A CONTRIBUTION TO THE BACTERIOLOGY OF 



SILAGEi 



JAMES M. SHERMAN 



From the Bacteriological Laboratories of the Pennsxjlvania State College and Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station 



The fermentation which ensilage undergoes during its curing 

 process was looked upon a few decades ago as being entirely 

 of microbic origin, and we find, in the older hterature on the 

 subject, frequent reference to the alcohohc, acetic acid and 

 lactic acid ferments which were supposed to exist in the ensilage. 

 The evidence upon which such statements were based was, as 

 far as can be ascertained, merely the occurrence in silage of the 

 products characteristic of the action of such organisms. At 

 the present time, due chiefly to the work of Babcock and Rus- 

 sell (1900, 1901), opinion has swung in the opposite direction 

 to such an extent that microorganisms are now generally con- 

 sidered of httle if any significance in the normal fermentation 

 of silage. 



That most microbiologists in this country do not consider 

 bacteria of significance in the formation of silage is indicated 

 by a review of the recent textbooks on the subjects of general 

 and agricultural bacteriology. Marshall (1911) and Jordan 

 (1914) make no mention of silage, although other related fer- 

 mented products are discussed. Russell and Hastings (1915) 

 state that the fermentation is beheved to be due to the respira- 

 tion of the Hving plant cells. Lipman (1911) outlines the res- 

 piration theory of Babcock and Russell and states that silage 

 may be made under conditions which exclude bacterial action. 



1 This paper, originally entitled "The Occurrence of Aciduric Bacilli in Corn 

 Silage," was prepared for publication when a paper appeared by Hunter and 

 Bushnell bearing a somewhat similar title. This article, slightly changed so 

 as to contain reference to their work, is published only to confirm the observations 

 of Hunter and Bushnell. 



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