Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-02-28
talk
ABOUT SILO
Denver Expert Tells How to
Utilize Beet Tops
SUCCESS DEMONSTRATED
ON FARM AT FOWLER
Reports of Membership Committees
Makes Satisfactory Showing
for Otero Agricultural
Association

IOF OtcrO AXTICultuTdl
Association
AS evidence of the beneficial re-
suits of the campaign for mem
bers there was a record-breaking
crowd at the meeting of the Otero
Agricultural association last Sat
urday afternoon.
Reports were received from the
several committees and from these
1t was figured that the membership
had been increased almost 300 and
the reports showed that many more
would come in, 80 that the thou
sand mark will surely be reached
in the near fnture.
Before the subject of the after
noon was taken up there was a
twenty minute address by N. e.
Palmer of Pueblo, whose remarks
were highly interesting, and who
made many valuable suggestions
regarding the work which the as
sociation could accomplish.
One reason for the big attend
ance at the last meeting WAS that
the members are vastly interested
in the subject under discussion,
"Silo." The principal address
was by Mr.. Ellenger of Denver,
who is connected with the Little
ton Creamery company and who is
Que of the best posted men in the
state on the subject of silos, He
spoke for an hour aud answered
innumerable questions, and at the
close of the session every one pre-
sent had gained Information that
will be of great value to them.
After telling his hearers of the
best methods of construction of a
modern silo he spoke of the crops
that grow here, of those the best
and most economical for, ensilage
and claimed that it had been pro-
ven that green beet tops were as
valuable as corn for winter feeding
and this is crop much of which
has previously been wasted. He
said that in Michigan, where there
are the largest number of sugar
factories, the majority of the farm
ers sliced the tops and after ex-
periments with other kinds Of fod-
der had decided that they were
really better than anything they
had ever tried.
The speaker did not believe in
the use of alfalfa as silo crop for
several reasons. Chiefly because
it contained 70 per cent of water
at the time that it would be sliced
and again, that it is better to feed
the stock when dry in connection
with the silo feed and alfalfa can
be always sold When at times beet
tops are a drug on the market.
The speaker told of the farmers
near Elgin, ILL.,, and the great re-
suits obtained by them in the feed
ing of stock almost wholly from
the silo, and in closing he advised
the farmers, and especially those
raising beets, to build silo, as he
believed that the keeping of a
small amount of stock on every
farm was the only solution of keep
ing the ground forever in the best
prolific condition, which must be
done with high--priced land and
that the silo feed was the best and
most economical.
The association was also inform
ed that, while the silo ia in the ex-
perimental stage in this valley, it
is not absolutely unknown and
there is one at least in operation
at the Crewsdale ranch near Fowl
er which is owned by Mr.. Crews
of the Crews-Beggs company at
Pueblo, which is great success.
1t was slated that the gentleman
in charge is a graduate of an agri-
cultural college and that one of
the first things that he recommend
ed when he took charge of the
farm was a silo, and accordingly
one with capacity of forty-seven
tonskwas built of cement and was
filed last fall with corn, from
which the fancy stock at the farm
has been fed since December with