The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-08-27
PLENTY OF FEED In
GRADY COUNTY SAYS
COTTRELL---SAVE 1T
Crowd Greets Rock Island Special Train
Expert Tells How to Make and
Keep Silage--- Canning Demon
stration Given for Ladies

are so bad that it is necessary to mix
broken glass with the cement in order
to Keep these pests out. There is very
little damage done by rats in most
districts in the southwest. Sometimes
!, IS advisable to have the bottom of
the sllo six inches OK foot above the
surface OF the ground outside to pre-
vent storm water sleeping in. In dry
districts pit silos are very satisfactory
and the only precaaution necessary is
u make the top Of the silo high enough
so that storm water cannot flow into
Il The silo is adapted to every condi-
ton found on the farms in the south
west The stockmen must remember
that the sides and bottom must be air
and water tight and he can easily plan
the best way to make them so on his
farm.
The walls Of the silo must be kept
air tight while containing silage. The
slaves in good silo must be drawn
50 close together that they viii not
admit air, there must be no cracks iii
the concrete silo no rust holes in the
metal siIo.
silos are frequently built So weak
when they are filled the pressure Of
the green material makes the walls
bulge. This makes cracks that admit
me aif aud often a large part Of the
silage IS injured a silo should BE- 10
strong that It may be safely filled with
water.
What makes silage keep? This
puzzles everyone who has not handled
ssaee 1t keeps for exactly the same
reason that fruit keeps You put ten
or g hundred tons Of green material
into silo, packing It closely and
evenly 1t Immediately begins to heat
and in day or two becomes so hot
that you do not like to hold It in your
hand. Though you packed the green
materlal as closely as possible, there
will be considerable air between the
pieces This air contains bacteria and
the bacteria start fermentation that
softens the woody fiber in the stalks.
The bacteria can live and work only
while they have air. As soon as they
exhaust the air that is between the
PARTICLES OF green material fermenta-
zion stops and there will be no more
unless fresh air is admitted The
closer the pieces Of green material are
packed, the less air there will be in
the mass and the less the fermenta-
ton or souring Should the silo bulge
or crack Or rats make holes In It, the
openings furnish q steady supply Of
AIR ana the silage often ferments SO
badly that it rots.
Sealing the top When the silo is
filled the top is leveled off and four
o. five inches OF chaff or coarse hay
that will pack closely is put on the top
end thoroughly soaked with water. The
heats and steam from the hot silage
causes mold to form on this cover
ing and the mold makes an air tight
seal that keeps the air from entering
the silage through The top Ifl.is too
much trouble to cover the silage with
chair or old hay the top three inches
Of the green material should be thor
oughiy soaked with water and mold
viii form on L.
ITO prevent souring after the silo
Is opened The silage settles very
compactly and when the cover is taken
Off the silage is so solid the air win
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