The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-02-13
ABOUT ENSILAGE.



teresting Farm Problem.
Ensilage may be made of any green
forage, but is usually made of green
corn. The silo, the receptacle for the
ensilage-should be air-tight and water
tight or practically so, The silo can
be constructed of wood, stone or brick.
When brick or stone is used the inside
had better be covered with cement that
it may be perfectly smooth. 1t is a
good place to construct the silo partly
under and partly above ground. In
solid soil, silos have been made by
simply digging out a trench and board
ing the sides. Ho21g prepared the
silo, cut the fodder ina freen state and
cut it up with an ensilage cutter This
done pack it solidly in the silo and
weight it down with a weight equal to
one hundred pounds to the square foot
The form of the silo is a matter of in
dividual preference and a matter to
be determined by circumstances. 1t
is said by one writer, even, that
there is not the least doubt
that sweet ensilage of first rate quality
has been obtained by stacking the
green fodder in the open air and COM
pressing it well by suitable mechanical
or other means. But stack would re-
quire heavier weighing than the silo,
and there are other difficulties which
would prevent us from recommending
that method. 1t is better, however,
for every one who thinks of trying
ensilage to do it first on a small scale;
and in that way he can test the various
methods without much cost. If we
were going to preserve green fodder in
this way-having first satisfied our
selves that we wish to do tive should
construct substantial silo. We should
do that upon the principle that what
ever is worth doing at all, is worth
doing well. Mr.. George Fry, in re-
cent work upon the subject of ensilage,
in alluding to preserving ensilage in
stacks, while not favoring the plan as
a rule, says one thing that our readers
may like to consider. He says that if
he had field of half-made hay and bad
weather set in, he should not hesitate
to collect it into a stack as rapidly as
possible, cover in as closely as possible
with boards, thick tarred paper or
other impervious material, and weight
it as much as circumstances
would allow, not less than about
three hundred pounds to the square
foot. He says that he should feel as
sured of better results than could be
gained by allowing the fodder to lie ex-
posed to the weather. He thinks that
if the covering was virtually air-tight
and the compression sufficient to pre-
vent the air from penetrating more than
few inches at the sides, there need be
no fear of heating
The proper time to cut green fodder
for ensilage is while it is in bloom. At
this time an ordinary plant will con-
tain about seventy-five per cent. of
moisture. Sometimes for one reason
or another, the crop may be cut earlier
than is here indicated. Obviously,
however, the proper time is when the
plant contains as small per cent of
moisture as it can contain and still be
in a green state. If there is so much
moisture in the plant that it can be
pressed out in the silo, the best results
win not be obtained. 1t the plant is
too ripe, then part of the purpose of
ensilage--its succulency-can not be
accomplished. When the fodder is cut
too young the result will pretty likely
be sour ensilage, and such food ought
never to be fed. In conclusion, keep
in mind the necessity of having the silo
practically air-tight, and hence keep in
view the necessity of having the dooi
to the silo fit closely Western Rural