Oxford Democrat., 1913-07-29
Silos and Oalrying.

II Is generally conceded that the silo
is an essential factor on the farm, al
though the feeding of silage is of COM
paratively recent origin In America, the
first silo having been built 3S years ago.
The silo has come to be one of the indis-
psussble factors in profitable dsirying.
Fortunately, farmers have learned the
value of silage as roughage feed for
dairy cows aud in fattening steers. The
increased prices received for roughage
feeds, together with the prices charged
for the by-products of our mills, brewer
les and distilleries during the past 10
years, have compelled US to study more
closely the problem of feeds and feeding.
The silo has revolutionized dairying In
many states. The poor pasture in sum-
mer and the high price of grain in win
ter have compelled the farmer to produce
and preserve upon his farm those feeds
which best serve the needs of his dairy.
He has learned to practice intensive
farming in its broadcast sense. That old
dry cornstalk, which in the past was
largely waste and source of great an
noyance when it reached the manure
shed or while being hauled to the field,
is now being converted into source Of
profit both as a feed and fertilizer.
The elements in the crop ensiled are
preserved and made available as plant
food when returned to the soil as liquid
or solid manure. Ensiling corn does not
add anything to its food value az plant
1t simply adds to its digestibility and
palatability and preserves the plant In
it's natural succulent state. The process
of fermentation imparts certain flavor
to silage that makes it extremely appe-
tizing to cows. Corn contains sugar,
which, in the process Of fermentation, Ia
converted into acid; aud it is this acid
in the silsge that pickles or preserves t..
Chemists have discovered that the acid
in the silage is similar, IL not Identical,
with that found in the large stomach OF
the COW after fermentation has taken
place. So that in ensiling the corn the
dairyman aids his cows in one Of the
most important steps in digestion. The
manure from silsge fed animals is much
more convenient to handle and is more
readily taken up by plants when applied
to the soil.
The silo prevents waste In feeding corn
as a roughage, as it preserves the entire
plant in palatable form. There Is little
or no waste, as both the cob and the
dry, woody stalk, which contains about
80 per cent of the food nutrients of the
plant, are preserved. This saving makes
the silo both economical and valuable
from the dairyman's viewpoint. SLIDING
is easily the most economical method OF
storing roughsge feed for the dairy COW.
II has been we'll said that 1.-THE silo is the
poor mans necessity and the rich mans
luxury, for by it both gain q better and
more independent living"
When we consider the amount OF space
that is required to store sufficient rough
age to feed given number Of cows for
season, as against that required to store
like tonnage of silage, we at once be-
come convinced of the economical value
of the silO az = storage receptacle. 10
these days of high-priced building mate
rials It 10 important that the farmer
should be able to store the maximum ol
feed In q minimum of space. Again
there is q decided saving in both time
and labor in feeding silage as compared
with that of feeding hay or stover. a
larger amount of food can be saved from
an acre, when put into the silO, than by
any other known method of harvesting
l-E r. DOrSett,