Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1886-07-09


and worth 25 per cent moro in feed
value than corn Mt any stage OF it's
growth. With this plant properly
utilized with the system of ensilage,
tho South can feed and raiso sheep.
cattle, mules, and horses as cheaply
rs any portion of the United States,
except the very far West. This fact
will DO demonstrated some day.
give to my mules and COWS about fif-
ty pounds of ensilago each, per day
| have often seen published state
ment that corn-staks or any other
suitable material made good cnsilage
without choping up fine with cutter.
For fear of loss have been afraid to
try it, A neighbor who built silo
three years ago had his silo, nachin-
cry, and cutter burnt up last Winter.
The silo was rebuilt last Summer and
filed with corn stalks and pca-viuos
uncut. This cnsilngc is NJ good as
any have ever seen swcctcr than
mine, that was cut fine, and is lite
more trouble 10 take from The silo
than that cut fine. | shall put up Il
large portion of mine next year with
out cutting. This fact renders il pos
siblo for every farmer who makes Il
one horse crop to put up cnsilago, as
the great bar to their doing us was
tho outlay Of money for cutter, ma
chincry, sc. This may be all obvi.
atcd now. The only outlay required
is the building OF silo, at cost of
not over S per Ton, and which any
one can do of ordinary mechanical
capacity, without the help of Il skilled
mechanic. Knowing its great value,
J. earnestly hope tho Southern people
will adopt this system. 1t is on out
rage, that having such Advantages We
should be SO dependent.
That your trends may not go wrong
in the construction of the above
ground silo, will give hero de-
scription Of it i'll detail: These silos
were built in 1881, md have boon
filled four times, the cnsilagc being
always we'll preserved, First, l dug
Il trench for foundation sills, 10 feet
long, If feet wide and inches deep.
Into these put tho stills of white oak,
all heart, 10 inches square, framing a
sill of the same size across the mid
de. This makes the foundation for
two silos, inside measure 20 feet long
by II feet wide. 1 put studs of heart
oak into these stills lG feet long, 2 by
6 inches, 2 feet apart intending the
silos to be 10 feet deep; then with l
inch plank boarded up each side, the
studs 10 feet high; fill the spaces
between tho studs and inner and out
CT wall Of plank with sand (saw-dust
will answer rs wcll,) thus making an
air-tight wall, which is all that is nee
essary, however it may be done. The
six feet of studding above tho walls
or body OF the silo is necessary for
the purpose of filing, tramping,
wciShting, &c. | have ono door to
each silo, ut the outer end, made by
having tho two middle studs 5 feet
apart; to these hang two doors Is
inches wide by feet long, to the III.
nor edge of studs doors to oper Jut
ward. Thcn close the doors and nail
on borHds to outer edge of studs, ana
fill between doors and boards with
Garth and you have the same walls rs
the other part of tho silo. When you
wish to open the doors rip off tho
boards in front, when tho earth falls
and the doors open outward exposing
the cnsilagc. OF course the studs
arc framed into plates above, which
should be done in substantial man
nor, as the pressure from wcighting
the silo is quite heavy. My roofs OK.
tend 3 feet beyond the sides an ends
to prevent rain from being blown in
on the ensilage. After filling the silo
L first cover the cnsilagc with inch
plank, laying them down lengthwisc;
then cover these with wheat or pine
straw to prevent earth or sand from
getting III; then cover with earth IS
inches deep. and you may rest assur.
cd that your ensilngc is safe. l pre-
fer common earth for wcighting, for
two reasons, first, it is moro easily
handled; and second, il excludes the
nIl. haftpfs tba,, any 4hino. 1Jco WI, 80,