ENSI LAG E MACH I NER Y. The introduction of the silo, a roofed or pit for stor ing and preserving under fermentation green corn, clover. and other forage plants. chopped line and elosi4y laid in. with frost extranoms moisture excluded, is vastly augmenting the resources of the farmer for winter fornge for live-stock, The gravity of the mass thus confined it to settle. and its Heetous nature Villl?'s it to ferment and form a firm cake known IN efNilage, is taken out only ,,, as it is for feeding by means of a bong upright opening or doorway in the side of the silo. For convenience. the silo is most often erected inside one 'qui the patie-hon,,, although it may be built. separate if ferred, Silo-ronx/rndim,„—Several prevailing methods of silo-construction, recommended by E.
& "f Springfield, I thio, am indicated in Pigs. l In 6. Pig. 7 shows the hest doorway yet devised, closed with blocks D. The shows the inside of the silo-wall. The pressure of the ensilage against the blocks seals the opening. The two leading essen tials for ensilage are exclusion of moisture and strength to resist the horizontal pressure of the contents. The heat of the ferment is sufficient to exclud. frost in ordinary winters in the temperate zone. Wood is better for silo-construction than any kind of masonry. The inside surface may he advantageotudy coated with tar applied warm. The silo may be used repeatedly, year after year. It may comprise one or more tank-like apartments, each with its walls and floor independently tight, but preferably not more than 10 ft. square each, so that they may easily be made strong and also present a rather small top surface of ensilage to the air, as the exposed surface is subject to mildew and can not be used. The surface of the ensilage is kept covered with straw. Wherever the temperature is liable to stand for days at a time as low as zero, Fahrenheit. the silo-walls should be dead-air spaced ; but where such extreme cold does not occur continuously this is unnecessary, and the pit of silage will pass through the winter unfrosted, maintaining a tem perature of about 70' by its own chemical action, To avoid possible interference with the intrinsic thermal and moisture conditions to any marked extent by extrinsic influences is the main desideratum ; air-tight closure is not itself the pur pose, but a means to this end. The juices of the stalks are
food and are to be preserved, but water from without is ruin ous to ensilage so far as it gains any access. and nothing should he put in the silo while moist from rain or dew, nor should any water or moisture be allowed to penetrate. The flavor of ensilage is very acid, and animals at first eat it under protest, but soon acquire a keen relish for and thrive on it. The flesh-and-milk-pro ducing quality is remarkable. The available yield of land for stock-feeding purpose; is vast ly increased where it has been introdneed. Indian corn, sowed or planted in drills, is the silage crop giving most profitable results. The corn or other fodder, optionally used, such root-tops. ill/V4.r or other grass. is to be enl into short lengt i s, say ^ or 3 in., and some times the corn-stalks are also shredded or split as well TIN c•ul across. Taken at maturity hut they have begun to t of corn-pistil, by dry, are in this sneenlent stage preferred hy them heforc t he haves, Ind in t he form of ensilage the s are !be ino-t nutritious part. Special machines are devised for the rapid and economical ciitt ing of the silage. Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 represent several standard machines for this purpose, and clearly show the differences in construction. Figs. 12 to 1;, inclusive, show various forms of blades adapted to reduce the silage material to the requisite fineness and condition for compact storage and active fermentation in the silo. Gotrart, of France, is deemed the efficient originator of the practical application among, farmers of this met hod of utilization of products before allowed to dry, amid, so far as the richest juices are concerned go to waste. In the United States J. B. Brown, of New York, has been prime promoter, and with great success. Not only the thrift and profitableness of silage-fed cattle must be con sidered, but, the notably increased strength and value of their manure for fertilizing. There is now an urgent, demand from farmers for field machinery capable of harvesting heavy growths of sowed corn and binding the tall plants automatically in sheaves with two bads, for convenient transportation from field to the silage chopping-machine at the side of the silo.