FIRST ANNUAL REPORT STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER MISSOURI 1905 B up ie) Cats, FIRST ANNUAL REPORT | OF THE STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER TO THE Governor of the State of Missouri R. M. WASHBURN, State Dairy Commissioner. Printed by Order of the General Assembly. THE HUGH STEPHENS PRINTING COMPANY, 2 > > 29> 22 JEFFERSON CITY, MO. > Se tece ee ie) 69:23) ag 2) 5. ain” = ? > 2 > > >> 333 > > > > > =] > »> ? 3 2 2 > > 3.3939 ‘5 2 as ? SIE 2 312 > z =k > =e) i ee ae ° 2 > - poe Lak y = * J >> 2975 (73)? 92) 9a| 3.9.9) 0 A > Ee ea ee HavOwent VOW FRE ee 1 he a ‘ . 4 a ' “ieee D a 1 peta RS . ‘Gh By transfer ’ | -0CT 2 1906 : cl J . S » ~ cay ‘ a . 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page ee raM Terar Grae EeaIGE eh eee eee ee et ose Liat, aan pition Suck een neiemeeepre as 5 Ma SGI et iT ye COMMISSIONS... 0 cic caececcss coi sisle oes omecias se ccoaceaarseccsesesciaseinecenccncavcee 4 Financial report....... Pte Pistols ie i oiasale eierarsisieipraiecs ous eon euiele' «sje dicraa\a ace’ afeins ssp ele eva istalele le elnian’e «2 6 TERT EC ACT Shc a Se Se SoS EBB BE Meise URES ape Bat RUNDE EEE at Sar aan RnR ans Sonener Ie 7 IG EHOCAL FOO TAWS sls oa = seis re ete oo clsleisiein is =1sie aes cae owielas caccne ees nies cine niesinnenajosacesisinnssmeice== 8-25 Alcoholic beverages......... TOTO eaten Le eae te etch tesa inreke tn gore cisinta's|olere!sletaiayslere eve! eje\etes(ele/= 9 OUR EOE DUE EU Coarse cots niclorcisteyec'o PILLAR chewed wibraee ohvaiche totems ateebater state rae re arene 2.00 $2 Ss 150, 000 a s Sie. tlk Bags bog ier crm Ieee ie Bee San See eC Cee 1.80 A “* 200,000 a OED, dd Saiaja dda ee SPE alee ante aa eee oe ORE 1.44 Whenever the quantity made runs below 60,000 pounds a year and the cost of making runs above 3 cents a pound, exceptionally good man- agement only can save the business. About 400 cows will supply this amount. When only 200 or 300 cows can be found, it is very unwise to build with the exp....605 Bryant Bldg., Kansas City Sch 5 PEVOUSIENGIS US Te1000 0nl21 ge ne Florisant SP BURST CEs BN ae de Set bona eee Hughesville, R. D. 2 pe eemmcrisseli Win. (GOn st... ee bee ce tee ee sae eb eee eas St. Louis pee TOM IP re he A ns, kee Se ass + sae sede eg ws 2 wy eds Clarksville Te Te PN RE as eto oe ake ayai's apie sie o's spo agen wa Odessa mmnnie TIP aria Seer Sie ANOS eS ahs o BSc eae thes Sedalia JERSEY. oe Bo iyi SURE NG Ue a A a Columbia PoerernCer POU 6.2 ace sive} wos oan a ee arte eae Middle Grove A EEE LG ef. (Co GaPS ae ale a ae nine aR Fulton Poin, “TDG PRE a Ren A er ae an re Cassville 2 SER OITSe ABORT Sapte RE enn a ape rae nO Clinton Ree ae ee ee Mero eter ee eS yee Seta at LavPlata “LTTE DOIG CR ip eee a ee teks atc Sete no rae Creighton BET, Ley INL eg aaa ee Gordonville. Best, J GIN Ss Sages Set rc Montgomery City CE EcE LE, TELS Vara Re ily 2 ele a Aberdeen EELS, IN TRIS) 0 OOS ES Sr ee ag 2 aes Concordia co Se, TE Srey ie eye a oe ee Ballwin me WOTC SLOCK AMATI 0.0 are 6 occ ccc + «tase wiv viv ov wa eee pale Boonsboro PeeMsttat © .. Be ais demiccass. oo. Nt et, Moar ert ee Moberly Micyeneet, Chas uWe ste te. ee e's 3 SSPE fleet Sede Ce aS ea as Polo Coleman, M. Bo. ..... PRPS tt cock cck os Sia ctee Aaa eee eee eae Sedalia 2 DE He DS TT TST AR a Ss Se nie oe ee Cameron EV ELIS: DESHI IN ars ince or hie a ee en Dayton CLRBELES, “WW 1, aR RRR RR ste (es 2 No en ae nem ree ee Trenton 48 “FIRST ANNUAL REPORT Davise NAN Be ee cee PA Rens eek aro M on cid aie alee Fruitland Davis, “WicAy 0224 nS See eee Oakland TIS Wer. vn ae ee eee de RMN Oe etal Cae ee Kansas City Wary, LOS. 5.5 sacs coe Cita ee ane wate’ > eee ae Calhoun Wetos, Wi GES Aso rs ater che Me Oe nee Ste nS eet Webster Grove Dyvebbler VW acs. oe alae ale «0 Jv ee eeearere eet ean Carthage Dinas Sethian cee foe rae. e1 oer eel nel Oe ave ie ete en cea eee Osborn Scisehol; Fudge cee sa-cacscs as? aes ane seo ee oe ee St. Francisville PS UMNINS | GEON oss i rcee lee tty witty cadet mocan e ate tape aae wale ee Concordia Bars ye Ms eve ae ice a csccres 5 Ste Se SCRE eee a oe Lamar Plemming, (Rea -si.202s a cae aps ate cl ig os oie Reese) ce ..sedalia Foster; RalpheRy 0° cc 26a et a eee nics ieee ee St. Louis Paster. (C245 so) a2. Aas i reese Cr eM Trenton Gatteys J, roa cs See os cin res esant eee ec Rte oe eaeetee ‘Macon Graves Ci Woh iee ea ot ie ole nytt ee aan eee Maitland Gressly,: Jol ese. 2 vedits Seta peels eles sce Tem eae 3: Rankin GLOSS Se es orar ie cemmnraes (ev 0% beds osu en ee a Shelbyville (GaN Si oy Come Od Barrens eR A comet a ames ar cA seal An 3 ah Oe Summerville Elackmian, EEO 2 oe aes 2 Deb ee Os AOR Bace, Ae ae ee Creve Coeur Halienberger, «lawl... s00k ease ote eto ee oe ae Hannibal BL OUIMET, Sei oN aha a tates Ot Seas (Oe ar aeee Ree wee et dake eee ne Mt. Vernon Retaric lass Mines. VV alee. se os cent ees ce wep ercliclne Eten rea eee . «. «Hannibal lawileins, Ehigalt iu. . cots 2% Gres tee. «eke emi eee Hannibal Planck, Plenty 2 vic's cna wls ae besten cedars witaiee ehaenen cea eke Hannibal Plendiyas Cs Cyc. wis fcaie Se eateerg Ae wide ein ae ee ee ..Maitland OMS OM, WG. Soc. reece oo Cie ae etter oun at Tee ence neg ee eee Jasper City MIME S oy Cres SLy tres, «assis toi eke eR le els, aha 1b bavi) ace ees acrehoee Sy taeco ees iar Cairo Vom, APCD 5 eso: 35 in wu eat Bite chee ie ev Toe pee Belton Weems | a MS chart cate der dix sacols, oaciehar's'iccs fou stin «alex eheie aL eeu ‘Trenton Kennedy, (Geo. Wi st neha omewe en eee one Carrollton Koontz, Gear We Sep esis sinus le, aieecalsusslardtalera cia leeaties ate eae Carthage Lewelling, H. G..... sueede Sa eRUSS waara aelw ter oheltae tee aia eee aaa High Hill Tattisey,, | Wants eo. sincere sobeee os Sipe aoa oe Independence Ellard, Jo Woo. wo vce iagee ae ae oe Cate char RE aha cee cet a Nevada Lybarger, Co & Sots sere ote soe ates aioe eee eae Glee Osborn jv Hes G25 1; eMC Sack at Crys AeA Springfield Medor, Judge: B. By via. 8 ode nome reekien: ole oe Hornston Menefil, Geos Te cai o ccis shoe k oe ae eee oes we Sedalia Woody, “Wastin easter (eh shies (enalkve ls ete e « saGolartnene eee eee Moberly Morton, FLAG Ty 9 os win oie gota seiore hayes ahs fs ntn.0 a a Fruitland Morton, Gia: Pea ors evs wae Beets bap nate ater oh Raa en Fruitland Morton, Wo eee oc 355 oie wie tela ao eee ae cen oe Fruitland STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. AQ MPELESS A SIO NY Ceara cosas d a oceans eater oce's PTs, SN ON eas Lancaster IN UTISU SS] Ga Oi Ng eae ar Pr Bue) Aa ae Lancaster REL, (G-a6 SEA Goa: OB Se se 2A nei see i eae Se gg. Seen SP aN Odessa Pert itp ge RE EM <0 can sts wee ia est aie eo owe eb rede Fe tle tela» were Lancaster OL UIGRBE TEJOuI zis Ea 28 tne a eee Bone > eee ae Paes ae! Dearborn Penmaes lePaen SOM seh. oS :.1. atest oie die re lars, viata ae. Une Ree cs Edina 2 BN DEIPS. G01, «| GUC Sata amps et ne eg he A RI ora .. Kirksville Pee me emlln h6 oe yt kk Oe Th Re eG ee aie ss Savannah “SRIOREGT < JE) JNILG ck ee eR ae ea Re iA 9. Be A Pea ae a Nevada Rares Pme MMe LIS ae Slice nee atoce acs 2s ERE WO ee Ae oe eee. Albany (PLE SRGIL,. old Sioa Ds oe SA Inna Se nas De SPs cite Petee Hannibal Seip ee isienea emer ets lk +t RCE REAR See Sarcoxie we ES tly LASS ES| esha She ag cag ee ae een a Clark City re eT IGE OUENY orci Males ce Gents Stee thie een te'ele be ae eee oe oto Palmyra mee 2 ae to Ss Ac oi bbe ce Palmyra “5 SLSR EAE, VSS a oe SR Pe Palmyra Silarban -....... ae ee eee "OL EE oe PR ee Ee te eee Independence SG) LETC) a DRS Dane ce PP Ras fy se Ae Se Stanberry penmadlers Clement -2licia i. cca. esi eth cite cbPles igs ae Perryville SUT Sa a ae Ree ies WERT) hiv. beet bite Springfield See GCOMnMn te hare aves isc eye RS Sot). gto: Shah Lone Jack amma ipeee Mus Sterns eicl.tcbgahis bts Oa Oiled Wield aie Scan 22'S St. Joseph TELA AGS CST a coat ces 9 rc ee te re Oe eee ns ae Lamar SCS DRL TEL PS RR eats gre Gr gas Tok ey ae ar Sac ae io ge Cameron Smaegeissre Moni! Vetininte ate a Ou ne ss althncmeng ea fd. a West Plains Baa iuiciy minal mam lRe yf iieis anja dah. Tele tide tel di. SRR ate dee «alata they Kansas City rrcmOrmmors Gland 2 ene stearaletetickz i. dhaperets Pin Sera etal dos ular. Albany petite as nree sa er etntS hot cies rat ieee US we cae! Big Piney anit Perea So emt ecco. Ut Lela la ood OUI cs eM od ce D Kirksville Bie canister Gren Wei atae fiers hii. Lalani snd Pe SRR ep en ee ae Carthage Seretnlnconl ale lik a pete en, Ost alee. tity. sros tie Hato eis Te dle Mes ROR EEE LaBelle simisiey- WalterAGa=s soci ads. PARED fabio ILS Pyles 2h ome Louisiana Seemann Sz, ote ctr. Se hte elas ane Gh dehiw oe eaegy nee Carrollton Puneet sia amanipcoctes VV). cParatceeeerenttts nak. ud), Sia Sie sha Mik SO eR Monett Dibba col iene. emir kek ise Aci she... bed Sod ee Late gba eRe we Macon BWeleheBecCis banstar anc EPS Senraiecrestr Meer Rie ae eee Elsberry Wii l tee dls aes Stes eens apa. Goi toesd She od bc 5 RPh ats sae Sed 5 wae (Macon Diikcrabhie.. nie cree See Stet iss geek. 3 Me STATIS 3 ceiiaelaels oH Palmyra Wymore Ay” Plot ss oe ob Eee beh ere ide See. 2 iter Coren iege reenter i Liberty Be Pepa MIS VER 3, oro tees ee eters SSeS clara a GE) wie Wd ciel Paselonios Lexington COLES ESC TR ee cpeec oe ce) aaa DS Ans cee ae St. Joseph D C-4 50 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT KERRY. None in the State. RED POLLS. Gatchiye eldiva dl aoe 5 fakes eh cuter tene ate ns ore yee on erate se ee le Linneus BO Wile OB oe iiss eoolel wok doaeepoee uae ge Sia a earee arate ahem at eee Bass Elaseltime,: Jc Soie Teg OK a Ae Seatac ote ne tanta) eee Dorchester IME N SE es) Be BD Ages ee CDS, OLS RE EERE aR NGI ree ee Ashland ING teritbeplttOS. aN eine acy arhr ensures vi Soso'g aia pte 4ida Ce ReRetrecae i iociere Middletown Brestoircsn Ge tae oc ate eleratot ete Dk Nocatee eran: sete ee ee Seymour Walsoins Wile ie serine noe meccner nee ieee Slots cease bi a Oscar Wail tatnaGe Vineet Siac e oie seceneee ech stra e eca Gaara te eer eee eee a ee Liberty Wrelimmann,. [uowiss « ie..2 <5 2s aisieies pnjenc ict Ganapati otic ey Nectar eee Truxton DISEASES OF DAIRY CATTLE. Any man who is in the dairy business should be familiar with the most important diseases of dairy cattle, and understand from the start how to prevent them. It is not possible to give details on the subject in this report, but it is well to call the attention of the dairymen to the fact that the most dangerous diseases of dairy cattle are tuberculosis and contagious abortion. There is liable to be some loss of young cattle from blackleg. There are other virulent contagious diseases which kill dairy cattle, but none of them are apt to attack the herds of this State, and are not, therefore, of so much importance. Bulletins on tuberculosis and contagious abortion may be secured by writing Geo. B. Ellis, Secretary Board of Agriculture, Columbia, Mis- souri. The Federal Department of Agriculture at Washington, D. C., also furnishes valuable information on these subjects, which should be carefully read by every dairyman. ‘These bulletins are free. In breeding up the dairy herds of the State it will be but natural for their owners to improve them by the importation of well-bred cattle from other states. The most of the breeding stuff will likely be im- ported from the older dairy districts of other states, where the contagious diseases are most prevalent. A careful reading of the bulletins of the State and Federal Departments of Agriculture will arm the dairymen with such information as will enable him to prevent the introduction of contagious diseases into his herd. All the dairymen of the State should remember that they have ac- cess to the State Veterinary Service, and any time a dairyman finds him- STATE DAIRY. COMMISSIONER. 