252 EXPERIMENT STATION— BULLETINS. 



with the ensilage. Corn stalks at noon. Clover hay, six pounds corn and 

 oats, at night, to each cow. 



20. Before opening the silo we were feeding shocked corn, ears and all, 

 the same as put into the silo ; the same amount of grain and hay, making all 

 conditions as nearly alike as possible, except ensilage and the same corn 

 dried. The result was to increase the milk about 25 per cent, and butter 

 about the same, on ensilage. 



21. No. 



22. Sheep none. Hogs and horses eat it greedily. 



23. No. Storage space about one-fourth. 



24. We have a barn holding 150 tons hay, stabling 36 head of cattle, cost 

 $600. Our silo holds 300 tons, stables for 45 head of cattle, cost $600. Think 

 perhaps the barn will last the longer as it is kept dryer. One-tenth of the 

 land or ten times as much fodder per acre, estimating land at $50 per acre, 

 rent should be $3 per acre. Cost of making one ton of hay and putting in 

 barn, 50 cents ; cost of raising and putting in silo of 1 ton of corn the same, 

 50 cents ; product per acre, 1 ton hay, 1 tons corn, or 3 tons hay, 30 tons 

 corn. My yield last year would correspond with the above. My advice to 

 brother farmers to build silos is best conveyed in the fact that I expect to 

 build another silo the coming summer. If I can not sell the farms I must 

 make them pay. The silo promises more help in that direction than any- 

 thing else in my experience. 



C. G. AND J. E. LEARNED, PORT AUSTIN, MICH. 



1. In 1886. 



2. We have three silos, built continuously. No. 1 is 15x15x26 ft. deep. 

 Nos. 2 and 3 are each 10x15x26 ft., all inside measure. The foundations 

 are all alike. We start on rock foundation three feet below the surface and 

 build a good 18 inch cellar wall for the first 10 ft. This we plaster well on 

 inside with best cement, so that it is a good cistern. 



On silo No. 1, the next 10 ft. is built of dressed 2x6 hemlock, laid up 

 elevator style. On silos Nos. 2 and 3 this 10 ft. is a balloon frame of 2x6, 

 sheeted on inside with inch boards put on horizontally. These are covered 

 with two thicknesses of tarred building paper, and over this a course of 

 boards put on perpendicularly. 



The last 6 ft. of all the silos are just temporary side boards. 



All the walls must be plumb. 



3. Corn and clover (large red), corn with pease and oats, and corn only. 



4. We use Evergreen Sweet and large Western Dent, planted together. 



5. In drills 3 feet apart and about 15 inches in the drills. 



6. All we need. 



7. When the ears are glazed. 



8. If all things are favorable " a big pile." 



9. Experience. 



10. No. 



11. We take plenty of time and fill slowly ; one day in one silo and the 

 next in the other. We find our ensilage comes out sweeter and in better 

 shape where it has a chance to heat and the gas so generated to escape before 

 covering. 



12. We keep one man in the silo to spread the ensilage and see that it is 

 well and closely packed around next the walls. 



