The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1913-10-02


a large pasture
and insures full milk supply during
summer droughts.
Fodder preserved in a concrete silo
Is safe from fire and waste and retains
the maximum food value. The cost
of building a sllo with capacity OF
loo tons need not exceed $500. II va
ries according to the supply Of labor.
Concrete costs little more than wood
and Is so much better In every way
that It is confidently recommended.
No fodder Is relished so much by stock
as silage. Its influence Is beneficial
to the animal system. is invigorating
and prevents cripples and impaction.
succulent silage makes for good health
and heavy milk flow. Il Is equally
good for poultry and hogs.
Corn Is the most suitable Of all crops
for silage IL should be harvested
when the bottom leaves are drying or
and the grain Is doughy and glazing
without hurrylng the work OF filling
the silo. the best method In to ensile
the crop ny soon as II IL harvested.
cutting the stalks and cobs into small
bits. The grain IN more or less mae
Grated In the cutter.
The fodder thus treated is carried by
menus OF an elevator or blower. which
should deliver the material as near the
center OF the sllo as possible. This
may be done by the MD Of n bag chute
attached TO tho mouth Of the elevator
or the blower.
The labor OF distributing the fodder
Ia thus minlmizcd. and nm even supply
OF the material will be distributed all
over the silo. II the fodder be al'
lowed TO fall direct from the mouth
Of the conveyor the heaviest parts
win fall on one side and the lighter
parts on the other The silnge will
not settle evenly, and loss will even
tunto. To assist In close packing II
is absolutely essential to trumple the
product all over the silo Trnmpling
the sides or around the edges Is not
sufficient. for with the shrinking of
the center the outer edges creep To
ward II aud away from the walls.
thus allowing access OF mir and con
seauent loss. The center should al'
ways he kept little higher thnn the
outer edges The rate OF tillIng should
be six TO eight feet per day. Quicker
nlling than this may result In gen
eruting too much he,h. In which case
the sllage II liable TO decompose.
After the silo hns been tllled the
fodder should be covered with n light
finmework or coarse sheet and weight
ed down. This II done Ia keep oUt
air. and after the silo hns been opened
for use In the spring or summer II II
hest 10 replace this top covering after
each days supply Is taken out Avoid.
as fnr M practicable. sinking holes IN
the sllage In fact. keep as little OF
the sllage exposed 20 the air ns posi-
BILE
The daily ration OF silagc for u dairs
COW In from thirty 20 forty pounds
when fed with other folders: when
there IL some grass available thirty
pounds per day IN ample. Sheep viii
eat ns much as three pounds n dny.
IL IN advisable 10 give horses small
there may bc trouble from stomach
arrangements Limit the amount fed
20 few pounds per day Pigs and
poultry will eat small quantities..
sllage may be made OF nll plants that
animals are permitted to eat In the
green state. and such fodder preserved
by this means loses but little of Its
feeding properties In the process In
one way there Is slight Improvement
That Is. the tougher fiber OF sliced
fodder Is softened and made thereby
more dlgestible and acceptable to AMI
mails
However. there Is great risk In put
ing vegetables IN a silo II dairy II
kept The milk IL apt 10 be- tainted
Oats. rye. millet aud alfalfa work well
In connection with corn. bnt the latter
is the main staple aud may be used
by itself.