Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-02-18
ENSILAGE.

ENSILAGE.
In the former article describing our
own cheap silo, we did 1t, hoping to
encourage some one no may be try
ing to devise som ething similar. One
farmer reports building his pit in the
barnyard aud running his rick ofstraw
over it for roof and pressure. Feed
ing it out with satisfactory results, by
cutting down six feet of rick and en-
silage. Others cover with fodder,
boards or anything that will turn rain
and snow.
Anothergreat advantage Is economy
in storage room. From 40 to 45 cutie
feet containing one ton of ensilage,
and 27O #. one ton of baled hay; of
loose hay from 400 to 500 cubic feet,
or ten times the space required for
ton of silage. If the land produces
from five to ten times as many tons
per acre of feed preserved in its green
state, AS in the sun cured, and that
stored in one tenth the space neces-
sary for the dry, it has strong point
in its favor In that direction. The
quantity raised per acre and space to
contain a ton are facts arrived at by
careful test of weight and measure
and not guesswork. If the corn Is
properly planted we are pretty GER
tain of growing a fair crop of fodder,
though drouth may cut short the ear
ing as it did last season. 1t Is clain-
ed that fodder preserved in pit,
when the saccharine or sugary ele-
ment is formed in stalk, is as rich in
flesh and milk production, as if It
contained the ear, and not nearly so
hard on the land.
Two years ago the yield from four
acres corn was fifty-five tons, drilled
fifteen inches apart in row, and would
have yielded about forty bushels
shelled corn per acre. When the ears
were we'll glazed, we began cutting,
filling pit, having the ears on. which
took four hands, besides myself to NIL,
five days, and two hands one day to
cover or weight down with hay,
boards and about one hundred lbs. of
stone per square foot. We kept ensi-
lage level over the pit and tramped a
little around the edges as filled. The
cutting was done by horse power and
all expense except self and board was
less than ten dollars. Last season
corn was drilled from four to six
inches apart in row, but owing to the
drouth did not grow so large or ear
we'll. Yet of the ears that did grow
we pulled off about two thirds and
used them in fattening a pen ofseven.
teen hogs besides feeding the milch
cows anu horses a couple months.
Without the ears / find the feeding
value fully as satisfactory as last
winter with mich cows. Substan-
TALLY curroborating the experience
of others, that the feeding value is re-
tanned In stalk where no ear Is form
ed and the fodder preserved in green
state. How do we find it in pit when
opened? Not in "pickle or brine !"
as some have asked me. But little
darker in color, slightly acid in taste
with a temperature of eighty degrees.
To what do you feed it, and how
much? Our experience is that every
domestic animal that grazes grass ia
summer, will eat it with a relish in
the winter. Though we have not fed
it to any extent to horses, as our sup
ply will not more than carry mich
cows and sheep until spring. A
bunch of fourteen ewes with twenty
five lambs have been in the pen and
fed on it since the holidays with Salts
factory results. In the morning feed
to each of our mich cows is one
gal. in equal parts of corn and cob
meal and bran followed by one bushel
twenty to twenty-five lbs.) of ensi-
lage, and then a bunch of fodder or
hay, this doubled gives one days ra-
tions, but little of the hay or fodder
is eaten.
The result for past twelve weeks
of dairying,-Six weeks on grass
and six on em'ilage, grain about
the same, except not crushed until LIST
of January. Sllo opened 10th Dec.
Nov. MIXED nine cows, sold 1867 lbs.
butter for $3.50; Dec. MIXED eight
cows, sold 1855 lbs. butter for 1858 [;
Jan. MIXED seven cows. sold l77a lbs
butter for $44.41.
The above should be credited with
cream and butter consumed by fam
lily of six.
Six of these cows were fresh since
harvest, and three ofthem last winter,
common cows, except two grade
durham heifers. Last winter butter
test ran about similar.
Now ii the ensilage does not in
crease the profits of dairying / know
not what to credit 1t.
From the pttrest motiUe we advocate
and recommend it. No patent right,
no bloOded stock, no pets to pat !;
only the depressed farmer with his I'M
protected produce compelled to seek a
market in competition with all the
world; must of necessity produce
cheap that he may sell cheap.
If talk indicates anything Berkeley
county twelve months hence will
have score to talk of ensilage instead
of one.
We further invite anyone interested
in the subject TO come and examine
for themselves, and we will cheerful
ly give any information we can.
E. S. TABLER, Bedington, ". Va.