Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-05-05
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT
SiLOs AND ENsILAGE.
How to Build and Fiji Them-Important
Information About sorghum-Poul-
try PickinEs and House
Hold Helps.
Siios and Ensilagc.

TleS, i Will say that the SllO is decid-
edly Il success says a writer in the
Ohio Farmer. especially for farmers
who take an interest In milk and but
ter production from their COWS. as it
has been proven that cows fed on en-
silage show gain OF Is to % per
cent in their production of milk and
show large gam in flesh. and are
more hearty than those fed on dry hay
or fodder alone. The silo is evidently
one OF the important steps toward i'm
proved agriculture and one which is
being rapidly adopted among the en-
tcrprising farmers all over the United
States who are interested in the
proper care and feeding OF their stock.
Aud will say right here. that the
time OF experimenting with silos is a
thing OF the past for they are de-
cidcd success wherever tried
AS TO putting in cornfodder in n
whole state, for ensiluge it would
hardly be advisable, although it has
been tried. and makes very good
iced FOR cattle when tho fodder is har-
vested before the stalks are matured;
but 1T is very tedious work to remove
1t from the silo at the time OF feeding.
The best results are received by filing
with fodder that has been grown from
ground sown broadcast and narrowed
in about the first or middle Of June.
and then harvested during the first
hall oil September with an ordinar,.
grain reaping machine; or SOW the
corn in rows four feet apart with a
Z IN
You will got more thrifty fodder and
larger per ccntage of ears of corn.
This should be harvested as soon as
the ears OF corn reach their milky
state and stored in the silo as soon as
convenient after harvested A ma
chine OF some kind should be en-
ployed that the fodder may be cut up
in pieces about 10 ! inch in length.
II you can not afford a machine
yourself. talk silo to some of your
nefghbors; get them 10 Join you and
build large siso in compartments. or
each build one OF his own and then
purchase machine on shares Al
though this would not be advisable in
some neighbcrhoods. it might work in
others
In harvesting the fodder care
should be taken to remove all rag
weed possible, as it makes ensilarc
bitter and cattle will dislike it: other
weeds does not matter. Cattle in gen
eral unaccustomcd to this kind OF
feed will at first dislike it. but will
soon become accustomed to it ana in
short time will eat it before thew
- nfl A.
clover hay in i. silo. it has been tried.
but do not give as profitable results
rs fodder as a neavy crop of clover
sut for silo filing will only yield about
haif the quantity OF crop OF fodder.
corn per acre.
1t is very great mistake to sup
pose that all silos must be built OF
stone and have a cement floor in them
as they can be built of lumber equally
Is WELL and need not have stone or
cement floor as n great many farmers
are inclined to think, thus ignoring
silos for fear they are too expensive
to be profitable They are not by
any means If constructed on the RICH,
plan.
I would say to Mr. Singletons
question of using green oak lumber
that If he has it sawed early IN the
spring. and stacked up Immediately,
80 that it may be in the dry and cure
out during the heated summer sea-
son. he can use 1t in the fall for con-
structing his silo; although lumber
> thoroughly cured will give the best
results, yet such lumber as his can be
used successfully.
In regard to the construction of u
silo. there are great variety Of
styles built and used successfully.
Mr.. Singleton does not say whether he
viii! build his silo in the barn or out
of doors OF course he will use his
own judgment as to that. and if out OF
doors what appearances it is to have
also its shelter. Below l will give q
few Dimensions and directions which
may be of value IN the construction of
This silo:
The dimensions are II by l6 # and
40 # high; may be constructed of
rough lumber and if convenient
matched siding for inside. although
rough unmatched boards may be USED.
but should be plastered or coated with
q mixture OF water lime and fine
sand. II the matched siding is used
it should be painted inside with iron
clad paint as it will preserve the
silo lining and make it more durable.
The floor may be made of clay packed
Z solid making a cheap and good floor.
The above dimensions will hold
! enough ensilase to feed 8 head of
cows for about months providing
you feed them 80 pounds per day.
which makes q very good days rations
& for one COW.
Growing Sorghum.
y Seth II. Kenney writes to Farm
Stock and Home. On interesting letter
on this important topic:
In my last article tried to show
that in poor year the Early Amber
)