The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-04-19
EnsIage and Its Preparation.
lMIssouri Republican. /


This word, which is only few years old,
grows out of the discovery made by a
Frenchman, Auguste GOffart that green
crops, when stored in water-tight pits called
silOs, under heavy pressure, do not rot, but
are preserved fresh and sweet, and retain all
their nutritive juices for a year or more, and
that when offered to cattle in this condition
lie the winter are preferred to any dry food.
1t is not surprising that this discovery
made a sensation among farmers and
Gait e-feeders in this country, and that there
is exhibited keen desire to know all about
1t; for not only can a great deal more in
weight of green food than dry be raised on
an acre, but ensilage possesses the adyan-
tage of supplying cattle with succulent sum-
mer feed in the winter-an advantage of
great vslne To mich cattle. ANY green crop
that stock are fond of when in growing
state is good material for ensilage-grass,
clover. rye. young corn, sorghum and yeget.
ables; but corn, clover and grasses are most
generally used, because when growing they
are full of juice, which is lost in curing into
hay or fodder, but preserved in the silO
Several kinds of green crops may be packed
in the same silo, and the ensilage is said
to be improved by the variety. Corn,
either drilled and cultivated or sown
broadcast, and cut in its most juicy
condition, is the basis of most ensiage ex-
periments In this country; il 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 il is es-
timated that ten TO twenty tons weight of
green crops may be cut from an acre OF good
soil-hve 10 ten times as much as the weight
OF dry crop of grain or hay-it is easy to
see how much more profitable il is to save
green crops in the form of ensilage than to
allow them to mature and dry. Colonel ].
w. Wolcott. of Boston, who owns a farm
near that city, raised $50 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 as much as TWEEN
ty-one tons per acre On one piece of ground
he gathered thiTty-One tons per acre but
that corn was fourteen feet high" he saws.
He adds: 81 am satisfied that an acre of
ground will keep a COW twenty-four
months"
When the silo is opened in winter the con-
tents are iOnnd In 2 sort of cheesy condi-
ton. and are required TO be sliced off with
sharp AK. Tbey have undergone a slow
and slight fermentation, which does not i'm
pair their merits as feed and is not offensive
I'D cattle. Indeed, the first smell of en-
silage is said TO 'set cattle wild for it." and
thew prefer il to any other kind of feed.
Silos are variously constructed. The
usual plan Is 10 org pltS ten feet wide, fifteen
feet deep, and as long as may be desired, on
sloping ground, and make them water-tight
with cement. Mr.. c. w. Mills, of Pompton,
\. j., prefers to build a strong frame,
bearded up tight and close with thick lum-
Der, entirely above the ground, something
in the fashion of an ice house. The green
crops may be packed into them, either
whole or cut up with a cutter: each plan
has its advocates, though the weight OF
opinion is in favor of cutting, as it allows of
closest packing. As the crops are thrown in
they are trOdden down "a closely near the
edges as possible, and VIII N the silo is full
it Is covered and weighted with heavy rocks
or earth, and then shielded over to protect il
from the weather. la few weeks the en-
silage is ripe" and ready for use. One end
of the silO. II built alORg the ground. may be
opened and the ensilage cut out and fed &c
il is wanted. Its quality will depend on the
CROPS CT which it is made and the care with
which Il is packed away. Nearly all ami
mails viii eat il; cattle like it and thrive on
il; and Cor milch cows it is particularly
valuable, as it increases their fosV of milk
and keeps them in cheerful, healthy con-
diuon.