Jan of Congress at Washington.] 
Vol. XLin. No. 1787 . 
NEW YORK, APRIL 26, 1884. 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1884, by the Rural New-Yorker in the office of t’ 
PRICE FIVE CENTS. 
*3.00 PER YEAR. 
A RABBIT-TIGHT FENCE. 
E have such numerous 
iuquiries from West¬ 
ern subscribers for a 
fence that would keep 
rabbits from their 
gardens and fruit 
grounds, that we have 
had our artist make 
a sketch (Fig, 122), 
showiug a fence not 
only effectual against 
rabbits, but also 
against chickens and 
farm stock, and which 
has the combined me¬ 
rits of cheapness, durability and good looks. 
This fence is constructed, as will be seen, of 
posts, wire mesh-cloth, and one or two barbed 
wires above. The posts should be of some good 
material firmly set iu the ground, not over 12 
feet apart; the bight aboveground depends up¬ 
on the bight of fence desired. TJje mesh-wire 
feueiug shown as the bottom of the fence, is 
made any width desired, from two to four feet. 
It has a two-inch mesh, is made of No. 1ft wire, 
and thoroughly galvanized after made. It is 
made iu strips or sections 150 feet long. The 
retail price is 2j. 2 cents per square foot, and if 
full pieces are takeu it will bo sold at a dis¬ 
count of 50 per cent., or at 1 * 1 cent per foot. 
The weight is about 10 pouuds per 100 square 
feet, so that if not kept by hardware dealers 
near where wanted, it could be ordered by 
express at little cost. 
It should be firmly fastened to the posts with 
ordinary fence staples. The fence shown has 
a strip of wire mesh two feet wide at bottom 
aud two wires above,one one foot,and the other 
feet above, makiug the whole bight 
feet; if preferred, the mesh could be three feet 
aud oue wire above, or the mesh four feet and 
uo wire above, though we think one barbed 
wire above, to protect against stock aud ma¬ 
rauding boys, would be preferable. 
Wo hope all who have asked regarding this, 
will accept this as an answer. 
-* ■ » ■ > 
WHAT I KNOW ABOUT ENSILAGE. 
WALTER A. TABER. 
Not being satisfied with the common method 
of handling and feeding coni fodder—that is, 
iu its natural stale, whether cut or uncut, the 
former involving much work and the latter 
being both wasteful aud perplexing—my at¬ 
tention was directed, in the Spring of 1881, to 
the subject of ensilage, it beiug represented as 
the great panacea for all these troubles, and 
the sure means of prosperity and wealth. 
With a belief that it might be practicable, 
and having under a part of the carriage-house 
portion of my barn, a basemeut which could 
be used as a silo, I decided to test the uew sys¬ 
tem. The basement was 24 by 211 feet aud 
about oight feet iu depth, the carriage-room 
above being of the same size. One-quarter 
of the former was already used as a cistern: 
the remaining three-quarters I divided into 
three parts by walls one foot thick, built of 
small stones and lime mortar; aud I also built 
a wall of the same thickness against the 
wooden partit jou OU the uorth side next to the 
cattle stables, which were on a level with the 
bottom of the cellar, leaving a doorway into 
each apartment. 
The floor and joists above were removed 
and movable joists put iu the walls, upon 
wlileh the floor was replueed. The bottom of 
the collar having been previously paved aud 
a drain made from it, the whole work, bottom 
aud sides, was given a thick coat of cemeut 
and made as smooth as possible, and was after¬ 
ward washed over with a thick wash of the 
same character. The doorways were closed 
by thick doors hung on the outside of each silo, 
and pieces of matched two-inch plank were 
put across the inside, a place being left on the 
jams to receive them, and before filling, these 
were washed over with cement, closing all 
spaces and making it air-tight. 
