lo Dec, 1908.] Silos and Silage. 735 



and it is under tliese conditions that sweet ensilage — tlie best ensilage — is 

 made. With the higher and longer sustained rise in temperature more 

 cr less acidity is developed in the ensilage; and as this change, which is 

 patent to our observation, is also a chemical change th;it alters the com- 

 I)Osition in the direction of reducing the feeding quality or the material, 

 the production of sweet ensilage is the more economical. The souring of 

 silage may arise from several causes, such as from ensiling the fodder in 

 a too immature stage ; from too quick filling ; from the material not being 

 pioperl) tramped or packed in; or from any other cause that may increase 

 tile temperature in the silo — a high temperature being the antecedent of 

 de\-elopment of acidit). In general practice it has been found that about 

 6 feet is a sufficient depth of material to fill into the. silo each day if a 

 minimum temperature is to be maintained ; a greater depth tending towards 

 ircreased heating. 



Where any decomposition occurs near the wall surface of a silo it is 

 usually the result of want of care in filling ; this being the place where the 

 work of tramping or pressing down is usually most neglected. If the 

 material is not tightly packed at the wall, air must gain access to the 

 adjacent material, and some loss will result. If the walls of the silo' were 

 constructed of particularly porous material, such as soft brick, and built 

 above ground, a little loss might occur over the whole wall surface; but 

 the porO'Sity in such cases could usually be checked by the application to 

 the inner w'all surface when the pit is empty of a cement wash or a coat 

 of hot tar, to which pitch has been added at the rate of i lb. to the gallon. 

 In the filling of a silo a very heavy pressure obtains on th: wall surface; 

 t'U+ with the cooling and settling down of the mass this pressure diminishes, 

 till the material becomes a solid body moTe or less independent of any 

 support. When this has taken place any carelessness in filling that has 

 allowed for the admission of air between the silage and the wall will be 

 followed by the decomposition of some material at that place. 



In opening the silo, and using the ensilage, the same principles must 

 be observed as in filling and closing it. Xo more fodder should be taken 

 out each day than can be used. The required quantity should be taken 

 off evenlv and regularly from the top of the silo; and, if feeding the 

 ensilage should be stopped for even two days, what remains in the silo 

 should be as carefully covered again as before. The using of the fodder 

 f lom the side surface of a bush silo is also undesirable ; and should not 

 he attempted unless all that is in the pit is certain to be used without 

 a break ; for it is almost impossible to cover up a side surface if once 

 e xposed ; and moulding and decomposition of the exposed silage will result. 



To clean ground fouled with weeds without loss of time there is no 

 irore profitable way than to make a sowing in the autumn of mixed fodder 

 such as peas and oats, or rye and tares, for green stuff; and then to 

 follow it up, when harvested, by a maize crop with summer cultivation. 

 The green stuff should be harvested for ensilage before the weeds have 

 .«eeded out ; and, under the fermentation in the silo, the germinating 

 power of all weeds is destroyed. If the maize is then sown in fairly wide 

 drills — as it should be, in order to obtain a plant rich in feeding value — 

 and the intervening ground kept well stirred throughout the summer, there 

 should be verv few weeds to interfere with a succeeding crop. 



Where there is a choosing between maize and any of the cereals as a 

 crop for ensiling the balance must be always in favour of the maize on 

 account of the greater yield. In considering maize ensiling versus hay 

 growing for dairv stock there is absolutely no comparison in returns obtain- 

 able, evervthing being in favour of the maize. 



