Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-03-09
AGRICULTURAL.
Devoted to the Interests Of Farmers
and Stockmen.
Ensilage.

II stockmen and dairymen here are
to hold their own against Eastern
packing houses and diaries, 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 proper method
of preserving fodder of all sorts for
stock, but of being a cheap and econ
omical method as well. 1t is not only
claimed that the product of an acre
can be thus preserved at reasonable
cost, so as to bear comparison with
we'll cured hay, but it has the further
advantage of adding to the value OF
the fodder by its fermentation, so that
it becomes more valuable as feed when
taken from the silo than when first
taken from the field.
At first 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 it 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 sllo and the
making of ensilage can be had. He
says: "My silo is in the barn opposite
the tie-up. 1t is 10x20 feet AID Is 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 l 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 of
fodder 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 has
given equal satisfaction either for milk
or beef. l should have fed from the
whole top, instead of cutting down in
sections, thereby causing some loss
by heating. Last year 1 ensilaged
some clear rye in June, but it did not
give satisfaction as feed. The cover
was removed and the silo filled up
with fodder corn in September, and
then weighted with stone to the depth
of foot. The corn was put in whole,
being laid as much one way as DOS
sible, with occasionally little across
the ends the other way to keep it up
level. 1t keeps just as we'll without
cutting as with, and comes out we'll
by cutting across the silo once in two
or four feet with broadaxe and roll
ing 1t out. One Of the disadvantages
of not cutting is that we cannot put
in quite as much as when cut up, but
the fodder is more expensive. 1t costs
less to put fodder into silo than to
cure and house, even if in continuous
good weather."
We gave, the other day, the expert
ence OF an Oregon farmer who made
mere pit in the earth and laid in corn
fodder, stalk and all, and after year
fed it to good advantage. But author
ity shows the advantage of mixing
different growths, as corn, rye, oats,
clover, peas, ETC., then, by cutting
down, have this well assorted food to
give to stock
The matter of feeding stock is of
such prime Importance that no excuse
need be made for giving silos and en-
silage prominence. The reader of
agricultural journals for few years
back must have seen that ensilage is
considered the best of winter feed for
milk COWS, as wi h we'll assorted ensi
lage they give the richest of milk and
make gilt-edge butter through the
worst season of the year. Butter so
made has had all the fragrance that
spring food is alone supposed to give
Besides this, it furnishes healthy win
ter feed for all kinds of stock, not
excepting hogs and sheep. With rape
for summer feed and ensilage for the
winter, the farmer can go through the
year with comfort to stock and profit
to himself. The important fact that
this feed is so cheaply made is para
mount advantage.
There is no question but that to cut
the fodder is the best way, if the
farmer can conveniently do so, as it
packs closer and is handled easier
wren cut before it is put in the silo,
In the absence of means for cutting
up fodder in this way, it is we'll proved
that 1t can be preserved whole.-Port-
land Oregonian.