The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-07-22
SilO and Ensilage.

We think we never saw any subject
more intelligently and concisely dis
cussed than in the following commune
cation on the above-named subject, con-
tributed to the Maine Home Farm by
Daniel Lee of East Nashville, Tenn:
Silo and ensilage are new terms in
the literature and practice of American
agriculture. They are the offspring of
the intensive system of tillage and hus-
bandry so popular and largely developed
in France on small farms. Different
conditions in England and the United
States lead to a different system of
farming. Sir j. B. Lawes is probably
not mistaken in opposing in England
the introduction of the silo and ensil-
age, as likely to be productive of more
loss than profit. 1t is right and proper
to organize from air, water and soil as
much food for man and beast as pos
sible; but fermentation, whether alco-
hOlic, acetic, putrefactive, or any other,
may disorganize, dissolve and waste a
large part of the best elements in a crop,
so that neither blood, meat nor milk
can be extracted.
" 1t is obvious that the conditions of
the silo may change a mass of green
vegetable matter into manure heap
without the COW or other animal shar-
ing in the operation. The reversion of
green corn, clover and grass to their
primitive condition, is natural and al
most unavoidable. But as potatoes,
containing seventy-fve per cent of
water, are kept sound without rotting
or growing in the sunny South the year
round, why may not forage plants,
having about the same amount of water,
with elements of blood in very soluble
and digestible form, be preserved in a
similar manner? Ice is now procured
very easily, and very cheaply, and
holds all fermentation in a quiet state.
1t is safe to say that the most lively
bacteria are harmless in a Maine snow
bank. Agriculture has much to do
with the temperature of common air,
water and soil. Both winters cold and
summers heat are powers of inesti-
mable value. BY utilizing the one we
produce grain, cotton, meat, milk, but
ter and cheese for home and foreign
consumption. Refrigerators and ice
show the value of the other for the
safe keeping of our most perishable
meats and fruits indefinitely
I" Progress in this line suggests that
the intrinsic working value of New
England winters has yet to be devel-
oped. If a deep and large silo filled
with green corn gives rise to an excess
of heat, make the pit smaller, as old
time farmers made small potato heaps
and small heaps of apples to escape
heating, fermenting and rotting. The
preservation of wet or moist organized
substances is mainly question of tenn
perature and of atmospheric humidity.
" The silo of to-day is not unlike the
iron pillow and cooking-stove of the
early part of this century. 1t marks
time to music, and will march forward
with mans experience, study and ele-
walton to a higher plane of life. When
plants contain the most soluble and di-
gestible blood elements, all chemical
change should be arrested till they en-
ter into the organs of digestion and as
similation. Such feed yields the max
imum of perfect blood adapted to the
requirements of bone, brain, muscle
milk and wool.
Much has already been achieved in
the way of preserving food for man and
beast; but far greater achievements
are in sight by the more perfect contro
of heat, cold, moisture and dryness
The best hay and corn-fodder lose little
in quality by evaporating four-ffths OF
their natural water in curing them
! But neither dried apples nor dried po'