Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-05-18

- ekNslez.
XA;z noxd. Mhie1 ! only : isw
xsess oId grows onk ii ia diacovarv
81 : tEaneh1aa. AnQnake Gok
kAfk tAas green crops when stored ID
sFstkF.s sssht pits eiled siiQa. undar q
ns%xf nzesn!e 20 act foE. huk ars
pkssefxed fresh and 6woek and fetsin
ALI their puEfitive Juices for rens.
QF moka: and that. when offered L,
Na'4le IN this e1nditipn IN the minfer
are preferred 70 any dry loca. II IT.
n6t serpxiaine tbat me dlseopery made
ssssetion &lnong Slrnefs and cattIes
les',s ,sfs g this seonnffY and tisnt there II
aea Hzs = knoW ~
more in weight 81 green food than drv
be raised on an acre. but ensilaze pos
sesses the advantage Of supplying cat
tie with snceulent summer food in the
winter-an advantage Of great value
to mich cows.
Any green crop that stock are fond
of when in growing State is good
material for ensilage grass, clover,
rye, young corn. sorghum and vege-
tables; but. corn, clover aud the
grasses are most generally used. be-
cause when growing they are full of
juice, which is lost in curing hay or
fodder, but preserved in the silo.
Several kinds of green crops may be
packed IN the same silo, and the en-
sIlage Is said to be improved by the
variety. Corn, either drilled and cnl-
tivated o. sown broadcast, and in It's
most juicy condition, is the basis Of
most ensilage experiments. in this
country; it may be packed in the
same silo with clover or grass Of any
kind cut green, and successive crops
Of corn may be planted for mixture
with different kinds Of grasses in their
season. As it is estimated that ten to
twenty tons weight Of green crops
may be cut from an acre Of good soil
1--WE to ten times as much as the
weight Of dry crop Of grain or hsy
lit is easy to see how much more
| profitable it is to save green crops in
the form Of ensilage than to allow
| them to mature and dry.
| Mr.. j. w. Wolcott, of Boston, who
owns farm near that city. raised 400
tons of ensilage on thirty-four acres
being fourteen tons to the acre
last year. By raising two crops on
| the same soil. he has gathered az much
as twenty-one tons per acre. On one
piece of ground he gathered thirty
one tons per scre, but that corn was
fourteen feet high he says. He adds.
tT am satisfied that an acre Of ground
Twill keep a cow twenty four months. .
i When the silo is opened in winter
the contents are found ID . sort 81
cheesy condition. and require to be
sliced off with sharp axe. They
have undergone slow and slight fer
mentation which does not impair their
merits as feed and not offensive to cat
tie. Indeed. the first smell OF ensi.
lage il said to "set cattle wild for It.
and they prefer it to any other kind
Of feed.
Silos areyariously constructed. This
usual plan is to dig pits ten feet wide
fifteen feet deep. and as long as MAJ
be desired, on slo- ing ground, ane
: make them water-tight with cement
Mr.. G. w. Mills. Of Pompton, N. j.
Z | prefers to build q strong frame, board
: ed up tight and close with thick lum
! Der, entirely above the ground, some
! thing In the fashion Of an ice-hous.
The green crops may be packed int
, them, either whole or cut up with
. cutter: each plan has its advocates
) though the weight of opinion is in IA
vor Of cutting. a. II allows of close
packing. As the crops are thrown il
: they are troddan down as closely nea
b the edges as possible. and when th
9 silo Is full it is covered and weighte'
:. with heavy rocks or earth; and the
q shielded over 10 protect il from tn
a weather. In few weeks the ensil
I age Is eripe, aud ready for use.
al One end Of the silo, if built alon
z the ground, may be opened and th
ensilage cut ont and fed asitis wanted
It's quality WIN depend on the crop
Of which It is made and the care wit
which it is packed away. Nearly a
q enirnals viii cat it; cattle ike il an
7 thrive on It; and for mich cows it
8 particularly valuable, Is It increaes
: their howsof milk and keeps them !
Q = cheerful. healthy condition. Nj
7 soari Reps1licnn.