Jan. 3,i92i Sugar Beet Top Silage 539 



tion is the high percentage of dirt or sand found in the residue after 

 ashing. The real or true ash of the beet top silage was separated from 

 the total residue after igniting in an electric furnace, the difference repre- 

 senting sand or dirt. Even on the basis of the silage containing the 

 original moisture it is seen that the percentage of dirt is high in the three 

 samples classed as fair silage, the amount ranging from 2.32 pounds to 

 7.09 pounds on the basis of the wet silage. When calculated on the 

 moisture-free basis these samples contain dirt and sand to the amounts of 

 9.65 and 1 7. 1 pounds per 100 pounds of moisture-free silage. On the other 

 hand, the amount of dirt found in the poorer grades of silage ranges on 

 the wet basis from 8.26 pounds to 18.39 pounds per 100 pounds of wet 

 silage, while on the basis of 100 pounds moisture-free silage there are 

 found from 22.50 to 53.44 pounds. These figures are all the more striking 

 when applied to the average daily amount of beet top silage eaten by 

 stock. An animal consuming an average ration containing 35 pounds of 

 beet top silage must necessarily consume from 2.89 pounds to 6.44 pounds 

 of dirt. It is not unfair to assume that such quantities of dirt, which in 

 most localitie's engaged in growing sugar beets is a light, sandy, volcanic 

 ash, would tend to produce serious digestive disturbances which in turn 

 might produce the death of the animal. In samples 4 and 9, death of 

 stock did actually take place while the silage was being fed. An inspec- 

 tion of the dirt content of these two silages shows a dirt content of 8.42 

 and 11.65 pounds in every 100 pounds of wet silage and 42.1 and 53.44 

 pounds, respectively, in every 100 pounds of moisture-free silage. 



The reasons, for the presence of such a large quantity of dirt in the 

 silage are many. A brief summary of the methods used by the average 

 farmer when siloing sugar beet tops will be given, since it will tend to 

 explain the large quantities of sand and dirt that are present. In the 

 first place, the type of silo is very crude. Usually it is a shallow dirt 

 trench or pit of sufficient size to accommodate the crop of beet tops. 

 The beet tops are thrown into piles in the field and scooped upon wagons. 

 More or less dirt clings to the beet tops, especially if this work is carried 

 on in rainy weather. The wagons are driven into the trench and dumped, 

 each load tending to pack the beet tops previously unloaded. Such 

 procedure does not hinder but rather aids in the carrying in of some dirt. 

 It is readily seen that the whole process of siloing sugar beet tops is one 

 where dirt is collected in all steps of the process from the time of topping 

 the beets until the tops are actually siloed, unless extreme care is used 

 to keep out excess dirt. Without extreme care a good silage can not 

 be obtained. The United States Department of Agriculture has recently 

 issued a bulletin * which sets forth the best methods of siloing sugar 

 beet tops and describes the best types of pit silos. Pit silos with con- 

 crete side are recommended. Many good suggestions as to the proper 



1 Jones, James W. op. cit. 



