Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-03-02
= Ensilage at Spring Farm.
Country Gentleman.)

O'S anu caves, HOSs, silScp ailu TAU
bits, all have eaten it without hesl-
tation, with evident relish, and with
ont waste. There is no longer any
djubt in my mind as to the very
great value, TOR us, Of this new
method OF feeding. 1t will better
the farm returns considerably. al
though | am far lin my experience
from the very iancltul estimates and
supposed results TO be expected from,
e articles published and the books
Written on this subject. / feel in
duly bound to give full results OF
this experiment that it may correct
the exaggerated accounts or esti-
mates OF even the very best things,
as the actual results will always be
so far below the expections that
many will be discouraged before
fully testing tie merits of the thing.
Now for actual facts Having
no money 10 venture in experiments
1 pr ceedcd thus: Under part OF the
barn l dug cellar 2S feet long and
p feet wide, Z feet clear of the barn
floor beams. This l had walled
with STONES on the two short ends
and on one OF the long ones, The
other side l boarded against the
earth with hemlock boards. The
bottom is in sandy soil, so hard
that the pick is required to dig into
it. It's dry, and free from spring
and surface water. My idea was
that should the silo prove a failure,
l would still have seryiceable eel
lar underihe barn. l planted two
and half acres of com in drills 3
feet apart;one kernel dropped every
3 or 6 inches in row. The soil was
good aid lie culture properly at
tended 10. The crop looked
fair. cut several stalks which
measured II and II inches in height
and wergned 8 and SIP pounds
elch. We began cutting the corn
on September 1lth, and we carried
it directly to tie barn floor, where,
With horse power and lion masti-
Gator, it Was cut fine. This machine
brushes the cobs and stalks very
fine which | consider Of great val
ne. Tie corn had some very fine
ears on part Of if,some quits glazed.
The whole went through the cutter,
and no part cali be distinguished as
stalks or cobs.
We began by putting a layer Of
S to II inches OF rye straw cut fine,
then about II to Is inches of green
corn, lli,n another layer of straw,
and then again corn and so on until
the whole pit was filled, and the
last layer OF straw stood one foot
above the floor Of the burn. This
gave fully 8 feet OF cut fodder and
straw. We pressed it only by step
ping on it while spreading it even
ly, and sailing, which we did to
every lawer OF straw, except the
three top ones. 10 fill this took
tie crop Of two aces OF ground in
corn, and We safely count Oh one
quarter OF it as straw. After filling
We covered it with hemlock boards
and then piled stones about Is in
ches in depth over the whole. THIS
weight has settled the whole mass
dom to . feet in thickness, and it
is quite solid aud compact, About
free inches of the Top immedlatel,
uncer the boards it is too black and
rnten for use, but under that, al
t ough emitting a very strong alcO-
h)lic smell and showing a temperI-
tue OF 7Odeg.. while the outside
Temperature was 2Sdeg., the food
and straw are quite sofr, full OF
juice and Of nj brown-gre-n cOlors.
some what like med rhubarb.
Now as to results. l have no
means 10 weigi' cubic foot of this
ems leg, AID Will raNe the weight
given by other writer. Oh this sub
feet, sa, 30 pounds to the cubic
foot. This weight, bclieve,is ex
a.erated. Jur as have not had as
yet an opportunity to test this
point. Twill admit it. The inside
mea uremenf OF mass of ensilsge is
1JOy "a by 8 feet. or 1920 cubic
feei. 10000 pounds, or 30 tons.
O.e quarter is straw and leaves for
the corr crop OF : acres Of ground
y l-2 ions. Add to this 10 per
cent. Tor Joss OF moisture, which is
about tight, and we have for a very
lair crop OF io4der corn IL | z tons