1882.] ENSILAGE. 98 



on the part of my neighbors, among whom, with a single exception, 

 none had any faith in my success; in fact I was the laughing stock 

 of the region — until I opened my silos, since when 1 have done 

 most of the laughing. 



What IS the principh involved in this method of forage preser- 

 vation ? Simply, the exclusion of air from contact with the forage 

 to be preserved. Indeed, so far as we need to consider it, the 

 • principle is identical with that of canning articles of human food. 

 How can the air be excluded ? First by expulsion; this is done by 

 trampling the forage while filling the silo, and by heavy weighting 

 when the filling is completed. Secondly, the air is l^ept out partially 

 by the continued pressure of the weights, and partially by having 

 the bottom and the sides of the silo so tight that the air and gases 

 formed in it cannot escape. But trample and weight the mass as 

 thoroughly as possible all the air cannot be expelled, some will 

 remain, the oxygen of which uniting with certain elements in 

 the forage forms carbonic acid gas, which being heavier than the 

 air sinks to the bottom; this process goes on until the air is ex- 

 hausted and the whole mass submerged in a bath of carbonic acid 

 gas and is absolutely air-tight. So long as these conditions remain 

 undisturbed, decomposition is impossible and the forage will keep. 



But does the forage stay in its original condition ? By no 

 means. In the formation of the carbonic acid gas alluded to, con- 

 siderable heat is developed; during this change the color of the leaf 

 becomes something near that of steeped tea leaves, although often 

 much brighter and lighter, a slight fermentation has taken place, 

 and there is a vinous and. many times a vinegary flavor perceptible. 

 The changes which take place seem to render the forage more 

 nutritious than in the green state. I am speaking now of the 

 ensilaged corn plant which is the ensilage crop of to-day, which it 

 will not be a few years hence. The same principle holds true of 

 every forage plant in a greater or less degree. The action of the 

 carbonic acid gas seems to change the starch into a more soluble, 

 or rather a more digestible condition. It seems to do what the 

 stomach does in the earliest stages of digestion. How do I know 

 this ? Have I made any chemical tests ? No, I have not. How 

 then do I know it? In this way. It has been the practice upon 

 my farm for nearly twenty years to use corn forage for soiling 

 purposes. I know that many of our adult cows have eaten one 

 hundred and twenty-five pounds of the fresh corn in a day. I 

 have on my place to-day one of these same cows that v/ould eat 



