The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-08-17
Ensllage and the Silo.

@ASAiouAIuioA OolAeSc makeS Lno I0IlOW'
ing interesting statement in the New
York Weekly Tribune:
| Before building a silo I visited silos
in four different States, and from con-
versation with intelligent farmers be-
came convinced that ensilage takes the
place in winter Of the succulent feed Of
summer pastures and is just what our
live stock need. While the chemist
finds no more nutritious matter in ensi-
lage than in dried food, our cattle,
horses sheep do. The eusilage tastes
good, and this indicates its superior
value as food. It's digestibility and
suitability surpass that of dried food
Ensilage can be grown and preserved
cheaper than the same quantity Of
corn can be harvested and cared
for in any other way. Especially is
this true now that we have learned
that silo may be built right in The
barn and at small expence. We get
from eight to twenty-five tons of ensi-
lage to the acre; and from two to three
tons of ensilage equals in value one ton
of the best hay. Thus we can double
our stock by use of the silo, and thus
double the barnyard manure secured
and SO add materially to the fertility of
the farm. Convinced of these points,
built silo, and it has disappointed
me only in being too small. raised
no more acres, nor were my crops any
better last year than previously. Yet
with five acres Of my corn crop in ensi-
lage, I was able to winter more stock
than ever before, and my stock never
before did so we'll. For three success
sive years had to buy feed to come
through the winter; last winter had
some to spare, though the season was
so severe and long continued that
several neigbbors, some of whom never
before had like experience, paid out
considerable sums for feed. My silo is
IA feet square. inside measure, and 20
feet high. 1t cost less than $50, and
paid for itself in one season. This
season I shall build another for less
than half the money, which I hope will
be just as good. I shall build Is feet
high, from bottom of my basement;
shall use uprights 2xS inches, which
will be firmly secured at the bottom,
and above every 10 feet SO they cannot
be displaced; shall seal this inside
with boards and coat these inside with
hot pitch.
Unless this troubles by permitting
the ensilage to freeze, it will be as good
as any old silo, which has three thick.
nesses of boards, one layer Of tarred
paper and if plastered inside with
cement. We need only an air.tight
box for silo, unless we need to make
it doubled.walled to protect against the
cold. If I find the latter desirable |
can add the outer wall next year. The
door of the silo should extend from
bottom to top, and as the silo is filled
should be closed by use of tarred paper
and S.inch boards, so as to exclude air.
Then in feeding we constantly remove
from the top, which is easily done, and
prevents all molding. Corn is the
best crop for ensilage. 1t should be
grown so as to raise the best crop, if |
field corn to be harvested the old way |
were the object. I plant in drills,
about ten quarts to the acre, and then |
use the fine tooth harrow freely till the
corn is too large to safely use it longer.
The corn should not be cut till the ears
are glazed-just when we shoald cut
for husking. 1t may be allowed to
wilt one day, or more, or draw at once
to the silo, as is most convenient. In
filling the silo it is doubtless best to fill |
one day; then wait day, as the filling
interferes with the fermep tation. How.
ever, I last year filled my silo as rapidly
as possible and the ensilage was excel
lent; so sweet, indeed, that no one
would think of it upon entering the
the barn; so sweet that our stock would
eat it in preference to good corn and
oat meal. We cut our corn, ears and
all, and by use of carrier it goes at
once high up in into the silo. Care
should be taken that the ensilage is
we'll packed about the walls of the silo |
The weighing of the ensilage is not
necessary; We need only to cover with |