189i 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
575 
periment of mine having Indicated that this may be a 
saving plan. JOHN GOUXD. 
Portage County, Ohio. 
No Use for Tramping. 
1 . I find my ensilage keeps well without anv salt, lime 
or other stuff, and so I have no occasion to add anything 
in filling the silo. If the corn is sufficiently mature and 
the silo air-tight, I am sure there will be little trouble 
about the quality of the ensilage. 
2. From theory I have usually put the corn In only when 
dry. Last year some was put In wet, and it came out in 
perfect condition. Thus, while lam not ready to say that 
it is always just as safe to put corn, etc., into the silo 
while wet, I am sure that sometimes this works no injury. 
I also find that there is no use in tramping, a great 
deal of which used to be done. Now but very little is at¬ 
tempted, and that only about the edges at the top. 
Agricultural College, Mich. [prof ] A. J. COOK. 
Charcoal Gives Excellent Results. 
1 . In patting up each year for the last six 100 tons of 
equal parts of field corn and second crop small clover 
while in bloom, I have used pulverized charcoal which has 
proved of very good benefit one year with another. There 
is more or les3 smut on the corn which goes into the pit, 
and to fully satisfy myself upon this point, one pit was 
filled with fodder to which charcoal was added, and 
another with fodder to which no such addition was made, 
both lots having been taken from the same field; the ensi¬ 
lage from the pit with charcoal was eaten with much 
greater relish than the other sort. 
2. The more fully the corn and clover are matured, the 
less the danger of mold, etc. I mean by this that the corn 
should have advanced well into the dent stage, and the 
clover should have the bloom well set. Some may ask: 
“ Why put two kinds of food into the same pit ? ” I be¬ 
lieve that all animals, especially females while passing 
through the gestation period, need and must have a 
change of food in order to keep np the food supply for the 
young; for to my mind there is as much need of the proper 
kind of food for the full and healthy development 
of the young through this period as there is after 
birth, and this change is secured by my method of 
filling the silo. I fill in about one ton of corn, and 
freely sprinkle “corn-cob” charcoal; then put in 
one ton of second crop clover taken from the field 
when in bloom. I have never noticed any bad 
effects from rain or dew upon corn or clover, pro¬ 
vided they have been ensiloed within a few hours 
after they have become wet. 
The silo has come to the American farmer as 
a silent messenger from God’s great storehouse 
of blessings to help to lighten his heavy load of 
debts, and at the same time to give to the animal 
kingdom through the cold winter months feed 
that approaches nearer that of the summer than 
any other we can secure. J. H. PIERCE. 
Miami Co., Ind. 
Dry Corn Stalks and Water. 
I believe it is absolutely imperative to wet all 
ensilage as one fills the pits unless its natural juices 
are sufficient to completely saturate the whole mass 
with moisture. It must be wet enough to heat it up, 
soften it, and settle it so firmly that all air is ex¬ 
pelled. Dry or partially dry corn or clover ensilage 
will not keep perfectly in the silo. I have filled 
my pits for four years past in October. Every time 
rain or snow has fallen on my corn as I cut it up 
and filled my pits, and from this experience I 
have learned there is no danger of an excess of 
moisture; but if there is a lack of it, if the corn 
stalks for ensilage are dry, they must be arti¬ 
ficially wet in order to reduce them to proper con¬ 
dition for the silo. 
Mr. Edgar Huidakooper, of Meadville, Pa., has 
also been very successful in saving dry field corn 
after it had been in the shock for weeks by using his hy¬ 
drant and hose pipe freely when filling his pits. I cut 
my field corn in September each year, husk what I desire 
of the corn for grain feed, and when I fill my pits later 
on with my large Southern white corn, which I raise 
for the main crop of ensilage, I cut up the dry field corn 
stalks and fill my pits with them and use sufficient water 
on them, after they have gone into the pit, to make them 
as moist as the fresh, green, juicy ensilage corn. Bad 
ensilage, nine times out of ten, comes from immature 
corn or is due to too dry a condition when it is ensiloed. 
Ashtabula Co., Ohio. henry talcott. 
Wait till the Rain Dries Off. 
1 . I think no one would think of salting green ensilage 
unless he wanted something in the shape of sauerkraut. 
