Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-12-06
Mr.. JamesOn's SilO.

M. Editor The evidence of the pos
sible preservation of corn fodder in silos in
green condition was so conclusive that Ar
thur and last winter got ut the timber to
make wooden one. Weplanned twelve by
twenty-four and fifteen feet deep, but as
many farmers wrote that they only had
their silo half full, we changed the area to
twelve by twelve feet, which was a very
good change in every respect We planted
two and half acres of fodder corn of sew
eral varieties. The common southern or
western corn, such as is sold at all our de-
pot towns, gives very satisfactory growth.
We gave the land light dressing of barn
yard manure after blowing, then narrowed,
then marked with four-toothed marker
rows thirty inches apart. In these we
strewed ashes, then strewed corn so there
was from four to eight or ten kernels to the
foot. The first half of the piece we covered
with the plank smoother; the last half with
hoes. We finished it June 9th, although
we put in half bushel more seed with
Hoag's corn-planter, and we think now that
the planter is good thing for that work.
The piece was cultivated four times, but
not hoed. 1t gave good crop. Half an
acre was fed green in August and Septem-
Der. We had all the work we could spring
to all summer, and could not begin the
silo until September lst. You know, Doc
tor, that | am not one of those fancy farm
ers with other sources for obtaining money,
but rather am obliged to wait till | can get
the money by farming before can spend it,
and then spend it with respect to my cred
itors' interests. could not afford to make
this experiment for curiosity, but made the
silo so as to winter more cattle and sheep
than otherwise could. Well, September
LIST we began to dig the pit, which was to
be eight feet deep below the surface. All
the carpenters were busy, but, providen-
TALLY, my neighbor, Mr.. Haynes, is good
carpenter and an enthusiastic believer in
silos, 80 he left his work and came to put
up my building. 1t is very strong, with a
good frame and roof, sixteen feet from the
bottom TO the caves. The inside is of
matched boards, the outside of common
lumber between the studs is dry sawdust
earth is banked up outside My notes read
as follows September 18th, finished shin
Cling and celed up inside; Arthur went
after the cutter. September 18th, cut from
eleven A. NJ. to five P NJ. September l4th, cut
from ten to five P. NJ, two men and boy
for help. September 18th, cut from one to
five. September 18th, cut from half-past
seven to twelve and was done, as the horse
power must be taken home. I used No.
10 Baldwin cutter and one of A. W. Gray &
Sons one-horse powers Two and half
acres in the silo, and eleven and half feet
deep, estimated at thirty tons. We put in
half an acre from another field, where the
good crop of ears was in the milk. The
bills were Horse power, horse, and man
TO feed the cutter, $780, cutting up the
corn, 50; spreading and treading, 80 SO;
use of cutter, 81 total, $l3 50. Arthur
drew it all with one horse and horse-cart,
and drew his loads in from eight to twelve
minutes every time. / passed up the corn
TO the cutter. l might justly praise every
man Of my crew, as they worked admirably.
September 18th, put weight on silo, about
twenty-five barrels of earth upon the plank
cover. 1t settled until it was only eight
feet deep. We changed our estimate to
twenty-five tons. The corn fodder rested
under its weight until November 18th,
when we shoveled out the earth, took up a