7fi H. R. STEVENS ON ENSILAGE. 



ANS. The cost per acre would be: I should allow one-half the 

 cost of manure, I use fertilizer, Stockbridge, cost twenty dollars per 

 acre ; the labor would be ploughing, planting, and cultivating, which 

 would be about ten dollars. As to hoeing, it needs none. If planted 

 in June, the corn will grow so fast it will kill all weeds. 



QUES. About how much corn- fodder for ensilage do you average 

 per acre ? 



ANS. I raised, I think, about forty tons per acre. 



QUES. How many acres do you plant for ensilage? 



ANS. I planted four acres. 



QUES. Do you plant or raise any grains or grasses for ensilage? 



ANS. I cut several tons of second crop (rowen) for ensilage. 



QUES. What do you think is the best machine for cutting fodder 

 for ensilage ? 



ANS. I used Baldwin's improved fodder-cutter, said to be the 

 largest in New England, that would cut it short enough. 



QUES. What length do you consider most suitable to cut corn- 

 fodder? 



ANS. We cut a part three-sixteenths of an inch, and a part 

 three-eighths of an inch. It is slow work to cut it so short. 



QUES. Will you give me your experience with silos? 



ANS. I began to build my silo about the 20th of July. It was 

 built the same as a house-cellar, of stone, forty feet long, fifteen feet 

 wide, and fifteen feet deep. If we allow forty cubic feet to the ton, 

 it would hold two hundred and twenty-five tons of ensilage when 

 filled. 



QUES. Your experience with cutting and packing corn-fodder for 

 ensilage in the silos ? 



ANS. I finished my silo the last of August. Every thing worked 

 to a charm. I cut my corn-fodder with steam-power ; and in packing 

 I kept one man in the silo all the time tramping, and a part of the 

 time a man with horses tramping it down. When it was all in the 

 silo, and well tramped, I put on a covering of straw over the whole 

 of the ensilage, then planks on the straw, and stone and small rock 

 on top of the planks. This was done as soon as possible after I got 

 it filled. 



QUES. What do you consider it costs per ton to raise the corn- 

 fodder from the seed, and have it thoroughly packed for ensilage in 

 the silos? 



ANS. The cost of packing in the silos is from one dollar to one 



