The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-08-27
DRY FODDER sILAGE.

Much has been said in the agricultural
press and at institutes in regard to the
feasibility of making silage from dry,
shocked corn fodder, and as to its ad-
visibility. Many farmers raise corn to
sell, ard they are left with a great
abundance of fodder, as its feeding value
so rapidly dcteriorates that the cattle
are practically left without fodder long
before spring, and they have to be win
tered out on other food. Others find
Themselves with surplus fodder, and
still others who have silo, cannot use
their field fodder as it is huskcd too late
to 90 into the silo with any assurance of
making any reasonably good silage, ow-
ing to its dry condition.
Last year neighboring farmer, Mr..
Griswold, of Summit County, Ohio, in
the last days of October decided to
build a wooden silo, and put his field
corn, then six weeks in the shocks, into
it. The silo was built, the shocks of
corn husked, and the shocks drawn up
and cut in half-inch lengths into the
silo. Having farm water works, hose
was attached and sprinkler fixed, and,
as each load of fodder was CIT into the
pile, at least eight gallons of water were
sprinkled over the dry silage. The pit
was filled and covered with two feet of
straw. In four weeks the silo was uu-
covered, and the feeding commenced.
The silagc was found to have settled
very well and taken on fair heat, so
much that the air had been forced out -
the point of non-molding, except tri-
fling am punt in the corners, and the re-
suit was an article of good No. 2 silagc
that proved the wisdom of his venture.
Later Mr.. Edgar Huidekoper, of Craw-
ford County, Penn, fillel a silo late in
October with field corn, that had been
shocked for five weeks. 1t was very dry,
but was cut very fine into the silo, and
fairly we'll wet down as the filling pro-
gressed. The resulting silage was ex-
cellcnt; sweet, odorless, and greedily
eaten by the cattle, who thrived upon it.
There was quite loss at the sides by
mold, no doubt the result of insufficient
water beng supplied near the walls,
where there should have been most. The
corn fodder came out quite dark in col.
or, the corn kernels "brown as berry,"
but plump and full of "meat." The
venture was voted a success to this ex-
tent: it is possible to raise more corn
than the silos will hold, and after feed
ing out the contents of one it can be
again filed with dry fodder, if wet
down, with less loss, and manifest
economy in time and labor than to allow
it to stand in the field and leach for
weeks in the winter weather. The man
who must sell the corn ears, can after
ward put the husked stalks into silo,
and realize upon them for months after
ward. There is no gain made over silo-
ing green fodder, as there is not only q
great wastage in the drying of the stalks,
but an unestimatcd litter that it is i'm
portant to save, and at the silo the cut
ting takes more power, is less satisfac-
tory, aud more labor is essential. The
idea advanced is, however, matter of
value. These examples, and others that
could be mentioned, indicate that the
siloing of dry fodder may be proftably
adopted in exceptional cases, and an ad-
vance made on the methods of the past
where older systems of farming are yet in
partial force.-American Agriculturist.