VOL. LXVII
INDIANAPOLIS, AUG. 3, 1912
NO. 31
Shall I Build a Silo?
Experiment  Stations'   and
Farmers' Experience
Show Their Value
SILOS
SAVE     CROPS    AND
BEST OF FEEDS.
MAKE
By   J.    H. Skinner,    Chief of    Animal
Husbandry,   Purdue  Exp.   Sta.
time con-
Many farmers are at this
fronted with the following
question: "Will it pay me
to build a silo, and what
are the essentials of a
good silo?"
The farmer who is seriously considering the
question of building a
silo should first take into account his system of
farming, the amount of
stock kept on the farm,
the possibility of increases the productiveness of
his land by means of
live stock, and the possibility of reducing the cost
of producing his stock,
and thereby increasing
the profits from the stock
and the farm as a whole.
The Advantages   of the
Silo.
Silage has many distinct
advantages over other
farm feeds. Frequently
farmers hesitate to build
a silo because of the apparently large flrst expense. Considering the
advantages one may readily lose sight of the cost.
Silage provides palatable,
succulent feed, which promotes health and thrift
in cattle and sheep.        It
protects   against     drouth,       	
short crops and dry pastures, greatly
increases the carrying capacity of the
farm and cheapens production; lt
makes possible the complete utilization
of the corn crop much of which is frequently wasted, and leaves the fields
clean for other crops and the manure
in a condition which is more easily and
readily handled. The silo provides the
most practical, economical means of
harvesting and storing feed. Like the
eorn, the crib, the silo should never be
empty, as silage can be fed at all
times.
The Purdue Experiment Station has
thoroughly demonstrated that silage is
Profitable for beef and dairy cattle,
and sheep. Experiments have repeatedly shown that more rapid and cheaper gains and greater profit can be
made where silage is fed to fattening
cattle and sheep than where it ls not.
sHage may also be fed to horses.
Many prominent breeders and feeders in various parts of the State have
f°und the silo a profitable Investment,
ko not be afraid to put money into a
silo as it will make you more money.
Jt will, also, enable you to build up the
ertlllty of the farm as you can main
tain   greater  numbers  of  animals  and
produce  larger  quantities  of  manure.
Corn is the most satisfactory crop
for the silo. Progressive farmers
should endeavor to use the entire corn
crop, as about 37 per cent of the value
of this crop is found in the stalk. The
farmer with a silo has no worry in regard to scarcity of feed.
Essentials of a Good Silo.
There are several essentials in any
good    silo.        It    should have a good,
THE SILO AS A FORAGE BANK.
Editors  Indiana Farmer:
There is produced every year in this
country sufficient forage to feed liberally all the live stock of the 'and,
and leave a good balance besides. The
shortage of supplies each year is due
to the spoiling and wasting of forage
already grown, and the means of preserving this forage will solve the stock
problem of the country. The principal waste is now going on with the
corn plant. It Is most noticeable in
the corn belt states where perhaps 80
per cent of the stalk and leaves of this
most valuable forage is wasted annually. As economic stock production is
determined by the proper use of forage, the silo furnishes a means where-
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the stock keeper to produce a forage
at less money than hay, if he wishes
to realize a good profit on his stock. In
this capacity the silo comes as a great
boon.
The Summer Silo.
The use of the silo throughout the
year is finding favor with many stock
keepers. It is quite difficult to obtain a profit on pasture which Is on
land worth $100.00 or more per acre.
During drouth seasons, the pasture is
often so poor that lt affords little or no
feed, but the interest on the Investment, and the taxes must be found.
There is no question but what the use
of the silo for summer feeding will
make rapid gains during the next few
        years and will soon come.
into common use. The
millions of tons of corn
sta"-i and rough forage
which are now annually
going to waste will find
use in the form of silage
and will make possible
not only a cheaper production of stock and
stock products, but will
also make It possible to at
least double the profit of
stock raising. Farmers
who are complaining of
low profits from cattle,
should make a study of
the silo, as they will here
find a means to increase
their profits and do this
with  less  labor.
The silo is a forage
bank which if put Into
general use will save a
vast amount of valuable
feed and bring a great
wealth to  our people.
A. Is. Haecker.
Three 18x24 feet silos on the farm of C. P. Sindlinger, near Shelbyville.
strong foundation and floor; strong,
rigid, smooth, airtight walls; a convenient satisfactory door, which can be
made airtight when the silo ls filled.
The silo should be substantially built
of good material. Wood, brick, concrete and glazed tile are all being used
successfully In the construction of
silos. The chief important differences
in these materials are the cost and the
durability. Anyone expecting to build
a silo will proflt by visiting farmers
who have been using them for a few
years. In this way one can obtain
first hand information.
It will not pay to build anything
but a circular or round silo. The roof
while desirable is not absolutely essential. The greater the height of the
silo, within safe limits, the better will
be the quality of the silage.
There are many different types of
silos and many different manufacturers, and the farmer who contemplates
erecting a silo will do well to Investigate these matters.
Careful attention should be given to
the condition of the crop at the time
of filling, and the methods of distributing and  packing.
by all farm forage can be preserved
and placed in the best possible condition for feeding. The silo is too well,
known to require a description of this
method, but its use is certainly sadly
wanting. It can be safely said, on
any farm where 10 head or more of
cattle are kept a silo is a proper equipment, and of great economic value.
silage from Other Forage Plant9.
Besides corn, excellent silage may be
made from alfalfa, clover, oats and
peas, rye sorgum, kafflr corn, millet
and milo maize. While corn is the
principal crop for silage, it is often
found advisable to make silage from
other plants, especially during drouth
seasons, when excellent sorgum and
kafflr corn can be grown as a catch-up.
The flrst cutting of alfalfa hay during
a wet season is often lost. This could
be put in the silo and saved, and by
feeding out during the summer months,
the silo can be refilled in the fall with
corn or kafflr corn.
During recent years, we have noted
a steady increase in the price of hay,
in fact all forage has commanded a
very high price, and lt Is necessary for
EFFECT    OF   PLOWING
ON YIELD OF
WHEAT.
An experiment waa
conducted at the Oklahoma Station for the purpose of determining the
effect of    early,    medium
        and late plowing upon the
yield of wheat. As an average for five
seasons, July plowing gave a return of
27.1 bushels per acre; August plowing
yielded 24.2 bushels per acre; while
land which had turned about the middle of September brought only 22 bushels per acre as an average. If the
wheat fields are plowed in July and are
then worked down with tillage implements so that they do not present a
rough, open surface, any rain which
may fall throughout the summer will
be absorbed and subsequent culture
will enable the grower to save this
supply for his crop. The same plan
can be followed in preparing fields for
alfalfa seeding. Where it is intended
to prepare the soil early in September,
officials of the Station recommend that
special effort should be made to pulverize the seed bed thoroughly after
plowing so that in the event of autumn
rains being abundant, the crop will
come through in good condition.
A good, big crop of apples is promised ln Bartholomew County. One
man, Bert Taylor has just sold 1,250
bushels of Transparents grown on four
acres, for $1400, a return of $350 per
acre.