Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-07-03
agricultural Department.
ENSILAGE IN AMERICA.

| LOON IHe more INTEREST III visiting
The extensive farm of GEORGE A.
Pierce, of. Stanstead, Province of |
Quebec, but short distance from
Derby Line, Vermont. Mr.. Pierce |
is a full convert to the value and |
economy Of ensilage for feeding COWS,
having erected and filled a silo last
season. In answer to my inquiries
concerning thenew system, Mr.. Pierce
replied:
81 am deeply interested in the sys-
TEN of ensilage. / am it's Jealous adj
vocate, and | am fully convinced of
its correctness in principle and prac-
tice. 1t will be pleasure to me to
give you any information in my pow
er on this subject for the benefit of
my brother farmers
''My idea is, replied Mr.. Pierce,
"that farmers want something that
will enable them to get a larger re-
turn from smaller territory than
that they are now compelled to cult
vate. They ought to obtain double
the amount of production from Civ
en- area. | am confident that ensi-
lage will be the sure remedy for these
drawbacks to farming. / shall there
fore, turn a large portion of my til
lage into pasture, and endeavor to
live off smaller area of cultivated
land. / shall be able TO double my
stock, which is now 100 head. Again,
ensilage has succulent principle akin
to that of grass, thereby making a
food for cattle prominently the best
that can be secured the year round.
When l feed COWS upon ensilage, and
they favor me with the same results
as when they are fed upon grass, Civ
ing the same quantity of milk, and just
as rich; making just as good butter
and producing as large an amount
keeping up the usual growth of flesh
and giving tone and vigor to the sys-
TEN, as indicated by the bright color
of the hair,-which is really the put
ting on the finishing touch-what is
the inference?"
''In the spring of 1884," continued
Mr.. Pierce, II bought "a bushels of
Mammoth seed corn and sowed three
fourths of bushel on 21z acres that
[ had richly prepared, putting on six
ty loads of manure to the acre. /
sowed the corn in drills, the kernels
from six to eight inches apart, and
allowed 21a feet between the rows.
This was planted that [ might see
what would be the production, and
make use of it for fall fodder. The
first of September the corn looked
splendidly. l felt certain / should
secure twenty-five tons to the acre.
On an>average it was eleven feet high
some stalks running up to fourteen
feet.
About the middle of September he
began filling the silo. Two men were
employed in cutting the corn in the
field, three teams drawing it to the
barn, two men cutting it up SO of an
inch in length with an ensilage ma
chine and two horses, each having a
boy for a rider, and one man treading
it down. | had large amount of
rowen that | put in with the corn
which made about $50 tons of ensi-
lage. After putting three or four
inches of cut straw on the top, COW
cred the silo over with planks, leav-
ing them apart little, that the air
might be allowed to escape, and then
weighed with stone, say about 155
pounds to the square foot. The 18th
of December | opened the silo and
found the condition of the ensilage
almost perfect. When l gave it to
my cattle they ate it as though they
were perfectly satisfied. From that
time to date, [ have fed my cows and
young stock one ration day. They
have never shown any disposition tC
reject it; on the contrary, they look
for it with much impatience. They
do well upon it, and they will beal
the closest investigation without pro
ducing the least unfavorable opinion
1 feed only hay and ensilage. Tc
ascertain the effect of ensilage fooC
upon mich COWS. l put two to the
test for ten days. At the commence
ment of the trial they were giving Il
pounds of milk a day. At the expi
ration of the time they were giving
20 pounds a day, and apparent.
during the same time increased il
flesh.
"Of course | was satisfied with m,
first trial. I feel elated with my sue
cess, so much so that | will now Civ,
you my programme for the coming
season, and I shall carry it out in ev
cry particular, unless scientific mel
prove to me soon, in the face of m,
own practical experience, that | an
crazed upon the subject of ensilage
| shall raise the height of my presen
silo to the third floor, giving it
depth of twenty-five feet. Opposit
to this, | shall construct in the sam
manner another of the same size a
my present silo. | shall put part
ton wall through the centre of bot
of these, thus making it into four s.
los. | mean to feed ensilage earl
and late, and this is the reason c
my having several silos: | can ope
one at time and in season. Th