is coming down to too fine point,
 and if he does try it upon so small 8
 scale, I hope he will build a square
 box instead of using the hogsheads.
 Letter No. 2 is from a party who is
 planning to build one the coming year
 and he asks: " Would you advise me tt
 build with stone or brick, good granite
 stones being plenty, too plenty in fact ?
 Should certainly use the stone then.
 "Must the bottom be of brick O
 stone?" .....
 Not necessary to use either. Ma
 spread good coat of gravel upon tn
 bottom, and cover with cement an inc
 OF two in thickness. .
 "Must the walls be perfecti
 smooth ?"
 They should be smooth enough t allow the blanks, which are put upo the top, to settle down with the ensilae
 as it settles. "How am to get rid of the carbon l acid gas? I hear of so much troub , from it, but no one offers any informs 3 tion as to how the silo is to be cleared ] this deadly enemy" r I hear of but little trouble from tn r source, but if it's presence is suspecte 8 it would be we'll to test the pit with = lighted candle, and keep out of it if u 8 candle does not burn. If the pit we n not wholly beneath the surface it wou @ probably soon disappear upon the ope 0 ing of the door. It may be taken O J. with a bucket like water, and turn' h down the hill, where it will soon m ), with the air, though the neighbo e might look on with little doubt of t d sanity of the man who spent his streng l. drawing out invisible water with TO s and bucket.
 s- "Can I procure fodder cutter tn y can be worked by hand fast enough e fill silo?" think you can. If yo d silo is to be so small that it will not ,r profitable to use horse or steam pow ,r to run your cutter it might be manag
 by having one or two cutters runni
 by hand. It should not be filled fast
 than about two feet per day and shou
 be we'll tread as put in. I shall :expe > where farmers begin to put in sm d silos that some enterprising one W IT procure cutter and engine or ho1 it power to drive it and make busine % of cutting fodder at so much per tc IS or per square yard. Or number IS farmers may combine to own the nec' le sary tools.
 le 'My silo would be mostly und' Id ground and without door. How a h the contents to be protected when g begin to use the same?"
 Iwould have door at the end, ev Id though it were necessary to build ste G. down to the door outside. Make t is other door to swing outward, and pl D, tect it inside with blanks across to Ike er the weight of the enslage from conf a. against it. Then you only work ln t. that end, and but 8 small space is ( d. posed to the air, and that only sigh y, exposed, as the door would be clos ly most of the, time. This door wol at also assist in allowing the escape sd the carbonic acid gas. I would adv CT my friend to read such writings up of ensilage as he may get, and then of visit silo in successful operation
 fore he begins to build one.
 CT SELLING CORN FOR FUEL.-The Sic Il, City Journal gives the following as CT instance of the scarcity of fuel in t