The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-01-12
ENSILAGA FOR FATTENING.

At the annual meeting of the Hi
nois Dairymen's Association, an entire
day Of the session was given to the
question of silos and ensilage. Mr..
Peri1m, of the Farm, Field and Stock
man, in 1869, put up an earth silo at
Chatsworth, ILL.,, with view to dis
cover, if possible, if green fodder
could be thus economically preserved
The success was most gratifying. This
was years before the subject of ensil-
age was thought of in America, or in
deed generally in Europe. His read
ings and experience in pitting veget-
ables had, however, convinced him
that the plan should be feasible. The
whole subject was presented by him
at the dairymen's meeting at Mount
Carroll, and he was kept on the stand
during the whole morning, after the
lecture, answering questions, pro
pounded by the audience. The after
noon was also entirely taken up in the
discussion Of the question by various
experts. The various questions dis
cussed at this important meeting Will
be printed Immediately, in a neatly
bound volume, for distribution to the
members Of the association and others
interested who will remit the member
pship fee to the Secretary, r. Lespi-
nasse lS3 South Water street, Illinois,
Gentlemen engaged in feeding cat
tie for the butcher, were present from
distant parts of the State, anxious to
learn the feeding value for growing
and fattening stock. This was not
touched upon except incidentally. So
far as expressed, the testimony was
decidedly in favor of ensilage for all
kinds of stock, including hogs and
even chickens, and the expression Of
satisfaction by visitors was general.
The testimony Of the value of ensilage
seems general, not only in Europe and
America, but also in England, coun-
try where this means of preserving
food would seem less necessary than
in many others. The winter climate
is mild. The cultivation of roots,
necessary to the profitable agriculture
there is universal These are largely
fed off in the fields, where they are
grown, and the winter pasture is there
often considerable during that season.
Testimony from competent authority
in England. therefore, will be of great
weight. The latest volume of the
journal of the Royal Agricultural So
ciety contains the record Of a compe-
tent trial of ensilage by Dr. Voelcker,
and in the direct line Of feeding bull
locks: On this we find that, from the
same meadow, hay and silage were
made, the grass for hay weighing
fifteen tons seven hundred weight, and
that for silage few pounds under
fourteen tons two and threefourths
hundred weight. The English ton is
2,24o pounds, and the English hun
dred weight ll2 pounds.-ED.
Twelve bullocks were divided into
two equal lots, one to be fed ON hay
and the other on silage, with the addi-
ton Of three pounds of cotton cake
and five pounds of maize meal for
each bullock per day in both lots, and
water at will, After eighty-four days
feeding, all the hay having been con-
sumed, the total increase in live weight |
of the six bullocks fed on hay was 9S9 |
pounds, or 1876 pounds per head per
day, while that Of the six fed on silage |
was 999 pounds, or l.9s pounds per
head per day.
AS there was originally about fifteen
hundred weight more grass for the
hay than for the silage, and enough Of
the latter remained after the hay had
been consumed to feed the six bullocks
for few days, it appears that, with a
considerably smaller consumption of
grass, the animals fed on silage made
a slightly greater gain in live weight.
The silage in this case was sour, but
of very good quality. DR.. Voelcker
also gives the resuls of an experience
witnessed by him in which silage was
to be sweet, but containing
nearly as much acid as that used in
the other experiment, was tried against |
hay from the same meadow with equal |
quantities of other foods. In this |
case the gain in live weight was 10 |
pounds per head per day among four
bullocks fed on maize, against l.3
pounds among four fed on hay.