Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-06-21
Col. sprague's siIO and Ensilage.

At the dairymen's meeting at Rutland
last winter. Col. n. t. Sprague OF Bran
don, the president of the American agri'
cultural association. and for a long time
senior vice president of our state dairy
mems association, spoke on the ensilage
question, and gave the results obtained at
his farm in raising the fodder and in its
feeding. At that time his statements OF
the quantity raised and the amount of stock !
kept were considered by many to be ex
travagant. OF course none cushioned Col.
Sprague's veracity. but thought that like
many other men of wealth who have to
trust their work in such matters to others,
that he was deceived In the facts, or that
there we're some collateral matters which
did not appear. Being in Brandon lately
we visited his silo. and got the facts from
Col. Sprague. which we give.
This silo is built in one of the bays of
the barn, going four feet below the bottom
of the barn cellar. and is so feet long. 10
feet wide and is 20 feet deep. II is sub
siantially built of brick and cement, exoep
that the upper four feet are boarded up, Us
the enslage settles below that to the soid
masonry. He planted four and hal
acres of southern ensilage corn, in row
three feet apart and drops from % to g.
kernals to the foot in the row, This yielc
cd him. by measurement. 81 tons per ACRE
or in round numbers 1876 to 140 tons &
ensilage. which cost him in the silo,
expense reckoned except the interest O.
land, one dollar fifty cents and four mi
per ton. On this he put 81 head Of cattl'
In the fall Che could not give the exac
date when they began feeding), &c milcl
COWS and young cattle, which were fec
ON II till Jan. 10Th whom one three-year>-
old WAS sold, and the balance till the l9tl
of April when then breakfast took the las
of 1t. During this time none of them hao
hay except that by mistake of a new man
on the place they were fed hay once, SO
the ensilage constituted their "coarSo fod-
der" In addition to the ensiage, the
COWS had each two quarts per day of barley
meal, ground from understandable barley,
weighing 40 lbs to the bushe instead of
4S as it should, and the young cattle had
one quart each per day This was all and
entire the feed they had up to date given.
We believe this puts the matter so plainly
that there can be no misunderstanding
concerning it though the result is remark.
able. Col. S. said the cattle drank very
little water during the winter some days
not going to the trough at all. The COWS
give q good flow of milk during the win
ter, dropped calves of good size, in good
condition, and their general health and
condition was good They are now doing
well-never better.
Col. Sprague purposes putting in this
spring for this silo ten acres of corn and
will build two more silos on other farm!
he owns. and will put in twelve acres fol
these. In preparing the land for this
greensward is turned over in the fall
thoroughly cultivated by a wheel harrow
in the spring marked in 3-feot rows. anC
puts about $50 lbs. of phosphate per aero
in the drill, which is all the fertilizer used
The seed is put in as before stated Che
phosphate having been covered half al
inch deep as nearly as possble), and wher
the corn is three or four inches high, run
cultivator through it, and about week
after runs through steel shovel pillow
which completes the cultivation. The corn
is cut and ensiled when the tassels are il
the blow, which he considers The hes
time.
lie says he shall be able to raise an,
prepare his ensilage this year at II savint
of at Least 80 cen per ton. We sDoulC
have said that he fed his cows three time
a day, giving IS lbs. at feed, or 81 lbs,
and his young stock So lbs. per day. Col
Sprague has sone fine Jorseys-iour G
which arc imported, and is changing hi
herd TO that breed.
We have given this statement at lenstl
and in particulars. rs VIC said before, be
cause the results announced by Coz
Sprague at the meeting were so sharp
criticised, and the idea suggested th'
there must be something left untold
Is unnecessary to add that his confidenc
IN ensilage is entire, and his expectation
Of It's success and value are most sanguint