Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-03-15

lures are resting, has been tested so often that
nearly every successful farmer has constructed one
or more of them.
The pit silo is only about three years old, and has
been IN extensive use for only two years. 1t is not
a new thing, but 1t is now in the Southwest. where
1t Is more valuable than in any other farming re-
Elon In the United States. A few sllos have been
In use In Iowa, in Illinois, ana even in Mississippi,
for a number of years. but their use IN these re-
gions has not spread.
A silo Is a watertight structure into which corn
md other fodder are packed while green so tightly
that no space is left for air, and with enough mois-
ture to insure fermentation. The material is gen
orally cut into strips not more than an inch or two
In length. In the winter, after the fermentation
and curing process have been completed. the silo
is opened and the mash is fed TO live stock. 1t
is as palatable and nouri>hing as green fodder.
and exhaustive and long-continued experiments
have proved that beef cattle. mich cows, hogs,
horses, mules. and sheep thrive on it. The process
preserves about 90 per cent of the food values OF
the green fodder. II the fodder Is left in stacks or
shocks 1t loses fully one-half Of the food value
through the lrying-out process.
In the Southwest last winter and spring the own
ers of nit silos learned that the immature and hot
wind dricd-out fodder crops, which would have
becn practically worthless as dry food. made a very
good food when converted into ensilage in the pit
silos. One illustration will prove its value In TINS
regard.
J.. c, Michael is Il farmer in the Lincoln district
of Ell Pnso county, in eastern Colorado. In August
| 1913. when it was apparent that the drought ana
hot winds had already made 1t impossible to secure
y crop, Michael. assisted by two men working ut
odd times, built n 35-ton pit silo. The cash out'a!
was only $4.45. Into this hole In the ground M'chhel
hacked the corn from ten acres, the best of which
world not WELD more than ten bushels per acre.
Tho corn was immature. and there was no chance
for II to improve. If harvested and stacked for use
os fodder in dry form it would have been worth
only Il few dollars per mere.
From ,nte fall until spring MR. Michael fed the
crs,,orc to 10 mich cows and II heifers. ~ rouhus
n day pcr head for the o and I'VE pounds Tor
tho heifers. No grain was fed. but the cattle were
given n little nlllet and ont straw for ~rougNage'
T,c entire herd kent in good condition, ana the
ten cows provided Mr.. Michne' WIN zen uo'"'s
worth OF cream every week.
rhn nit si,os IN the Southwest are generally noth-
Inv moro than holes In the ground lined with CO.
ment OF varying thickness. Some OF them are con-
s,ructed with n heavy concrete collar to prevent
fine ground caving in and 10 Keep out the moisture.
Some of them have concrete extension above the
surface Of the ground. There are all SORTS ana
sizes md MI shapes and kinds or CONSTRUCTION TOT
tha nit si,o IL still such u new farm device that "
h h M, heen standardized. The cost ranges from
a. a, cosh outlay of Mr.. Michael. to $50 for the
,.r,.r oues. with IN inch cement lining and henvy
aorcr.te collars extending deep Into the ground
..A ohuvc.rro,,nd extensions. Tho average cost Of
~. hundreds that have beet built ranges between
s15 and $50.
A number Of interesting methods have O'eh
,rnuph, into usc to make the most OF this new FORM
-, si,n two brothers, Ray and Fay liarner. who
,,,o ,o,r Colhy. IN western Kansas. have discov'
oroa n method BY which they cnn dig II 3ofoot mole
foy n nit silo IN nh0ut two days. They CONTRACT 10
d,v p,t sllos 10 feet In diameter and 4" feet deep