Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-03-20


tended for this department. TO HEnY D
ocrat. Paris. He.
Ensilage.
(Hsrold 8. Osler, Assistant Professor of Agron
omy, Crops Division, In Farmers Week.
The knowledge of silos dates back tc
antiquity but It is only within recent
years that the silo has become q com
mon feature of farm equipment, 'espe
cially on live stock farms. The impor'
tauce of silsge has been especially empha.
sized on farms where dairyipg is prac
ticed. The increase in the number oi
silos in the dairying sections of the
In recent years has been re.
marksble. Some OF the points in the
silo's favor are: l, IL furnishes succu.
lence and readily available feed of uni.
form quality which 10 relished by oil
stock; 2, II enables the farmer to pro.
duce large amount of feed on small
area which requires the minimum OF
storage room; 8, 1t makes 1t possible to
preserve green feeds like corn, grain,
forage, clover, alfalfa, pea vines, etc.
II is well to consider briefly some OF
the important factors In silage making
In relation TO the quantity and quality OF
the feed produced as we'll as the adapt
ability Of the crops grown In Maine for
this purpose. There are usually three
agents to be considered 10 the formation
Of silage when plants are placed in the
silo. They are the living plant cells,
engines and certain micro-organisms.
The cells of the plant are alive when
placed In the silo and their vital func-
tiops continue but on account Of the ex-
haustion of the supply of air and sngars.
the changes are not complete and GER
tain intermediate products are produced.
This activity ceases at the high temper
ature attained five to ten days after I'LL
ing the silo. f.,
The intermediate products formed IN
this way together with those products
formed by the action Of the engines
apon the protein content and the activ-
ty OF certain bacteria produce q condi-
lion which maintains the quality OF the
,ilage for considerable period OF time.
Scientific investigations and practical
experience indicate that the all impor-
.ant factor iu successful silage making is
. minimum air supply within the mass
,f material put into the silo. This
should be reduced by careful packing
md should be prevented from entering
rom without. The pressure can be In
creased BY using q silo Of small diameter
and greater depth, but care should be
used to have the walls smooth and per-
rs we'll as strong and rigid.
In order to make the best silage the
crop should have water content OF
about seventy per cent. With higher
water content the amount Of acidity will
increase and II below the amount men,
toned there is danger of spoiled silage::
By the addition of a limited amount OF
water at the time of filling the silo, dry,
,emi.dry or frosted corn may be made
INTO silage of fair quality. For dry ma
terial one to three tons of water for each
ton of material is needed. IL Is best to
add the water before the material is run
the cutter and as 1t enters the
blower. 1t is better to get too much
than not enough.
Indian corn is the great American 81
lage crop and Is better adapted Tor s'io'
ing processes than any other field crop.
Its spopgy stems aud broad leaves make
il pack we'll in the silo and its starch
content insures q silage OF moderate ACID
ity and its being low in protein sub
stances reduces the danger from unde-
sirsble fermentation in the silo. For
the best silage the crop should be har-
vssted when the ears are in the glaze.
II possible II should not be allowed 70
become frosted. L
It is interesting to note the compare,
tive value of native Maine seed corn and
southern seed corn like the Eureka wnen
grown in Maine for the production OF
silage. Experiments conducted at toe
Maine Station show that the southern
corn produced S4,T8l pounds OF green
su bstance per acre of which 5,036 los
was dry matter and Of this, 1921 IDS,
was digestible. The Maine grown seeo
produced 22, ,259 pounds OF green s9o
stance of which 4,224 pounds was dry
matter and of this S,076 pounds WAS di
gsstible. The experiment shows tna'
the southern corn produced 175 pounds
more digestible substance per acre ou'
to get this about 8 IA tons more OF t9s
green material had to be handled: IL
other words, the average pounds OF OIL
gsstibls dry matter per hundred pound'
of green corn was 7.25 pounds from tns
southern seed and 1899 pounds for tnt
Maine seed. Reporting from the same
experiment We note "The quantity Of
dry matter In the corn at maturity wa'
nearly 2 1-2 times greater than at tns
silking period 81 days previous, the aver
age rate of increase per acre OF ary suo
stance being about 1OS POUNDS daiiy
This daily increase 10 equ'vaient u
quantity to one days ration for Iouf ol
i've cows of ordinary weight. Two fact'
ara clesrly shown. First, that the iats
growth of dry matter in the corn plan
ia made up chiefly of non-nitrogenoui
compounds; and second, large peroent
ACE Of these compounds consist OF sugar,
and starch substances that are the pcs
of this class for the purpose OF snIms
nutrition. "The results Of this exper'
msnt clearly furnish . striking illustra
ton of the folly Of harvesting imma.u,. )
corn for silage purposes whenever ~
possible TO allow II to attain maturity.
Corn and soy beans are used ss s,iag'
In some parts Of the state with gooo 80
sults. Medium red clover may oe usec
as silsge crop but like other otner Ies
nmes Il has q strong and less agree
able flavor than corn silage ous stoc.
laarn TO like 1t. II used as silage II
should be cut when one-third Oh ",
plants are in bloom. The largest y'Si.
of feed is obtained when cut at tni'
time. Care should be used 20 nav
plenty of moisture when 1t is put in,'
the silo and It should be packed tignIl!
to remove all the extra air possible. tn'
loss from handling the crop this way
not any more than from handling my
on an average field, and If conditions AZ
unfsvorabls for hay the loss will not o.
80 great. A.. o.t
are In the milk will make good siiage
handled AZ indicated for the clover
with plants like the small grains wnic
have hollow stems extra care should o
used TO pack the silage tightly - Tn
s,alks contain considerable air.
Experiments show that pea and oot'
canning refuse 10 often preserved IN sn
silo and the quality Of the feed Produoe'
from It compares tavorably with cor
silsge. u. =, IN
changes that take place In silsge afte
having been placed In the silo and 80
sscrors governing them Il should % POI
sihls to provide snoculent feed oy I'd
c,cyars- oats and peas In the pal