51 self in need of veterinary advice he should feel free to write the “State Veterinarian,” Columbia, Missouri, asking for whatever information he needs. When breeding stock is purchased it should be with a tuberculosis- free clause in the contract. The State Veterinarian will, free of charge, make the test to determine whether the animal has the disease. FIRST ANNUAL REPORT 52 ‘OW “BIQUIN[OD ‘wae 9721S UO O]Js 9u0]sS MON ‘T 9ans[t STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 53 THE SILO, ITS USES AND HOW TO BUILD IT. (By R. M. Washburn, State Dairy Commissoner. ) It is not given that one man shall have all the useful experience. Every man of deeds has experiences peculiar to his work and valuable to all men in his line of work. Let us then add to our knowledge from the experience of our neighbor, respecting his experience as we would ask that he respect our soundly learned lessons. In these days of books and papers, one man’s success or failure may prove a blessing to thou- sands. Let us, then, live in the present and improve our every oppor- tunity to learn. ADVANTAGES OF THE SILO. Silage keeps young stock thrifty and growing all winter. It produces fat beef more cheaply than does dry feed. It enables cows to produce milk and butter more economically. Silage is more conveniently handled than dry fodder. The silo prevents waste of corn stalks, which contain about one- third the food value of the entire crop. 6. There are no aggravating corn stalks in the manure when silage is fed. ; 7. The silo will make palatable food of stuff that would not. other- wise be eaten. 8. It enables a larger number of animals to be maintained on a ; given number of acres. g.. It enables the farmer to preserve food which matures at a rainy time of the year, when drying would be next to impossible. to. In the south, where the rainy season destroys the exposed fod- der, the silo will be found invaluable. gh ® bo HISTORY OF THE SILO. In Europe the silo has been known for hundreds of years. Ancient writers tell us of the practice of burying grain and green food in un- derground pits to preserve them from their enemies or against a poor year. These pits were ten to twelve feet deep, and often as wide, with Lottom and sides made tight by plastering with clay. All manner of green foods were preserved in these pits by pressing well and covering with 54 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT earth. Foods thus treated would remain succulent and palatable for a year or more. Probably because of the labor attached to this method it had almost ceased to be practiced, when M. Reihlen of Stuttgart, Germany, in the middle of the nineteenth century, revived the practice among his people. The greatest boom that the silo has probably ever had was started by a French farmer, Auguste Goffart, who, in 1877, published a little book, giving the result of his 25 years of experience and observation in the matter of ensiling green foods. In 1875 the Department of Agricul- ture at Washington began to investigate the matter and published its findings. , It is claimed that the first silo built in the United States was put up by Mr. F. Morris of Maryland in 1876. From that time on, the silo grew in favor with great rapidity. In England, in 1882, there were 6 silos; in 1884, 600; in 1886, 1,605, and in 1887, 2,694. No later statistics are available. The English farmers, as a class, are more con- servative than their American cousins; therefore, it is probably not un- Figure 2. At the end of the barn is frequently the most convenient place for a silo. Note how close the cutter with blower stands to the silo. : (Courtesy Silver Mfg. Co.) safe to say that the growth in number of silos in this country has been fully as rapid as in England. The increase in this country is probably 1 tan STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 55 more rapid now than at any previous time. This growth is a natural one, the result of true worth. The progress in the past has been inter- fered with to some extent by the extravagant claims of some overly enthusiastic writers. Now, that more is known of the silo, enough can be said without exaggerating. The silo in America will some day be as common as the cow stable. WHERE TO PLACE THE SILO. In former years the silo was placed inside the barn, but because of the odor that is constantly present with the silo it is now placed outside, but close, within two or three feet, to the side of the stable, best at the end of the main feeding alley. A door is cut through the wall at this point and the stable floor extended to fit against the silo. A cheap chute of boards is then built from the top of the silo to this extended floor. Silage thrown into this chute will drop into the basket or cart at the bottom, and will then be in the feeding alley, where wanted. When done feeding, the scatterings should be cleaned up and the door closed, to prevent a silage atmosphere in the stable. The outside silo usually has the advantage also of being easier to fill. FORM TO BUILD. At first silos were made square or rectangular, because easier of construction, but it was soon found that it was next to impossible to pre- vent the silage in the corners, and along the sides, from spoiling. It did not settle evenly or firmly. Some old silos made with corners have been improved by cutting. off the corners with concrete. A form was made of bent wood, which was tacked to the walls each side of the cor- ner, and concrete was slushed behind it. "When this hardened the form was brought up to its width and the process continued. At this day there would be no excuse for building a silo with corners. A cyclindrical silo catises no waste and will contain more silage for the amount of material used in building than a square one. SIZE TO BUILD. The larger the silo the cheaper it will be per ton capacity, but if too large for the number of stock to be fed, there will be a cntinual waste from decay. Silage exposed to the air, in warm weather, will spoil in 2 or 3 days, so stock will not eat it. When once the silo is opened it should be fed from continuously until empty. Build the silo small enough, so that the animals fed will consume a quantity of silage each day equal to a layer about two inches thick over the entire surface of the . 56 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT silage. Silage keeps better in a deep silo than in a shallow one, because more firmly packed. More feed can also be stored in a given space. Mr. Figure 3. A stave silo being filled with the blower. (Courtesy Silver Mfg. Co.) A. J. Glover, formerly of the Illinois Agricultural College, now with “Hoard’s Dairyman,” recommends the following: No. of animals tobe fed from silo for 200 days. digntotce eight Ne ee cS epee cg feet. in tons. PO NEO saloon ststereaiareinte die) a dhe raialeTML SONTAG SedLaetecrear Glemsieietes 14 28 8 to 9 160 ZIDOUDO Ke at viseiae ol vos Metetra aie are tovenneteielaleleloharetoteretea ini cictete 15 30 9to 10° 115 BO to B0.1-0.00-c An oes teem ae ec eae MG | BB ditto te 145 Bo LO PAO Semarcie helerelteverataleforetsere inverse erliveniye'e eran reain 17 34 12 to 14 175 AO GO th Dias reia Ne apavate e' oaie ate bial eie rors eee etata eratcleteslaetn ata oreo 18 36 15 to17 200 50 to 60...... Bsostiulardeiaisrerelitelela malls ereidlareapmettebeets Mee har incre 19 38 18 to 20 200 60. TO. FO va taereteet ceive se oliecick uncle ctaletcte n teaemaleetays 20 40 23 to 25 300 “A silo should never be built over 20 feet in diameter. If it is necessary to have more material to feed it is better tc build two small receptacles than one larger than 20 feet in diameter. It involves con- siderably more labor to handle silage in a very large structure than in le att STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 57 one of reasonable size. Many farmers prefer to have two silos. They feed from one during the winter, and have the contents of the other fer mid-summer’s feeding.” CONSTRUCTION OF SILOS. Essential Features—Ilt does not matter what material the silo is made of; it must be air fight on sides and at bottom. Any crack or knot hole or poor joint’at the door will admit air, and the silage will rot just in proportion to the amount of air that enters. The receptacle must be strong enough to withstand the lateral pressure of the silage when it settles. This lateral pressure at 10 feet from the top is I10 pounds per square foot, at 20 feet 220 pounds, and at 30 feet, 330 pounds, and at 40 feet, 440 pounds. It is very difficult to make deep rectangular silos whose walls will not spring enough to allow air to circulate up and down the sides and cause losses. Depth of the Silo—This should be made as great as practical, because, Ist, in this way the largest amount of food per cubic foot of space may be stored; and, 2nd, the silage keeps better because packed so solid; and, 3rd, there is less relative loss at the surface. The top of the silage always spoils to a depth of 2 to 8 inches. No silo should _be less than 25 feet deep. A silo 20x40 will hold twice as much as one 20x25, and one 36 feet deep will hold 5 times as much as one 12 feet deep. Summer silos should be deeper in proportion than those intended for winter use, because the silage spoils faster in summer and must be fed down at the rate of about three inches a day to have always fresh silage. Foundation.—This must start on level, firm earth, and should ex- tend about 2 feet above the surface of the ground. If the foundation is started deep the hole should be dug large enough to give ample room outside of the wall to thoroughly tamp the earth up close to the founda- - tion. There is a tremendous outward pressure against this wall, es- pecially in deep silos, and if it is not made strong it will crack and admit air. It is also well to build into the wall, about 18 inches above the surface of the ground, several heavy wires to keep the wall from cracking. It should be made of stone or brick, laid in cement mortar, or of concrete, and from 12 to 18 inches thick, depending on the height the silo is to extend above it. Placed Partly in Ground.—lIt is a good plan to dig down 4 or 5 feet in order to secure good, firm earth on which to start the founda- tion, and also in order to get the greatest capacity in the silo without 58 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT going too high into the air. Deeper than five feet would not be either convenient or safe. Drainage-——Care must be taken in wet places not to dig down much, or else the soil must be drained. In many places even a good wall of stone, laid in cement, and. well plastered inside with cement, will not keep the soil water out. In some parts of the south the houses can have no cellars on this account. Protection Against Frost—It does not injure silage to. eee Even if the heat of the silage itself should not prevent the portion close to the wall from freezing, that portion may be piled up by itself on the silage and fed as soon as it does thaw out. Floor.