River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-05-02
RULES FOB ENsILAeE.
Sugg estiOns for Those Who Think of Build
ing and Filling SiIns.

RULES FOR ENSlLAGE.
Sugg estions for Those Who Think of Build
ing and Filling siIos.
/. Silos should be made deep or high
when practicable, so that the ensilage
itself may exert "A greater pressure on
all below.
2 The bottom should be on level
with the stable floor, so as to admit of
easier feeding
3. 1t may be filled ir at the top. Ell
Their by means 81 a carrier driven by the
machine in cutting; or on an elevated
( bridge or causeway.
4. If the silo stands on steep hill
side. an earth road may be made to
carry up the loads OF stalks TO the cut
ter and silo.
). The silo may be constructed Of
timber and plank, and while it lasts
win be as good as when built Of costly
masonary.
8. Good walls may be made of
boards or plank. nailed on the two
sides of a stiff timber frame forming
an air-space lined with tarred building
paper. to make it air-tight and prevent
freezing much.
Z. Ii the planks are well soaked
with petroleum, they will last many
years. The portion next to earth may
be treated with gas tar; or it may be
of masonary.
s. A plank door, capable of being
strongly barred, should open next to
the passage towards the stable.
9. If the walls are fairly even, it will
make no difference in the settling of
the ensilage whether the plan1s are set
upright or horizontal.
10. The bottom floor should have
perfect drainage
IL. Silos of moderate size, or larger
ones with divisions, are more con-
venient for filling or emptying, pro-
vided the cutter can be easily placed
to feed all.
u. After filling the silo, during sue
cessive days, the contents will settle in
the course of a day or two. to about
b-o-thirds of their former bulk.
Is. Ensilage, after settling. will
weigh about forty-five pounds to the
cubic foot, if cut short and weighted
heavily; but will be considerably less
!. eight at top if cut longer and not
weighted.
RAISING AND MANAGING THE FODDER.
II. A ton of good ensilage contains
no more nutriment than an equal
amount of well-dried and cut corn
stalks but it is liked better by cattle
and is better assimilated, digested and
goes further than the dry fodder
Is 1t has nearly the same advan-
tages as green food given in summer.
16. Two modes are adopted in rails
ing the stalks-planting in thick drills.
and thus obtaining the heaviest crop,
with no grain; or thinner. and obtain
ing fewer stalks, with some corn.
II. The grain obviates feeding dry
meal with the ensilage, and is believed
by many to be more profitable than
the heavier thick crop requiring some
meal.
IS The best ensilage is obtained by
allowing the stalks to ripen enough to
let the grain glaze. and the leaves to
dry on their edges. Failure results
when cutting too green.
10. From four to six inches apart in
the row is a suitable distance for the
stalks; small corn aud sweet corn near
er than large Southern corn.
20. The amount of fodder which may
be grown on an acre depends chiefly on
the richness of the soil. Common or
gOod-growing Northern corn, planted
thicker than large Southern. will yield
from fifteen to twenty tons of green
stalks to the acre on rich land. Large
corn will yield rather more in STALKS
bGt less in grain.
81. Cutting the fodder half an inch
in length admits closer packing in the
silo, and prevents the max ~ of long
fibrous manure Ii three or four
inches, it is better that the whole
length
p. Thoroughly tramp around the
edges of the silo in filling; the central
portion will become solid without
much tramping.
%. Weighing the silo packs the
top layer more nearly air tight; leav-
ing it exposed causes several inches to
rot on the top. A layer of several
inches Of dry straw holds a portion of
the steam from the he! ensilage and
tends to lessen the rotting.
a. A weight of hundred pounds
to the square foot is ample. 1t may be
stones laid on plank cover; or it may
be sand, sawdust, earth, bags of grain,
or tubs of water on the plank, accord
ing to convenience. Weights are bet
ter than screws, because continuous.
%. In feeding out expose as little
of the ensilage to the a. as conven-
lent, either by cutting down perpendic-
ularlv in Successive sections; or in
small silos with large he Is. by taking
off successive layers over the whole
.urtace-( 'Ouutrv 60 lflpman