The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-02-23
Silos and Ensilage.
The following essay on silos and
ensilage was read before the Insti
kntn h., El-nnd Rnlan.nAnn.

ensilage was read before the Insti
tute by Elwood Balderston:
In constructing silo three essential rules
must be adhered to, beyond which it may be
adapted to the surroundings in various
styles.
The pit must be gas tight; it must be
deep il must be strong. To be gas tight,
the sides and bottom must be so constructed
that the carbonic acid gas formed in fer
menialion, will not escape and admit in its
stead the oxygen of the air, producing
decay. just as you must have tight barrel
to pickle your meat, or else the brine is
wasted and the meat looses its sweetness.
The carbonic acid gas, like the brine, is
heavier than the air, and SO long as the pit
or silo is tight below it will remain incor-
porated with the ensilage and preserve its
sweetness. Good cement mixed properly
with sand laid on the fresh bottom is the
best floor for silo. This must extend up
the sides as high as the wall. IF the SUPER
structure is to be wood, the stills, if practi-
cable, should be laid in cement, and the
lining or inner boards should break joint
over the wall and join with the cement.
To allow this it is necessary to frame to
the inner edge of the wall, thus having a
clean vertical face on inner surface, with no
projections TO hinder Sc thing.
Small doors are necessity to take ont
the ensilage, but they should be ft az care
fully as refrigerator door, hung inwards.
Twenty inches square is good size, hinged
at the top, one above the other some four
feet apart; thus the pressure Of the ensllage
will keep them closed tight. These adopt
ed in my new silo built this season and l
think great improvement over the old
drop boards and exterior doors.
The silo must have depth. We depend
largely on the weight of ensilage itself to
settle squarely and solidly. expelIing the
hulk of the air, while the procesa:of fermen-
tation which sels in converts the remainder
into carbonic acid gas. Thus the deeper
we can probably make our silo the better.
The length and width should depend
largely on the number of cows kept, as the
silo must always be opened and fed from the
top, taking off the whole surface uniformly
as we 90 down. Ifthe surface thus exposed
be too large for the herd, it would be liable
to spoil before using. A silo 10xl0x2O f..
deep, or sx12x20 #. deep would be very
suitable size to feed twenty to twenty five
COWS once day all winter. If fed twice a
day the superficial area should be twice as
great, 10x2Ox2O #. deep, or 14x14x2O #.
deep.
The silo must be strong-care must be
observed to make the work substantial, as
the tonnage capacity Is very great even in
small silo. The latter capacity will hold
about seveniy.6ve tons, thus any giving
away Of 'imbers or walls would at once ruin
the product. Employ first class mechanic
and he will put you up a cheap silo.
The mods rn ideal silo is a circular bnild.
ing OF stone and cemented; the walls being
some 20 inches thick and 20 feet or more
deep, aud diameter 10 suit the herd. This
building with approved openings, built
above ground, or above the level of the
stables, is undoubtedly the best building if
only silo was wanted. All square corners
are avoided and loss is reduced to mini
mum, while the building should last indef-
initely. The practical silo, however, for us
farmers who may alresdy have sufficient
roof capacity in our barns with our stock
stabbed below, is, to convert nov into one
Here we gain at once accessibility in filling
from the barn floor anove, and accessibility
in feeding from the stable floor below.
In handy corner remove the sleepers
build up the other two sides of foundation
level with the plate, rounding the inner
corners, and finish Of wood, using strong
studding round the corners; sheathe, line
with felt, and cover with matched floor ing
put on vertically, break joint over wall, cut
email doors into funnel on outside, also
door from the barn floor for filling; cement
the walls and floors, and oil or paint the
boards and you are ready 10 6ll,-with an
outlay OF about two dollars per COW.
bow to fill silo, perhaps, shonld have
been the next subject, but think the
farmer that builds the silo will so 10 learn
to Gil it. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to
the average farmer isG how can / Gu, 1t
This should be solved by the answer hire
it done with steamer and elevator cutter.
This will avoid buying an expensive outfit
and will be more satisfactory in the end.
All through the dairy regions Of the West,
ensilage cutting is an established thing, the
same as threshing and hay packing here.
The kind Of seed is another object. Avoid
big cared corn. 1t breaks the cutters, and
is hard to feed through the machines.
How does ensilsge compare with hay and
fodder for feed2 How does butter compare
with bread for foodf No comparison at all.
1t takes both. Aliho' trow the COW will
thrive better on the ensilsge alone than We
will on the butter.
While rebuilding our barn was COM
PEELED to feed exclusively on easilags for
two weeks, with an addition Of three quarts
OF bran and cob meal and dry fodder. 1
afterward cut prime clover hay, doubled the
meal on il, and fed in place of ensIage once
day. The result-the cows fell of at once
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