—On sandy soil a floor will be needed to keep out soil air, but on clay land there need be no floor unless rats and mice trouble, then a cement floor may be laid. , , Roof.—tIn the southern portion of this State and south no roof is needed. Farther north, where a snow fall may be counted on a cheap roof will be found convenient, not that the snow would injure the silage, but that it would mix with it and be in the way when fed. Painting of Wood Silos—A coat of paint or tar on the inside fy a wood silo does not prevent the silage juice getting into the wood, but does retard it drying out when the silo is empty, and thus hastens decay, The outside may be painted and the inside washed with a wood pre-- servative, something that will not hold the water and will dao the mould plant in the wood. Cement Work Pe HVehy farmer who maces farm conveniences, such as stable floors, fence posts, silos, etc., of cement (and this should. in- clude practically all farmers) should ay to the United States Depart- ment of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., and ask for farmers’ bulletin No. 235, on “Cement Mortar and Concrete, Preparation and Use for Farm Purposes.” It gives in plain language the kind of material, pro- portions to use, and how to proceed to make everything needed in cement on the farm. THE KIND OF SILO TO BUILD. This will depend very much on the cost of lumber, stone, sand and gravel in the particular neighborhood and on the farmers’ ability to build permanently, even though it does cost somewhat more at the start. On a permanent stock farm, where the farmer has means to build well, there is no doubt that the stone, concrete or cement block silo would prove the most economical, but where there is limited means, and on farms that are rented for a short term of years, the all-wood stave or the wood frame cement lined silo would be more profitable. — STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 59 STONE SILO. When stone is cheap and a long-lived silo the object, the stone silo may be the most economical. That portion of the stone work which lies below the surface of the earth should be laid in cement rather than lime~mortar. Lime sets very slowly under ground. “After the wall is 2 feet above ground a good lime mortar may be used, but in this case there ought to be at least two months for the wall to season and set before filling.” EINE v sf 3 LL MLSE LLNS Yt Bsa a aes pen ee OO ne a ED atc eee” c Figure 4. Shows construction of stone silo. The basement “A” is a little too deep for any but bank barns. “B” shows a cross-section of the silo. “C” and “D” the door way. ‘“H” the door in side view and end view. © “F”’’ the door in place. Pane (After King.) The wall at the bottom should be 18 inches in thickness and at top 12 or ten inches, the narrowing being made on the outside, the diameter inside being kept the same all the way up. See figure 4. The Missouri Experiment Station built a stone silo in the summer of 1905. It is 20 feet in diameter and 4o feet high, holds about 275 tons. The wall is 18 inches in thickness, laid up in lime mortar. Above and below the five openings in the silo one-half inch iron rods are built into the wall in the form of hoops to keep it from springing or cracking. The inside is plastered smooth with Portland cement mortar. For the construction of this silo there were required, ap- proximately, 120 perch of stone. The average cost of labor in con- struction was $3.50 a perch. The first cost seems great, but with an occasional whitewashing with cement inside to fill the small checks, it ought to last a hundréd years. This is the silo referred to as having haa no roof during the fall rains. See figure I. 60 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT The Doors—Doors for feeding should be arranged as in figure 4. The door frames should be made of 4x6 stuff, matched together at corners. A 1x4 board may be firmly nailed on the inside of this frame to form a jamb for the door to fit against. To make the door fit air tight, tack felt on the edge of this jamb. Arrange to have the door flush with inside wall of the silo and have stones projecting into the doorway enough to hold the pressure of the silage against the door. Make the 4x6 door frames 20 by 30 inches inside, then meke the door of two thichnesses of matched flooring, running in opposite di- rections and all screwed firmly together and to two firm 1x4 cross pieces, which are on the outside. Through the center of the door, projecting outward, put a 5@ bolt, 10 inches long. This should have a large washer on the inside. ‘This bolt is to put through a 3x4 cross piece to draw the door up snug to the jamb. ‘The silage above will not press it snug enough and it is unwise to nail it. This makes an exceptionally good structure, though one of rather great first cost. CEMENT BLOCK SILO. Cement is getting to take the place of stone in most lines of con- struction. There are a few cement block silos in this State. Mr. J. O. Bailey, Kirksville, Adair county, Mo., has one 16 by 32 feet, of which he says: ; “I made the blocks myselfi—size 8 by 8 by 24 inches, curved enough so that 25 of them would lay a complete circle, 16 feet in diameter in the clear. Proportioned the cement and sand 1 to 5, 1. é@, I part cement to 5 parts sand. It took about 50 yards of sand and 205 sacks of cement. I also laid a No. 9 wire between each layer of blocks up twenty feet. I don’t think now it is really necessary to use the wire. “T had a mason to superintend making of the blocks, but any one with average intelligence can make the blocks as good as a mason. The main thing is to get sand and cement thoroughly mixed. -It does not want to be too wet, just moist enough to pack good in the mold. After the blocks have been made half a day or so they should be wet every day; this keeps them from drying too fast and from cracking. “I hired a mason to lay up the blocks; this is the only skillful work about it, they have got to be laid up true. I did not cement inside of silo. My silage spoiled some around the outside. This is due to lack of moisture in the silage and also in the wall. I should have wet the ‘sliage and wall as the silo was filled, but was not fixed to do this. “My silo is built 334 feet below the surface and in the last 4 or 5 feet of silage there was not a forkful spoiled. STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 61 “Two men can make go to 100 blocks a day after they become ac- customed to it. I used a wood mold which any carpenter can make and will not cost over $1 or $1.50, at most. “Now as to the doors. I used 2x6 plank for the jambs and set them flush with the outside of the wall; as the blocks are 8 inches thick there are two inches on inside for door to set in. The doors are ship-lap doubled with a good quality of tar paper in between, also a layer of tar paper on the side that sets against the jamb. The doors are 2 feet square and every 4 feet. Total cost about $225.00. The cost for labor to fill it I estimate at $50.00.” This is a cost of nearly $2.00 per ton capacity, but inasniuch as it will last a great many years it may be the cheapest kind in the long run. See figures 5 and 6 for block silo and form of a block. Figure 5. Cement block silo. The kind built by Mr. Dunlap of Center, Ralls county. (Courtesy Hoard’s Dairyman.) Mr. Alfred S. Dunlap, Centre, Ralls county, Mo., has a cement block silo 16 by 32 feet inside, extends 18 inches in the ground. He says, “The blocks are 6x6 inches by 2 feet long. Used 200 sacks of Portland or Atlas Brand cement in the foundation and blocks. 1,400 62 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT blocks were required to build it. Just what the cost was I do not know, as my farm help worked at making the blocks, commencing in the spring and working at odd times. It, perhaps, cost $275.00, but I did not haul my sand and gravel more than a 100 rods. [ used a No. 14 cutter and a 10 horse-power traction engine, and did the work of cut- ting to my entire satisfaction. We worked three days and filled it about Figure 6. Form of block used in the silo. Note the manner of reinforcing the blocks by means of % iron binders. The hollow blocks require less material than the solid ones, and will not freeze so readily. (Courtesy Hoard’s Dairyman.) two-thirds full, and filled with corn grown on bottom land and very heavy.” Mr. Dunlap here touches a very important point. He got his material in the spring and had his men work at block making when they could do little else, thus saving much valuable time. Mr. Dunlap also mentions having a loss of silage close to the wall because, as he says, he did not cement up the inside after the blocks were laid up. The inside should be well cemented to close all pores possible, then, when the fodder is cut in, water in plenty should be used, especially around the edges next to the walls. CONCRETE SILO. Silos are getting to be made of concrete, slushed and tamped into a solid structure by means of forms. The only one in this State known to the writer is that of Mr. C. J. W. Jones, Roanoke, Howard county, Mo. This silo was built in the summer of 1905. It is 16 by 40 feet inside measurement, it being 9 feet in the ground. He first dug the hole and.leveled the bottom. Then started the inside form, which was made of old pieces of fence boards, stood on end around the circle and held in place by thin limber boards tacked onto them. He also had a center / STATE DATRY COMMISSIONER. 63 xX pole to guide by and brace to. The bottom wall was made thick ana _ tamped against the earth bank. When the level of the ground was reached he carefully leveled up the work and started the outside form, which was made of a band of iron, 20 inches wide and 53.43 feet long, rolled to form the circle and was fastened with clamps at the ends. The silo being 16 feet in diameter and the walls 6 inches thick, the form is then 17 feet in diameter. This was leveled and the space betwecn it and the inner wall of boards filled with concrete and tamped. When this hardened the form was loosened, raised and screwed tight again after getting it level; the space again filled and so on to the top. The inner wall was raised as needed, being braced against the center pole from all sides. . See figure 7. Notice at the top of the silo the iron form still stands surrounding the wall it last built. 