Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1886-06-26
FACTS ABOUT ENSILAGE.


Seventeen Points Tor the Thoughtful Con
sidcration of Agriculturists.
/. Silos may be made with any of the
various building materials, and some
very crudely and cheaply constructed
have been found TO do good service.
,. Silos may be above ground or
underground, or partly both; they
should be water tight and preferably
air tight and frost-proof, although these
two points are not essential.
3. The situation, form and construc-
ton of the silo, and the arrangements
for filling, covering and cmptying
should be largely governed by local
conditions.
f.. Several small siloS, independent
or connecting, are better than one
large one; and the depth should be
considerably greater than the length,
width, or diameter.
B.. Silos may be filled slowly or
quickly. in all wcatherS, and heavily
weighted or not weighted at all; the
silage produced will vary in condition
and quality, but these variations OF
management do not very materially af-
feet the result,
6. Any plant OF vegetable product
good for cattle food. when green or
fresh, may be preserved as silagc. in
an cdiablc and ~Succulcnt condition,
throughout the year or for several
years.
Z. As a rule, all horses, mules.
cattle, sheep, swine and poultry are
fond of ensilage, if its material is ever
such as eaten by 'hom. Most farm
animals prefer it TO good roots.
s. The best time mt which to cut any
growing plant to make good ensilage
is when the plant approaches maturity,
and is beginning to decrease in the
percentage of its water contents.
9. The cost OF preserving a given
crop as cnsilagc does not materially
differ from curing the same crop by
drying, in a suitable season; but crops
can be ensilagcd and preserved in sea,
sons when they would be lost if drying
was attempted.
10. An acre of corn as cnsilage will
weigh four times as much AS the same
crop dried as fodder.
IL. An acre of corn, field cured,
stored in the most compact manner pos.
siblc. will occupy IA space ten times as
great as if in the form of ensilage.
II. 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, viii.
differ in condition and quality in differ.
cnt years.
Is. As food for cattle, as well n.
other kinds of farm stock, e~nsilao,
forms a good and very cheap substitute
for roots, and its continental effect,
are especially apparent, but the usua.
ensilage crops fail to fill the place o,
the root crop in IA judicious farm rota.
ton.
IA. In feeding, the best results follow
a moderate ration of ensilagc, rathe,
tliah tne cntlre SUBSTITUTION Tor dry
coarse fodder. !
10, Ensilagc, and especially 1000
corn ensila@y, when compared with
dry corn fodder, or with other fcedino
stufis' produce results so satisfactory a,
to surprise the chemist, and which
chemistry a not explain
10, A silo or two, well built; but M,
100 large or too expensive, are conyen.
tent and economical on most farms. r.
a crops which at times might other
wise be lost, If not to preserve somc
crops especially grown for ensilagc.
II. The extensive use of cnsilagc nm,
on any iarm Ia chiefly a question Of con,
ven'encc and economy, which local con-.
dltions must decide. - cnUer Field ann
Farm. ""o