Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-10-13
AsItIClI.Gt RAJ.
Silos ana hing % In
teIcst 10 all EarMlcr..

'i5iiuSc pTDiltlli, hliu any lHlpi llldtlDH Ill
regard to it will no doubt he gladly re-
ceived. The Department of Agriculture
has at last taken the matter in hand, and
the result is before iis. 1t was put in
charge Of Mr., ID. VI. Ncsbit, vino at
once proceeded to make practical inves;i-
CATION. The gentleman addressed letters
to well-known specialists, living i'll Is diff
ferent States, and also in Canada. pro-
pounding questions to be answered, and
inviting free discussion of all points Of
interest The questions embraced
]. Location Of silo with reference to
feeding rooms.
=. Form of silo
Z. Dimensions of silu
4. Walls Of silo- material AMI con-
struction.
8. Cover.
6. Weight materials used for, amount
required, and how applied.
I. Cost of silo
s. Crops used forensiage.
9. Method of planting and cultivation.
10. Stage Of development ut which fod-
der is most valuable for ensilagc.
II. Weight of fodder produced per
acre.
II. Kind uf corn best for rnsiiage.
13. Value of sweet corn It's compared
with field varieties.
II. Preparation of fodder for silo --.
machinery used.
10. Filling the sllo.
Ii. Cost Of filling per ton of fodder
put i'll.
II. Lapse of time before opening the
silo
Is. Condition Of ensilHgc when opened
~. Deterioration, ii any, after OPEN
ing.
20. Value of ensiagc ior milch COWS.
II. Effects OF cnsilage ON dairy pro-
ducts.
-. Value of cnsiage for other stock.
%. Quantity consumed per head
"a. Method OF feeding alone, on with
other food.
%. Condition OF stock fed on tn9ilage,
both ms to gain or loss Of weight. and
health.
%. Profitablenrss of rnsiluge all
things considered.
The answers were all satisfactory, and
showed carefulness in preparation, and
may be relied upon. OF course, ii Is I'M
possible to give in full the letters in
these columns, but n summary has been
prepared by the Department, which will
give an idea to those interested OF the
value and protitublcncss of II fair trial of
the slo. The summary is appended, the
answers being numbered to conform tu
the questions asked
| |. \ few have been built at Il distance
from the stables. but generally the slos
are located with reference to convenience
/ i'll feeding, III, under OF adjacent to the
feeding rooms. Local considerations will
determine whether the silos should be be-
low the surface or above, or partly above
and partly below. This is not essential.
Where the stables are in the basement OF
"a bank barn, the bottom of the silo may
be on tae same level, or few feet below,
and the top even with the upper floor.
This arrangement combines the greatest
facilities for filling, weighing and feed
ing.
. With rare exceptions the silos de.
scribed show IL rectpgonnl horizontal sec
| tion, few have the CORNERS cut oil, and
one is octagonal The cylindrical form
seems To have obvious advantages. II
under ground, cylindrical wall is self
supporting against outside pressure. and
may be much lighter than would be safe
in any other form. Ii OF wood and nhov,
ground, the walls may he stayed with
irod bands. In any case, for a given ca
pacity the cylindrical form requires tn,
least possible amount oi wall \ given
weight of ensiiage i'll II deep silu requires
less eXtraneous pressure and exposes
less surface to the air than IT would in Il
shallow silo. For these reasons dtpH
is important. Ii too deep there i, dan
ger of expressing juice from the ensilagt
at the bottom. Where the rnsiage is cul
down i'll II vertical section for feeding, 4
narrow silo has the advantage Of expos.
ing little surface to the air.
>. The silos reported vary i'll capacity
from 364 to 10, 200 cubic feet. Ii entire
lyfull of compressed cnslagc the smf IL
est would hold 81 and the largest Isl
tons, estimating 80 pounds to the cubic
foot. Practically, the capacity of Il slo
is less to the extent that the ensilngc set
ties under pressure. This should not eX'
ceed one-fourth, though III shallow silus
or those filled rapidly and with littl,
treading, it is likely to be much more. \
temporary curb is sometimes added to the
silo proper So that the latter may hr iul
when the settling ceases.
4. For walls under ground. stone
brick, and concrete are used The choice
in any case may safely depend ON thu
cost In firm soils that do not hecom,
saturated with water, walls are not essen
tial to the preservation of ensllago
Above ground, two thickuesses OF incl
boards, with shcathing paper between
(the latter said, by some, to be unnccos
sary) seem to be sufficient, ii supporie,
against lateral pressure from the onsil
age.
3. A layer OF straw or hay will serve il
some measure to exclude air, Lut is no
necessary. Generally boards or plank
are placed directly on the cnsilage. Tn
cover is sometimes made i'll sections q
two feet or more WIDE ottener cacl
plank is separate. The cover is general
, ly put on transverscly, hayingm view tn
uncovering oi part of the silo while tn
weight remains on the rest. RougI
boards, with uo attempt Of matching
have been used successfully. A lttl
! space should be allowed between tn
: walls and cover, that there may be M III
reference as the settling progresses.
=, g. Any heavy material may he used
, The amount required depends on variou
|, conditions. 1t Will be noticed that prac
! tices anu opinions differ widely. The oil
= ject is always to make the ensilage com
= pact, and thereby leave little room fo
. mir, ON which depend fermentation an
> decay. In deep Silo the greater part
sufficiently compressed by II few feet ,
', ensilage ut the top, 50 that there Is sma
= percentage Of waste, even when II
!, weight is applied above the ensilag,
u Screws are used by some instead {
" weights. The objection to them is thf
:, they are not selfactiug like gravity,
, I. The cost Of silos, per ton oi capi
. city varies from 81 to 50, for walls {
y heavy masonry and supcrstructures {
" elaborate finish, and 30 cents or less (,
tla o;,,,,lout ,,,nlnn u,lnu Earth s,lp