COliRESPONDENCE OF JACOB PUGSLEY. 95 



to great size uud product of sugar may soon be produced, or perhaps 

 are already to be found. 



The cost varies so much in different localities, owing to price of 

 labor and quality of soil, that my statement is worthless, except for 

 this vicinity. For me, about five dollars per acre is the cost of getting 

 the corn ready for the sickle, then about seventy-five cents per ton 

 for putting in the silo, if it is not to be hauled more than one-fourth 

 mile. This does not include any fertilizers. 



My corn was on a poor field, with no manure. It yielded about 

 twelve tons per acre. The season was rather favorable to a large 

 growth of stalks. 



I have not ensilaged any thing but corn. Shall put up some clover 

 and grass next year. 



I used a Daniels cutter, which worked very well. I have no 

 knowledge of other machines, but think that a much larger one with 

 more powerful feed-rollers would be better. 



A length of less than three-fourths inch has proved satisfactory. 

 I would advise cutting shorter rather than longer. I have built one 

 silo of two compartments, each twenty-five by sixteen feet, and ten 

 feet deep ; shall raise the walls to fourteen feet next season. I com- 

 menced the work late, and the walls were not properly hardened when 

 it was full, so that I did not dare put on more than six inches of 

 stone. 



The ensilage was a little more sour than I expected, owing, I think, 

 entirely to the air not being sufficiently driven out by pressure. Still 

 the cattle eat it well, and do well on it, though not as greedy for it as 

 in other cases reported. 



I employed four men to cut the corn, and lay it on wagons, which 

 were driven close beside the corn, three men at the cutter (I do not 

 doubt that in a year or two we shall get on just as well with only one 

 at the cutter) , and two men in the silo to level and pack the ensilage, 

 the silo standing with one end in side hill, so that the cutter was at 

 the top, also a boy to drive teams ; in all, ten men and four teams. 

 Part of these I hired for the job, and part were my own men and 

 teams. We put up twenty tons per day, working about four-fifths of 

 the day. Counting my own men and teams at the same rate as those 

 I hired, the cost was seventy-five cents per ton, including board of 

 men and teams. The cost per ton of ensilage varies so much with 

 the quality of land, and the season, that one year's trial is hardly a 

 safe basis for an opinion. Allowing six per cent on twice the selling 



