408 ENSILAGE. 



The mouldiness frequently observed on the surface, and along 

 the sides of ensilage, is due to the presence of air, which enables 

 the spores of the humble mould plants to germinate and 

 develop. They are not necessary concomitants of ensilage, 

 and with a little care they can be avoided. The spores of the 

 mould are growing on the w^alls of the silo, and on the planks 

 which are used to cover it. If, before putting in the forage, 

 the walls of the silo were washed with bisulphite of lime, and 

 if the boards which cover the top were washed with it, or with 

 carbolic acid, or if a felting steeped in an aqueous solution of 

 carbolic acid were used to cover the fodder before putting on 

 the boards, there would be no appearance of mould when the 

 silo was opened. It is probable that the employment of anti- 

 septics in a more thoroughgoing way may be found not only 

 to prevent mouldiness on the surface, but to check fermenta- 

 tion all through the mass, and thus produce perfect ensilage. 

 This is a matter for experiment. 



The success of ensiling as at present practised thus turns upon 

 the exclusion of air. The more thoroughly that is done the 

 better the ensilage. Chaff cutting, tramping, and heavy weigh- 

 ing are the means used for that purpose, and to these may be 

 added watering. I have seen samples of oat ensilage which, while 

 being ensiled, was drenched with water, and the result was very 

 good. The water took the place of air in the straw, and enabled 

 it to pack closer, and the ensilage had a sweet etheric aroma, 

 very slight acidity, and it seemed to have suffered very little 

 change. 



Opinions seem to vary very much as to the quality of ensilage. 

 There are some who prefer that it should be acid, and certainly 

 cattle do not object to a little vinegar in their food, any more 

 than we do, and, fortunately, they seem to be rather attracted 

 than repelled by a '•' gamey " flavour in ensilage. In Germany, 

 Holland, and elsewhere, the making of ensilage has been 

 practised for more than a century, and the product obtained by 

 the simple method used there is a very acid one. It is known 

 under the name of 'SSauerheu," or sour hay, and it is as much 

 relished by cattle as ''Sauerkraut" (which is just a kind of 

 domestic ensilage) is by the peasantry. So far as acceptability 

 to cattle is concerned, there is no difficulty in preserving fodder, 

 even wdth comparatively rough and imperfect appliances. A 

 mere pit dug in the earth packed tight with fresh grass, and 

 weighted with nothing but the earth which was dug out of it, 

 produces an ensilage which cattle eat with pleasure. But the 

 question which has to be answered before such ensilage can be 

 pronounced a success in this country, is whether fodder stored in 

 that way is economical. That is a question somewhat difficult 

 to answer. It would be more economical than to attempt to 



