The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-08-07
WHAT ARour TIE sILo7

WHAT ABOUT THE SILOt
That there should be some advance
made in silo knowledge, says John Gould
in the american AgriculturiSt, is not sur
prising, when some fifteen thousand wide
awake farmers in this country are each |
constituting himself as the director of an |
experiment station, to find out for him
self how much new can be CHANGED upon
and yet score success. The wooden silo
has proved its claims as superior recep
tacle for the preservation of silage, as it
is not only less costly, but better non
conductor of heat, and therefore more
| easily made frost proof; all of which
means more uniform temperature for the
silage, and the nearer approach to the
ideal sweet silage. There is some ques-
ton about the walls of the wooden silo,
whether to have them two boards thick,
with tarred paper between, or of one
thickness of matched lumber thoroughly
painted with hot asphaltum. The one can
| be constructed with cheap, Gull pine lum-
ber, the other must have good, we'll
matched flooring, or an air tight wall can
not be secured. Some hold that it is yet
better to lath and plaster the interior of
the silo to make it durable. Others insist
/ that they get even a better wall by paint
ing with hot gas tar, in which some resin
is melted, or the use # the hard finish
asphaltum paints.
1t is settled that perfect development of
the corn plant is essential to the making
of good silage. Their planting and the
formation of ears are, therefore, insisted
upon, as is also allowing the corn to stand
until the kernels have begun to enter the
glazed condition before cutting for the
silo. This fully developed corn, charged
v plant juices, on the verge of ma
tuIIUy when put in the silo, does not un-
dergo the extreme ferment incident to
corn fodder less mature, and only de-
velops Tactic acid in mild degree. The
other, with its juices less charged with
starch and sugar juices, passes in the silo
into a more advanced stage of ferment
that often shows traces of acetic acid. 1t
is now shown that corn had best be al
lowed to stand uncut until wanted, and
then put into the silo without the usual
two days whiting. The willing is c1hy
to reduce weight, but with r.6fTe- mature
fodder, this water means food value, and
willing fodder invef6es increased cost of
cutting, as it requires more power, is not
cut as perfectly, and it cannot be shown
, | to be in any way better or even as good
silage, as unwilted and more mature fod'
der.
With fodder of proper maturity the
work of silo filing can be "r,. led" along,
! and the necessity of allowing each days
filling to heat to 1875 degrees is obviated
When the silo is full it is allowed tC
, stand uncovered for four or even five
|, days to heat and throw out the air, wher
1t is covered and sweet silage can be con
fdently expected. Where there are tive
pits, one may be filed, then the other
> The first will have settled, when it car
! be again filed to the top, and attention
! then can be paid TO No. 2.
7 It was demonstrated last year that an,
q amount of rain upon silage fodder befor,
> going into the pits will not injure it o
, cause any increase of acidity. Last fal
! thousands of loads of fodder dripping
q with rain, went into the pits but the silag
a showed no evil effects from it, nor did
> frost near the close of silo filling wor
a any noticeable injury to the silage.
I was also found that tramping is not to b
encouraged until after twenty-four hours
when the silage has begun to wilt. The
it is only of benefit along the walls
n assist in making it settle. Many case
! of silage spelling along the walls resu
Il from tramping when fresh cut, as it e2
n pels the air to an extent which prevent
+ it from taking on heat and willing alon
a the walls as fast as in the centre. lnstea
a of keeping the silo about level Yhe
n filling, it is better to keep it the highc
ir along the walls, and thus get an eve
o. distribution of the grain without ii
,e necessity of keeping a man in the pi
!. all the time.
le A cover to the silo, or weights, a,
IS wholly unnecessary. The silos in III
I region that had no covers of any sort di
,r not show more surface waste Of silal
: than those covered with paper, boart
,e and sawdust Only two or three inch
J. of silage nodded where no surface pr
+ lection was used. The two or thr
IS inches of white mold made an air-tig
N cover that offered all the protect,
\ needed. The silos covered with 70
- of dry straw, well tread down, show
the least loss of any. Those who cover
te closely and weighted report the grea
ID est loss. There. is no more necessity
y weighing a silo than of putting "
J. hundred pounds per square foot on 7
@ tato heap.