The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-03-02
AGRlcuL
Devoted to the Iutsrests Of Farmsrs
and stockmen.



Ensiiage.
II stockmen and tairymen here are
TO hold their own against Eastern
packing houses and dairies, they must
keep up with the times IN respect to
feeding. Ensilage has been subjected
to all sorts of doubts and prejudice,
and has come to be considered in old
countries not only as q proper method
OF preserving fodder OF all sorts for
stock, bu. Of being cheap and econ
omical method rs well. IL is not only
claimed that the product of an acre
can be thus preserved at reasonable
cost, so as TO bear comparison with
well cured hay, but il has the further
advantage of adding to the value OF
the fodder by its fermentation, 80 that
il becomes more valuable as feed when
taken from the silo than when first
taken from the field.
At fret it was thought the silo must
be tight pit, built of stone and brick,
and laid in cement; that the fodder
should be kept entirely secluded from
air. Theoretically sealed, as IL were, and
that all feed must be cut fine to pack
closely and be well preserved. Later
experiments prove that much less care
is necessary To secure good results. A
farmer in New England gives his ex-
perience in such plain language that
no better description OF a silo and the
making of ensilage can be had. lie
says: "My silo is in the barn opposite
the tie-up. Ii is l0x20 feet AID 1S feet
deep, three feet below the barn floor,
with walls Of stone and cement, with
loose boards at the bottom lying on
hard gravel above, the sides are
planed matched boards, the whole
costing $50. The first year put in
whole without cutting, on July 10Th,
about twenty tons OF green rye, oats
and barley (mostly barley sown mixed
together. 1t was covered and weighted
and six weeks later the cover was re-
moved to admit ten tons more ol
fedder corn put in whole. The cover
was replaced and weighted, and the
silo opened in November. The cattle
were greedy for the ensilage all winter
and no other mixture Of fodder ha-
given equal satisfaction either for milk
or beef. should have fed from the
whole top, instead OF cutting down in
sections, thereby causing some loss
by heating. Last year l ensilaged
some clear rye in June, but it did mol
give satisfaction as a feed. The cover
was removed and the silo filled NJ
with fodder corn in September, and
then weighted with stone % the depth
of foot. The corn was put in whole
being laid as much one way as pos
eible, with occasionally "A little across
the ends the other way to keep il NJ
level. IL keeps just as well without
cutting as with, and comes out wei
by cutting across the silo once in two
or four feet with broadaxe and roll
ing il out. One of the disadvantage
of not cutting is that we cannot pu
in quite as much as when cut up, bu
the fodder is more expensive. 1t cost
less 10 put fodder into silo than /,
cure and house, even If in continuou
good weather"
We gave, the other day, the expert
ence of an Oregon farmer who made 1
mere pit in the earth and laid in corr
fodder, stalk and all, and after a yea
fed it TO good advantage. But author
ity shows the advantage Of mixing
different growths, as corn, rye, oats
clover, peas, etc, thea, by cutting
down, have this well assorted food I,
give to stock.
The matter of feeding stock is o
such prime Importance that no excus
need be made for giving silos and en-
silage prominence. The reader o
agricultural journals for few year
back must have seen that ensilage
considered the best of winter feed 70
milk cows, as wi h well assorted ensi
lage they give the richest of milk AM
make gilt-edge butter through tn
worst season Of the year. Butter s
made has had all the fragrance tina
J spring food is alone supposed to give
Besides this, it furnishes healthy win
ter feed for all kinds of stock, no
excepting hogs and sheep. With rap
for summer feed and ensilage for tn
winter, the farmer can go through tn
year with comfort to stock and prof
to himself. The important fact tina
this feed is so cheaply made is para
mount advantage.
: There is no question but that to Gu
the fodder is the best way, if In
{ farmer can conveniently do so, as
, packs closer and is handled easie
when cut before it is put in the silC
> In the absence of means for cuttin
! up fodder in this way, it is well prove
hat it can be preserved whole.-Por
land Oregonidn.