The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-06-01
SIL0S AND ENSILAGE.
School Commissioner Bishoff Records
His Personal Experiences IN ST.

To the Editor of The Republican
| have been requested 10 write an
article on silos and eusilage as has
been tested for period of five years
by the writer.
NV silos are made in the barn of
stone and cement, on each side of the
threshing floor. next to the back wall
If the bank barn. and extends from
the ground to the roof, a depth of
tweuty-one feet. The capacity of
them are forty tons each and after
using them five years they are in a
good state of preservation. The eu-
silage keeps as well in them as any l
have found elsewhere. The entire
cost of them did not exceed two humid
red dollars. Sios build of stones can
be constructed cheaper bat are not
so lasting. Persons contem plating
building one would do we'll 70 get the
actual cost of concrete walls, or of
brick, where material can be had
without too much freight. The priu-
cipal advantage in procuring and
preserving this green feed for winter Is
it is cheaper and gives the stock
good appetite.
| will give you an acc cunt of how
many tons of corn can be raiesd on
an acre of ground and the probable
cost of production and putting it in
the silo. | have raised seventeen
tons on an acre but fifteen tons is
considered good yield Corn that
will produce fifty bushels of corn to
| the acre will make about sixteen tons
if cut before the sap is dried out of it
| too much.
The corn can be grown at a profit
at two dollars per ton as it stands in
the field. 1t can be cut and placed in
the silo at a cost of about fifty cents
per ton. 1t can be put in the silo
cheaper than preparing it for food,
by husking, grinding the corn, and
cutting the fodder or stoyer, and the
cod from the silo is more digestible.
have gwen ensilage fair test as
milk producing food and found
that many mangolos or beets are
equal, but cost more per ton to pro-
duce them. have found that before
produced ensilage for my cows |
had to feed much stronger grain
ration to get good returns. We find
so much written about ensiIage as a
milk producing food that l will not
give in detail my experience in this
but will give what | have done in
fattening steers. With forty pounds
of ensilage per day and eight pounds
of corn meal and about ten pounds
of good hay, gain of three hundred
pounds in five months. The ensilage
Keeps the digestion so that the cattle
will not refuse their feed at any time.
For stock cattle, about twenty
pounds per day along with the hay
will bring them through the winter
in good shape.
The ration | gayeis for an animal
weighing about eight hundred
pounds when commenced feeding.
With larger cattle a greater gain can
be made, but an increased ration is
required. A summary
/. Ensilage is the best and cheapest
food.
2. 1t is relished by the stock.
3. No waste; all will be consumed.
4. 1t comes off the ground early so
the ground can be sown in rye, either
to harvest or TO pillow under for the
oats crops.
5. No corn stalks to be in the way
in the field or stables.
6. Feeding it is much better job
than tumbling around in the mud
and snow in the winter,
7. Grow roots for the stock until
you are convinced you need a silo
GEO. E. BISHOFF.