Rural School Li£.\i-LE-r. 1067 



silage cutter to cut up the stems and leaves into pieces about two inches 

 or less in length. The freshly cut fodder is elevated to the top of the 

 silo and distributed inside from a spout. Men are placed in the silo 

 to tramp down this fodder and see that it is properly distributed, 

 especially near the walls of the silo where the greatest danger from 

 spoiling is found. If a silo is deep the weight of the corn fodder put 

 into it forces the air out of the mass gradually and it settles down into 

 a compact mass of ensilage, except at the top, where a little spoils. It 

 is cheaper to throw away some of the spoiled ensilage on top than to 

 hoist heavy weights up into the silo to press down the top of the ensilage. 

 Some farmers after tramping down the ensilage at the top, pour on 

 water and sow oats thickly to grow on the surface and lessen tht 

 danger of the ensilage spoiling before the silo is opened. It requires 

 from two weeks to a month for the freshly cut fodder to change into 

 good ensilage. Feeding may be begun from the top of the silo as soon 

 as it is filled, thus avoiding any waste of ensilage whatever. If the 

 ensilage is not fed fast enough from the top of the mass in a silo, the 

 exposure to the air allows it to spoil on top. In order to keep it in 

 good condition it has been found best to feed off from the top of the 

 ensilage two inches per day. 



The -uses of ensilage. — Ensilage can be fed to cattle, horses, and sheep, 

 but is of doubtful value for feeding swine. It is best adapted to feeding 

 dairy cattle, in order to maintain the flow of milk through the winter 

 months and during summer droughts when pastures are bare. It has 

 been found that cattle being fattened for beef thrive and make good 

 gains when com ensilage is a considerable part of their food. A large 

 cow or steer can eat forty pounds of ensilage a day. Horses and sheep 

 should not eat ensilage as freely as cattle ; but in limited quantities it 

 helps to keep them in gpod condition during the winter months Some 

 kinds of ensilage, especially those made from alfalfa, clover, and other 

 leguminous plants, are likely to have a strong odor and a blackened ap- 

 pearance, but this does not hinder the animals from liking them. Alfalfa 

 and clover ensilage may to some extent be fed to poultry. 



PLANTING GRAIN 



G. F. Warren 



The planting of grain in the fall will give opportunity for a valuable 

 lesson in elementary agriculture. Have some student dig up a con- 

 siderable number of wheat or rye plants and bring to school or take 

 the class to a field for the lesson. The plants will usually show how 



