Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-02-08

Mr.. EDIToR:-Agreeably to request I
rive you particulars regarding Mr. Chap
mans silo. He first dug some six fee
leep, or until he came TO ledge; began his
wall six feet thick laid in mortar and ce-
ment; went up nine feet with the wall,
when Mr.. Howard proposed cheaper
method by putting % six-inch sill and
studding the same width six feet high,
filed with concrete. The Dimensions are
thirty feet long. fifteen feet wide and fifteen
in depth, covered with half inch spruce
boards full length. The labor performed
by Mr.. Chapman, one hired man and a
pair of horses was not kept account of, but
the money paid out for labor and material,
including cutter. was $40, the cutter
costing $52.
The silo now will be IL permanent
structure. lasting probably longer than
any barn. lie ensiled the product of four
lcres Of fodder oorn-not n heavy crop, as
the dry weather cut short the yield.
The cutting was done with Il two horse
power engine and Baldwin cutter; aver
eyed one acre per day; worked one hand
inside to level off; q boy on horseback die
he tramping. the boy and horse doing the
| work of three men. but it was hard work
| Tor the horse. When done settling the
ensilage was five feet deep. Commence
eeding it eleven weeks tomorrow Cht
24th); gave two feeds per day to the fol
| lowing stock, viz: Ten COWS. eigh,
yearlings, thirty sheep Qarge coarse woody
six hogs and seventy five hens. The ration
for the cows is half bushel per head
with two quarts of corn and cob meal
dry hay feed after the cribs are cleaned o
ensllage; no feed at noon.
The butter yield from nine cows has
averaged fortY.iive pounds per week be-
side the milk and cream used in Il family
of six persons, and the butter is equal tC
good June butter, both in grain and flavor
when tested upon warm bread.
Mr.. Chapman says: Never did &c
as large returns from cows with the same
cost Of feed" His usual feed has beer
four quarts Of corn meal, two quarts o
shorts, one peck of beets or carrots ant
all the good hay they would eat.
The sheep are doing better than wher
fed grain and roots with hay, instead O
ensilage with hay, and the cows arc fail
beef.
He is raising six calves, feeding then
milk and two feeds of ensiage, with al
the hay they will eat They thrive We
without securing.
Mr.. Chapman will haVe ensilagc en0ug'
to last his stock some thirteen week
longer; will also have some twenty-Gv
II thirty tons of hay left. which at prtset
prices will net Sl5 per ton.
Many are asking what win become {
The hay when siios are fully adopted Blu
Friend TnkhAm, You are well aware TIL
40 good farmer will ever lose sleep Owe
90 much hay.
Mr.. Chapman wishes all doGbtcr5. OIL
tut farmers and grumblers about har
times, etc, to pay him visit, inspect tn
stock, silo and ensiuge, manner and tim
OF feeding, results, etc. also test the but
Mir. Haven of Proctorsyille, VT,
feeding nothing but ensllage to miC
cows with this result-they have grow
poor very fast, but give large quantlt
of milk and make fair article of butter
) but could not get up without help had tn
eHalage alone been continued
Now will not the two experiments prov
that ensilage is q valuable addition to on
dry feed, but not profitable to feed alone
would ask you tbis-liavo you an
fears of unIilvorahic results upon the teet
of animals fed upon this sour food?
we can secure the result that III. GolaI
claims of preventing the passage to til
scetic state we will have gained an III,
portant point.
remain yours, etc,
$. S. MAYO.