Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-05-03

As many farmers are now preparing to
build slices, We offer the following sug
gestions:
l. Slices should be made deep or high
when practible, so that the ensllaSe it
self may exert greater pressure or all
below.
2. The hoatom should be on level with
the stable floor, SO as 80 admit of easier
feeding.
3. 1t may be filled in at the top, either
by means of carrier driven by the ma-
chine III cutting; or on an elevated bridge
or causeway.
4. # the silo stands on steep hill.
side, an earth road may be made to carry
up the loads of stalks to the cutter and
slo.
5. The silo may be CONSTRUCTED of
timber and plank, and while 1T lasts Will
be as good as when builr of costly mason
ry.
s. 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. If the planks are well soaked with
petroleum. they will last many years.
The portion next TO the earth may be
treated with gas tar; or it may be of mas
onry.
8. A plank door, capable of being
strongly barred, should open next to the
passage toward the stable.
8. if the walls are fairly even, 1T will
make no difference in the settling of the
ensilage whether the planks are set up.
right or horizontal.
10. The bottom or ssioor should have
perfect drainage.
IL. Slices OF moderate size, or larger
ones with divisions, are more convenient
for filling and emptying, provided the
cutter can easily be paced TO feed all.
II. After filling the silo, during sue
cessive days, the contents will settle in
the course of a week or two, to about two
thirds of their former bulk.
ID. Ensilage after settling will weigh
about forty-tive pounds to the cubic foot,
If cut short and weighed heavily; but will
he considerably less in weight at top if
cut longer and not weighted.
RAISING AND MANAGING FODDER.
IA. A ton of good ensiIage contains NO
more nutriment than an equal amount of
well dried and cut cornstdlks, but it ia
liked better by cattle and is better a-simi
lated, digested, and goes further than the
dry fodder.
IS 1T has nearly the same advantage
as green food given in summer.
16. Two modes are adopted in raising
the stalks-panting in thick drills, and
thus obtaining the heaviest crop, with no
grain; or thinner, and obtaining fewer
stalks, with some corn.
meal with ensilage, AMI it is believed
by many to be more prof table 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 gleze, and the leaves to dry on
their edges. Failures result when cutting
too green.
19. From four to six inches apart in
the row is suitable distance for the
etalks; small corn and sweet corn nearer
than large southern corn.
20. The amount of fodder which may
be grown on an acre depend chit fly on
the richness of the soil. Common or
good growing northern corn, planted
thicker than large sou hern, will yield
from fifteen to twenty tons Of green
stalks to the acre on rich land. Large
corn will yield rather more in stalk but
| less in grain.
21. Cutting the fodder half an inch in
length admits closer packing in the sio,
and prevents the making of long fibTous
manure. If three or four inches, it is
better than the whole length.
%. Thoroughly tramp around the
edges of the sIlo in filling; the central
rptti
tramping.
%. Weighting the silo packs the top
layer more nearly air-tight; leaving it 4
posed causes several inches TO rot on the
top. A layer of several inches of dry
straw holds a portion of the steam from
the hot ensjlage and tends to lessen the
rotting.
"a. weight of hundred pounds to
the square foot is ample. IL may be
stones LAID On plank cover; or it may be
sand sawdust, earth, bags of grain, or tubs
of water on the plank, according to CON
venience. Weights are better than sore Es,
because continuous,
25. In feeding out, expose as little of
the ensilage to the arr as convenient,
either by cutting down perpenpicuiarly in
successive sections; or in small slices
with large herds, by taking off successive
layers over the whole surface-C Country
Gentleman.