THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 81 



One of the greatest objections offered to the silo is the work of filling. 

 This is often more imaginary than real, and may be done largely by help 

 about the farm. 



I think slow filling preferable to too much haste, but the silo, as a 

 rule, should not stand longer than two days between successive fillings. 



Hauling shocked corn from the field in winter is not a very desirable 

 job, and the unavoidable waste is too great. If it is to be shredded and 

 fed in that form, it might as well be cut a little earlier and put in the silo, 

 where it is practically all saved. We like the common variety of corn, 

 though B. & W. ensilage has proven quite satisfactory. Whether planted 

 in the regular way or to be cultivated only one way it is best to plant 

 somewhat thicker than for ear corn. 



As to the value of ensilage as a feed for dairy cows, or young stock, 

 it is, in my opinion, hard to overestimate it. For the economical produc- 

 tion of milk, there is nothing its equal. The silo is, we believe, the best 

 safeguard against summer drouth. It is very difficult to have a soiling 

 crop ready to feed when pasture fails, as this varies from year to year. 

 H. B. Gurler, who milks 250 cows, always saves one of his silos and has it 

 ready to open up at any time. Last year we put a good deal of corn in 

 our silo that would have been of little value for other purposes on account 

 of dry weather. This year a silo was a good thing on account of early 

 frost. I have tried beets and mangels, but much prefer ensilage. 



I am often asked how many acres of corn is required to fill my silo of 

 350 tons. An average year thirty acres will do this. I consider this equal 

 to 175 tone of mixed clover and timothy hay. I would like to ask how 

 many acres of land are required to produce this amount of hay an average 

 year. 



I have never used ensilage for beef making other than to feed it to 

 old or barren cows. It has, with me, proven an excellent feed for this pur- 

 pose. 



The Illinois Experimental Station is now conducting an experiment 

 with two lots of steers that will be of great value. The following data is 

 taken from their bulletin: 



Fifty steers were taken in 1901 at eight months old, and divided into 

 two lots. The corn from 5.33 acres of land was put into a silo, while the 

 corn from a like acreage was cut and shocked. One lot was fed ensilage 

 with two pounds of oats and four pounds mixed clover and timothy hay; 

 the other lot shock corn with a like amount of hay and oats. Pigs were 

 put with each lot. The result shows May 5, 1902 — the number of pounds 

 of meat (beef and pork) per acre — are as follows: 



Where ensilage and oats and hay were fed, 385.35 pounds of meat 

 were produced per acre. 



Where shock corn, oats and hay were fed, 337.91 pounds of meat 

 were produced per acre. 



As the amount of hay and oats fed to the two lots were practically 

 the same, it is reasonable to suppose that this difference of 47.45 pounds 



