Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-05-20
ruE sELo ON WEST VIRGINIA
PARMA -

districts Of West Virginia, an observer
Is struck with the general lack Of tact
in utilizing the resources oftheir lands.
This Is specially manifest as regards
timber and corn-fodder. There Is sim
ful waste and destruction of the former
and a want of appreciation Of the value
of latter and of both. On almost
every form good timber Is being wasted
or burned and the remains Of q field OF
corn Is being left to rot as II it were ofno
value.
1t Is of this waste of corn fodder that
we desire to refer. Farmers recognize
that there is no more valuable food for
cows, when it is green, than corn fodder,
and none which cattle relish so much.
Certainly, therefore, if the many extern
sive fields of this fodder which is
left to waste every fall could be preserv-
ed in a state that would make it nour-
ishing and grateful to cattle, the value
of our corn crop would be increased one
third, and great saving of food would
be the result.
That fodder can be preserved fresh
and palatable to cattle throughout the
winter, aid every particle of the stock
be made susceptible Of mastieatien, is
now no longer mere experiment but
an established fact, which the intelli-
gent and practical farmer is putting to
good use.
This is done by storing the fodder or
other food in what are termed "silos,"
or water-tight pits, under a heavy pres
sure, which to a certain extent excludes
the air, and Is much after the fashion OF
making saur-kraut. In this form green
crops are found not to rot, but are pre-
served fresh and sweet, and retain all
their nutritive juices for n year or more,
and when offered to cattlein the winter
are preferred to dry food.
1t is not surprising that this discovery
only few years old has produced
sensation among farmers and cattle
feeders in this country, and that there
is exhibited keen desire to know all
about it; for not only can a great deal
more OF weight, in green food than dry,
be raised on an acre, but ''silos" possess
the advantage of supplying cattle with
suceulent summer feed in the winter,
just as We preserve our summer fruits
for winter consumption.
Another green crop that stock are
fond of when in growing state is good
material for the silos-grass, clover, rye,
Young corn, sorghum and vegetables;
but corn, clover and the grasses are mos
generally used, because when growing
they are full of juice, which is lost in
curing into hay or fodder, but preserved
in the Flo.
Several kinds of green crops may be
packed in the same silO, and the ensi-
lage is said to be improved by the Va
riety. Com, either drilled or cultivated
or sown broadcast, and cut in its most
Juicy condition, is the basis of most en-
silage experiments in this country. As
it is estimated that ten to twenty tons
weight of green crops may be cut from
an acre of good soil-five to ten times as
much as the weight of dry crop of
grain or hay-it is easy to see how much
more profitable it is to save green crops
than to allow them to mature and dry.
Col. j. w. WOLCOTT, of Boston, who
owns farm near that city, raised 46O
tons of ensilagc on 81 acres-being IA
tons to the acre-last year. By raising
two crops on the same soil he has gath
cred as much As q tons per acre. On
one piece Of ground he gathered 81 tons
per acre, but "that corn was fourteen
feet high" he says. He adds: 81 am
satisfied that an acre of ground will
keep COW twcnty-four months"
Mr.. S. 5. SPENCER, whose model farm
and dairy is in near proximity to the
western suburbs of the city of Lancas-
ter, thoroughly tested the silo last year,
and in every respect the results were
satisfactory-indeed, more than realiz-
ing all he anticipated. His cattle con-
sumed every shred of its contents, and
looked, and longed for more; and this
year his silo will be increased, at least
ten-fold. He considers that there is no
risk whatever in it, if the silo isproperly
constructed and intelligently manipu-
lated. But this is not all; his cattle
thrived upon it, and produced more and
better milk, cream and butter than on
any other kind of food.
With such results as these our West
Virginia farmers should not be slow In
investigating and adopting the silo plan.
1t is destined to become in stock feed
ing what the business of canning fruits,
(Sc., is to the table supply during the
winter season.