Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-05-10


of the silo of the DR.. Bailey order.
| do not think [ would construct
silo for preserving any other crop
with which am acquainted, except
corn fodder. Corn fodder is so coarse
that it dries very slowly, and it is
difficult to so cure as to keep in good |
condition. If it is dried sufficiently |
to keep when packed away in the sio
it will be fonnd to contain so little of
the saccharine matter abundant in its |
green state, that the taste cannot |
detect it. just what becomes of the |
sweetness | do not know. Whatever |
the cause it is fact that cattle do
not readily eat over-dry corn fodder.
when packed away IN silo in a green
state, such fodder will keep without
drying, though it will take on a con-
siderable degree of activity. A part
of the sugar will be changed into vim
egar. Perhaps its food value is to
some extent decreased by this change
but think to less degree than in
the process of drying.
When farmers are so situated that
they can grow corn fodder more
cheaply than they can grow the same
food value of other fodder which can
be more readily preserved by drying,
l think it will be good economy for
them to use the silo for preserving
part of it at least for winter use. AS
much of the corn fodder as will be
wanted for use before Christmas will
produce about as good results if fed
dry as if made into silage. Though
I have generally fed silage without
other fodder except grain, do not
think that is the best way to get the
largest returns from the COWS. /
think one feed per day of silage and
one of fodder is quite as well. If
good clover hay or rowen is used for
one feed the returns will be better
than when silage alone is fed. When
l changed from feeding silage to
feeding good upland hay only, there
was no increase in the flow of milk,
the grain ration remaining unchang-
ed. The cost of feed was largely in
creased.
The cost of silage compared with
other folders will depend upon cir
cumstances. To farmer growing
sweet corn for canning, | think the
silo is a greater help than to most
Others. The ears are removed while
vet the stalk is in its best condition
to make fodder, either silage or dry.
An acre of such corn will make from
six to ten tons of silage, and think
. three tons of such silage will equal in
feeding value one ton of good hay.
In such circumstances it will be
readily seen that corn fodder ST.
lage will be found a cheaper feed
2 than hay. When preserved in this
way it retains its food value and pal.
!, atability through the whole season
f If the corn is grown for fodder only
e the yield ought to average nearly fiji
t teen tons to the acre, and be more
: valuable ton for ton, when the ears
have been removed, if both ART
e weighed when containing an equa
i proportion of moisture.
The average cost per ton of cur
ing silage will be not far from 81. 90
) If the fields are convenient to tn
:. barn and large quantities are han
= died, it may not cost SO much; ant
t if only small quantities are put in
o will probably exceed that sum
% There has been considerable write
about the comparative advantage @
: putting the fodder into the silo Who'll
and cutting it before packing. Th
first season | hired it cut; the SCI
ond season not finding it converter
in to cut it, l packed 1t whole, laying
'h' as straight as practicable. Last Sc;
he son cut it again. l think it keel
about equally we'll either way, b.
lily the silo will hold about one-quart
more when cut. When packed u
no. cut it was considerable work of
~. hard and disagreeable kind to take
his out for feeding; and though t
ose cows rejected very little they did n
.nts eat it wholly, as they do when cut.
he | cut the fodder about one inch
day
i'm length, but think l e or 2 inches To-
would be as we'll. In constructing
asm silo | would recommend as great
''' depth as can be easily obtained viii
bv out causing too much labor in fill
able and emptying. For feeding he
''r y of not more than twenty cows
should choose to have the silo TIVE
last to fifteen feet wide, and any lens
. re- to get the room wanted.
v v My silo walls are in part Gem
err and partly matched boards one il
l, thick. The silage is quite as v
preserved next the wood as next
cement. Wooden walls are 10,
En- cheaper for all that portion constrl
enda-
fying ed above ground. 1t is very imp'
have ant that the walls should be of I
- surface and perfectly plump, and
perpendicular corners should be fl
Life,' in about as much as would be d