2HORRDIS DAIRY AN Figure 7. Concrete silo of Mr. C. J. W. Jones, Roanoke, Mo. Made by Mr. Jones and his son. : (Courtesy Hoard’s Dairyman.) Every.few feet a wire rope made of four strands of No. 9 wire, twisted, was built into the wall to prevent cracking. Iron rods, bent to 64 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT the circle with hooks on the end, as shown in figure 8 are sometimes used in concrete and stone walls. To build this there was required about 40 cubic yards broken stcne, 20 of sand and 50 barrels of cement. Mr. Jones and his son did the work when they could steal the time from farm work. It would be difficult to say how much time was used in the making, but there is one thing sure, there is a silo that will not dry up and open cracks, - nor blow down with anything less than a cyclone, and will doubtless last two or three generations. Material cost about $150.00. Doors were made by building the frames into the wall while making. The frames are of 2x6 stuff, made and set same as described under stone silo. Roof.—No roof is provided; nor by Mr. Jones deemed necessary. It is only a convenience in bad weather. Figure 8. Showing manner of putting iron rods turned at the ends into stone, brick or cement foundation. The heavy lines inside are the iron hoops. (After King.) CEMENT LINED SILO. This is a modification of the old all-wood silo, and is known as the Gurler silo, because Mr. Gurler of Illinois brought it into promi- nence. Material Needed.—For a silo of this kind, 14 by 28 feet, (about go tons if filled full), there will be needed, for the foundation, if 12 inches thick and 3 feet high (one foot below ground and two above), 500 brick and 650 pounds cement and two-third yards of sand ; STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 65 or 6 perch of stone and 450 pounds of cement and % yards sand; or 3 yards gravel or crushed rock and 1,500 pounds of cement and one and two-third yards of sand. Mix the cement mortar 1 part cement to 3 parts sand; for concrete use I cement, 3 sand and 6 gravel or crushed rock—the crushed rock is stronger than the gravel. Imbed in the wall a rope made of 4 strands of No. 9 wire, twisted, or, if more convenient, two or three circles of old barb wire. This would go well in the concrete wall. For the plaster there will be needed about 5,000 pounds cement and 4 yards of clean sand. The plaster is put on about half an inch thick. For the superstructure, not including the roof, there will be needed 55 pieces, 2x4, 14 feet long, and 44 pieces 16 feet long. These are for studs, sill and plate. For sheeting, one-half inch thick and 4 inches Figure 9. A cut showing construction of the cement-lined silo. Onto the 2x4 stud 1s nailed the half-inch lining, and onto that the beveled lath, then the whole thing is plastered with cement mortar. : wide, about 1,600 feet unmatched. Lath needed, 52 bundles plain house lath or its equivalent of “beveled lath made of 3-inch batting, ripped and corners on one side taken off. The University of Illinois reports excellent success with common house lath nailed flat against the sheeting DC-5 66 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT without any furring. It is still considered better to use the beveled. See figure 9. About 150 pounds of nails will be needed. For the four doors about 34 feet of matched flooring. | To Build—On top of foundation made level place 2x4s cut two feet long to form sill. Bed them in cement. Upon this sill stand 2x4 studs, 1 foot apart, a 16-foot and a 14-foot lapped two feet and well spiked. Toe-nail these to the sill and brace well to keep perfectly plumb. Sheet up to the bottom of the first door, about two feet, put in the door frame made same as described for stone silo except of 2x4 stuff. Continue sheeting up to next door and again put in the frame. Continue to the top, always fitting the sheeting well up to the frames and nailing snug to the studs. Now put on the plate made of 2x4 stutf cut two feet long and spiked on top of the studs. Put on a second layer of these pieces, breaking joints with the first. Onto this sheeting nail the lath securely and horizontally and plaster the whole wall about half an inch thick with cement mortar. The foundation wall, both inside and outside, should be beveled to run the water away from the wood portion. l-Sase Hoops.—At two feet, six feet and ten feet from the foundation it would be wise to put hoops made of the half inch sheeting stuff nailed firmly to the studs around the silo. The lower one would best be made three thicknesses; the others, two. A roof may or may not be put on. The outside may be covered, but there will be no loss of either quality or quantity of silage if it is not Sheet iron painted on both sides makes a very good cover, though stove pipe iron is cheaper. The dairy department of the Missouri Experiment Station built a silo of this kind in the summer of 1904. The work was done by the farm and stable hands at odd times. It would be difficult to say how much the work cost. The material cost about $150.00, including the shingled roof and the stove pipe iron covering. There should be an open space at bottom and at top of this outer covering to allow a circulation of air to prevent the wood from rotting. Freezing will not injure the cement lining, but if the silo is not protected the wind may spring it enough to crack the cement a little, making it best to whitewash with a cement wash occasionally. Mr. H. B. Gurler of DeKalb, Illinois, has six silos of this make, three of which have been in use for 9 years and are still in excellent condition. WOOD-LINED SILO. This silo is built like the previous one, except that in place of the lath and plaster, tar paper and a second sheeting of half inch boards STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. ; 67 (this time matched and smooth inside) are used. This makes a very ~ good silo as long as it lasts, but the wood cannot dry readily between these layers, rot sets in and in a few years a new lining is needed. This kind was built largely some years ago, but is not to be recommended Ao 2th | z <=> GXY Boar , Cz ier 3 Ze Y NZS 2 pa fer EF yy. GY = i 7 | NZ Z Y 4 WY A VN BI NA ANNE Z WAN y \ \\|NAN Y \\'! NN Y ANG y WAN y WN Y \ | \NAN Y} VN GRININZS y NANA Figure 10. Wood-lined silo. The second paper and the third sheeting are not needed in Missouri. The outer covering is good, but rather too expensive. (After King.) on account of its short life, unless the silo is to be built under peculiar local conditions. Fig. No. 10 shows method of placing sheeting and paper The inside layer of boards and the second layer of paper are not needed in Missouri, neither is the outside boarding essential. Mr. H. C. Goodrich, Calhoun, Henry county, Mo., and Mr. James Elliot, Windsor, Henry county, Mo., have silos made in this manner. They report good silage and satisfaction thus far, but in 10 or 12 years from time of building a new lining will likely be required. STAVE SILOS. (READY MADE.) The demand for silos is so great that there are now on the marxct several makes of ready-made stave silos. These are merely immense, 68 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT straight-sided barrels, well hooped to hold the pressure. These being of single thickness, dry out well and will last much longer than the double-layer home-made kind. These ready-made silos may cost some- — what more (first cost) than one of equal size built at home, but the writer — has found them to be very satisfactory on account of the fact that all joints fit so well that there is practically no waste from spoiling. The silo, though cheap at first, that is not tight and causes a continual loss of 3 or 5 per cent of the silage made, may, after all, be expensive. These come knocked down, with full directions as to how to proceed to set them up. It is always well to follow the advice of the manufacturer in such matters. Prices can be gotten from the dealers on request. Mr. Jesse Williams, Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Mo., has a ready-made silo, of which he says: “The * * * silo, 16x30 feet, 3 SS Z KEES SEY : ONE FOOT S\ Figure 11. Stave silo, showing construction. ‘A,’ deep basement; “B,” stone foundation top, showing silo set flush with outside of the wall; “C,’ cross-section of 4 staves, showing tongue and groove; ‘EH,’ door fitted in place; “F,’’ the door; “G,” cross-section of the door. (After King.) with six-foot concrete basement, is entirely satisfactory in construction. We put in about 20 acres of corn, which kept perfectly. We have fed about 45 head, ten calves, and the rest grown stock, for two and one- half months, and have fed about one-third of the ensilage. The * * * ensilage cutter which I purchased at the same time is also satisfactory. We tried it to its full capacity and it never choked.” Mr. Fritz Sensor, Corder, Mo., has one of these stave silos, and is pleased with it. STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 69 STAVE SILO (HOME MADE). This “Buff Jersey” silo is becoming popular because of its low, first cost, solidity when up, ease of construction and length of life. While it will not last like stone or cement, it will last until it has paid for it- self many times over. Foundation—Make the foundation same as for the cement-lined or the ready-made stave, except make the sill of 2 by 6 stuff instead of 2 by 4. _ Material—For a silo 14 by 28 feet, plain straight pine 2 by 4, free from knots and wain edges needed, 132 pieces 12 feet long, 132 pieces 16 feet long and 4 pieces of 4 by 6, 28 feet long, 4o pieces five-eights round iron, 12 feet long, with threads cut a foot on each end. Each rod should be supplied with 2 large washers and 2 nuts. Nails and 6-inch spikes in plenty. Fig2z Fig 3 al Poet eeee as Se ae ee Figure 12. Figure 1 shows Buff Jersey silo complete. The method of placing doors is shown, and also the hoops and the way they pass through the 4x6-inch timber else- where described. Figure 2 shows one of these 4x6-inch pieces with holes bored ready to be placed in position. Figure 3 shows one of the 2x4 pieces with spikes passing through it as they do in constructing the walls. Some parties have reported that they have built their silos with the 2x4’s flatway, making walls four inches thick. ‘They used 12d nails, 7O FIRST ANNUAL REPORT The 4 by 6 are to form the “corners” of the round silo and also act as lugs for the hoops to go through and draw against, as shown in figure 12. Bore holes through these posts through their 6-inch dimen- sion, starting close to one edge and ranging outward almost cornerwise through the stick. Beginning close to the bottom of the silo, make these hoop holes the following distances apart: from Ist to 2nd, 2 feet; 2nd to 3rd, 2 feet; 3rd to 4th and 4th to 5th, each 3 feet; and the next five each 4 feet apart. The 2 by 4 do not need planing, but care must be taken to get straight pieces and clear. Southern pine is excellent for this work. To Set Up.