The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-06-28
Whe Farm,
Farmers, Ga'dners, Horticuiturists.
Dairy and Stockmen are requested to
unite for this Department.
EnSilage.

gives DIS experience Win ensllaSe IN
the Country Gentleman:
have had SO mauy letters in regard
to slices that l ask you to act as a me-
dunn for reply. And first about ensil
age, which is whatever we preserve in
silo, the latter being pit or place to
preserve green food. Clover makes
the best ensilase, milet is also excel
lent, but the cheapest and best is corn.
The clover should lie cured to feed
once day with the ensilage. Millet
will not produce enough to be as profit.
able as corn, and it can also be cure
better than corn. Corn stalks do not
gain anything by being kept in silo,
but they are rendered more succulent,
are more easily digested, and cattle like
them better and do better on them.
There is more milk, butter and growth
in ensilaged corn fodder than when it
is dried or cured. This is enough to
know, and this fact is settled.
To come up to this standard of value
the corn must be planted SO that the
stalks will be perfect corn stalks. This
means thin enough in lows, as sowing
broadcast will not answer. The fullest
amount of sugar must be developed in
the stalks, and this can only be done
with space enough to admit Of the sur
shine and full OF complete formation
Of the stalk. 1t is always best to plant
any kind OF corn SO that there will be
ears on the stalks, as these ears will be
preserved in the silo and will add to
the value of the food. The most weight
of corn fodder can be grown on an acre
with the dent varieties of corn, and
where these kinds Of corn will mature
ears qhey are the best to plant. In sec.
tions where the dent corn will not ma
turc so as to fill out the kernels then
native corn should be planted. The
flint varieties can be planted closer in
the rows. Six to eight quarts of seed
for one acre is all that should be used
according 10 the kind. Set ears and
then there will be perfect stalks, and
this ensures more feeding value aud
less water according to bulk. The
sowed fodder corn is likely to have IS
per cent of water in it. and the fully
developed corn not more than 60 per
cent. The corn with the least water in
it will make the sweetest and best en-
silage. The corn may be planted with
a hand planter in hills Is inches apart,
or in drills with kernel every foot
epart. This is close enough, and the
rows should be 5 or 81 feet apart, &C
cording to the kind of corn. The weeds
may be kept down by narrowing the
corn until it is several inches high
From 10 to rs tons per acre may be
grown, according to the richness of the
land. When to cut, &c, l will tell
about another time.
We will now build our si!o This
must be air-tight and the foundation
water-tight. Dig bitches three feet
deep under where the walls are to 60,
and fill them with stones, placed in
snug up to within foot of the top of
the ground. Lay wall in cement on
these and carry it up a foot above the
ground. Inside this wall lay pave
ment Of stone, six iuches deep, and on
this put stone cracked fine and fill in
with grout, or lay the bottom with fat
stone and fill the open space with grout.
This will make an air-tioht and water
tight bottom, and it will be lasting.
Drain it if possible, and bank the earth
up around to the top of the wall. On
the wall, bed the stills in cement, so
that no air can get under them The
frame may be balloon, with studding 2
by 6, which will give an air space six
inches wide. From the sill to the
plates. on all the outside, side up with
hemlock boards, one inch thick, put on
across the studding. On these boards
put building paper, we'll Tapped, and on
this some form Of siding. The roof
may be Of any kind, so that it does not
leak. No extra precautions are re-
quired 10 its construction. There
should be window in the top, to let in
the light and for ventilation. The in
inside of the silo should be made the
same as the outside, ON all of the sides
exposed to the cold. Otherwise the
lining with hemlock boards may be
omitted, and only the building paper
and matched ceiling be used-the
paper being nailed tie the studding.
The silo must be air.tight, and when
this condition is secured, with the pre-
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