The Portland daily press., 1882-04-11
AGRICULTURAL.
Preserving Fodder by Ensilage.
[By Henry Reynolds, NJ. d.

ET6S6IVluk rOoQSI ny hQ6lkdH0.
[By Henry Reynolds, Md
The preservation of green fodder by the
method known as ensilage has attracted
much attention from farmers. During the
past six years the process has been on trial
In this country and during the past two or
three years large number of silos have been
built for the preservation of green fodder.
The experience gained has been sufficient
to establish the fact that green fodder can
be preserved by the ensilage process il such
a condition as to be readily eaten by farm
stock. The strongest claims made in favor
of the process by some of those who early
adopted it, have not been established and
1t was not expected that they would be.
There are always enthusiasts who take hold
of "new things and make extravagant
claims in their favor which are never real
lied. Such persons donot promote, by their
course, the welfare of the cause they espouse,
but on the contrary deter more cautious per-
sons from engaging in it and thus hinder
by their excess of zeal its general adoption.
Thus it has been as regards the ensilage pro-
cess. The results attained however by
quite large number of experimenters in
different parts of the country show that the
ensilage process is valuable addition to the
available means of our farmers for the
preservation of fodder for the use OF farm
stock. As such it seems likely to remain
permanently In use.
Recently convention of farmers who
had practically tested the ensilage process was
held in New York and the results of their
several experiences were compared. From
the account given, it appears that several
methods of preserving fodder in ensilage
have been practised and success attained by
oil. Some build the siols for the reception of
the fodder in the ground with walls of
masonry: others make the sides of wood
building them in the barn; and others simply
excavate pit in the earth, filed it with
fodder, and covered with earth. Most of
them cut the fodder finely about three
eghths of an inch in length but one or two
preferred toput the fodder in uncut.
There seemed to be marked unanimity
on the part of those present in praise of the
process. Orlando B. Patten of New York
who was the first in this country to adopt
the ensilage system on large scale, gave the
results of his experiences in the preservation
of all kinds of green fodder. He thought
however, that red clover was in most respects
the best crop for ensilage because it settles
in the most compact mass and fayors the
complete exclusion of the air. He believed
that the best part of the crop of clover is lost
by curing or dying. He had tried all kinds
of corn but was decidedly prejudiced in ia
vor of the mammoth sweet corn. He called
attention to the fact that it costs less to cut
and preserve fodder by ensilage than it does to
cut and cure the same. he estimated that
clover could be cut and preserved by ensil
age for what it would cost to cut and cure
1t for hay and would be vastly superior to
the hay.
j. w. Wolcott of Canton, Mass, said that
last year he raised "a acres of ensilage crops
which averaged about Is tons per acre. The
cost of the crop including manure, labor and
everything was 1886 per ton. He believed
that one acre of corn would furnish enough
fodder to e COW two years. He would OBJ
tain two crops from the acre in one season.
A letter from E. NJ. Washburne of Lenox,
Mass, stated that his silo holding 375 tons
cost $3.50, much less amount than barn
holding the same amount would cost.
G. W. Smith of Pompton, N. J., describes
his new method of ensilage which dispenses
with the costly pits built of stone and brick.
He claimed there shall be wooden frame,
not necessarily air tight, to prevent the
spread of ensilage crop when the weight is
placed on the top. He usually applies 800
pounds to the square foot, and claims that
the pressure is sufficient to keep air out
and the product is kept even better than
in silos. In reply to this theory, Mr.. Potter
said that his experience was that it is useless
TO have silos h lit above ground, That part
of the crop contained in the part above
ground was found spoiled on several occa-
sions. He had found that the best weight
on the silo is earth. Even if the earth
touched the crop the action would be entire.
en- settling and thus keep theJmass compact.
He built his silos SO that they were air tight
and had given little attention to the matter
of weight. He made an experiment with
ffty-six COWS which when fed on ensilage
food thrived better and gave more and better
milk than when they were fed in good pas
ture. A resolution was adopted declaring
that six years successful use has proved that
the ensilage system is of great advantage to
the farmer.
In view of the results attained by the en-
silage process there can be little doubt that
1t is to prove a valuable addition to the avail
able means for the preservation of fodder for
farm stock. 1t is not likely to supersede 9TH
or means, as, for instance, the usual process
ofcuring grasses for hay. Most of the grasses
are easily cured and that method is likely to
be continued, although occasionally when the
weather is wet for a long time, interfering
with the curing process, ensilage may be re-
sorted to for the preservation of gr asses.
The curing of clover is a more difficult mat
ter and the ensilage system seems likely to
come into favor for that purpose. The cur
ing of corn fodder is tedious process by the
old method and this has been a serious OBJ
stacle to its general cultivation for cattle
food. By the aid of the ensilage process any
quantity desired can readily be preserved
and this advantage is likely to be improved