—First set up the 4 posts, brace well, plumb, and toe- nail to the sill. Make sure each is equidistant from the center of the silo to be, or in other words, in a circle. Put in the lower hoops and start the nuts, then stand a 2 by 4 inside these hoops, spike it soundly to the post, using a six-inch spike and driving straight through the 2 by 4 edgewise, set up another and do the same by that to the first stave. "y ated Figure 13. Two “Buff Jersey” silos in process of building. Note the way the 2x4’s are made to break joints. (Cut loaned by “Buff Jersey,’”? Monmouth, II.) Keep this up around the silo, make sure to alternate the 12-foot and the 16-foot stave, so as to break joints above. Figure 13 shows a silo in course of construction. When all staves are in place screw up the STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 71 nuts snug against the posts. This makes a very durable silo, and one that will not shell to_pieces when empty and dry. All this work is, of course, far easier said than done, but can be done by any handy farmer who wills to do it. ' Doors.—On the side most convenient for feeding nail two strips across five of the staves and saw out these five some 30 inches long, saw on the bevel, as shown in figure 14, making the door longest on the inside. It would be well to have marked out these places when first I) ia Boe BS OK KAS rene ESS Se ee SS Vigure 14. Cut showing way to saw four or five of the 2x4’s from a home-made stave silo to make doors. Note the bevel in the sawing, the door “C @” is the largest ‘ on the inside. putting staves up, so avoid sawing into any spikes. Jambs can then be finally nailed on outside of silo and the surface of contact made tight with felt strips. ‘The doors (four would be sufficient) should be num- bered, and each carefully kept for its Own opening. Two other 4x6 pieces, one placed on either side of the doorway to strengthen that part of the silo, would be of value. Bore holes straight through these to al- low for the passage of the hoops. Mr. McNish of Brookfield, Mo., has two of this kind, of which he says: “One is 16 by 24 and cost me $80, and the other is 12 by 26 and cost me $60.” 72 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT Mr. Wm. Plummer, Hale, Mo., has two of these “Buff Jersey” silos and is well pleased with them. One is 16 by 34 and the other is 20 by 34. See figure 20. Mr. John Miles, Grays Summit, Mo., has one 20 by 30, and is pleased with it. See figure 15. Figure 15. Silo and barn on the farm of J. A. Miles, Gray’s Summit, Mo. (Courtesy Rural World.) WHAT TO GROW FOR THE SILO. Corn.—For a silage crop corn comes first. It is by all means the ost important. It yields heavily and is relished by all farm animals. Some experienced men prefer to plant thickly and not count on getting ears, but the majority of the best men seem to prefer to plant the silo corn the same as the field corn that is intended to mature grain. Plant as large a variety as will mature before frost in your locality, then let it get almost ripe. It should be cut when the grain is in the dry dough stage, or just beginning to glaze or dent. Corn silage properly made is fully as digestible as the dry fodder, and far more palatable. About the only objection that could be raised to corn is the fact that this plant is fattening in its tendencies and not a muscle and milk producing food, or in other words, its nutritive ratio is wide, it being I to TAs. e. I part of protein to 14.4 parts of carbohydrates and fat. To correct this tendency, cow peas, soy beans and velvet beans are coming into favor. Cow peas are grown and put into the silo along with the corn. Cow peas green have a nutritive value of 1 to 4.7, hence, by putting these into the silo with corn the ratio may be brought down to 1 to 8 or 9, which is about right for feeding steers and nearly low enough for dairy cows. STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 73 To test this point, Prof. C. G. Williams of Ohio divided his herd into two groups, feeding to one group silage composed of corn, cow peas and soy beans, mixed hay and four pounds of grain, and to the other group corn stover, mixed hay and 13.5 pounds of grain per day. The actual amount of digestible food was as nearly the same in each as could. be wished. The two sections were fed this for an entire winter. Each cow was charged with what she consumed and credited with what she gave. At the end of the four months the following results were found: “The cows fed on the silage ration produced 96.7 pounds of milk and 5.08 pounds of butter fat per 100 pounds of dry matter. The cows fed the grain ration produced 81.3 pounds of milk and 3.9 pounds of butter fat per 100 pounds of dry matter. The cost of feed per 100 pounds of Figure 16. Filling 260-ton stave silo at World’s Fair, St. Louis, Mo. This silo is 40 feet high and was filled with blower elevator. Mr. C. T. Graves, Maitland, Mo., Sup- erintendent Jersey Cattle, stands near the silo. (Courtesy Silver Mfg. Co.) milk was $0.687 with the silage ration, and $1.055 with the grain ration. The cost of feed per pound of butter fat was 13.1 cents with the silage ration and 22.1 cents with the grain ration. The average net profit per 74 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT cow per month (over cost of feed) was $5.864 with the silage ration and $2.465 with the grain ration.” The above record is not quite complete for the farmer, however, until the effect of these several crops on the soil is considered. Corn, © like other grains, is depleting to the soil, while cow peas and soy beans add about $10 worth of plant food to each acre each season. They can be sown in drills or broadcasted after the wheat is off in June, and be removed in September in time to allow another crop of wheat on the same land if desired. For the good of the soil and for the good of the cows, these two crops, corn and cow peas, should go hand in hand when- ever possible. Soy beans occupy practically the same place as cow peas as fcod for stock. Clover has been made into silage with good results, but it is not yet a common crop for the silo. Where it can be cured it serves a better purpose as hay. Alfalfa is also ensiled with good effect in some places. In Cali- fornia some advise putting alialfa into the silo if it is mixed with fox- tail. This seems to disarm the foxtail, but alfalfa, like clover, is more useful as hay. Sorghum is often made into silage, and is highly recommended, es- pecially for beef stock and sheep. It is good for the dairy cow, but be- ing so rich in sugar, it would call for a greater expenditure for concen- trated protein foods than would corn. Sorghum silage is very fattening and at the same time keeps the system of the animal in excellent con- dition. Sunflower silage has been recommended, and doubtless would be fine if the stock would eat it more readily. Some cows refuse it alto- gether. | Grasses have been preserved in the silo, but there is little reason for this practice, because most grasses cure so readily as hay. Beet tops and pulp in regions of the sugar beet industry are be- coming popular as silage. This is especially the case in Europe. Hash. The silo is sometime used as “catch-all’’ for left-overs. In the eastern states, where feed is high in price and strict economy essen- tial, any Canada field peas and oats left over from the early feeding, later, crimson clover, rye, cow peas and corn, find their way into this preserver. All manner of odds and ends may be made into good food. Alvord once said that “a mixture of equal parts of ragweed, swamp grass or swale hay, old corn stalks or straw and second crop green clover, nearly three-fourths of which would otherwise be almost useless, will male a superior silage, surprising to those who have never tried it.’ The same STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 75 author gives the following as the contents of one New York silo: Ist, 18 inches deep of green oats; 2nd, 6 inches of red clover; 3rd, 6 inches of Canada field peas; 4th, 3 inches of brewers’ grains; 5th, 2 feet of whole corn plants sowed broadcast, and more ragweed than corn; 6th, 5 inches of second crop grass; 7th, 5 inches of sorghum; 8th, a lot of immature corn cut in short lengths. The silage came out pretty acid, but good forage, all eaten up clean.” The writer has put small quantities of common straw and salt hay (coarse hay from the tide meadows along the sea coast) into the silo along with the corn, and seen the cows in winter eat it all as though it were green grass. FILLING THE SILO. When to Cut the Corn——When the corn has reached the three- fourths ripe stage, the stalks still green and the bottom leaves are dry- ing, it should be cut and put directly into the silo. If the corn is not at all mature and is very watery the silage will most likely be very acid, while if the corn goes in dry it will mould, or “fire-fang,” so that it will be greatly or wholly damaged. Adding Water to Dry Corn.—lf the corn, for any reason, has be- come dry while standing or in the shock, it may still be made into good silage by wetting it thoroughly when it is put into the silo. A half barrel of water to the load of corn will not be too much if the corn is quite dry. Last fall, at the Missouri Experiment Station, two silos were filled with corn from the same field and in same condition. Each silo was air tight and the silage was equally well tramped in each. The only differ- ence between them was that one, a new one, had no roof. Just after the two were filled it began to rain. The sickness of the professor in charge, the resignation of the farm foreman and a general piling up of work caused the silo to remain open to the rain from September 10, when it was filled to November 15, when cover was provided. The silo is 20 feet in diameter and water tight on sides and bottom. During this pertcd of time 16.68 inches of rain fell. This silage was then forced to absorb 436.68 cubic feet, or 103.7 barrels of water. The silage was only 25 feet deep in the silo. There were then 7,854 cubic feet of silage to absorb 3,266.5 gallons of water, or one and two-third quarts of water per cubic foot of silage. ; ae This water fell soon after the silage was put in, scarcely any falling in November. This silage came out better by considerable than that from the silo which had a roof. Some farmers make a practice of letting the corn dry in the field 3 or 4 days before hauling in to make lighter work, and then wet the silage well while it is being put into the silo. Mr. Jones of Roanoke, Mo., has no roof on his silo, which was filled 76 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT in September and caught the rain all winter. His silage is very good. He says the only use there is for a roof is to keep the snow out while it is being fed from; rain cannot harm it. Mr. H. B. Gurler of DeKalb, Ill., has one silo in the pasture which he has used for eight years without any roof. It is 37 feet in diameter. The average rainfall in this part of Illinois is 36 inches, yet the silage from this silo is as good as that from his other five silos that have roofs. The water benefits by forcing the air out and packing the con- tents, and thus preventing decay of the silage. For best results, cut the corn when it js pretty well matured, even to the point of beginning to dry, then add a lot of water while filling. When in doubt whether to use water, use it; there seems to be no dan- ger of getting too much water. . Tramping the Silage—Even much tramping by heavy men will not do any particular good except around close to the wall, where it should be walked on well. The surface of the silage while being filled should be concave, low in the center and high about the sides. This done, the silage will not settle away from the walls. It is just the reverse process to stacking hay. Keep the corn chunks well mixed with the lighter stuff, so that at feeding time the animals fed will receive a uniform ration. Necessary Machinery—The silage cutter with carrier or blower to elevate the cut corn to the silo and an engine to run it are needed. It does not pay to “fiddle” around with a small cutter. Get one with knives 14 to 18 inches long, then provide power to make it go. Those who have used both carrier and blower to elevate the cut corn prefer the blower, it generally saves stopping to fix the carrier. The blower will not clog if the cutter is placed close to the silo, so that the wind is almost directly under the stuff carried. The following approximate figures may be of value: No. of knives. Lente Tees: | COs a ee eee one | ae J sus Pirate eR rade ane Er Ae 11 $10 440 34 2-3 7 USAR beach Le Sena gS Ga 13 65 560 4-6 3-4 PU hes AF Un ag lie ee 2 2 16 90 620 5-10 4-6 AGA eae Ae Alte in ef 37 Rekee Mina 18 120 700 9-12 6-8 WITH SELF-FEEDER ATTACHMENT. thos Lv ah Poe cee aan bie wink 13 95 175 8-12 5-6 Ae Tea eae stir lag SMT ae 16 120 835 12-15 7-8 4s Soong omen ae Chu 18 155 875 14-20 7-10 Ae Ba chets pote Coane ee 19 200 1100 20-25 10-12 de eave t Ghee acd eelsanat gat 20 250 1600 20-27 10-12 APs tee teas lobar eta 24 300 1700 25-30 12-15 - STATE DAIRY. COMMISSIONER. 