The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-08-01
The Silo for the PouItry Breeder.
Philadelphia Record


The silO has been found TO be an import.
ant adjunct 70 the dairy, and several years
trial of that method OF preserving green
food has demonstrated that no substitute in
the shape OF dry food can compensate for the
green succulent matter furnished by the silO
at period of the year when such food esn
not be procured in any othe, manner. But
il cattle need green food in winter the nec.s-
ity is even greater with poultry, for cattle
can at least eIiDy hay With their grain a.
kovance, while poultry must either be con
fined to grain alone or be provided with
green food under difficulties
The food intended for poultry must be OF a
different character from that deslred for
other stock. and bUt little expense need be
incurred in storing up quantity OF green
food sufficient to carry iIJck through the
winter, literally supplied with all tlsev may
desire. With this object in view an exPe-
Tienced poultry breeder procured a IN 1iasses
keg, which ne made rs strong ss possible
WIN a lew additional hoops and placed u
inside OF bogsheAd, fist plscing a few
inches of sawdust under the bottom OF the
key and packing the sDlce around the keg
material. This being placed in the cellar,
with top To the keg, which settled down in
TO IL as the material was removed for use, and
upon which top rested . weight, completely
protected the cneilsge from changes OF tenn
peTaiure and access of air
In order to ill the silo ii it may be called
such, green food was grown for the purposs
and cut when very succuient A great variety
of vegetables may be used for the purpose,
such as mustard, kale, rsdishes, spinach,
tErDips and even peas, the tops only being
selected; also, grass. such as red or white
clover and young millet, as we'll az the kinds
grown on lawns; but the grass is best when
cut before it begins to seed. Oats and rye,
thiekly soWn and cat when six inches high,
also snswer we'll After cutting the material
il should be chopped into as short lengths a.
possible, not only TO enable IL to be fed 70
the best advantage. but also TO assist in pack
ing 1t closely in the silo. When packing il
the principal object should be 10 press IL as
firmly as possible. not only by tramping It,
bat by rammiDg il with a maui or some other
heavy instrument IL vail surprise a movies
to see low large a quantity OF material will
he cd for so small q RECEIPT 3cle as a key
especially If the pressure is perfectly applied
and the work well done.
AS 10 the fermeutation of the mass, which
gives 50 much difficulty with the use Of the
ordinary siio. il may be stated that unlike
cattle, poultry will reject the fool entirely
il il Is ftrmented or sour. but this difliculty
may be avoided By burning little sulphu,
in the keg from time to time as tue matsria
is placed in, especially before it is pressed
down, and the Oftener the sulphur is burned
the better. The top of the key should be O,
when SO doing in order TO co1iine the sui
phur fumes, which are not Guly heavy anC
sink, bat are absorbed by the material an
moisture. It entirely prevents fermentation
HnSer any conditioos.
While il may require additioasllabor tC
hay in store supply of green food for feed
ing TO poultry IN the winter, the high pfic 8
usually obtained for eggs during that sesslr
should in5nce ell who desire to make p0ul
try profitable to try the experiment. AS i
has been the object here to give a chesi
method for preserving green food, those va.
prefer TO keep larger quantities can use tai
ordinary si.o for that purpose.