The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-02-13
FARMERS NEE ETINGS.
PHENOMENAL SUCCESS |!
LARGE ATTENDANCE.
METHODS DISCUSSED.
AGRICULTURAL TOPICS.

uleBeN-hepOrteuD Dy memDeEs
A fair siz ID audience greeted the
members of the board Thursday morn
ing, and Mr.. J. o. Sanford of Stamford
was chozen chairman. The opening ad.
d. ess was omitted, and Mr.. Homer w.
Vail of Pomfreit gave an address on en-
silage. ...... ....g
We are in the midst o: a good corn
growing section; also a place where a
creamery is about to starr, and corn is
one of the most important feeds we can
raise for the dairy.
We first heard of ensllage in Europe.
II derived it's name from France. This
was the manner in which they pitt d
their roots and tops to preserve for win
ter use, and from this it was found that
corn could be preserved as well. This
was discovered by Gophart. The first
man to use it in this country was MIR.
Bailey of Massachusetts,.
The first silo built in Vermont was by
Capt. Norton of Essex, and the first
ensilage shown in public meeting was at
State Dairymen's meeting at st. AL
bans, where there were several sacks
shown.
There was general feeling of diegust
by the farmers as they smelled or tasted
it. The general impression was that the
corn should come from the silo preserved
i'll taste and color, but they we're disap-
pointed in both. The brown color and
sour taste and smell we're disgusting,
and the general expression from the
farmers present was that such stuff was
not fit to feed COW for makIrg butter;
either for the promotion of health or for
nice product.
/ was induced to build silo from the
fact that my bay crop had been cut of
Two seasons by drouth and grasshop-
Ders, and | had been obliged to buy hay
by the car load to keep my herd of thor
ough- bred Jerseys, which did not
care to dispose of.
first planted Southern corn on an old
pasture and feTtIlized with phosphate.
| was pleased with that fodder and have
kept on filing my silo every year for the
past eight years. Have put in oats and
peas, rye, rowen and other crops, but
corn will always be the leading crop for
the slo.
would locate my silo where it will
be most convenient TO feed from. Il
can be filled by carriers or an elevated
driveway. Al first it was thought they
must be built of stone, but wood has
Deen found to be much cheaper and bet
| ha
tendency to collect moisture on the
outer edges, and thus spoil space of the
ensilage that comes in contact with 1t.
II made Of wood paint with coal tar.
The corn first used for the lilo was
chat kind which would grow the largest
talk. Now it has been found that
kind nf corn that will mature early ls
much better. Have put in corn that was
ripe enough to shell. The fermentation
which takes place makes the corn soft
and digeStlble; it has less moisture at
his stage. The g,eener the corn the
more acid the ensilage will be.
Corn can be put into the silo whole,
and by weighing heavily will preserve
we'll. The question whether to fill with
cut or uncut corn has not been decided
| WAS troubled by the ensilage settling
away from the sides of the silo at drst,
but by filing the middle the highest can
remedy that, | formerly husked my
corn, but now put it in whole; think
Sei more for my corn that way than II
nusked il, and i save the expense OF
nusking, grinding and taking to mill,
etc. Many are not weighing the cut
ensilage at present and meet with little
oss. Many feed as soon as they finish
filling the silo.
Two years ago a fre, re destroyed
nearly The whole crop of corn in Yer
mont. 1t could not be dried and there
was great loss; much rotied on the
ground, put my corn IN the silo just
after the great fret re and think saved
the whole of IT, That year gave great
impetus to the clio. Frost does not seem
to hurt the ensiIage if put in the silo
immediately. The small space in which
you can store the fodder recommends
the sllo for general use. Putting corn
INTO the silo or drying under the best
condition, does not make much differ
-uce IN the feeding value Of the same.
Experiments have been made by cutting
corn and drying under cover, and II
then loses about as much as the silos.
There ls a great loss in the usual method
Uf drying corn fodder.
In answer to question Mr.. Vail said:
| use the Sanford corn. Some prefer
Stowell's evergreen. All stock relishes
ensilage.
Prof. Sanborn says one important
feature in favor of ensilage is that cattle
relish 1t so well.
Vail-There Is nothing my COWS will
NNotla mi nm
I leave grain forit. Think one great ad-
vantage is the animal requires some kind
# succulent food, and this takes the
place of roots. Have had less intiamma'
Dry diseases in my herd since feeding
on ensilage. Sheep and hogs are being
wIntered more and more every year on
ensilsge, and many breeders OF horses
ar feeding II 10 colts. One large
breeder of horses in Kentucky put in a
iIp and bought twenty cows to produce
milk for his colts, found the colts would
eat ensilage and do better on 1t than on
milk. He even fed it to a limited extent
- young horses that were being worked
or speed. There are no bad Effects in
eedIng butter cows; it does not effect
he product. The butter that drew the
first prizes aJ our butter exhibits was
,arg ~ made from ensilage. Mi will be
spoiled when set any length of time
where the odoT of ensilage reaches 1t,
but il taken away before it cools it will
not. Turnips, onions and other vegeta-
les that have an oil odor will ruin the
DAIRY product.
Mr.. Root said, Mouton Bros. who
made line first prize butter at the Worlds
Fair, fed on ensilage about 25 pounds
per COW per day.
Mr.. Vail said, ensilage will be used as
soiIIng crop. Our pastures are grow
ing less. We have TO contend against
drouth and worn out pastures. Can soil
with oats and peas, Hungarian, etc.
Answers to Questions 4; /
Mr.. Vail.-The large butts OF corn will
analyz ze as well ss any part of the corn;
Never saw any butts taken from the silo
that the COW would not eat Can get in
as much corn in a silo whole as cut, but
whole corn must be weighted heavily.
So must oats and peas, or any fodder
that has u hollow stalk. Always feed
from the top of the silo and not cut II
down, ss il inpairs from the cut sides.
It is not necessary either to ill slow or
fast; should prefer to put corn in nearly
ripe. 1t will not make perfect feed
should feed bran or cotton seed meal to
balance the ration, but not corn meal.
Prof. CoOke.-Oats, barley and rye,