77 The catalog prices named above do not include the carrier or blower, which come extra at about $2 per foot for carrier and $1 per foot for blower. The cutter for blower will cost a little more than for carrier. The price will also vary with the make of machine. The prices are also reduced by a per cent discount, which varies somewhat with the differ- ent firms. When you decide to buy select the size that will best suit your needs and correspond with a few reliable dealers. The discount is often surprising. Occasionally one outfit is purchased by a neighborhood and used for filling a dozen or more silos, and occasionally a rig is owned and worked from place to place, the same as a threshing machine, charging so much per ton or per day, but when the silo is to be filled largely by help on the place, or is to be filled at different times as a catch-all, it is far more satisfactory to establish the cutter, house it in, and keep it always ready for use. The horse-power named was steam power; if a gasoline engine is used, increase the rated power about one-third. Necessary Help—When the cutter is running it is poor economy to- allow it to run empty a part of the time. Better hire more help and keep the thing doing business all the time it is on expense. To keep it run- ning 8 or 10 men will be needed, placed as follows: one engineer, one feeder, one in silo, one in field with team cutting corn, and four to six men, each with a team, to draw corn to the machine. To save useless labor the wagons should be low, a low truck with platform, or better, a suspended flat bed between the fore and rear wheels. This saves a large amount of useless lifting of heavy corn. See figure 17. Figure 17. Low down wagon for hauling green corn. Cost of Filling —King, of the Wisconsin Experiment Station, studied this problem on a number of farms in Wisconsin and found that on an average it cost 58.6 cents to put one ton of green corn into the silo. Glover of Illinois studied the question in Illinois at a later date, when more improved machinery was being used, and found that the modern machinery enables a man now to do much more than he could 10 or 15 years ago. According to his figures, it would cost 40 cents a ton. It is usually considered that 50 cents a ton will cover the cost of filling. Many men, who have had experience in both methods, claim that it is just as cheap, and more satisfactory to make silage, as it is to cut, shock, husk and grind the corn for the cows. | 78 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT A SETTLED THING. Agricultural College, N. D., Oct. 6, 1903: Gentlemen—I have used one of your * * * ensilage cutters for several seasons and am well pleased with the grade of work it does. ‘he No. 19 * * * self-feed ensilage cutters with blower elevator pur- chased this season for use at the Agricultural College, has done its work satisfactorily. I was doubtful at first about the blower attachment elevating the green fodder 30 feet high into the silo. I find, however, that the only trouble was to stop the ensilage when it reached the top, for when we first started, it shot across and broke the dormer window on the opposite side, 24 feet away. ats The ensilage cutter we used here before had an ordinary chain elevator. Our silo at that time was only 20 feet high, but we had a great deal of trouble with the elevator. We were constantly having to stop to repair or adjust it, but with your machine the only trouble is to get the sreen/corn to. it fast enough. 44 41% Yours respectfully, | J. H. SHEPPERD, Dean and Vice Director. Figure 18. This is the rig that filled 20 silos in one season. STATE DATRY COMMISSIONER. FAS} RATE OF WORK. poem ay” Edinboro, Erie Co. -Pa., Mar. 8, 1904. Dear Sirs—I send you a photograph of my No. 20, special self-feed ensilage cutter, with 45-foot swivel carrier, which has given me and my customers the best of satisfaction. This machine was driven with a Figure 19. Filling silo with swivel carrier cutter. 12-horse-power Westinghouse engine, which furnished plenty of power, and at time picture was taken we were cutting 20 tons an hour, or as fast as corn could be got to the machine. There were five teams hauling and 14 men working besides our crew of men and the corn was close by. * * * * We filled.20 silos this season and were always ready for Dusimess. * * * * ’ Yours very truly, A. Bee Atistine 80 - FIRST ANNUAL REPORT SELF-FEEDER. Nl as Salem, Ohio, June 10, 1903. -Gentlemen—The No. 16 * * * self-feed ensilage cutter and swivel carrier we have been using the past three seasons, with which to fill seven large silos, has proven entirely satisfactory and fulfills the guaran- tee. We usually have four teams to haul the corn in from the field, and have never yet been able to keep the machine continuously supplied. The self-feed saves two men at the cutter and adds materially to its capacity. Very respectfully, O. E. WHINNERY, Dairyman. SOMETHING DOING. Three 550-ton silos and one 1,500-ton silo readily filled with two No. 19 * * * * cutters and blowers. Washington Courthouse, Ohio, Feb. 2, 1903. * ok ok Mio, Co, * * * Dear Sirs—During the year 1901 we used one of your No. Ig ensilage cutters, with blower attachment, and found the same to be eminently sat- isfactory. The machine is capable of doing all that you claim for it, and upon actual tests we were able, at times, to put into a silo, 42 feet high, corn ensilage at the rate of 30 tons per hour, using a 16-horse-power engine. It was entirely practical to cut at the rate of 12 to 20 tons per hour during the whole day’s time. During the year we had three 550- ton silos to fill and were under the necessity of getting a cutter which would do the work rapidly in order to get them filled in time. During the past year we filled, in addition to the silos mentioned, a large silo of 1,500 tons capacity, which is 52 feet in height. We filled all of these silos with two of your No. 19 cutters. Yours truly, HUMPHREY JONES. A CAUTION. It would not be right to close this subject without mentioning one feature which is often neglected in a discussion of the merits of the silo. When green feeds are piled up they always begin to heat. This rotting process, which causes the heat, at the same time causes large quantities of carbonic acid gas to be given off. If the silo has been STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 81 ( filled quickly it will settle several feet and while doing so generates this gas. If all doors inside of silos were closed when it was first filled and the silage settled down to, say 8 or 10 feet below any opening, this apparently empty bin will be filled with gas. It is heavier than air and will flow out if it has a chance; give it the chance before sending any one. in there to work. Running in fresh material will soon stir this gas up with the air and make it safe. _ There is just enough danger here to make it wise to notice the conditions in the morning when starting up. THE FEEDING OF SILAGE. To Dairy Cows—Cows unaccustomed to silage will become very fond of it in two or three days. They then eat of it as greedily as of green fodder. They eat more of it than they would of dry feed, and, therefore, have more food in their systems with which to make milk after they have subtracted their regular allowance for support. Then, too, food that is relished will be more thoroughly digested than that eaten with repugnance. The bowels of the silage-fed cow are as loose as though on blue grass pasture. This insures health and easy delivery of calves, and lastly, they will, according to Professor Williams’ test, give more milk and butter fat per unit of food eaten than those that get only dry food. The quality of the milk will not be injured in the least, even when the cows are fed heavily, 35 to 40 pounds per day, if the silage be fed after milking instead of just before, and if no silage is allowed to remain in the manger, under the cow, or in a heap in the passages to ferment. Feed only as much as the cow will eat up clean, 30 to 40 pounds per day, and keep the alleys clean. It is the abuse of silage, not its use, that has brought it into disfavor in some quarters. Mr. H. B. Gurler, who produces exceptionally fine milk for infant feeding in Chicago, uses silage freely, but not carelessly. The writer has had 8 years’ experience with silage-fed cows and their milk and has not had any trouble with bad odor or acid in the milk or butter from it. To Bulls—By some it is still considered doubtful whether a full feed of silage is good for breeding bulls, claiming that it has a tendency to make them heavy, slow and uncertain. The writer once fed a mature Holstein bull a ration of 40 to 50 pounds of corn silage a day for a period of six months with excellent results. He got over a hundred robust calves that year, and was exceedingly active and sure. He received a little grain, but only 2 to 3 pounds of hay a day. Mr. William Plummer, Hale, Carroll county, Mo., feeds silage to DC-6 82 FIRSf ANNUAL REPORT dairy cows and calves and says: “Our cows milk fine all winter and come out in good order in the spring. I couldn’t get along without my silo now.” This cut shows the barn and silos of Mr. Wm. Plummer, Hale, Mo. Figure 20. Mr. H. C. Goodrich, Calhoun, Henry county, Mo., says: “No dairyman can afford to be without a silo. I consider it the best and cheapest way to save the whole corn crop. I have fed ensilagé to dairy cows for 12 or 13 years.” STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 83 , Mr. Jas. Elliot, Windsor, Henry county, Mo., feeds silage to cows and young stock and says: “I like ensilage for feeding very well. Woud not like to be without one. It is not only good feed for cows