With us charcoal would be expensive. There is no need 
of having moldy ensilage. 
2. If the corn is cut at the proper time and put into a 
very nearly air-tight pit or bin, it must come oat sweet 
and nice. In my experience with two silos I fiad that 
rain or dew does no good unless the corn is nearly dry. I 
can see no use in handling corn weighted down with 
water. I would wait till the rain or dew has dried off. 
Ogle CO., Ill. LOYEJOY JOHNSON. 
Ensilage Fed to Horses and Colts. 
I have had but four years’ experience with the silo and 
am yet a learner. I have filled but one pit with second 
growth clover. That was not an entire success. The 
ensilage was but eight feet deep and not weighted, and it 
molded badly. It was fed to fattening steers in the open 
yard and was eaten clean with apparent relish. I thought 
it too dusty to be fed to horses. I have never tried sprink¬ 
ling anything on corn when filling the silo. I do not 
think it necessary. With a tight silo and corn in the 
proper condition, the ensilage has kept with me till it was 
eaten. I plant for ensilage no thicker than for husking, 
and cut when the kernels are glazed. It may lie a dav or 
two and wilt if the weather is favorable, or it may equally 
well be pnt in as cut in ths field. If the corn is too green, 
the ensilage is apt to be sour; when too dry, in two cases I 
know of it overheated and looked and smelled as if It were 
burned, and It scoured the cattle. I have in two instances 
seen ensilage that had been put in wet, and in both cases 
the product was injured—in one case seriously. With a 
tight silo and corn pnt In in proper condition the results 
are as well assured as the keeping of ear corn in the crib. 
During the past three winters I have fed ensilage freely 
at times to horses of all kinds, and have found it too 
loosening for driving or draft horses ; but for colts of all 
ages, mares, suckling colts in winter and mares in foal, 
the results have been highly satisfactory. Last winter I 
Average Sized Leaf and Fruit of Papaw. 
Fig. 208. 
had 20 colts of all ages with brood mares, several of them 
suckling colts from four to eight months old, and all run¬ 
ning in an open yard ; their feed was half a bushel (about 
15 pounds) of the poorest ensilage (if there was any poor) 
per day, one feed of good clover and Timothy hay, a feed 
of dry corn fodder, and a run at the straw stack. The 
colts did well all winter and are doing well yet. The 
brood mares had strong, healthy colts, and are now doing 
as well as one could wish. The mares with colts following 
them have been doing the common work of the farm since 
spring opened. While the stock was without grain in 
winter, they did no work. 
In Wisconsin the value of ensilage and the economy of 
feeding it, have passed beyond the experimental stage. 
Pierce Co., Wis. Charles v. guy. 
Corn Best In the Glaze. 
1 . I have never tried any experiment by sprinkling salt 
or any other substance on the coatents of the silo when 
filling it for the purpose of checking mold or acidity, and 
I do not consider that there is any necessity for such a 
practice, provided the fodder is In proper condition when 
put in, and is well settled and cared for afterwards. I have 
found that corn for ensilage should be in the glaring stage, 
and then, if covered and weighted moderatelv, it will 
come outsweet and fr J e from mold or d^cey. always sup¬ 
posing that the silo walls are plumb and air-tight. 
2 . I have never found that dew or light rain had any bad 
effect uoon properly matured fodder when put into the 
silo, and I do not delay the work on that account. I can 
conceive that In a very dry season it would be rather bene¬ 
ficial than otherwise. H. s. WEEKS. 
Waukesha Co., Wis. 
THE MERITS OF THE NEWER BERRIES. 
The Strawberry Season of 1 89 1. 
I regard this season as one of the most favorable we 
have had for a decade, and it reminded me of “old 
times ” before insects and fungi were so numerous as to at¬ 
tract attention and cause alarm. The weather during 
spring and summer was cool, with just enough light, sea¬ 
sonable rains to afford sufficient moisture to secure a 
steady, healthy growth of vine and fruit. The frosts and 
ice esrly in May did no damage worth mentioning, save 
to the Sharpless and Great American, which would seem to 
indicate that these varieties are more tender than others 
or that they expose their flowers more erect. 
