The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-08-07
WHAT ABOUT THE sLo1

-
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 a superior recep-
tacle for the preservation of silage, as it
is not only less costly, but a 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-
tion 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-
Der, the other must have good, we'll
matched flooring, or an air tight wall can
not be secured. Some hold that it is vet
better to lath and plaster the interior of
lllG SllO W IlldhC IL OIutTS luSlSJ
that they get even better wall by paint
ing with hot gas tar, in which some resin
is melted, or the use of 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
with plant juices, on the verge of ma
turity when put in the silo, docs not un-
dergo the extreme ferment incident to
corn fodder less mature, and only de-
velops Tactic acid in a 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 whiting is g.
to reduce weight, but with II 7~7-. serhny
fodder, this water means ytScllOle mature
willing fodder iJ9gjSt u 4ood value, and
! cutting, 9s ?Ulves increased cost OF
cut --aegii it requires more power, is not
/ tIhtst;as perfectly, and it cannot be shown
T 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 ''rl- led" along,
and the necessity of allowing each days
filling to heat to 125 degrees is obviated.
When the silo is full it is allowed to
stand uncovered for four or even five
days to heat and throw out the air, when
it is covered and sweet silage can be con-
fdently expected. Where there are two
pits, one may be filed, then the other.
The first will have settled, when it can
be again filed to the top, and attention
then can be paid to No. 2.
1t was demonstrated last year that any
amount of rain upon silage fodder before
going into the pits will not injure it OF
cause any increase of acidity. Last fall
thousands of loads of fodder dripping
with rain, went into the pits but the silagC
showed no evil effects from it, nor did q
frost near the close of silo filling work
any noticeable injury to the silage. II
was also found that tTamping is not to be
encouraged until after twenty-four hours,
when the silage has begun to wilt. Ther
it is only of benefit along the walls tC
assist in making it settle. Many cases
of silage spelling along the walls result
from tramping when fresh cut, as it ex
pels the air to an extent which prevents
it from taking on heat and willing along
the walls as fast as in the centre. Instead
of keeping the silo about level wher
filling, it is better to keep it the highes
along the walls, and thus get an ever
distribution of the grain without tn,
necessity of keeping a man in the pit
all the time.
A cover TO the silo, or weights, ar,
, wholly unnecessary. The silOs in thi
region that had no covers of any sort die
, not show more surface waste Of silag
than those covered with paper, board
, and sawdust Only two or three iuche
of silage nodded where no surface pro
lection was used. The two or thre
inches of white mold made an air-tigh
cover that offered all the protection
needed. The silos covered with a foo
of dry straw, well tread down, showe
the least loss of any. Those who coyere
closely and weighted report the great
est loss. There is no more necessity G
weighing a silo than of putting tw
hundred pounds per square foot on pc
tatO heap.