504 Journal of Agriculture. [8 August, 1907. 



also a good deal of waste round the outside, but nowhere else. We are feeding 

 about 30 lbs. to each cow with about 3 lbs. of bran, and the cows never looked 

 better. We are milking 25, and 13 of these are heifers. At present we are 

 getting 41 gallons of milk per day with a 4.3 test. 



There are no mouldy patches. We think we made a mistake in using it too 

 soon after filling especially as we had plenty of green maize and a good naddock 

 of lucerne. On the whole we are well satisfied and shall fill the silo next 

 season taking care to finish off on top more carefully than we did this season. 

 We kept four men constantly trampling the ensilage during the filling of the 

 silo and frequently had seven or eight trampling at intervals, but we made the com- 

 mon mistake of not keeping the sides higher than the middle. We did not put 

 any weight on top, or seal in any way, but started using immediately after 

 filling. The waste occurred we think through not using it in sufficient quantities, 

 thereby having too much surface exposed to the air for too long a time. 



Mr. Henry Foster, Whitfield Estate, says: — 



I filled my silo three parts full of maize and broom corn — all it was possible 

 to get in as it was getting too drv. I lost about 18 inches all round the walls, 

 and a little through the bulk, but, on the whole I was very pleased with the 

 result. The cows got quite fond of it, and in the spring came in quite fat, and 

 had no leeway to make up when they calved and started milking. I am just on the 

 point of again filling my silo with maize and broom corn. 



The broom corn referred to is the stalks left after cutting for the 

 market. Owing to its woodv nature, it is of very little use if left in the 

 field for the cows to eat, but made into ensilage it is fairly good feed 

 becoming soft and succulent. 



Mr. H. Jacob, Mildura, writes at some length, but to great benefit. 

 The following is extracted from his letters, one in March and the other 

 in May : — 



I have had the floor of the silo cemented, as before it was only covered 

 with bags; I now hope to have the silage good right to the bottom. The bag 

 chute previously mentioned is now working, and I find it quite satisfactory. It 

 saves moving the stuff as I can guide the chute to any part. Also I believe it will 

 make better silage as it is evenly mixed and sets firmer ; before, the leaves or 

 flag being all together were spongy. I am keeping it well trodden especially 

 around the sides. The maize is at its best, being well cobbed, and just beginning 

 to get hard, but the stalk and leaves are green. I am filling at the rate of t, tons 

 a day so it will take me a fortnight to complete. No extra help is employed 

 so we are only able to put in five hours a day at one ton per hour. There are three 

 working at it, one carting, one cutting, and one chaffing. The extra cost, charging 

 the ruling rate of wage at 8d. per hour, is 2S. per ton, so £6 for filling a 60-ton 

 silo is not very expensive. 



The silo is serving its purpose as a guide to others, as another dairvman has 

 one erected. He came here for particulars, but he seemed to think it could be 

 built much cheaper, so he has had one built partly on his idea and partly on 

 this one. The changes he made I do not agree with. They are as follow : — 

 Only three wooden bands 6 feet apart, using fencing wire between. The 6-feet 

 sheets of iron standing upright around the sides. No foundation posts, but a 

 round trench dug in which he places the uprights, which are of redgum, and 

 without bands to hold them in place 



I had 54 tons when finished, but now I have reduced it bv 6 feet. I find 

 hardly any waste aroimd the sides, the average being only 3 or 4 inches, and, 

 about half way round good right up to the iron. The good quality and the 

 small waste I put down to using the chute and ramming the sides. I used an 

 old cog wheel i foot in diameter with a stick in centre for handle and after 

 treading well I found with ramming that I could force it down 6 inches or 

 more. Also the chute lets the stuff fall without dividing, the grain, stalk, leaves, 

 and small chaff falling together fit closer, thereby excluding the air. Further 

 it saves levelling and makes better feed, as each cow gets her proper proportion 

 of grain, leaves, &c. The sides of silo, I covered with a thick lime-wash. The 

 joints in iron I made to all appearances, air-tight, by well smearing them, and 

 as they face upwards, it is very easy to do. In your table of the different 

 ages of maize, the older it gets, the better it is for ensilage. Would the extra 



