Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-06-25
ABOUT ENsILAeE.
How TO Preserve and Cut 1t and How TO
Build u Slio.

Build u Slio.
Every now and then we have inqui-
rics about onsilagc. Many do not know
what il is; more do not know how to
preserve it, how to cut it, how to build
u silo, or whether cnsilage is desirable
or profitable. We have several times
briefly answered such questions. Per-
haps it would be well to answer more
fully. EnsilaSc, then, is usually made
of green corn fodder, but IL may be
made of any green fodder that animals,
especially cattle, will cat. Horses, cat
tic, sheep and swine will cat onsilage
and enjoy it, though there ara eXccp-
tions to this rule. Whatever is intended
for onsilagc should be cut Just as it is
approaching maturity, as then it con-
tains the most nourishment. 1t is cut
usually by machines made especially
for that purpose. Silos may be mado
of stone, brick or wood. They should
be air-tight, and they may be made en-
tirely under ground or entirely above
ground, or partly under and partly
above. If the system is to be adopt
ed we always advise the construc-
ton of n substantial silo. A temporary
one may be used for trial of the sys.
tenn. This may consist of simple
trench dug in the ground and boarded
up, or il is not even necessary to board
ii, if the soil is such that the sides will
not crumble. In building permanent
silo so construct it that it will be prac-
tically air-tight, and have cover to fit
upon the top of the cnsilagc and weight
it down. Just what the size or shape of
the silo shall be must depend upon cir
cumstanccs and the tastes and judg-
mcnt of the builder. 1t is better to have
several small ones than one large one.
In putting in the crop it is packed down
as Closely as possible and weighted
down, though the latter is not consid-
cred abs )lutely essential. The manner
of getting the cnsilage out of the silo
any one can decide, according to cir
cumstances. Devise convenient plan
of getting at it, in a manner so that il
may be cut with knife made for that
purpose.
Major Alvord, in speaking of ensl.
lagc, which he thoroughly understands.
says, first, the cost of preserving given
crop of ensilage does not materially diff.
fer from curing the same crop by dry.
ing, in suitable season; but crops can
be cnsilaged and preserved in seasons
when they would be lost if drying was
attempted. Second, an acre of corn as
ensilage will weigh four times as much
as the same crop dried as fodder. Third,
an acre of corn, field-cured, stored in
the most compact manner possible, will
occupy space ten times as great as il
in the form of ensilage. Fourth the
chemistry of the silo is still much in the
dark. The contents of any one silo
filled with crops from the same land.
and apparently managed in the same
way, year after year, will differ in con-
dition and quality in different years,
knowledge of the subject is not yet ac.
curate enough to prescribe with Ger.
tainty the procedure which will ensure
the best cnsilage. Yet any forage crop
can be preserved in a moist, fresh form,
substantially unimpaired rs food, al.
though there is generally considerable
loss in the carbohydrate elements, and
n partially compensating gain, both in
the percentage of proteine and the in.
creased digestibility of the fiber. Fifth,
as food for cattle as well as other kinds
of farm stock, ensilage forms good
and very cheap substitute for roots, and
its continental effects are especially
apparent, but the usual ensilage ,rops
fail to fill the place of the root crop in i
iudicious farm rotation. Sixth, in feed
ing the best results follow moderate
ration of silage, rather than the entire
substitution for dry, coarse fodder.
Seventh, ensilage, and especially good
corn ensilage, when compared with dry
corn-foddcr, orwith other feeding stuffS,
produce results so satisfactory rs to sur
prise the chemist, or which chemistry
can not explain. Eighth, silo or two,
well built, but not too large or too ex-
pensive, are convenient and economical
on most farms, to save crops, which at
times might otherwise be lost, if not to
preserve some crops specially grown
for cnslage. Ninth, the extensive use
of ensilage upon any farm is chiefly
question of convenience and economy,
which local conditions must decide
Western Rural.