The whole cost was $l>>, not including my 
own labor—including it, $100. This amount 
includes the cost of the covers, which was 
about $10. These silos were made small be¬ 
cause 1 grow sweet corn for market, selling it 
in a green state, and therefore have not a suf¬ 
ficient amouot at oue time to fill a large silo, 
and my corn-stalks, when ensilaged, were not 
iu the green, juicy condition which the advo¬ 
cates of this system claim they should be in 
to insure the best results. As each successive 
crop matured, it was ensilaged, being cut in 
Ji-inch lengths, and by using a curb, I filled 
the silo to such a bight that, after subjecting 
it to heavy pressure for two or three days, the 
joist could be put in place and the floor placed in 
position. In 1881 the silos were all tilled in this 
way; were opened at the beginning of Winter 
and lasted into April. The ensilage came out 
iu very good condition, and was very sweet 
and palatable, so much so that the cattle 
would not eat good hay when they could get 
ensilage. It had no sour smell, as all the sam- 
They were fed from 50 to 00 pounds per day, 
with two quarts of meal and eight of bran. 
After feeding a few days, I detected a sour 
smell in the milk, and when butter was made 
of the cream from it, it was unsalable, though 
the fault was more in the smell than in the 
taste. I then reduced the amount of ensilage 
one-half, and fed hay, and by using two ounces 
of sugar to eight ounces of salt, I overcame 
the effects of the acid in the ensilage. 
When this silo was empty, and the last was 
opened, no such effects were produced, the 
ensilage being sweet and good. Owing to 
certain circumstances, I did not cut any ensil¬ 
age in 1S88, but we put in the stalks of the 
Early Marblehead and Crosby Corn without 
cutting, placing them as level as possible in the 
silo, and weighting heavily for a day or two, 
after which part of the weight was removed. 
The ensilage came out in very good condition; 
it w T as of a darker color than when cut; but 
the cattle seemed to like it as well, eating it 
up clean. I have used it for partial rations, 
putting cotton seed meal and bran upon it, and 
the yield of milk was greater thau when the 
cow’s had alt hay rations, with the same amount 
Of ground feed. 
A friend of mine keeps his cows entirely upon 
ensilage and ground feed, and some time ago 
I gave him the result of my experience as here¬ 
in related; and early in Winter, he told me 
he had followed my plan, and left his ensilage 
IP 
IE? ****%• 
' * .*■ —, 
*1 
a«r. 
A RABBIT-TIGHT FENCE. Fig. 128. 
pies at the Ensilage Congress held that Winter 
had, aud it did not affect the milk or butter 
made while using it. The cows not iu milk 
gained fiesli rapidly, and were in tine condi¬ 
tion iu the Spring, Not having planted as 
much sweet corn for market in the Spring of 
1882, 1 drilled-iu about au acre and a half of 
Southern White Corn, which was well worked 
aud grew large. 
At the proper time the corn was cut and put 
iu the silo, the drilled corn being in just that 
condition which the most experienced aud 
earnest advocates of eusilago claimed to be 
the best—when entirely tilled with juice aud 
fully developed, Oue silo was tilled entirely 
with this kiud; oue entirely with the sweet 
corn which got more than usually matured aud 
dry; uud the other with some of each kind. 
The ensilage in the oue entirely filled with 
sweet corustallcs was used first, and was very 
good, having a sweet molasses-like smell. The 
silo tilled with the Southern White Corn was 
opened next, aud the contents were fouud iu 
splendid condition, as greeu, fresh aud bright 
as when putiu; but it was sour, and whou put 
before the cattle they wok a smell aud looked 
to see if something else would be given; hut 
ou getting nothing, they soon began eating, 
after some bran had been put upon it, aud 
afterwards they ate it as readily as the other. 
corn until the lower leaves were turning, and 
ears had formed ou the stalks, aud that 
on using the eusilage he found it much better 
than any he bad hitherto used, being sweet, 
uot sour, as formerly. 
From my experience with ensilage, I have 
dx’awu thefollowiugconclusLous: 1st. eusilage 
wheu properly prepared aud kept, is a very 
efficient aid iu the keeping of our cattle dur¬ 
ing the Winter, increasing the flow of milk 
aud keeping the system in good condition. 2. 
