The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-08-15
SILO SPECIAL
DREW CROWD

Ile west part OF the state was al
Liberal, ast Monday afternoon
"How did you do it?" asked H. M.
Cotterell, Agricultural Commissioner
for the Rock Island lines. Printers
Ink, wide awake merchants, and the
progressive farmer" was the answer
to his query. "And you have "a fine
band, TOO" he said, after the music
stepped at the station. At the time
scheduled, the train drew into the
station and the spectators numbered
about 1000 or $500 people all of
whom were directly or indirectly In
terested In the silo and its construc-
tion. The band boys were respon.
sible for the crowd being at the sta
tion and ready for the speakers on
Time, They gave short concert on
the streets and then marched TO the
depot, and played selection as the
train drew in and came TO full STOP
The mayor, DR.. Nichols, had issued
a proclamation for general closing
OF all business houses and not only
farmers but business men we're out
to see the model sllos and hear the
talks.
Just as soon as the train stopped,
the crowd quieted and Mr.. Cottrel
addressed the people. He is lust
running over with enthusiasm about
the sllo and speaks from experience
when he tells OF the construction or
the manner of filling and using sllage
He said that this county was the
home and beginning OF the pit sllo
which he said he and the Kansas
State Agricultural College experts
thought best for this part of the
state. They heard, he said of the
silo being made underground here
and they sent people out to see and
they began experimenting with silo
so constructed, finding that they are
leGst expensive and inst as practical.
'The first thing that want to rec
ommend is, that this fall every man
who can, list twenty 10 forty acres of
land and let 1t lay all winter. One
rainfall may be enough TO raise a
crop next year Besides it will keep
your land from blowing, the snow
will settle In the burrows and the
water will run down between the
burrows. This will insure moisture
at greater dephth and in the spring
when the ridges are broken and the
ground narrowed, you will have some
ground In excellent condition for
spring crops and If they do not do
good then you will have it ready for
fall wheat, Keep it narrowed after
the ridges are broken and keep the
weeds down.
Build silos," he said, "but do not
cut your Indian corn now even il fl
will not make corn. Every day now
adds sugar TO the stalk and that Is
the best part of the corn. Walt to
put 1t in the silo until the ears would |
begin TO dent, ii the lea yes begin to |
dry up and fall of 1t would have TO |
be cut sooner.
"One mistake the pit silo builders
made here at first was that they did
not make curb strong enough. The
walls of the pit silo, which is easier
to I'LL properly If built In a circular
form are cemented with a coat from
three fourths to an inch In thickness.
Have man distribute the silage
evenly in the silo, tramping it at the
same time. 1t must be tramped closely
TO the walls because 1t will. spoil II
air can get through. Let the silage
fall In the center Of the silo and dis
tribute outward. This will tend TO
make it settle toward the walls.
Feed that is dry should be moistened
as II is put in the sllo. Cover the
top with straw or anything that will
keep out the air Don't try to put
up grasses or hollow stemmed stufTs.
There is too much air in the stems
which can not be tramped out. Amy
sorghum variety of feed can be used
in the silo. A feeder
must be careful not to feed any
moldy silage to horses because 1t will
prove fatal to them"
Other points we're made but most
Of them were covered by bulletins
which are sent out from the Agrl-
college at Manhattan.
The speaker also told the people
mere that they we're In better circum-
stances than lots OF places the
Special had gone through In some
places, he said, they would not even
raise feed tie put in the silos.
After Mr.. Cottrell had finished
the visitors looked at the
model silOs and silags cutters. All
we're explained by the experts with
train Literature and pamphlets