Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-06-18

Palmer q Bowman, gives careful, min
ute description of how to build silos, how
to fill them, how to feed from them anG
the actual profit from the use of ensilage
Our farmers cannot afford to overlook
such valuable information, founded on
actual experience, and should read every
line Of Mr.. Bowman's letter
WALNUT GROVE FARM, !
AUGUSTA Co.. VA.
June 1st, 1856. }
Il. N. Bowman,
Sdltuille, "a:
DEAR SIR-You being so we'll known
through the relations you have sus.
tanned to our people in the past. and
your large experience in cattle raising,
and the use of ''ensilage,' induce me to
request communication upon that SUBJ
ject for publication. I hope it will be
your pleasure to reply at an early date,
that those who contemplate building silos
may enjoy the benefit of your experience.
Truly your friend,
e. JULIAN PRATT.
SALTv1LLE, VA, June 18th, 1886.
Capt. G. julian Pratt,
Wagnesboro, To.:
My DEAR SIR-Your favor asking me
to give you an account, for publication,
of my experience with ensilage was re-
ceived some days since. but [ was about
to start for Chicago and postponed my re-
ply until after my return. Since then 1
have been so pressed with business mat
tiers that I have not found time. until
row, to take up the matter.
Having read great deal upon the sub
ject and conversed with number of in
telligent and practical breeders of live
stock who had used ensilage with profit
and satisfaction, we determined, in the
summer of 1884, to
GIVE 1T TRIAL
and see for ourselves.
We decided to build 4O0-ton silo and
with view to filing the same, we plant
ed about 80 acres of good bottom land in
fodder corn for ensilage. The corn was
planted in drills feet apart, and was af-
forwards thinned SO as to leave about one
stalk to every six inches in the row. It
was rather la tie in the season when we de-
termined to- go into it and did not get the
corn planted until the last day of June and
the two first days in July. The lateness
of the season and press Of other work re-
strlcted the cultivation to one ploughing
and one hoeing, and the season being
quite dry throughout August and Sep
TENDER, the result: was very little more
than half crop, and that unfortunately
was considerably frost-bitten before 1t was
harvested and put into the silo.
A great outcry had been made against
ensilage on account of the
SUPPOSED NECESSITY OF EXPENSIVE
SILOs.
We decided to build upon the cheapest
possible plan that was consistent with
convenience and utility. The silo was
built 32x32 feet, and II feet deep with a
partition dividing it into Two rooms. each
16x32 feet. This division gives practically
Two silos either of which can be opened
without disturbing the other, and is i'm
portant in that the cover can be left on
one room whilst the contents of the other
room are being used, thus preventing the
.ensilage from all being exposed to the air
at one time. The silo was
SUNK oNE-HALF ITS DEPTH
into hillside so that on The upper side the
ground was on level with the plates or
Sop of the silo and the lower side on a
level with the floor. Thus we are enabled
to put in the fodder on the upper side and
to take out the ensiIage on the lower side
without the trouble and Inconvenience of
lifting it over the walls of the silo. The
excavation in the hillside was made about
S feet wider than the silo, making it more
convenient for the workmen and affording
necessary room for drainage.
+ The rear wall next to the hillside was
made of stone laid in cement and is two
feet six inches thick. the inside of which
was also given coat of cement nicely
, troweled down. The other three walls
and the PARTITION were made by setting
strong locust posts three feet apart and
UalCO RdQ d udlL LOU LII tHO SiOuau3 Cau
She former boarded up on the inside with
matched inch boards doubled, with ia FRED
paper between to exclude the air.
THE PARTITION
| was boarded up on both sides with inch
plank and the space between filled with
earth. The doors for taking out the ensi-
4 lage were placed on the lower side of the
fsilo and are 3}x6 feet. They are closed
Eby two courses of boards sawed to fit the
FLOOR, with water proof or tarred paper be.
Etween and are put in as the silo is being
kflled and are held in position by the pres
Esure of the ensilage. On opening the silo
I q few planks are cut out with an axe and
1.-THE rest are easily priced out by means of
Ia erowbar or other lever
After the roof was put on, the whole
building had the appearance of large
4icehouse that was built half way into a
hillside. A free drain was made On both
Esides of the silo, 10 inches from the out.
kside of the wall and Is inches below the
Ebo5tom OF the silo, so as to conduct the
swater that fell from the caves and to pre-
Event the rising of any moisture In the
bottom of the silo, The clio was now
Eready fol. the corn at a cost of less than
k$sOO.
u For reasons already stated the
CROP OF CORN WAS LIGHT ONE
and the 80 acres did not yield over 36(
Etons and consequently had to be supple
Hmented with corn that had not beer
cut up with ordinary corn knives arc
Thrown in heaps convenient for handling
Sand was Immediately loaded on wagons
Sand conveyed to the silo where, by mean
kof No. II Little Giant Ross Cutter, y