The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-06-15
THE s1Lo AND ENsrLAeE.
Specially Prepared for the Chronicle by
Professor T. HI. French of the
State Agricultural College.


Professor t. III. French of the
State Agricultural College.
At the first introduction of the silo in
this country, corn was the only crop cured
in it; but it was found that ensilage of
grass was superior. Since 1880 nothing
has been contrived so beneficial to the
American farmer as the silo. 1t has helped
to furnish the necessary supply of butter,
cheese, and beef when all other means
have failed. To the farmers of New En-
gland, and the northwest, during the long,
severe winters, the silo has become al
most indispensable.
AS soon as stock becomes used to ensi-
lage they eat it ravenously. In spite of
what chemests say practically it is found
that stock keep just as we'll, in fact bet
ter when fed ensilage than when fed the
same kind of fodder dry. Do we ourselves
not get more good from something we
relish for dinner than from twice as much
of something we do not relish? For the
COW we must have variety of foods and
of a succulent nature to produce the larg-
est per cent. of butter.
In building silo only four simple
principles are to be borne in mind The
silo is practically an air-tight box or bin.
In building it on the ground we must see
to it that water cannot enter its interior
First, a good foundation of stone or ce-
ment, If the silo is built by itself. If it
is built within the corner of barn, we
can take advantage of the barn founda-
tion on two sides of the silo Make
these sides little stronger by adding a
few studding. For the other sides set up
ks, or 2xlO in case of deep silo, and
we have the frame complete. Make the
sidewalks perfectly safe from outward
pressure. If the foundation wall be
started 16 inches at the bottom carry it
up to where you want the studding to
begin; then leave six or eight inches in
side and carry the remainder up to four
or five inches further, thus forming a
ledge for studding to rest upon, and to
keep them from springing outward.
The corners must be stayed by iron rods
or plank framed thus that the corners
are locked, as no air must be admitted.
The outside of the silo may be of any
rough material. The first covering on
the inside may be some cheap material
that will make an even surface. Over
this nail tarred building paper giving it
a good lap, and cover the same with
matched dressed lumber free from knots.
Leave a three-foot doorway, into which
you slip matched planking from the
ground up as you fill the silo. To pro-
tect the lumber lining the silo from the
hot vegetable juices, paint it with hot
gas tar and resin in the proportion of one
gallon of tar to one pound of resin. This
will dry in day or two.
A soon as you have plowed the soil, in
spring, plant the corn for your silo, then
it will come up ahead of the weeds.
Some prefer drilling with grain drill,
making the rows three to four feet apart,
dropping the kernels about eight inches
apart. At this distance we can get an
ear on every stalk, which is all-import-
ant. Per acre eight to ten quarts of seed
will be required. 1t is considered more
important to secure grain on the ensilage
crop than large yield of fodder per
acre; quality is here more important
than quantity. Fodder that has an ear
on every stock is more nutritious. In
corn that nears maturity there is rela-
lively less woody material and de-
crease OF acid, or more sugar. The time.
to cut it down is when the corn begins
to glaze. The fodder should not get ripe
as certain amount of moisture is neces-
sary for curing process, and ripening
converts certain digestible constituents
into indigestible woody fiber, causing
decrease of the flesh formers-the albu-
menoids and carbohydrates. However,
corn should reach maturity before cut
ting for the silo. - @@-'1N
The fodder must be cut and elevated
into the silo by machine. Several
farmers can buy the machine and power
together, and move from one farm to an
other. Slow or rapid filling of the silo
will do equal y well. 1t may be opened
at once or remain untouched for months.
Ensilage is deficient in albumenoids and
the best authorities agree that bran, oats,
linseed meal or cotton seed meal should
be fed with it. Feed the ensilage evenly
from the surface. A bushel of the loose
ensilage is enough for COW or horse,
or ten sheep. With safety larger
amount of grain can be fed with ensilage
than with dry hay or fodder. Some
prominent stockmen consider ensilage
superior to good pasture. Many of the