The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-03-23
THE CECIL FARMERS CLUB.
The Regular March Meeting at
MIR. A. j. Michener's Near
COlOra.


the attendance of any gathering held OF
Wednesday last, yet a full quorum o
members of the Club answered to thei
names, when at Il few minutes befor
eleven O'Clock, the President 5. Rowland
Carson, Esq, ordered the call OF the roll
WYNN. W. Moore, Joseph Coudon
Johu S. Ewing, A. J. Kitchener, III. Ii
| Duyckiuck, Enoch Mccullough, Thos. G
Bond, 5. Rowland Carson, and Ii. r
| Torbert. The visitors present were Jno
w. Mccullough, VIM. J. Evans, Georg
Balderston, and E. III. Worthington. Mr.
Kitchener welcomed his guests with hi
accustomed cordiality, and the meeting
was pleasant one socially, as we'll a
profitable in its results.
The minutes of the last meeting having
been read and approved and no reports
of experiments being offered, the essa.
| became the regular order of business
| Mr.. Kitchener stated, that not having
been present at the last meeting of The
selected "Ensilage," and expressed hi'
regret that he had not been duly notified
in time to prepare an essay. In this ex
cusable failure of the Host, the President
submitted two articles upon the subject
recently contributed to the Oxford Press
with the request that they be read by the
Secretary.
The first paper. written by Mr.. NJ. G
Brosius of We It Marlboro, Pa, expressed
views very favorable to the general use OF
ensilage as productive and cheap article
of feed for cattle. He quoted the milk
test made by Mr.. ]. l. Carter, proprietor OF
Chatham Creamery with and without en-,
silage, which resulted in favor of its use,
showing an increase of l 10 per cent OF
butter fat, which is equivalent in this case
TO gain of one-fifth. Mr.. Brosius says
The subject of enslage is rapidly taking
It's place among the more important inter
ests of the farmer who has taken the BUSH
ness of feeding stock for his profits, and the
increasing interest in it in the United States
and England is ample proof that it is worthy
OF investigation. Only nine years ago there
were but six silos in this country and four
in England; five years later the mum Der in
the United States had increased to 1000, and
we have the best evidence tn t they have
increased since that time much more rap
idly.
Two years ago we built our silo but owing
to such an abundance OF advisers we got the
corn too thicklv sown and consequently had
the same kind of ensiiage that others
had been feeding, which, however, was a
great step in the economy of feed. Last year
Isucceeded in filling my silo with full crop
of we'll maLured corn which am feeding
this winter with great satisfaction.
That there is no risk in storing away corn
ears and fodder together if the sio is prop
erly built and the crop put in with care
That it is no. any more work or expense to
silo corn than to harvest it in the usual way,
and much less labor in feeding it. That
unless it can be proven that the full ripen-
ing of the corn, taking the grain aud fodder
combined, adds to its value as food, there is
a gain of one-fourtn on all corn sliced, as it
costs about one eighth to husk 1t and one
eighth TO grind it; the cutting and hauling
OF the grain and fodder being the same in
both methods, not counting the expense and
labor OF hauling it TO mill through mud and
over frost. That il it is desirable that the
cow should have mixed feed in order to
have the same pass into all of the stomachs
of the animal we have it at once by putting
the meal upon the wet enslage, and also
have warm feed, as ensiage is always
warm when first taken out. That stock fed
largely upon ensiiage will drink but little
water, which is desirable by those that ha> e
cold water for their stock. The danger of
over-feeding, so much to be dreaded by the
heavy feeder, is also avoided-a surteit of
ensilage only lasting until the next meal
That cows ted on enslage will give more
and better milk than with the same cost of
other kinds of feed, provided there is proper
care taken to keep the cows in warm stables
during very cold weather, as it is only rea-
sonaOle to suppose that if they are fed on
green summer feed, which We claim eusll-
age to be, that they cannot so well with
stand the severe cold of winter.
We think with a stock of twenty cows the
silo should be about 10 feet wide and II feet
deep, length to correspond with the amount
of corn you wish to cure. These dimensions,
30 feet in length, will hold about five acres
OF corn that would make sixty bushels per
acre. With these dimensions there would
be enough taken out at one time TO prevent
any part of the surface remaining undis-
turbed long enough to damage.
In our opinion it makes no difference
where the silo is built, or what material is
used, if it is properly protected and sur
rounded bv a non-c conductor to such an ex-
about 140 degrees, will not be in any way
retarded.
In regard to filling the silo our experience
is that the corn should not be put in wet,
should be cut as short as circumstance will
permit and that continuous filling is not
necessary, that delay of thirty six or forty
eight hours will not do much damage: but a
much longer time will result in injury as
the heat and moisture rapidly coming to
the top and coming in contact with the air
will mould the upper portion of the green
corn, and once damaged in this way its
good quality cannot be restored, but will
have 10 effect on the curing of any corn in
after filling.
The second paper was from the pen OF
Mr.. E. Henry Haines. of Lancaster
County, Pa, who, although the owner OF
silo, is, it seems, not altogether convinc.
ed of the relative cheapness of ensilage as
food for cattle. Mr.. Halnes says
L have no interest in putting a less value
| on silo than L believe it deserves and I sin
eerely hope that this discussion of the sub
| ject may finally show that am wrong, fol
| L think | have as good silo as can be built
and would be very glad to be shown how tc
| get an adequate return from it for the grea
expense in building it.
Mr.. Halnes open his article by citing
| the case of an advocate of the use of en-
siIage, who claimed to have kept twenty
cows five months on the ensilage from 81
acres of land at cost of three and one
third cents per dav for each COW.
Commenting on this statement he says
This is certainly cheap feeding, but how
was the cost arrived att j. Gould is givel
as authority for so lbs. of ensiags per da.
as being the proper ration for COW, ant
nearly all writer's give about the same. Tn
writer of the article on well balanced feed
says 30 lbs. il worth three and a half cents
then 60 los. would be worth seven cents