but all kinds of cattle, and when it is put up in the fall it is so much easier to get at than to have to go to the fields for corn fodder; with ensilage we get the whole corn plant for food.” Mr. Fred Parcher, Maryville, Nodaway county, Mo., feeds silage to cows and young cattle and says: “Results in a saving of one-half in feed store bills and over one-half in amount of hay eaten.” Mr. H. S. Hand, Appleton City, St. Clair county, Mo., says: “I find it (silage) excellent for dairy cows. Our cows milk as well in winter as they do in summer; in fact, they usually gain when we com- mence to feed.” , Mr. John Miles, Gray’s Summit, Franklin county, Mo., feeds silage to dairy cows and horses and says: “Results are good. [ like it well and think it an ideal method of securing succulent food.” Mr. Fritz Sensor, Corder, Lafayette county, Mo., says: “I have been feeding it to all of my cattle. It is of most value for milk cows.” | Mr. John Patterson, Kirksville, Adair county, Mo., has fed silage for many years and says of it: “When I speak of the economy of putting corn into silos to feed cows I don’t mean that it is good for cows only—it is good for all kinds of stock. All seem to like it and thrive on it, and when you get buildings and machinery for it, it does not cost any more to put it in silos than to cut and shock, etc., and it is much more convenient to feed in barns or sheds where stock can be comfortable and all the manure can be saved.” Mr. N. H. Gentry, Sedalia, Mo., says: “I put up a silo in the past summer 30 feet high by 20 in diameter. We filled it with cut corn and it is proving a very cheap, economical feed. We are feeding it to all our cattle, and our work horses have had no other grain all winter, keeping in good condition. In thus consuming the whole corn plant it proves a very cheap feed. We mix a little other grain with it in feeding milk cows and young cattle we wish to push along, but the dry cows get nothing but it, and they eat very little hay. I think I will put up a smaller silo for summer feeding in case of severe drouth, and after carrying it through the summer and it is not needed, we can feed it out during the winter or fall.” Mr. H. B. Gurler, who produces certified milk from 150 cows, some of which milk was sent to Paris, France, and was still sweet at the end of 21 days, though no preservative but cleanliness and cold were used, says of the silage: “I have been using silage for 25 years. I was enthusiastic from the first. I never went crazy over it, but my 84 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT confidence has been increasing from year to year, and I never was so firmly fixed in the opinion that it is a necessity on the farm as I am now. There is no better feed for producing perfectly sweet milk than silage fed properly.” Mr. C. T. Graves, Maitland, Mo., had charge of the Jerseys at the World’s Fair in 1904, and the excellent showing made there was partly due to the superior corn silage that was fed. Redmond & Hurst, Tipton, Moniteau county, Mo., uses two “bin” silos and says: “We are milking 50 cows in all stages of lactation, 10 of which are heifers with first calf, and our check for January cream was $265.00; not so bad for winter. Cows giving milk should be fed from 30 to 40 pounds of silage a day, half in the morning and half at night, or as much as they will eat up clean every time. If a little is left in the manger take it out before it spoilsk—and next time feed a little less. After the silage is cleaned up give as much alfalfa, clover or cow pea hay as the animal will clean up readily. Mix the grain 1 part cottonseed meal to 6 parts corn and cob meal; or I part oil meal to 5 parts corn and cob meal; or I part bran to 3 parts corn and cob meal. Then give of this mixture ~ one pound for every three pounds of milk the cow is giving per day. If the cow gives 6 pounds (3 quarts) of milk a day, feed 2 pounds of grain; if 30 pounds (15 quarts), give 10 pounds grain, etc. Oats may be substituted for the bran, or gluten meal for the oil meal. This will give as nearly a balanced ration as need be attempted. To Beef Stock.—Corn or sorghum silage fed to beef cattle keeps them in tone and enables them to make better use of other food consumed, From 30 to 40 pounds per day will not be too much when once they are gotten onto full feed. Several of our experiment stations, after careful trials, recommend it highly. In the summary of Bulletin 73, Illinois Experiment Station, is found; “It requires a third longer to feed an acre of corn silage than. an acre of shock corn. * * * The silage-fed steers were in much better thrift and flesh at the end of the experiment (88 days) than were the shock-fed steers. * * * It should be noted that the silage-fed lot consumed less feed than the shock-corn lot and less feed per pound of gain. The amount of dry matter required to produce a pound of gain of meat, when the corn was fed in the form of silage, was 6.52 pounds; where fed in the form of shock corn it was 8.57 pounds.” Mr. J. M. Doughty, herdsman, Missouri Experiment Station, says: “The Experiment Station beef-breeding herd is being kept through the winter on silage and alfalfa without grain. Mature cows receive 25 to a = : STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 85 30 pounds of silage at night and a feed of hay in the morning. A few of the cows did not take to the silage at first, but they all learned to relish it and they never leave any silage, although a little hay is left occasionally. I believe that if farmers only knew the value of silage for feeding cows and maintaining steers silos would soon become numerous.” Mr. McNish of Brookfield, Mo., has two silos. He says: “I feed all classes of cattle with good results, especially for growing stock. I fed a car load of steers silage and ear corn and topped the market. The only difficulty in feeding the silage with ear corn is that the cattle which are to be fattened will quit eating the ear corn and eat the silage alone. Corn, I pene should be ground when eat with silage for fattening steers.” Mr. H. S. Hand, Appleton City, Mo., says: “I feed all kinds of stock on silage with good results. I have used it for stall feeding with Figure 22. A round-shingled silo being filled with a blower cutter. (Courtesy Silver Mfg. Co., Salem, Ohio.) ground corn, cob and all. Would not think of wintering stock without silage. We are feeding 300 head of cattle and find the silo a great saver of feed.” “Humphrey Jones of Washington Court House, Ohio, constructed 86 FIRST ANNUAL. REPORT three silos in 1901, which he made 26 feet in diameter and 36 feet high, holding each from 500 to 600 tons. In 1902 he built another, 39 feet wide and 52 feet high, of cement. Mr. Jones has found great ad- vantage in feeding silage to cattle. His silage consists of three-quarters corn and one-quarter soy beans, cut in the fullest maturity. Some of the advantages, as outlined by him, are a greater feeding value of corn than when fed dry, making gains cheaper; getting cattle to feed better; finishing up cattle better and more evenly on market, and its adaptability to stock cattle. Corn that will make 50 bushels per acre will yield 8 tons of silage, which he values at $2.50 a ton. He regards a feed of about 5 pounds of silage and one-third of a pound of hay for each hundred pounds live weight a satisfactory feed. A steer will hardly — consume over 50 pounds of silage a day, if either 1,000 or 1,300 pounds weight. Mr. Jones feeds, he assumes, about 1 pound of grain in his silage to a hundred pounds of live weight, and he also gives about one- half pound of cottonseed meal with the silage per hundred pounds of live weight. Cattle rarely eat over 4 pounds of hay per day when fed silage freely. The daily cost of feed for a silage-fed steer was given at II cents, while one corn-shock-fed will cost 20 cents. No discrimina- tion occurred against silage-fed animals on the market.” To Horses——lf the horses can be taught to relish silage, it will be very good for them in small quantities, say from 10 to 20 pounds per day. Some have refused to learn, but most of them will soon learn to like the peculiar pungent odor, especially if aided at first by some of nature’s “plain sauce.” Some feeders mix one part corn silage and two parts cut straw and let this be the regular diet. A horse fed mod- erately of silage will have a more glossy coat, looser skin, and in general, greater evidence of thrift than one fed wholly on dry food. Idle horses may receive more than those at work, and heavy horses more than drivers. | Sa To Sheep—To be wintered through in best form, sheep must have some succulent food, and for this purpose a great many mangels, rutabagas, turnips, etc., were formerly raised, but at present corn or sorghum silage is getting to be looked upon with great favor. Fattening stock respond well to the sugar in sorghum and corn silage, especially when there are nubbins of corn throughout the chopped corn stalks. For ewes in lamb, silage is most excellent. It allows them to drop their lambs in January or February without trouble and increases the milk flow very materially. ‘The lambs are strong and healthy and ready to respond. to feed and come onto the early market with profit. From 3 to 4 pounds a day per head is sufficient. Like other farm animals, they require some dry hay every day. This hay would best be alfalfa, STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 87 clover or cow pea, as these feeds contain the proteim so essential to economical feeding. Mr. J. M. Turner of Michigan says, “Of late years we have annually put up 3,200 tons of corn ensilage, and this has been the principal ration of all the live stock at Springdale farm, our Shropshire sheep having been maintained on a ration of ensilage night and morning, coupled with a small ration of clover hay in the middle of the day.” To Swine.