Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-03-16
Practical EnsiIage.

ence with a silo, sent to him by
Mr.. b, 4. Ayery,a progressive far
mer, who keeps 100 cows, OF which
a5Ont 50 are constantly in milk -
Prot. Z. ". Stewart The in
terest you have always manifested
in everything thar pertains to agri-
culture. and especially the friend
ship you have shown toward me,
prompts me at this time to write
you in relation to an enterprise l
entered INTO last Summer with
not a word Of encouragement from
any farmer, and with not a few
sneers and almost universal prophe-
sizes OF a complete failure from the
whole community, except from my
friend and neighbor in Syracuse,
Hon. Daniel Bookstaver, who gave
me tic benefit of his reading and
thinking On the subject, and con-
siderable amount of supervision at
ter the work Gas in progress.
l constructed a silo for ensilage,
following as nearly as l could the
instructions as given in the book
written by Mr.. GOfert. The silo
$50 feet long, y feet deep and II
feet wide, with a second silo on the
side ofthis 30xl2x12. l had pre-.
pared specially for this purpose be-
tween II and y acres of fodder
corn, drilled, which was very thrift
ty, reaching, on an average. about
y feet high and very thick on the
ground. On the Sd of September l
commenced cutting the corn with
one team, and hauling it a distance
Of about so rods to the Silo, where l
had a stationary steam engine and
two Daniels cutters so arranged
that il took SIX teams constantly to
supply material to the two machines
with two men at each. The stalks
We're cut, on an average, into about
halt-inch pieces, and dropped into
tie siio, and then spread over the
surface as evenly as possible. The
lengths were tramped down by men
and boys the first day; but, fearing
that it was not sufficiently packed,
at the suggestion of my friend ! put
pair Of mules in the pit aud kept
them constantly treading and pack
ing tie corn as it was spread. until
the work was done in an entirely
satisfactory manner, the close sides
and ends where the mules turned
having cen trodden down by men
as well as it could be done.
After tie siIo was filed l covered
with planks and weighted the COW
ering heavily with large boulders as
the most convenient source Of pres
sure then obtainable. Some wise
men, achO think they kno,o al
about farming. gave me 10 days
some, more charitable. gave me 30
days, to see it all rotted and fit fOl
the manure heap. as they said
But Bookslaver, noticing the pit
weekly, was still more and more
confident Of success, and / mus
say never fer a moment from tn,
day the silo vas filed until it wa,
opened by,.me, on the 1st of De
cember. did he doubt its perfec
success. lie always answered ev
cry objection which was thrown a
nc whit has succeeded il
France; il will succeed here.
Son elody must have nerve ant
enterprise 10 try it, and you are tn
man 10 do it, You will succeed.
Now for results On the LIST o
December last l opened the sill
and menccd feeding my COW
and horses. The food was fresh
green. with only slight alcohol
smell, end all my stock ate It a
once with tie greatest ayidity, an
seemed TO grow more fond Of il III
longer they ate Of it. There j
none wasted. ard all my cows hay
averaged oyer q Quart Of milk moi
per day since the food was give
them, after the third day. and
am still looking for even . bette
yield. The cattle do excellent
well on it, and l am well repaid Il
the experiment after listening to a
tue croakIngs of those who dare nc
step from the beaten path, and
can now laugh to a good purpOI
VIXEN ] see the increase of milk
my heard Of so cows and witnel
their enjoy ment ollie food whit
I bor,o al f.rner's coUs in a e.