The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-02-03

believe that we oil ind the cCrI
crop the most difficult to secure in Z
satisfactory manner Of any we raise
The stalks are SO apt to hurt in the
NOW, and the corn IN the crib; but il
is especially adapted to ensilage,
because of its easy and rapid growth
its immense yield per acre, the greater
certainty of good crop in unfavora
BILE seasons if properly managed, and
because it contains, when ensiloed
at the proper time, the elements of a
perfect stock ration in a greater
degree than any other single winter
food at our command.
Our corn was not the kind gener-
ally recommended for the silo i,
being OF smaller variety, and though
good last year, for the season, only
furnished about eight tons per acre.
| was pleased and greatly surprised
at the dispatch with which it was
put into the silo, as six men put in
43 tons in three days and the field
was over third of a mile from the
barn. Two acres were secuted in
This way with no more expense than
one acre from the same field, husked
and managed as formerly, and l think
it is superior feed.
Prof. E.W Stewart, in the Country
Gentlemen, speaking Of ensilage as
food Tor stock, says: at is mere com
Plete than crop OF COED eOrn that
has been harvested, corn ground into
meal, the stalks run through cutter,
and the ground grain mixed with the
cut stalks, because the ensilage is in
a srcculent Co'diuon and much more
digestible." This is in accordance
with my observation The corn all
went Tito the silo with the stalks but
we rarely see any in the manure.
Cattle, horses and sheep have been
fed dry cornstalks in the morning wet
and mixed with meal, composed of
equal parts Of corn and oats, good
timothy hay at noon and enslage at
night, and they all show marked
prete ence for ensIlage.
After We had fed in this way about
four weeks, we took two year old
grade heller Of the herd for expert
ment, which was giving milk, and
receiving four quarts of meal day,
fed as above, and have fed her en-
silage alone three times a day, just
what she would eat at once, clean.
She has gained by actual weight one
ard one fourth pounds, and her calf
two and one fourth pounds, daily,
since the change. Sill ! am watch
ing them closely, for analysis shows
that ensilage corn is not perfect
stock ration, that it lacks in muscle
and bone growing material; and as
zoe do not always want the same bill
OF fare, so science and analogy teach
us that variety in food will best
maintain the health and condition of
our stock, but | am convinced that
the larger portion OF that food, both
for convenience and profit. should be
corn ens.lage.
The silo is about IA #. square,
inside measure, and 20 #. high. The
frame was made of 2xIs studding,
boarded on the outside with two
thicknesses Of inch lumber and build
ing paper between. The inside was
covered with sheeting la:h and plas-
tered with water lime, as we would
cistern, leaving an air tight space of
twelve inches between the two practi
cally air tight partitions.
We cut and put into the slo when
it was fiji to cut and shock, little
over five acres of corn, weighing
about 43 tons, and filing the silo
three-fourths full. 1t was then COW
cred with two thicknesses of lumber
with building paper between, the
same as the outside, and weighted
down with two cords of four foot
wood. 1t was opened on the first OF
December and found TO be little
under the cover and decayed
a little just at oe outside, and in the
corners, perhaps foot deep. The
remainder is a little tart but l
think in good condition. 1t was run
through feed cutter when put into
the silo.
/ am convinced that the silo is a
good thing, good for The small farm
as well as the larger one, and will
soon be considered by most of us as
indispensable. Any farmer who is
about to build barn or repair one, if
he already has and does not thor
oughly inform himself in regard TO
The silo, and make il leading feature
in his planning and building, | think,
will make a mistake.
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