Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-09-04
S|LOS GOING
UP IN THIS STATE
Silo Takes Place Of Root Cellar
Common on European
Farms
VALUE OF ENSILAGE
FOR FEEDING STOCK
All Animals on Farm Thrive on
,.. Feed During Winter
.. Months

The silo is the American root eel
lar. Stock need s%ucculent feed in
winter. In Europe this is largely sup
piled through roots. 1t takes a good
deal Of hand labor to produce these
While ensilage can be produced with
machinery from the time the corn is
planted until it is placed in the silO
so extensively in America, instead
of CT producing roots.
Feeding trials have been conducted
in comparing ensilage and roots as
to their value for stock. The results
have shown but little difference be-
tween these two feeds. Vie ensilage
also has the advantage that freezing
does not hurt it, While roots must be
kept whore they cannot freeze; and
the ensilAge also, as put up at the
present time, is cut up fine so it is
ready for feeding, while the roots
need to be pulped.
Used in Europe.
The first silos were used in Europe
about 100 years ago, principally FOL
the purpose. of saving beet tops, a
by,product in the production Of sugar
beets. These We're mere pits into
which the tops were dumped and well
packed. The first silos in the United
States were erected by Stanley Miles
of Michigan. He built two in 1875
These were of stone and heavy con.
struction. Later trials were made
with silos of wood, which has proved
to he one of the most popular ma
~terials, though at the present time
a great many are being built Of con
crete, cement blocks, hollow tie ant
brick. By 1882 there We're 81 persons
in the United States who had silos
Three of these were in Wisconsin
which now has about $4,000 of these
structures.
Corn is the main crop that is puj
into the silo. However, a good many
experiments have been conducted ir
putting in alfalfa, clover, soy beans
sunf1owers, millet and sorghum, an
all with considerable success. How
ever, the corn is the best adapted fol
this purpose. The alfalfa and clover
are apt to produce bad odor unless
handled very carefully. The corr
that is put into the tsilo should be
nearly ripe, as at this time it has the
greatest feeding value and also pro
duces a sweet ensilage. 1t can, how
ever, be put into the silo at any time
but in the earlier stages it produces
a sour ensilage. II should be cut fine
say in half C three-quarter inch sec
-sions. In this way it will pack better
and also feeds out a little better thar
when cit coarse. At first the corr
was put into the silo without being
cut. 1t was, however, difficult to take
out in this condition and was not eat
en- as we'll by the stock. The corn
can be put into the silo in any kind
of weather and in almost any kind ct
condition. In case it has been cut
too long before putting into the Silc
so it has a chance to dry, it will be
necessary to add some water.
For Dairy Cows.
Ensilage can be fed practically to
all animals on the farm. The dairy
COW is the one that it has been fed
tle most extensively to, though 1t is
relished by young stock. Beef cattle
do we'll on it, though they should be
fed smaller amounts. The dairy COW
will eat from 80 TO 80 pounds per day