Everything seemed extremely favorable till June 14, 
when the temperature reached the nineties daily, culmi¬ 
nating on the 17th at 100 degrees and a terrific thuader 
shower. Then followed four days of wet, dull weather 
and a temperature of 00 degrees, which caused much loss 
by rot; but the bulk of the crop was already off. This 
sudden transition in temperature and moisture Impaired 
the quality of the berries very much, and started the 
blight, but it was so slight it did little damage, and the 
loss from this cause was much less than for some years 
past. 
The season opened May 25 with Michel’s Early—which is 
the earliest of all the varieties I have by five or six days— 
and closed July 6 with Stayman’s No. 1 and Parker Earle. 
Michel’s Early is a vigorous grower and the berries aver¬ 
age large; the quality is very good and the vines mod¬ 
erately productive. Pearl, Jessie and Bubach fur¬ 
nished my main crop. The flr-t possesses more 
good points to constitute a perfect berry than any 
yet found for my soil. It is a good grower, has 
tall footstalks, Is productive, large, handsome, per¬ 
fect in shape, necked with a rtflexed calyx, and 
the quality is excellent. The Bubach I place next. 
Though not as good in quality, it is much larger, 
very productive and takes the eye ; as a merchant 
said on inspecting it: “Quality is nothing; good 
looks and size bring the money.” 
Jessie has never been a great favorite with me 
on account of its unevenness In ripening, but this 
season it did better than heretofore. It is large, 
handsome, productive and of better quality than 
Bubach and would carry better; but as I do not 
ship any, firmness for this purpose is of secondary 
importance. My berries are mostly consumed the 
day they are picked, and It was only during the 
dull weather that there was any difficulty in re¬ 
spect to firmness. ’Most any variety will soften 
during continuous moisture. Of the 30 odd varie¬ 
ties on trial but few give promise of becoming de¬ 
sirable acquisitions. Haverland is like the Pearl, 
of good form and quality and productive; it prom¬ 
ises well. Warfield, though of a rich, attractive 
glossy crimson color, seems to require high culture 
and stooling. I shall try it another season to see if 
it is worthy of retention. Stayman’s No. 1 gives 
better satisfaction in size and productiveness as an 
acid berry. Cloud is nearly a reproduced Crescent 
and no more desirable. Rusk is no great acquisition, 
and Mrs. Secretary need not feel very highly compli¬ 
mented in having it named in her honor. Miami is 
a large, crimson berry, but did not seem to possess 
any remarkable merits; but I shall give both another 
season’s trial. Pineapple is remarkable for vigorous 
growth of plant and for producing a few large, irregular, 
deformed, light-colored berries, of very indifferent qual¬ 
ity. As a crop for green manuring I esteem it of much 
value and shall use my present stock for that purpose. 
Older readers should not confound this with the Pineapple 
or Scotch Runner of 25 or 30 years ago, which was much 
more meritorious and now chiefly exists in memory only. 
Shaw is of the Sharpless type and seems more uniform in 
shape and fully as desirable. Racster or Beder Wood seems 
to possess some merits that entitle it to further trial, but 
in view of the very flattering reports of it by others it was 
somewhat disappointing. 
Among the very large and attractive sorts of recent 
introduction, Gandy, Crawford and Saunders are a very 
promising trio, and where size and beauty as well as 
quality are demanded, they promise to fill the bill. They 
are all vigorous growers. If they possessed the produc¬ 
tiveness of the Bubach they certainly would rank high 
among the large berries. Another season’s trial is neces¬ 
sary to settle this point, and fix their future status. The 
most remarkable berry fruiting this season for the first 
time, was the Parker Earle. The plants were a revelation 
to all who saw them. The berries were not as large as 
many others; they might be called of good average size, 
perfect in shape, necked with calyx reflexed, seeds promi¬ 
nent, after the type of Boyden’s 30; but the remarkable 
feature was the immense number of berries on a plant. 
If half the blossoms only would set berries, and the plants 
would develop them to maturity, it would exceed anything 
in the strawberry line I have ever grown. Whether high 
fertilizing would enable the plant to do this is a conun¬ 
drum to be solved. This berry seems to have carrying and 
keeping qualities to a greater degree than many ethers. 
It was pronounced by more than one the best of all on the 
place. This is putting it pretty strong, but it certainly 
must stand near the head of the late ones in all respects 
