Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-07-14
inexpensive Silos.

struction of one. There is also a large
class OF farmers who have never given
much consideration To this subject, who
have never entertained an idea that a
silo would be beneficial to them or that
they would ever build one. To these
men we would say that when man
builds silo he increases the stock carry
ing capacity of his farm. The building
of his silo is large addition to his
resources and is just as necessary to the
most successful stock husbandry as is
the moving machine, the horse rake, or
any machine that is common on the
farm. 1t would be difficult, if not inn
possible, to find manltO-day of any
Intelligence who considers it good
ECONOMY to cut his grasS|6r rake his hay
by hand. We think the attempt to get
along without Silo must be looked up
on in the same. light as would be the
attempt to do without n moving machine
or horse rake. To this class of farm
ers, also, we would mention the fact
that a successful and durable silo may
be had without large outlay. A word
of caution, however, is necessary, and
that is, do not try to cheaper the cost
of silo by careless or indifferent work.
Although inexpensive, it should be well
built.
Much is saved in the cost by locating
it in the barn. The frame of the latter
is already in existence, to support the
silo, and the barn roof supplies the
necessary covering.
| A silo must be air-tight. The lining
boards should be perfectly seasoned, so
that no shrinkage can take place, making
cracks through which the air can enter.
Ensilage is the result of certain fermen-
tation processes, and the presence of
too much air will carry the work so far
| that the fodder becomes rotten. The
walls of the silo must be made very
rigid to withstand the great pressure of
the silage as it settles. They must also
be perpendicular and should be smooth
to facilitate the process of settling. The
capacity of a silo is obtained by multi
plying it's cubic feet by the average num-
Der of pounds per cubic foot for siio
of its depth. The average weight of
enSilage from a silo 90 feet deep is about
33 pounds and from one 30 feet about 40
pounds A Silo Ike and ~ feet deep
would contain about - tons if full. OF
course it is impracticable to have it COM
pletely full at the time of opening it, so
some allowance must be made. A COW
fed 80 pounds day will eat three tons
in 200 days; if fed 40 pounds, she will
eat four tons. From the above state
ment one can figure near enough to the
size of silo he needs. 1t is best to make
the silo as deep as conditions will war
rant. 1t may extend four to six feet
below the barn floor.
The bottom should be of stone and
cement; foot of stone-cobbles from
the field, decreasing in size from bottom
to top, where they approximate in size
to coarse gravel-covered with coat OF
cement. A cheap grade of cement will
answer and it should be mixed with two
parts sand. The boarding of the walls
should be perpendicular, and the boards
plaued. Two layers of perfectly season
ed narrow boards, thoroughly nailed on,
the inner tapping over the edges of the
outer layer, will make tight box. The
frame work to which the boards are
fastened may be made out of 2x4 scant-
linz, provided the Silo be not more than
90 feet deep. They should extend from
top to bottom on the inside of the beams,
girts and sills of the barn, being two to
four feet apart, and between these should
run short pieces in horizontal position.
The bottom of the upright pieces should
be fastened ON the inside of sills imbed-
ded in the cement. Feeding doors
should be made about three feet wide.
One intending 10 build silo would
do well TO inspect several Others. Two
casks of cement, few pounds of nails,
and something over $500 feet OF lumber
will be the material required. Corn
makes the best ensilage. Other fodder
plants have been tried, but thus far with
indifferent success. The Stover from
sweet corn, including husks and cobs
from the factories, makes excellent en-
silage, although not quite up to that
from yellow corn. Prof. +. w. VOL
SAYS: "In planting corn for the silo we
want the largest quantities OF food
materials that the land is capable OF
producing. This evidently can be oo-
tanned by medium thickness of plant
ING. If too thin or thick planting be
practiced, the total yields of food materl-
ais obtained will be reduced in the for
mer case. because of the small stand OF
plants: in the latter, because of insult
ficiency of light, moisture and other
conditions necessary to bring the plants
forward to full growth.
Bulletin No. 02 of the New Hampshire
Experiment Station, treating oi Siiage,
saws: "Our results and those OF other
stations invariably agree that the best
silage is obtained from corn that has
nearly reached maturity, with ears fully
formed and well filled.
IL. .f a
plant has reached its maximum OF food
production. Varieties of corn should
be selected which yield the largest crops
at this stage. rather than those whlch
produce large plants, but are yet lmma-
ture ut cutting time. THIS practice Is
already followed by many farmers but
should be by all. For New Hampshire,
standard variety is the Leaning dent
corn, while in those portions OF the state
with too short season for that variety
| To reach the proper stage, the SANFORD
flint corn can be advantageously used.
Corn NAV be cut into the silo or pack
ed in whole. We think it will make
equally good silage either way. In silo-
ING it whole il must be put into the silo
in a systematic manner, and special at
tention paid to packing the corners. lt
should be trod evenly all over the silo.
If frosty or very dry, little water
| should be added from time tn time, and
it should be well wet down when the
filling is completed.
The best covering is swale grass. by
commencing to feed it within few
days after filling, no covering will be
needed and nothing will be lost.-Hon.
A. Roberts. in State Board Bulletin.
REPLIES FROM CORRESPONDENTS.
DENMARK-My silo is built in the barn.
Ii is 1lxl2, and fourteen feet high
put in strong studding. up and down,
and boarded with boards planed on one
side, putting the planed sides together
and double boarding. The bottom
made of small stones filled on top with
gravel, then cemented over that anu up
a foot on the sides. 1t is rat proof.
fill with well grown corn, both yellow
and sweet, without cutting, and my cat
tie eat stalks and all. They could do nc
more with cut fodder. pack the butts
all one way one foot deep, then reverse
and when. the silo is filed / cover one
foot deep with poor hay, brakes or any
thing which will take up moisture.
: put second crop clover in last year bu
r it did not keep very well. Oats ant
3 meas do finely. CHARLES b. SMITH.
PoRrER-The subject of this bulletin
considering the prospect for the comins
season. is one of great Importance