A given amount of feed cau be more econ¬ 
omically stored, more easily aud quickly fed, 
aud with far less waste wheu ensilaged thau 
in a dry state. 8. Coru fodder should uot be 
ensilaged until the juices begin to thicken, as 
the formation of acid aud its injurious effects 
upou the milk and butter products are thus 
avoided. 4. The ill effects which some have 
experienced from the feeding of ensilage, ami 
the consequent abandonment of it by some 
have resulted from the improper manner iu 
which the article was prepared, aud from 
making it the eutiro ration of the animal 
instead of au aid, just as roots should 
be fed to supplement dry fodder. 5. Rea¬ 
son and good judgment are the pre-re¬ 
quisites for success no less to farmers 
thau to auy other class of men, and because 
some meu do not make a success with ensilage^ 
it does not follow that the system should be 
condemned any more than if they were fol¬ 
lowing some other kind of business and made 
a failure at it. 
In conclusion, I would advise those who 
expect, or would like to grow corn for ensil¬ 
age the coming season, not to be deterred by 
what they hear of “sauer-kraut,” “wet stuff” 
and the like, but let the crop stand until it 
begins to change color, then cut it, cover it 
tight aud weight it well; the feed will be sat¬ 
isfactory to the cattle and the owner, 
Dutchess Co., N. Y. 
SJjfPfrullnj Uari). 
BREEDS AND THEIR CHARACTER¬ 
ISTICS. 
Of all the earliest known breeds of fowls 
the Game, perhaps, stands first. Yet, of all 
the various breeds. Games have not been fa¬ 
vorites with me except the Bantams. These 
I have taken great interest in merely for their 
beauty. Game fowls can trace their pedigree 
back to remote antiquity, and although sup¬ 
posed to be very hardy by many people, I have 
been at a loss to discover that this is so. They 
are very cruel to each other, and when once a 
piece of the skin is disturbed ou one of them, 
the others often set on it as if they would eat 
up the whole body. I have often found one 
so terribly mutilated by the others that it had 
to be killed. This was not done by fighting, 
but by the others eating it. This happens es¬ 
pecially when the birds are confined. The 
hens lay very rich eggs and the fowls are ex¬ 
cellent for the table; yet, whoever saw a very 
large flock on a farm, as we often see of 
other fowls! I have, on several occasions, 
seen over 50 fine young birds on a farm, and 
the owner felt very proud of them. In two 
cases I was invited to see them, but in both 
cases, when the birds were about half-grown, 
a sickness broke out and carried them all off, 
so I am inclined to think the Game is not a 
farmer’s fowl. For beauty of coloring aud 
trim, agile form, what can surpass the Game 
cock i Still, look at his eye, and you can easily 
see a fierceness that speaks unmistakably. All 
the Game Bantams art* very sprightly, inter¬ 
esting pets, but as utility is the Rural’s chief 
aim, I will pass them. 
Of all old breeds, one of the most popular 
at one time was the White-faced Black Span¬ 
ish. It well merited its popularity. The hens 
were good layers, rarely excelled*by any other 
variety; eggs large and white. As farm 
fowls in the Eastern States, they sire too liable 
to have the combs “frosted;” yet, for a small 
place, and where they cau be kept moderately 
warm in the hardest weather, they are worth 
all care, especially in places where only a few 
fowls can be kept in confinement; but, like all 
fowls confined, they must be liberally fed. 
They do uot show soiled plumage as light- 
colored birds do iu towns: while their lustrous 
black feathers contrast finely with the white 
face aud large, red comb. The principal ob¬ 
jections to this breed are tardiness to feather 
when chicks, and the long time some take to 
moult; here and there in a flock, oue is seen 
very bare of feathers. I could never find out 
all the reasons, yet good care and a lookout 
for parasites, will go a long way towards pre¬ 
venting these mishaps. The hens are non-sit¬ 
ters, aud cannot be relied on as hatchers. I 
I have kept the allied varieties, Miuoreas and 
Andalusians. The former are very much like 
the Spanish, with red faces aud flue, clean, 
white ear-lobes. They are said, by most writ¬ 
ers, to be smaller than the Spanish; but the 
fowls 1 kept were larger. They were square 
birds, with immense combs. The hens’ combs 
were folded ou top, and then there was plenty 
to fall over ou one side. They were great 