—As a food for swine there is some conflict of opinion. Some feeders, including the writer, have fed it with very indifferent success, while others make a practice of feeding it and claim that in small quantities it substitutes pasture and keeps the swine in’ better thrift than when fed ‘slop and grains without the succulent adjunct. Mr. J. W. Pierce of Indiana writes on this subject: “We have fed our sows, about 25 in number, for four winters, equal parts of ensilage and corn meal put into a cooker and brought up to the steaming state. It has proved very beneficial to them. It keeps up the flow of milk of the sows that are nursing the young, equal to when they are running on clover. We find, too, that when the pigs are farrowed they become more robust, and take to nursing much sooner and better than they did in winters when fed on an exclusively dry diet. We also fed it to our sheep. To sixty head we put out about six bushels of ensilage.” That a pig should eat silage is no more than we should expect from an animal that feeds on pasture grass as well as hogs do. To Poultry—Poultry in winter crave green food. Some poultry farmers provide cabbages, others crushed roots, but there is a strong tendency now to provide a silage made of tender clover and green sweet corn. A poultry man writes as follows in “Orange Judd Farmer:” “Clover and corn ensilage is one of the best winter foods for poultry raisers. Let me tell you how to build four silos for $1. Buy four coal oil barrels at the drug store, burn them out on the inside, and take the heads out. Go to the clover field when the second crop of the small June clover is in bloom, and cut one-half ton three-eighths of an inch in length, also one-half ton of sweet corn, and run this through the feed cutter. Put into the barrel a layer of clover, then a layer of corn. Having done this, take a common building jack-screw and press the silage down as firmly as possible. Then put on this a very light sprinkling of pulverized charcoal, and keep on putting in clover and corn until you get the barrel as full as will admit the cover being put back. After the four-barrel silos are filled, roll them out beside the barn and cover them with horse manure, allowing them to remain there thirty days. Then put them away, covering with cut straw or hay. When the cold, chilling winds of December come, open one of these ‘poultrymen’s silos,’ 88 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT take about twenty pounds for one hundred hens, add equal parts of potatoes, ground oats and winter rye, place same in a kettle and bring to a boiling state. Feed warm in the morning, and the result will be that you will be able to market seven or eight dozen eggs per day from one hundred hens throughout the winter, when eggs bring good re- turns.” When silage cannot be got, the fine leaves that break off from alfalfa and clover in the handling, when wet with warm water, are a good substitute. . i As a Summer Convenience—tThe silo is not restricted to winter use only. Summer silage feeding is getting to take the place of the soiling system. When land is high in price, cows are often fed in the stable the year round, in summer the green food being brought to them fresh from the fields every day. A larger number of cows can be kept in this way than by pasturing, but with the summer silo a still larger number may be maintained, and that, too, without the annoyance of being compelled to run to the field every day, rain or shine to cut and draw in a jag of green feed. THE SILO IN THE SOUTH. _ To preserve food for winter feeding in the south is more difficult than in the north. In the north a shock or stack of corn fodder may get snowed under, but remains green and palatable, while in the south, where the winter wetness is in the form of rain, an exposed stack of corn fodder would soon bleach tasteless if not rot outright, The- silo should be pushed as the winter pasture for the south as well as for the north. Professor A. M. Soule, formerly of Tennessee, now of Virginia, speaking of silage for the south, says: “It is, however, clearly rec- ognized as one of the most economical and satisfactory food stuffs ob- tainable. At the Tennessee Experiment Station four beef cattle have been maintained for 150 days on silage produced on 0.91 acre of land. Every farmer who is interested in the feeding and maintenance of live stock should have a silo.” . Mr. C. L. Willoughby, professor of animal husbandry at the Georgia Experiment Station, Experiment, Ga., in reply to a letter on the subject, says: “The silo has been successful in Georgia for twenty years. I imagine the men who entered the dairy business at all in Georgia have been just as modern in the use of such conveniences as any class of men in America. Those who have used a silo say they could not pos- sibly do without them. They are used all over Georgia, and even in the northern part of Florida, just as readily as in Missouri. We have a wide range of climate in this State. The elevated region in northern STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. 89 Georgia has a climate very little different from that of the Ozarks, while the climate of south Georgia is almost sub-tropical. “The most common type now being built is the ordinary wood stave silo with round hoops. Many of the silos built fifteen or twenty years ago were made of thick cement walls, usually square in shape, and some of these are in use yet. Good pine lumber is reasonably cheap here yet, so that a hundred-ton silo seldom costs more than $75.00. “The principal crop used in the silo is corn, with sorghum as a close second. The corn is often mixed half and half with sorghum, and many dairymen grow cow peas or velvet beans with the corn, permitting the vine to climb up the stalk, and then running the vine and stalk to- gether through the cutter. The pea vines or velvet beans do not make good silage alone. “In a general way, the dairymen of south Georgia are compelled to use up their silage a little faster than you would in Missouri, on account of the warm climate hastening the rotting of the material.” The silo for the south should be made a little narrower for its capac- ity than those in the north, in order that the silage may be fed down more rapidly. About 6 square feet of silage surface for each cow per day will be sufficient. For 10 cows and a few young stock a silo should be then 10 feet in diameter and deep enough to hold the necessary amount. A silo 10 fect in diameter and 25 feet deep will hold, approximately, 40 tons of silage, which will grow on 3 to 4 acres of ground and furnish feed for 10 cows and 6 to 8 head of young stock fer 120 days. _ While remembering its many advantages, yet not forgetting its limitations, the silo should be pushed in all parts of the country. go FIRST ANNUAL REPORT - & ANALYSES OF FEEDING STUFFS. Table showing average amounts of digestible nutrients in the more common American fodders, grains and by-products. Compiled by the editors of Hoard’s Dairyman, Fort Atkinson, Wis. o Digestible nutrients P in 100 lbs. © BS = S ee Name of feed. 4 ot leas ae = @ iS} oA B =I 5 a en : & oo s : =) eo = : Sa eS ellie a | vs Green fodders— Lbs. | Lbs. | Lbs. | Lbs. Pasture srasses: -miKed twat se een ce «Boao eithueanye aaah armies tae 20.0 2.5 10.2 0.5 HOGAESr COL Aa et Ses Be tae eta ees en a eR tae 20.7 1.0 11.6 0.4 SORE UNI Shes Soe eee ors aes adc at es cece SIO Ie Piero 20.6 0.6 12.2 04 Redtelowerse: sedis ee taee eo Cosa ais Face aiemekis ee ee Re oon helene 29.2 2.9 14.8 0.7 PUG EW a arene en OM ea ae ome Aaa rn ci CE as GricioL Ono 28.2 3.9 12.7 0.5 OOw Peas Vee eek eS e cian sec eeieens Paeeem niet een eh Lore 1.8 8.7 0.2 SOj a, Deane cane wie os enve eae eee en ea oti ARs Man canes 24.9 3.2 11.0 0.5 Oabtodder ssc sete es pee eo eee Geer clad ae ees 37.8 2.6°| 18.9 1.0 IRVeHOMd eres since woee cs loee ne tee cree ee eS Sener dante hse 23.4 2.1 14.1 | 0.4 RUAD Oude orice dacroe vance nestor etee ork moisslap asia aidaaatete Se iio alee Ree arte 14.0 eS 8.1 0.2 TP Sasi GOBCS ecole th oases pete Sete Sie oe See Deere eee wee ciel nae GAO) 1.8 (oil 0.2 (stele) OL} Opec Rear AAA APE enero nso A -SSn “cde SoRanbee: EBAISEbE pel lse 0.6 7.3) si steyeer Silage— OUD aes aan ee eo, MAE oie ecle Re OEP ed TOR aa 20.9 0.9 11.3 0.7 Corns Wisconsin) analySesi..o6o eyo nee ice eee eee 26.4 1.3 | 14.0 0.7 SOPL MUM eset Bae sa eke OS. aa attr ee meee OR cE ene eae eee 23.9 0.6 14.9 0.2 REG (ClOMEN stesso ere Mae oR Vaal. Ch REI Ee Eee Ree 28.0 2.0 13.5 1.0 Alp alf ar oee ait aceroe Have horas isiopiavwestiueei eta ween eee See eee 27.5 3.0 8.5 1.9 OOWiPO BE aekae cars san Tyra eS TU Oe oe ee era eee ee ete sone 20.7 15 8.6 0.9 Sojabeains Cee stateless: Sad aes cA oe see oe aa ae eae 25.8 ei 8.7 ee Dry fodder and hay— Orn LOA Sr Reesor lye soe cee oS RRT ELE ALA eer ae eReRNemsE ree 57.8 2.5 34.6 1.2 Corn fodder Wisconsin anialySes.=. sencceesbe es Seon ee tone eee 71.0 3.7 40.4 1.2 WOrmiStOVieTe ny cosine tee tae) see eee 59.5 Wats 32.4 0.7 Sorehumylodderie 2% sas jee seco oer eee eee eee oeee 59.7 Les 37.3 0.4 ReGROLOVER A ie iiistcce Mace dees ase ween tio rune cchet eae loan ake 84.7 6.8 35.8 HEY A falifaricrn masses: Safa eiarevane che "a ‘ain cc area ulsvalabens eva yi AOS ARETE Seo a oat 91.6 11.0 39.6 1.2 IBaPlOye ter eitee wee ates selectins Reed iaicha tas 5 tain eee acters Raaeraane 85.2 6.2 46.6 1.5 RVC STASS merece Lock, aic% cyoscte Spe clere Sai ae See eR cedar ee ere Hales eee es 78.8 4.8 37.3 2.0 QOWAD ES Garde ties scans > ites cole lere pussys Catepoveds erevaesioie em cecie ee rere es 89.3 10.8 38.6 2G | OTraDiSrassys sees asec ace eeeoere Sale Sen dees eens od Seam Reels 82.4 Bak 39.7 1.4 TOWNSONGEE ASS 82 ape rote tale ie ee eee eet ce See SUNS Sulseee Bose Cees 87.7 2.4 47.8 0.7 MA TSHISRASS. ie ces eke ay eee eR DOE Meet ote iieha core emetic se mearetaree 88.4 2.4 29.9 0.9 MATT VS Garage slave sce aets os se rasete le ener er natar aol Om GIES eas TERT SE reece al HEROS 4.5 51.7 1.3 Oat any Jacek alld c Sites wera ao etc aw aetaeG gen eae ata ates ore cteie cies 91.1 4.3 46.4 1.5 Oathiandh Wea Way ox a cprse cle eens ee alesse em saith a dara wine 85.4 9.2 36.8 1.2 Orchardionasssc:.2 Gels kate. ccuae Gea Gee acodae went jisitcheane 90.1 4.9 42.3 1.4 PPATPISIS TASS as Suis eke ee irene ee tte ia Une tetas ene aetna 87.5 3.5 41.8 1.4 ROG BOP ese ik aie sss ares ie lee eR ATP a evade aban) Ganetehotni ns Mareen eete 91.1 4.8 46.9 1.0 SDUOUN Ys gests ora came eee SI ORE CU alain oe ee EE eines 86.8 2.8 43.4 1.4 TiimothycanG ClOvens: oc mes seieciccwc veces ce Rone eneniecen ee wenten 85.3 4.8 39.6 1.6 Vetehircs... Gee a secte Ue 88.7 12.9 47.5 1.4 White Gaisy chsh aio ta see rete aes de coe oe Oe near oem meninieene 85.0 3.8 40.7 1.2 Straw— Barly eekiiewid totes cok cd ~cin ae ae Matty hae alas telecerceisis ee aerate eae 85.8 0.7 41.2 0.6 CY Ra Oe eee nanan cet Ona none ota cc emboct Uosaooneodall Manse 1.2 38.6 0.8 RYO. ryeheseaikive s oe: ardib Hichictele s Cilalere G eteyha lee toraisle lows saree rare ROI 92.9 0.6 40.6 0.4 WHE AB aise cick ae Cebale Mania bie ee Sin slonaiesiowaie cokieks eerie emeerae 90.4 0.4 36.3 0.4 Roots and tubers— ATPIGHOR GS iz \cte:s « «bc areprtaesls.o'a eraser Se ate ratshe gee ae ES Canc eae re os 20.0 2.0 16.8 0.2 Beets, IGOMIMION:. .o2e Ganniea ce a elaes wifet be reer me ee O et cieicte 13.0 1.2 8.8 0.1 IBEets iy SUPT A <5. dooce tect a tenancies Saiceak ce Meee eeeenee 13.5 1.1 10.2 0.1 CALTrOUS ee.) o soatlee te erate ult sure 11.4 0.8 7.8 0.2 Man POLS cede sce penceiea seer eeber 9.1 1.1 75.4 0.1 Parsr DSnemeeteace Wary 1.6 11.2 0.2 Potatoes........ 21.1 0.9 16.3 0.1 Rutabagas........ 11.4 1.0 8.1 0.2 Murnipss cesses. ce hive 9.5 1.0 7.2 0.2 Sweet potatoes...... ..,. 29.0 0.9 22.2 0.3 : STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. QI , ANALYSES OF FEEDING STUFFS—OContinued. iS) Digestible nutrients “< in 100 lbs. 4 B = is) Q we t+ tr] s es Name of feed. g S = ae fue ic} (s) S wy & 5 & oo = i 4 S ie] oe = eo ot z 2 ons Grain and by-products-— ‘ [ETTISR7) tla cha eben LEER crs RA aoe oe Leama alco: setictd 89.1 Sei 65.6 1.6 ISRGNMEESH OR ALIS SU CUIsyse «01s in \c)s) cc's eiajeuloncelaisieleistajtjersie nie wis msieh cle lesometele 91.8 15.7 36.3 5.1 ISTO WOES MOT AUIS sO WiOUE core b's slercicisic ols ce Tavcte ssalcinte oe oie Wien inne nies ie lee ieee 24.3 3.9 9.3 1.4 VPM SPNOULS ee a cietecisisiais sets ccc acta isis oa 6.2 occas ciseysielselen