A. Amos and PI. E. Woodman 845 



dry matter may result from the process, especially if much drainage of 

 sap occurs. Bag No. 6 at the top of the large silo produced a silage 

 bordering upon this type, and was ensiled under somewhat similar con- 

 ditions as to freshness — it was cut only six hours before ensihng — but 

 the maximum temperature recorded in this bag probably accounts for 

 the alteration in type. 



The acid brown type of silage produced in bags 4 and 5 in the second 

 small silo is characteristic of much commercially made silage, and is 

 also a valuable type of silage. This is made generally from a moderately 

 dry crop, dried either by wilting or by allowing the crop to matiire and 

 so become drier before cutting. The analytical figures show a remarkably 

 low loss of dry matter in these two samples, only 8-2 per cent, and 9-1 

 per cent. The small loss is certainly a point in favour of this type of 

 silage. 



The silage in small silo No. 3 is not typical of commercial silage and 

 therefore no important conclusions can be drawn except perhaps that 

 rain washed fodder as well for its tendency to become mouldy, as for 

 the washing of food material from it by rain in the field, cannot be 

 expected to jiroduce first class silage. 



Methods of Analysis. 



The analysis of the green crop and silage samples was carried out 

 in the following manner. The percentage of dry matter was determined 

 by drying down representative samples of 200 grms. to constant weight 

 in the steam oven. The estimation was carried out in duphcate and the 

 dry residues were finely ground in a mill, allowed to air-dry for several 

 days and then submitted to complete analysis. This involved deter- 

 minations of moisture, crude, true and pepsin-HCl soluble protein, 

 "amides," ether-extract, crude fibre, ash and nitrogen-free extractives. 

 The results in every case were calculated to dry matter. When calcu- 

 lating the amount of ether extract in the silage samples, it was necessary 

 to make a correction for the volatile organic acids which are lost during 

 the process of drying down. 



The analysis of the samples was left in the hands of Mr F. J. Aylett, 

 to whom the writers would like to express their thanks for his careful 

 work in this connection. 



In order to gain a further insight into the nature of the changes 

 which occur during the ensilage of green forage, analyses were also 

 carried out on aqueous extracts of the green crop and silage samples. 

 Representative 200 grms. samples of the material were weighed out into 



