Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-04-22
Agricultural.
ENSLLAGE.


Enough has been written about Il already, II
collected and published in book form, to make
small library. It has the merit Of being a
new subject, and Of sufficient importance to
deserve attention. II all that DR.. Bailey
claims for it were true II would revolutionize
our system of farming, at least in some of its
branches. But DR.. Bailey's statements are
evidently Of such an interested character that
they should be received with some allowance.
To him, however, belongs the credit of being
the first in this country to bring the subject
conspicuously before the public, though per-
haps he is not, as claimed, the first here to
make thorough trial of the system. Seve-
raj others claim to have thoroughly tested its
merits at the time or prior to the building of
DIR. Bailey's silo
Whether this new method of preserving
fodder in its green state will ever be found so
profitable as to be generally adopted, is still
question. It is evident that great number
of silos will be built the coming season, and
the business will be better understood before
the close of another year. As matter of in
terest to all farmers we give considerable
space this week to this subject. Among the
great number of newspaper articles sdvocat-
ing the use of ensilage we have seen nothing
that seemed to come from an ADLER or better
informed source than the following, from the
Country Gentleman, by Chas. X Harrison of
Baltimore county, Maryland. Mr.. Harrisons
operations appear to have been conducted on
a very large scale, and perhaps something
should be added to his estimates for the great
er proportionate cost of storing ensilage in
small quantities.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF PIONEER EN-.
sILAGER.
My attention was first called to ensilage in
1876 by the American Agrioulturist, and by
letters in the American Farmer, published in
Baltimore. 1 determined to try it, and COM
menced during 1877 to prepare forit Ipack-
ed my first silo in 1878, and have been pack
ing it every year since. My experience with
it, indeed. dates prior to that of some who
have published in book form such flourishing
statements. 1 have published in local papers
an account of my success, and many of my
friends and acquaintance have thereby been
induced to try it during the past one or two
years.
packed about 200 tons in 1878, $50 tons
in 1879, and 700 tons last summer, and pro-
pose increasing the capacity of my silos the
present year to 1900 TONS The result of
my experience is, that, provided you keep out
seepage and surface water, any material will
do to construct one. have a silo formed of
rough slabs, one or more inches of space be-
ing between the boards in places, and answer
ing merely TO keep the damp earth off the
material and the bank from caving in 1t has
simple board bottom of the same material.
This silo has been in use three years it is
200 feet long, 10 feet inches wide at the
top and feet wide at the bottom, feet Deep
and has never had any roof except an earthen
one, mounded up like a pit for preserving
roots. have another slo, 1876 feet long, 16
feet wide and - feet deep, of masonry, with
roof over it the sides are vertical, and
stone is used to compress it.
partially filled this last season. Stone was
the cheapest and most convenient material l
had to use. The floor is of beaten clay. The
sllo Is entered at one end on a level with the
ground. This is great convenience and
the wagon is run in each day to be filed. 1t
is difficult within the limits of a short paper
to answer all the questions that might be asked
regarding this subject; but, to any one will
ing to try it, I should say, build your silo of
any material you please if you have the good
fortune to be able, use cheap material, and
not stone and masonry, but you must keep
out the water. should advise a width not
greater than 20 feet or less than 16, if posi-
BILE. One will be guided in depth by the To-
cation, bearing in mind that there is great
economy in handling by being able to reach
the pit through one end on level with the
ground outside. The pressure is great, SO
that either masonry or boards should be bank
ed up with earth outside if any part is above
ground. There is no economy in making an
old-fashioned pit without roof, and covering
with earth, as the labor in removing, watch
ing and covering is considerable, and when
severe weather freezes this covering the ex-
pense is increased.
The next operation is TO raise the fodder
The object to attain here is bulk, and an ear
on every stalk if possible Manure your
ground well, and use some good alkaline fer
tilizer in the corn row If your ground is good !;
if not it should be made so. Use between
one and two bushels of white corn to the acre,
in rows 80 or SO inches apart 1 have seen it
much closer, but do not think it desirable to
plant it closer, and in this locality you run
risk in dry season. l shall use a peck to
the acre of some southern pea, probably
Whip-poor-will, in my corn rows, drilled in
at the time Of sowing the corn, to add TO the
albuminoids in my ensilage. Cut your fodder
down when ears have formed and are in the
milk. The stalk and leaves are then full of
sap and very green. Cut when your corn is
sweetest. Use, if possible, Blunt's Prolific
White. 1 believe the Mammoth Ensilage is
only another name for this variety. have
had no success with sweet garden corn in
this climate, and / should advise most strong
ly against it on the ground that you do not
get bulk enough. was on the lookout for
some good, large, white field corn that is
sweet and discovered in Loudoun County,
Va, some raised from seed purchased of Ma
jor Cuttings of Annapolis, Nd. 1t was very
large, prolific, and the sweetest field corn L
have yet seen. In this respect it is superior
to Blunts Prolific. Ihave not given 1t trial
however, and can only say it seems to be what
is needed.
Gut your fodder down no faster than you
can haul it; better have field hands idle than
commit the mistake of having it lie exposed
TO the sun. Push ahead, welcoming cloudy
and misty days, and stop for no rain short OF
what would drive your men under cover.
When 1t reaches the pit, pass it through the
best, strongest and most powerful cutting box
you can purchase, capable of being driven
between 700 and 500 revolutions per minute,
and cut half an inch long. Should you al
this length haul faster than the machine will
feed it in, increase to one inch, and thus run
it through twice as fast. Keep one or two
horses or mules moving in the pit all the
time. l consider this to be most important
have packed it each season in this way, and
attribute my success largely to the thorough
way in which the heavy beasts consolidate
the fodder. Trample it with the men next
the sides and ends four or five times during
the day. There is danger in an animal tread
ing so as to touch the sides, as the leg would
go down and get severe wrench. When yor
have filed the pit, put on six inches or foo
of straw, then planks, and finally 1000 pounds
OF stone or other material to each square
yard. This, with the stone use, is Just II
inches deep. have fed this year l66 steers
60 mich cows, stock of all ages, and sheep
and find it an excellent food for all of them.
have had no practical experience in max
ing butter from cows fed on ensilage, because
dispose of all my milk-1OO gallons daily
in the city, and have no skimming done Oh
my premises, buying my butter from neigh
boring diaries. None but practical tests vii
decide the question of its fitness for producing
good butter.
hava NADIA many caraf,hI antirnnhnn Of tl.