The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-02-23
ENSILAGE EXPERIMENT
At the International Cotton Exposi'
tion, Atlanta.

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The farmers of the cotton states
owe a debt of gratitude to the man
agement of the International Cot
ton Exposition for the public spirit
which they displayed in conduc
ting, for the information Of the
thousands of farmers who visited
the Exposition, practical expert
ment in the preservation of green
food in silos. The silos were con
struc ed under the immediate direc-
ton of DR.. j. NJ. Bailey, of Billerica,
Mass. the great apostle of ensilage
in this country. One was intended
to represent q model silo, having
walls of brick, and both sides and
walls having a good coating FLOW
ards hydraulic cement. The other
was constructed on the cheapest
possible plan, having the walls of
clay only cemented.
Each silo had capacity Of TWEEN
ty five tons, but only about twenty
tons were put into each.
Quite variety of forage was used
in these silos, including fodder corn,
sorghum, peavines and sweet pota
to vines, all Of which were found in
an excellent state Of preservation
when one of the silos was opened
during the cattle show early in No
vember. Notwithstanding the fact
that fully one week was occupied
in filling this silo, and the further
fact that some of the forage lay in
bulk until considerable heat had
been generated before it was cut,
the preservation was entirely salts
factory, and the ensilage was eaten
with ayidity by cattle, horses and
mules.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
silo was opened during the stock
show, there was but one exhibitor
who would venture to feed the en-
silage to his stock, and he only VEN
tured to give it to one animal that
was not very highly priced. After
the stock exhibit the ensilage
stood unused, and was making a
false impression upon the public !
mind, when, despairing Of a proper !
illustration of the utility of the ex
pertinent on the part of the man
agement, and seeing no little skep-
ticism manifested as to the fitness |
of the ensilage for feeding cattle,
the writer offered to send his own
cattle to be fed on the ensIlage to |
prove its value and the successes of
lo TTho1o oafflo
weighed when put into the stalls,
where they remained six weeks.
during which time they had noth
ing but ensilage, except during the
first few days, when a little corn
meal was used to introduce them
gradually to their novel diet. The
cattle ate the ensilage at once and
grew more fond of it daily. A COW
that was fine beef when the trial be
gan, gained, during the time, (six
weeks) thirty pounds, and a heller
five pounds. The heifer was butch
cred a few days after she was taken
off of the ensilage, and afforded as
The unusual mildness of the winter
has very favorable to the feeding
of ensilage, which is so full of the
juices of the plants that the
cattle fed upon it rarely drank wa
ter although a small quantity of
salt was sprinkled over each feed.
After it was demonstrated that the
"stuf'' would not ''kill CATTLE" there
would have been no difficulty in fill
ing all the stalls.
We regret that the management
did not carry out the original de-
sign of conducting accurate expert
ments by feeding the ensilage alone
and in combination with other feed
stuff. Enough has been estab
lished, however, to demonstrate the
complete success of the plan of pre-
serving green forage in silos for
winter feeding.
The forage was all cut to one
fourth inch lengths by a telegraph
cutter, driven by a Bookwater en-
gine-all furnished gratuitously for
use on the occasion by Messrs.
Mark w. johnson q Co., of Attain
Ia. The work was beautifully done
and the finely cut forage, as it fell
into the silo, seemed only to need
vinegar, pepper and salt, to make
savory salad. If our stock breeders
will consult, their best interests, they
will plant few acres of highly en-
riched land in forage corn and peas
and store up ensilage in abundant
supply for their stock.
1t is not necessary for the sue
cessful preservation of the forage
that the silos be underground. Mr..
Carrot of North Carolina, who has
been raising ensilage for two years,
told us that he had abandoned the
pits and now uses a
close room in his barn above
ground on account of the greater
of feeding.
There is neither mystery or diff
Guilty connected with the storage of
ensilage-the principle is an old and
very simple one and its practical
most easy and natural.
1t will pay family to put up en-
silage if only one COW is kept
I Soutdern World.