FARM DEPARTMENT. 249 



of filling and weighting the silo after the stalks were grown, was 59 cents per 

 ton, calling 45 pounds of settled silage a cubic foot. 



16. One and one-half months; don't know why it was not fed from im- 

 mediately, excepting it was not needed. 



17. A little on the top spoiled, perhaps an inch. 



18. No; what was uncovered was fed from every day; it would begin to 

 spoil in three days. 



19. Fed it alone two weeks to horned cattle and they did well; if silage 

 had been plenty would have kept on. 



20. Nothing better but tender grass and that not much. 



21. No ; the dairywoman could see no difference between good fall pasture 

 and ensilage. 



22. No ; have no sheep, always heard it would kill horses. I should try it 

 on one horse if I was feeding the horse myself; 1 don't believe it would be 

 injurious. 



23. Storage in silo is far cheaper than any other plan. After drawing 

 stalks from frozen ground, and in deep snow in short days in winter, we gave 

 it up as a very expensive and "bothersome" job. Then we drew them in the 

 fall and cut them with a power cutting-box as we needed. A large pile cut 

 would heat and spoil. We drew them to the barn, which required pitching 

 and loading; then pitching off, and two to put away; then two to pitch them 

 again to the machine. This proved very expensive, and it was this expense 

 that caused the building of the silo. Now we cut the stalks, load them on 

 the trucks or wagon, draw to the machine, put them in the cutting-box 

 and the carrier puts them in the middle of the silo and the job is done in the 

 best and most economical manner. 



24. Is partially answered above. I would clear a farm and fence it, build 

 barns for housing my stock, and then build a silo of lumber. I would build 

 it with very little, if any, excavation below my stable floor. If it could be 

 lined inside with double flooring, sound but cheap, I should risk its being 

 tight enough. The outside should be covered with flooring and the studding 

 should be 2x8. If it costs too much to cover the outside the first year let it 

 go. Closely packed ensilage won't freeze much, and taking the little that 

 may be frozen off from the outside every day, it will effect nothing. With 

 such a building one is prepared in the cheapest and best manner to save the 

 winter's food. 



It is marvelous the success that has attended the introduction of the silo — 

 the few failures that are reported. It is the one step ahead in farming. It 

 is the green feed the year round. It will double the capacity of the farm for 

 stock raising and that means increasing the productiveness of the entire farm. 



What farms need is manure. Manure means stock, ensilage means more 

 stock. One gets a little tired preaching silos, but one should not forget how 

 kind others have been to preach to us. 



One cannot have too much ensilage, if well put up it will last indefinitely. 

 A friend in Westchester county, N. Y., fed ensilage five years old and as 

 he claimed perfectly preserved. I advise every farmer to build a silo, 

 raise corn, cut it green in silo and enjoy the profit. Don't be discouraged 

 by the cry of sauerkraut or rot, or any of the reasons that will be given you 

 for not doing by those who have never tried it and know nothing about it 

 by experience. 



There is a difficulty that a small farmer will meet with, that is the neces- 



